Thomas O’Brien thehead of the criminal division for the L.A. U.S. attorney’s office and a formerprosecutor in the district attorney’s office has been named US Attorney for the L.A. Office. He replaces Debra Yang. O’Brien is a Republican (See Governor, A GOP lawyer in L.A.). Let’s hope this appointment goes better than the last eight. See article in LA Observed here.… Read More

Our own FlashReport correspondent Duane Dichiara (pictured to the right) and Coronado Communications, are the new day-to-day operational head of the Romney for President campaign in California — a shrewd pick by the Presidential campaign of the former Massachusetts Governor as Dichiara is widely respected in all political circles for his acumen and work ethic.

But wait, there’s more! FR friends Rob Stutzman (below to the right) an occasional guest columnist to this site) and former State GOP Chairman Mike Schroeder (left – fresh… Read More

[Cross-posted from Red County/OC Blog]

Did you hear about the fund raiser House Speaker Nancy Pelosi did for the Democratic Party of Orange County last month?

Don’t worry if you didn’t — it never happened because Loretta Sanchez put the kibosh on it.

According to local Democratic insiders, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was supposed to come to Orange County last month to headline a fund raiser benefiting the Democratic Party of Orange County. All the arrangements were in place for an event that would have raised an enormous sum of money to fund the DPOC’s ambitious plans for strengthening its presence county-wide and contest OC GOP inroads in central OC.

In other words, good news for OC Democrats, bad news for OC Republicans.

Unfortunately for the DPOC, Rep. Loretta Sanchez’s ego got in the way.

Sanchez adopted a proprietary view of the… Read More

The Sacramento Bee is reporting that a military reservist, Eric Egland, is seriously looking at running against Congressman John Doolittle in next year’s GOP primary in the 4th District. FR readers know that Doolittle has been at the center of controversy stemming from his wife Julie’s professional relationship with the now-imprisoned lobbyist-turned-crook Jack Abramoff, the Doolittle’s personal friendship with Abramoff, and the fact that in a rather public and high profile way, investigators with the FBI are looking very closely at the Abramoff/Doolittle connection (fairly recently a subpoena was served on the Doolittle home, where Julie has her home-office).

No on has accused either the Congressman or his wife of criminal wrongdoing. That said, when you are in elective office, and are seeking re-election, you aren’t in a court of law, but rather a court of public opinion. Given the poor publicity that Doolittle has received, and given the sour-taste in the mouths of voters from actual proven corruption on the Hill (Duke Cunningham, et.al), it is unclear whether the public will make a distinction between the convicted, and the accused, or… Read More

The Sacramento Bee is reporting that a military reservist, Eric Egland, is seriously looking at running against Congressman John Doolittle in next year’s GOP primary in the 4th District. FR readers know that Doolittle has been at the center of controversy stemming from his wife Julie’s professional relationship with the now-imprisoned lobbyist-turned-crook Jack Abramoff, the Doolittle’s personal friendship with Abramoff, and the fact that in a rather public and high profile way, investigators with the FBI are looking very closely at the Abramoff/Doolittle connection (fairly recently a subpoena was served on the Doolittle home, where Julie has her home-office).

No on has accused either the Congressman or his wife of criminal wrongdoing. That said, when you are in elective office, and are seeking re-election, you aren’t in a court of law, but rather a court of public opinion. Given the poor publicity that Doolittle has received, and given the sour-taste in the mouths of voters from actual proven corruption on the Hill (Duke Cunningham, et.al), it is unclear whether the public will make a distinction between the convicted, and the accused, or… Read More

Earlier today, I dropped by a District Office Open House for my Assemblyman and fellow FR Blogger Anthony Adams.

His new Claremont office looked fantastic, far better than the typical bare-walled places that pass for Assembly District Offices. Big windows, art on the walls, etc.

The turnout was big, easily 100+. In the hour or so I stuck around, I spotted LA County Party Chairwoman Linda Boyd, and her husband, CRP Board Member Doug. A bunch of local electeds were making the rounds. CRLA Chairman Steve Baric made the trip up from Orange County. In addition, fellow politicos Mike Richman and John Hrabe made it out. Even Congressman David Dreier made a cameo.

During his campaign, the big knock on Anthony was that a guy from San Bernardino couldn’t represent LA County. If today’s event (in LA) was any indication, that question has been put to rest.… Read More

DON PERATA RECEIVES INAUGURAL "GOLDEN PIG" AWARD FROM US TERM LIMITS AFTER SPENDING $1 MILLION OF SPECIAL INTEREST MONEY ON HIS LAVISH LIFESTYLE "TAX-FREE" Trophy Awarded to Legislature’s Ultimate Perk Addict

US Term Limits, the nation’s leading term limits advocacy organization, yesterday announced it was inaugurating the "Golden Pig" Award for individual California politicians whose misconduct in office remind us of the necessity for term limits. Recipients are elected officials who have repeatedly acted in an arrogant and self-serving manner, gorged themselves on political perks, betrayed the public trust and demonstrated contempt for the voters who elected them.… Read More

DON PERATA RECEIVES INAUGURAL "GOLDEN PIG" AWARD FROM US TERM LIMITS AFTER SPENDING $1 MILLION OF SPECIAL INTEREST MONEY ON HIS LAVISH LIFESTYLE "TAX-FREE"

Trophy Awarded to Legislature’s Ultimate Perk Addict

US Term Limits, the nation’s leading term limits advocacy organization, yesterday announced it was inaugurating the "Golden Pig" Award for individual California politicians whose misconduct in office remind us of the necessity for term limits. Recipients are elected officials who have repeatedly acted in an arrogant and self-serving manner, gorged themselves on political perks, betrayed the public trust and demonstrated contempt for the voters who elected them.… Read More