[Cross-posted from OC Blog]

The long, strange political saga of Janet Nguyen has taken another curious turn.

She is being sued in small claims court by the man who quarterbacked her recount effort in the wake of the Feb. 2007 special election: veteran GOP operative Jimmy Camp.

The reason: Janet’s refusal to pay Jimmy the final $2,500 of the $10,000 win bonus he was promised if she won the recount.

Jimmy has been working in OC and California GOP politics for close to twenty years. he has worked with a laundry-list of candidates, elected officials and movers-and-shakers. He is roundly liked, admired and respected.

Why stiff him?

Leaving aside the wrongness of refusing to pay someone what you owe them…but forcing Jimmy Camp to go to court to in order to get paid? Why confirm the persistent criticism that Janet isn’t ready for prime time with this display of political pettiness and immaturity?

Obviously, Janet can bank on this… Read More

Here’s some great "Economics 101" from Frank Schubert on gas prices. Meet Mr. Supply and Mr. Demand….… Read More

I was in my car this afternoon (contributing to my carbon footprint) when my State Senator, Dick Ackerman, called me with the news — Senate President Pro-Tem Don Perata had "called off" of the recall of Jeff Denham. Or, to be more precise, Perata announced the suspension of the political campaign to pass the recall measure.

Now that I am back at my computer, I went online and was able to read Senator Perata’s "spin" on his decision…

ENTER THE SPIN ROOM…

Perata’s statement reads, in part:

A long stalemate is the last thing we need. Without a budget – we run out of cash – the richest state in America gone broke!

We won’t be paying our bills – and we won’t be giving our schools, our emergency rooms and our police the resources they need.

So I met with Republican Leader Dave Cogdill – and I asked him how we could clear… Read More

Senate Republican Leader Dave Cogdill negotiated an end to the Denham Recall today.

That is the first major victory for the new Republican Leader.… Read More

Study: 25% of LA’s Welfare Goes to Undocumented Immigrants

L.A. County Supervisor Mike Antonovich says the county spends more than $1 billion a year on benefits to undocumented immigrants.

According to new data from the Department of Public Social Services, nearly twenty five percent of Los Angeles County ‘s welfare and food stamp benefits goes directly to the children of undocumented immigrants, at a cost of $36 million a month — for a projected annual cost of $432 million.

"The total cost for illegal immigrants to County taxpayers far exceeds $1 billion a year – not including the millions of dollars for education," said Antonovich.

"With $220 million for public safety, $400 million for healthcare, and $432 million in welfare allocations, illegal immigration continues to have a devastating impact on Los Angeles County taxpayers."

The supervisor said, in March, undocumented immigrants collected over $19 million in welfare assistance and over $16 million in food stamp allocations.… Read More

In less than an hour, Assembly Speaker Fabian “Louis Vuitton” Nunez will be holding what is being billed as his “last press conference as Speaker” – thank goodness. It is tiresome, as we all know, to hear self-absorbed people speak at a microphone.

Anyways, according to a blog post over on the Nunez Propaganda Website, the Speaker’s Deputy Chief of Staff, Steve Maviglio, says that Nunez is going to unveil yet another attempt to reduce legislative term-limits (apparently the Speaker’s memory extends backwards around ten weeks, but not much longer) – coupled with some sort of redistricting reform and a fundraising “blackout period” during budget negotiation season (yeah, those are so effective).

Once again, though, it is the Fabian “Party of One” – where Nunez figures out what he wants, announces it from a podium, and he is off to the races. This worked like a charm for his health care boondoggle, and his Career Politician Term Limits Weakening Initiative (Prop. 93), didn’t it?

As demonstration of Nunez’ ongoing… Read More

SAN DIEGO (AP) – Dozens of San Diego State University students were arrested after a sweeping drug investigation found that some fraternity members openly dealt drugs and one even sent a mass text message advertising cocaine, authorities said Tuesday.

Two kilograms of cocaine were seized, along with 350 Ecstasy pills, marijuana, psychedelic mushrooms, hash oil, methamphetamine, illicit prescription drugs, several guns and at least $60,000 in cash, authorities said.

Of the 96 people arrested, 75 were students. Eighteen of the students were arrested Tuesday when nine search warrants were executed at various locations including fraternities, said Jesse Rodriguez, San Diego County assistant district attorney. Read it all here.… Read More

Every 12years Los Angeles County voters get to choose a new Supervisor. Under the racially complaint redistricting rules District 2 is the "black" seat. Although the district is vigorously trending Latino.

There are two competitors for a job most politicians believe is better than Congress. An LA Supervisor has 2,000,000 constituents, a huge staff, multiple offices, an easy commute, great salary, amazing benefits, a giant personal slush fund and best tickets to the Hollywood Bowl.Plus the 5 regents control billions and billions of tax dollars.

Former LAPD Chief and current LA City Council Bernard Parks is resisting efforts by controversial state senator Mark Ridley-Thomas for the seat.

The differences between them are stark. Chief Parks is primarily for vigorous law enforcement, skeptical of endless government union demands and pro business. And yet he has the enthusiastic support of a large coalition extending from Congressman Maxine Waters to Supervisor Mike Antonovich.

On the other hand… Read More