State Senator Abel Maldonado is a pleasant man. I don’t speak with him to frequently — as he is from the Central Coast and I am from Orange County, and he works in the State Capitol, a place that I admit I do not frequent as often as I should — but when I do talk to him there, I walk away saying to myself, "He’s a nice guy."

Well, last Summer, in the budget stand-off between Democrats and Republicans, he wasn’t so nice.

While all of his GOP colleagues were in a fox-hole, trying to defend California against an unrealistic budget that clearly spent way too much money, Abel abandoned his colleagues, and then started firing shots back at them.

**There is more – click the link**

View Full Commentary… Read More

UPDATE: 7am – I just got off of the phone with State Senate Republican Leader Dick Ackerman, who wanted to make sure that it was clear that his priorities in terms of State Senate races are (1) Defend Jeff Denham in the recall, (2) Re-elect Abel Maldonado, (3) Elect Tony Strickland, (4) Elect Greg Aghazarian. I agree with #1 above although my commentary below is about priorities for the Fall (after the recall is resolved). Obviously I am advocating that Ackerman and his successor change their order of priority – Flash.

State Senator Abel Maldonado is a pleasant man. I don’t speak with him to frequently — as he is from the Central Coast and I am from Orange County, and he works in the State Capitol, a place that I admit I do not frequent as often as I should — but when I do talk to him there, I walk away saying to myself, "He’s a nice guy."

Well, last Summer, in the budget stand-off… Read More

An Urgent Message from California State Senator Tom McClintock To Young Conservatives

January, 2008 It is early 2008. You are a young conservative college student or recent graduate. Many of your liberal friends have secured or are looking for positions in local, state or federal government. They see the public sector as a fulfilling potential career opportunity and a way to change the world.… Read More

An Urgent Message from California State Senator Tom McClintock To Young Conservatives

January, 2008

It is early 2008. You are a young conservative college student or recent graduate.

Many of your liberal friends have secured or are looking for positions in local, state or federal government. They see the public sector as a fulfilling potential career opportunity and a way to change the world.

**There is more – click the… Read More

I was inspired to write this when I read Adam Probolsky’s post earlier that OC Supervisor John Moorlach had endorsed AD71 candidate Neil Blais.

I’ve only met Supervisor Moorlach once – in 1995 – when he was the lone voice decrying Orange County’s bankruptcy. He wasn’t a supervisor then, but hisshining the spotlighton the shenanigans that the OC Treasurer was involved inwith municipal funds led to his successful political career.

From afar, I’ve always thought Supervisor Moorlach has been a solid public servant – especially because he knows how people can manipulate numbers.

So – I was a little surprised he endorsed Neil Blais today – especially because candidate Blais was caught "cooking the books" on his campaign accounting.

I’m going to reprint Eric Linder’s post over at the Red County blog. Eric does a very thorough job of dissecting the games being… Read More

Did anyone see the latest email from RNC apologist Tim Morgan?

Morgan’s campaign is now claiming that Tim Morgan will save us from terrorists…yes, really.

Not only is that a stretch, but its completely laughable. How does our national committeeman save us from terrorists?

Simple…he doesn’t. He’s on the national RNC committee, not the National Security Council.

The truth is, California GOP congressional seats are in peril because the national committee continues to abandon our state. So, more and more seats have been going Democratic as a result.

And, who has been signing checks at the National Committee, basically allowing this to happen? The RNC Treasurer, of course. And that’s Tim Morgan.

So, if we really want to do something about terrorists, lets elect more Republicans from California’s congressional seats.

But, that would mean first sending a stronger advocate to the national committee – an advocate who doesn’t ‘go along to get along.’ And, an advocate who will ensure that California is no longer dead-last on the RNC’s state support funding list.… Read More

From the "At least make it user friendly" department… Few politicians – among Republicans, anyway – would ever think of taking a tax bill presentation on the road and making a success of it. San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector Dan McAllister has done just that over the last few years.

Winning office in 2003 against scandal-ridden incumbent Bart Hartman, rookie officeholder McAllister immediately embarked on an effort to turn on its head the otherwise understated position of treasuer-tax collector, which he calls “the Maytag repair person of local elected politics.” Realizing the last time the property tax bill had been updated was 1951, he decided to go to the public to determine how best to make a necessary evil better for the hard-working folks having to decipher and pay it.

“What in business hasn’t changed in half a century?” he asked, “We need change. How can we create a kinder, nicer, friendlier, easier-to-read tax bill?”

Taking the old bill “on tour,” McAllister sought input from dozens of community groups, service clubs, and every one of 18 city councils in… Read More

Neil Blais, candidate for the 71st Assembly District seat announced that he earned the endorsement of popular Orange County Supervisor John Moorlach.

Assemblyman Spitzer who occupies the seat now is also supporting Blais as are most other OC electeds like Senate Republican Leader Dick Ackerman and OC DA Tony Rackauckas.

Remember that this particular district is split between Orange and Riverside Counties, with the significant majority being in Orange County. As the only candidate hailing from Orange County, if Blais consolidates "The OC" behind him, it will give him a very strong "front runner" position in the primary. With Moorlach’s endorsement, on top of so many others, Blais is doing just that.

The campaign’s release is linked below

Note: Blais, Moorlach, Spitzer, Ackerman and Rackauckas are all clients or former clients of my firm.… Read More