Well Insured

Ex-assemblyman Juan Vargas, running in the Democratic primary for state senate, raised a total of $146,700 through the end of last year, recent filings show. Controversial for favoring the insurance industry during his time in the Assembly, Vargas, who went on to work as an influence peddler for Safeco of Seattle and later its successor company Liberty Mutual of Boston, picked up $3900 from the Insurance Brokers and Agents Candidate PAC on December 31. The same day, he received $3900 from the Hartford Advocates Fund, Multi-Candidate Committee. The California Insurance Wholesalers Association kicked in $1000 on December 29. Other heavy Vargas hitters included $3900 from La Jolla’s Cambridge Investments and the same from developer Bruce Tabb.