The Skinny

When we last left our tale, the Democratic caucus was huddled in the members’ lounge, trying to hammer out a timeline to select a new leader. The speaker’s brain trust was gathered outside the caucus room, eagerly awaiting scraps of information. Or any other scraps. As Republicans enjoyed a brunch, paid for by Anthony Adams as a reward for the early 11:00 a.m. start time, the speaker’s chief of staff, Dan Eaton, held vigil with a hand-drawn sign outside the door. The sign was scribbled with double meaning: Will Work For Food. But Eaton isn’t job-hunting yet. Democrats will take their first shot at electing a speaker in March. And best we can tell, it seems like there are about 48 candidates seeking the job, each with about one vote, give or take. … It looks like Assemblywoman Mary Hayashi is cementing her reputation as the Assembly’s new problem child. Hayashi lost her third chief of staff in as many months when Tara Getty left the Assemblywoman’s office earlier this month. Maybe Dan Eaton wants the gig? But all work and no play makes for a dull Skinny. Luckily for us, our friends at the Cordial Caucus are back to bring some late-winter cheer to the Capitol. The group that puts the “parti” back in bipartisan will meet on March 5 at Marilyn’s on K. Get those dancing shoes and those livers ready. … And in the wake of his wife Sharon’s announcement that she has a rare lung disease and is awaiting a lung transplant, Sen. George Runner took his name out of the running to succeed Dick Ackerman as Senate GOP leader. “Because of Sharon’s situation, I am not going to be in the process of looking at minority leader for the state Senate,” George Runner said. “There are plenty of other fine individuals who can focus their important time on that task that needs to be done.”

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