The Little Hoover Commission was created in 1962, and is technically called the "Commission on California State Government Organization and Economy" — it is primary looked at as a quasi-independent body that reviews the actions of state government. It has a staff that conducts audits, studies and the like. Most recently, the Little Hoover Commission played a role in reviewing the Governor’s proposed reorganization of state government last year, recommending its approval before the Democrat-controlled legislature declared the re-org dead on arrival (after the commission gave its recommendation, then it went on to the legislature).
I call the Commission "quasi-independent" because most of its membership is appointed by the Governor or the legislative leaders in the Senate and the Assembly. However, the commission does has strict rules to make sure that no single political party dominates its membership.
There is no doubt that out of the hundreds of state commissions, this is a fairly prominent one. Thus it comes as great and welcome news that today Governor Schwarzenegger named James E. Rogan to serve as one of its members!
Rogan, of course, is a superstar on the Republican side of the aisle. While originally a Democrat, Regan found his heart and soul in the Grand ol’ Party of Abraham Lincoln. He has had a storied career — as a sucessful prosecutor, a judge, a member of the State Assembly, a Member of Congress (where he served as one of the handful of managers of impeachment trial of former President Bill Clinton), and went on to serve President George W. Bush as an UnderSecretary of Commerce heading up the Office of Patents and Trademarks (well, its something close to that).
If you ask Jim about his career, and of what he is most proud, he will readily pull out of a photo of his family, and beam as he tells you that it is the Rogan Family that is his most proud achievement.
Anyways, Rogan is well known for two things — his ability to forge relationships and make friends with people regardless of THEIR ideology or party — and his steadfast ability to stick to his own principles as a conservative Republican.
The Little Hoover Commission will be well served by Jim Rogan’s addition. While the FR would have liked to see him named to the State Supreme Court (or to the United States Supreme Court for that matter!) – we are all proud to have him here.
Hats off to Governor Schwarzenegger for making a sterling decision here, and picking one of the most qualified Republicans out there to be his apppintee to the Little Hoover Commission!
PS: Rogan’s announcement came amidst a number of other appointments today, and you can see the release here. I will my partisan analysis of these appointments later. But another GOP notable – congratulations to California Women’s Leadership Assocation President Julie Vandermost for her appointment to the Orange County Fair Board of Directors :)