Advocacy groups nationwide are studying a recall drive that has been launched on the Internet to boot California Insurance Commissioner Charles Quackenbush out of office.

Quackenbush is under investigation by state lawmakers for allegations that he diverted funds intended to assist victims of the 1994 Northridge earthquake into nonprofits in which he has a vested interest, and for allowing insurers to escape $3.3 billion in fines from mishandled claims, Reuters News reports.

Former Simi Valley city council member Sandi Webb -- whose own home was damaged during the Northridge earthquake -- started the Recall Quackenbush Web site after learning of the evidence against the Republican politician.

Internet users who log on to the Web site can download a copy of the recall petition, sign it and send it in for official recording. The electronic petition is legal as long as it is identical to to the one approved by the Secretary of State's office.

The effort must collect 964,325 signatures by Nov. 22 to force a recall election, the news service reports.

"He's a corrupt politician, and corrupt politicians have got to go," Webb told Reuters.

Using the Internet is also saving the recall effort thousands of dollars that would otherwise be spent printing hundreds of thousands of petition forms and mailing them to voters across the state.

Quackenbush reduced up to $3.3 billion in potential fines against California insurance firms based on mishandled insurance claims from the 1994 earthquake. The companies instead contributed $12 million to the California Research and Assistance Fund, intended to help earthquake victims.

No money has gone to the Northridge residents from that fund, although Quackenbush has spent $3 million to pay for advertisements featuring himself promoting earthquake preparation, Reuters reports.

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