If you think the Democrats care about the integrity of communities and believe the "it takes a village" rhetoric, think again. Congresswoman Laura Richardson couldn't care less about her neighbors in Sacramento. After being elected to Congress in 2007, the Long Beach Democrat abandoned her home in California's capital, and let it deteriorate, with three foot high weeds growing in the yard, impairing the value of her neighbors' homes in the upscale Curtis Park neighborhood..  

Neighbors have complained to the city, written letters and e-mails to Richardson and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , but the three-bedroom house remains an eyesore. Neighbors just wish she would sell it or let it go into foreclosure, anything to get it into the hands of someone who would care.

"She shows total disregard for everyone in the neighborhood," said Sean Padovan, a retired police sergeant. "She ought to be embarrassed and ashamed."

Richardson did not return phone calls for this story.

The problems with the house began shortly after Richardson was elected to the Assembly in 2006 from Long Beach and bought the two-story house in the leafy Curtis Park neighborhood.

It wasn't long before Padovan, 62, angry that the lawn wasn't being mowed, knocked on Richardson's door, told her he was a neighbor and asked if she minded if he cut the grass. He hauled out his hand mower, and when Richardson still seemed to have no interest in taking care of her yard, he stuck a gardener's card in her door with a note saying that she should call him if she had questions. ...

Richardson bought the house in early 2007 for $535,000. She already owned two other houses that she had defaulted on six times.