Umberg’s Offensive for DOI Front Line
By Robert Warne - January 4, 2002Tom Umberg’s life possesses all the crucial ingredients for making the next generation of blockbuster GI Joe action figures. Currently he’s a Colonel and a commander in the U.S. Army Reserves as well as a paratrooper. He has also served as a military prosecutor, an assistant U.S. Attorney in Los Angeles, the deputy director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy and as a California assemblyman.
While in the Assembly from 1990-94 Umberg wrote laws ranging from protecting disaster victims to ensuring California Department of Insurance investigators have the necessary resources to fight fraud.
Mr. Umberg took some time out of his busy schedule to speak with adjustercom.com and answered a few questions regarding his candidacy for California Insurance Commissioner.
a: How do you plan to restore confidence in the Insurance Commissioner’s office?
U: The conduct of the Department of Insurance must be guided by the following three principles:
Integrity—Ban on insurance industry contributions and gifts, conflict of interest disclosure, five-year ban on post-employment lobbying activities and provide ethics training.
Openness—in terms of open meetings, broadcast access to all meetings and open access to public records in terms of the business conducted at the Department of Insurance.
Accessibility—weekly on-line availability, regularly scheduled statewide meetings with consumers and performance standards for better service.
a: How will you implement this code of conduct?
U: I plan to implement it through administrative policies that will be operational in the Department of Insurance.
a: When would this code of conduct be in force?
U: As soon as I become the insurance commissioner in California.
a: Regarding workers’ compensation, would you like to see a benefits increase? Is it possible to have a benefits increase and still keep rates low?
U: I would like to see a benefits increase but I think there are places where we can save some money, particularly in terms of the cost of medical care.
a: Is it still possible that you might be called to active duty? Does that still take precedence for you over running for insurance commissioner?
U: In terms of my military duties, they are very significant, obviously after Sept. 11. I command a unit of about 60 people who are very much involved in what’s going on. I have not been activated such that I won’t be available for the election. I don’t anticipate being activated over the long-term, although, if that were to be the case I would be proud and honored to serve my country. If I had to make a choice between campaigning and serving in uniform, serving in uniform is what I’m obligated to do and proud to do.
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