California’s leaders abandoned their jobs

State Superintendent of Instruction Tom Torlakson was acting governor while Gov. Jerry Brown and other elected officials were at the Democratic convention in Philadelphia.

The state superintendent of instruction is ninth in the line of succession in California. The governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, speaker of the Assembly, Senate president pro tem, attorney general, treasurer and controller are all in Philadelphia. The California constitution requires the state official to be within state boundaries in order to perform their job. With two wildfires going, we had the state schools chief in charge with only the insurance commissioner and chair of the Board of Equalization to back him up should any other disaster strike. Really?

Is anyone else as disgusted as I am that not one of the top elected officials was responsible enough to take responsibility and stay behind to run the state? Carol McManus San Jose