Piggybanks

Padres owner John Moores continues to pour cash into the legal defense fund of departing California Senate president pro tem Don Perata of Oakland, under investigation by the feds relating to alleged kickbacks from consultants to his various campaign committees. On February 28, Moores added another $25,000 contribution to the $50,000 he’d already given last fall. Perata’s last day as president pro tem is in November; Senate Democrats elected Darrell Steinberg of Sacramento to succeed him after Perata’s ballot bid to extend legislative terms, also backed by Moores, failed at the polls.