Tribute to Jay La Suer… It was a near-roast Friday night in Mission Valley as about 300 well-wishers said thanks to termed-out Assemblyman Jay La Suer. Senator Dennis Hollingsworth, Assemblyman Dennis Mountjoy and BOE Member Claude Parrish were among those honoring Jay.
A Capitol-Watch highlights video ran interspersed with scenes from John Wayne and Clint Eastwood movies, over-dubbed with Sergio Leone spaghetti-Western music. Some fun ensued over La Suer’s and Mountjoy’s unique, conservative alliance in Sacramento. Some lines from the evening:
Hollingsworth claimed that "the only vote Jay and Mountjoy ever disagreed on was tax breaks for domestic partners…Jay was for principle and Dennis was for practicality."
"You know how kids wear Superman pajamas to bed?" asked Mountjoy, "Well, Superman wears Jay La Suer pajamas to bed!"
About their shared house in Sacto, Mountjoy said "I didn’t know that I could ever live with a Sheriff…and Jay’s not just the Sheriff when he’s on duty, he’s the Sheriff full time."
Mountjoy told the great story about an Assembly floor debate that devolved into La Suer punctuating his speech with an "Isn’t that right, Mr. Mountjoy?" and Dennis responding with "Yes, that’s right Mr. La Suer!" After a couple of such exchanges, presiding Member Fred Keeley interrupted, telling Jay he couldn’t have a conversation with a colleague during debate. Jay responded, "I’m not having a conversation with him, I’m using him as a prop!" After a huge laugh from the floor, Keeley retorted, "Props of that size are never allowed on the floor of the Assembly."
The evening was serious as well, with Hollingsworth telling about all of Jay’s personal back-breaking work after the 2003 Cedar Fire and his battles on the Public Safety Committee. "Jay’s fights in committee and our fights for Project Kidsafe," said Hollingsworth, "is much of the reason Jessica’s Law is the law of the land today."
Mountjoy summed it all up: "Second to only my father, I don’t know another man who has as much devotion to God and Country than Jay La Suer."
I visited Imperial Beach and all I got was this lousy $230,000 tee-shirt… Perhaps one of the most expensive losing efforts in San Diego County history took place with Tuesday’s Imperial Beach mayoral election. Kourosh Hangafarin, who many said didn’t actually live in the city, spent a cool $230,000 at last count and finished last of three candidates. By the way, I.B. is a small city…it looks as if under 4,000 folks actually cast votes. Hangafarin received about 700 of them. That’s about $328 per vote, and could go up when it’s all counted.
Councilman Jim Janney, alternatively, won the election with over 1,800 votes by spending a whopping $12,000. Do the math…about $6.50 per vote.
It does go to show that when one spends so much money that the general population becomes aware of it, thus creating media attention and a buzz in a rather small town, all that has been purchased is backlash. Kourosh bought it in spades.
By the way, Mayor-elect Janney is a Republican — and by my personal account, having served with him on a regional board — a conservative. I can only assume that the reason he was not endorsed by the local GOP (he did request the endorsement, as I signed his paperwork), was that his local credibility and credentials must have "competed" somehow with Hangafarin’s cash…thus neither candidate could achieve the necessary 2/3 vote.
Perhaps the Party will consider endorsing Janney if he runs for re-election in four years, since he will be the mayor. An added plus, he even lives in the city.