Shit-Shoveling Left Off Politician's Official Bio, Oddly Enough

Chris Parker definitely can tell you-know-what from Shinola...

​Our introduction to Chris Parker began with shit. The Franchise Tax Board attorney and candidate for the state's board of equalization happened to mention his long years' experience shoveling the stuff to Assembly Speaker Pro Tempore Fiona Ma during dinner -- and she felt the need to live-tweet it:

Mtg w/ Chris Parker, a tax atty for the Franchise Tax Bd running 4 Bd of Equalization District 2. His 1st job was shoveling manure. Cool!

Yes, this was mealtime banter. In any event, Parker told us that his many years of working with excrement have come in handy for his nascent political career. For one thing, it's excellent stump speech fodder: "Look, Board of Equalization is not one of those sexy positions like legislature or Attorney General," he says. "This is kind of an ice-breaker. It's an attention-grabber"

So, we were pleased to see that Parker shoveled home the Democratic Party's official endorsement over the weekend. But we were a bit surprised to see that his unusual past employment has been bowdlerized off his official bio -- which notes that he "he worked difficult jobs in order to help the family make ends meet."

Chris Parker

​Parker explains that the reason for this is just what you'd think it would be: Folksy banter about manure is ever so much less creepy than the word "manure" appearing in someone's written biography.

"That biographical tidbit is much better suited for speeches," he notes. "Since much of the district is rural, the common retort is, 'Oh, are you available? I need some shoveling service.'

"If furloughs continue past the current June expiration, I may need that second line of work."