Andrea Hoch serves as Chief Legal Counsel to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. She has sent us an update on the Governor’s filing a motion yesterday to join efforts to keep an artificial cap being placed on the population of California prisons, leading to the early release of dangerous felons…

"Yesterday Governor Schwarzenegger filed a motion in federal court supporting Republican Assemblymembers, district attorneys, county sheriffs and chief probation officers who want to submit evidence to the three-judge panel that could cap California’s prison population. The Governor is fully behind them. A cap-which would result in either early release or prohibit prisons from accepting new offenders-poses a very real public safety threat. We also believe it will place an enormous burden on our local jails and law enforcement. Representatives, DAs, sheriffs and probation officers can speak with authority about this burden. Obviously, a cap won’t reduce the number of offenders committing crimes in California-it will simply limit the state’s ability to … Read More

As the Vice Chairman, South, of the California Republican Party, I can tell you that I am very excited by the following news. The ‘infamous’ $3,000,000 loan that the state GOP has on the books from last years election… is going bye bye.

The California Republican Party has released the following statement to the press, so I feel it is okay to now share it on the FlashReport (I have a fidiciary obligation as a party officer that requires that I do things a certain way)… The California Republican Party has obtained commitments to retire its $3,000,000 loan obligation from Larry Dodge and Paul Folino and their affiliates on or before February 15, 2008. The CRP sincerely appreciates the generosity of these two pillars of our party and their faith and commitment to the CRP and Republican principles. The CRP also wants to thank Governor Arnold… Read More

Democrats have targeted Sen. Jeff Denham for a recall. Why have the Dems who were against the recall of Gray Davis doing this? Jeff won’t vote for an unbalanced budget. How should Republicans respond? Let’s recall Lou Correa. He barely won, in a district that is getting more GOP registrations. In a recall he can’t use third party campaigns like Otto Bade to distract voters. A recall of Correa would give voters a clear choice. Vote no on the recall and support ongoing unbalanced budgets or vote yes on the recall of good old Lou and send a message for balanced budgets. Is there anybody out there willing to take this on? … Read More

Credibility is really important in our elected officials. After all, when they run for election (or re-election) much weight is placed on what they tell us they will do in office. I must tell you, as someone who endorsed, supported and encouraged others to do the same for Arnold Schwarzenegger in the recall election of 2003, and his re-election in 2006, I am starting to feel like a chump. It’s not that I am mad at him, it’s more like I am hurt. I feel like he made a promise to all of us, and now he’s not keeping his word.

Arnold’s embrace of a large tax increase as part of a big state-government foray into the healthcare marketplace the size of which would make Milton Friedman cry was so unbelievable that I still am in shock. Worse yet was the ‘justification’ used — that raising actual taxes is somehow netted out by a reduction in a so-called "hidden tax" that Californians already pay. Combine that terrible method of justification with any liberal spending program and I guess you can justify tax hikes all day long. But it doesn’t make it right, and this is not the policy agenda of a… Read More

In response to one of the articles on the front page of the Flash Report today, I must vehemently disagree with GOP lawmakers who call for a boycott of the Beijing Olympics. The U.S. should not be guilty of making the games a political or diplomatic weapon. We have grown ups with big salaries who are supposed to be professionals at diplomacy. If they are so inadequate that we have to shield them with hard working, stellar young American athletes, then I say we need to clean house in the embassy.

I’m frankly aghast that GOP lawmakers would follow in the steps of President Carter. His Lilly-livered relationship with the Soviets in 1980 was a disgrace, and what we should have done was send our athletes to the Moscow games to kick some tail and break every record.

The U.S. should never shirk from being represented on the world stage the Olympics afford. Our lawmakers should insist on competent diplomats rather than sideline our young superstars.… Read More

Credibility is really important in our elected officials. After all, when they run for election (or re-election) much weight is placed on what they tell us they will do in office. I must tell you, as someone who endorsed, supported and encouraged others to do the same for Arnold Schwarzenegger in the recall election of 2003, and his re-election in 2006, I am starting to feel like a chump. It’s not that I am mad at him, it’s more like I am hurt. I feel like he made a promise to all of us, and now he’s not keeping his word.

Arnold’s embrace of a large tax increase as part of a big state-government foray into the healthcare marketplace the size of which would make Milton Friedman cry was so unbelievable that I still am in shock. Worse yet was the ‘justification’ used — that raising actual taxes is somehow netted out by a reduction in a so-called "hidden tax" that Californians already pay. Combine that terrible method of justification with any liberal spending program and I guess you can justify tax hikes all day long. But it doesn’t make it right, and this is not the policy agenda of a… Read More

Just a quick break from the excellent coverage of the California State Budget Debate of 2007:

News on a very competitive race forming in San Bernardino County’s Third Supervisorial District. The district, which includes the cities of Redlands, San Bernardino, Loma Linda, plus many rural and suburban communities. The longtime incumbent is controversial local political figure Dennis Hansberger, who has held the seat for the past twelve years (and did a stint on the board from 1972-86). Hansberger is being challenges by San Bernardino City Councilmember Neil Derry, who has vast public policy experience as an elected official and a top district staff member to then-Assemblymember Fred Aguiar of San Bernardino County.

No one else is expressing an interest to stand for this seat, meaning the race could be decided in the June 2008 primary. While the candidates are bringing their credentials to the electoral battlefield, the talent each team has lined … Read More

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