Gerald Parsky finds himself back in the news. And, it’s not good.

The LA Times reported yesterday about Parsky’s failed attempt to save one of the U.S. Attorneys recently fired by President Bush. Democrats and the press are attempting to paint a picture of a unmentionableterriblescandal. But, they conveniently forget to mention Clinton’s unprecedented wholesale firing of all US Attorneys when he took office. Of course, both Presidents were exercising their constitutional authority.

The Times revealed that Parsky who vetted the US Attorneys for California placed an "outraged" call to Main Justice defending the soon to be fired US Attorney of San Francisco, Kevin Ryan. Clearly, White House deputy counsel, William Kelley was concerned with Parsky’s outrage in a private email to former Gonzales Attorney General, Chief of Staff Kyle Sampson. We’renot sure aboutfull Ryan story, butBush sacked Ryan despite Parsky’s threats.

Another story the press has failed to investigate is the connection between Parsky and recently fired US Attorney Carol Lam. Parsky was a strong proponent for… Read More

USC has produced many Republican activists. I run into many, especially in the OC.

Today is a very big day.

USC meets North Carolina in the NCAA Basketball tournament (my prediction isUSC will lose) AND it is also the Northrop Grumman sponsored Second Annual California Leadership Summit for the Transgender Movement at the USC campus. With speakers from groups like GenderQueer Revolution and as a bonus an "unofficial"AA meeting, I know some of my USC friends may be confused about which event to participate it in.

Then again that may be the point.

The event is sold out, but you can read more and get on a waiting list here.… Read More

Recently, the Sacramento Bee ran some news stories about some very unusual goings-on with the State Board of Chiropractic Examiners. The stuff they were publishing was so outrageous that I thought I would do a little bit of nosing around myself. My take is that there was a ‘real story’ here, one that didn’t get told by the Bee’s version of what happened…

All of the hubbub has come about because of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s efforts to clean up years of abuse by the Board of Chiropractic Examiners (BCE) under the Davis Administration

Three people controlled the BCE since Davis took office in 1998. They seemed to enjoy unmanaged control of who was appointed to the BCE and had their way with enormous regulatory powers. Despite growing opposition from consumer and professional associations, scandals continued to plague the BCE until two weeks ago. With a Board filled with Arnold Schwarzenegger’s appointees, the BCE terminated Executive Director Catherine Hayes, and showed a lack of confidence with her ally and friend Deputy Attorney General (DAG) Jana Tuton by asking her leave the room for an Executive Session.… Read More

Recently, the Sacramento Bee ran some news stories about some very unusual goings-on with the State Board of Chiropractic Examiners. The stuff they were publishing was so outrageous that I thought I would do a little bit of nosing around myself. My take is that there was a ‘real story’ here, one that didn’t get told by the Bee’s version of what happened…

All of the hubbub has come about because of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s efforts to clean up years of abuse by the Board of Chiropractic Examiners (BCE) under the Davis Administration

Three people controlled the BCE since Davis took office in 1998. They seemed to enjoy unmanaged control of who was appointed to the BCE and had their way with enormous regulatory powers. Despite growing opposition from consumer and professional associations, scandals continued to plague the BCE until two weeks ago. With a Board filled with Arnold Schwarzenegger’s appointees, the BCE terminated Executive Director Catherine Hayes, and showed a lack of confidence with her ally and friend Deputy Attorney General (DAG) Jana Tuton by asking her leave the room for an Executive Session.… Read More

Today, by a vote of 218-212 with one member voting "present", Speaker Pelosi got what she wanted: a policy of defeat with pork. Two Republicans voted for the Supplemental spending bill and 14 Democrats voted against what was otherwise a party-line vote. It is instructive to note that many Democrats understand how bad the war policy is here or it would not have been necessary to add $21 billion in unrelated spending to entice them to vote for it. It is insulting to our troops that peanut and shrimp subsidies seem more important to some than winning the war on terror. As the last time we debated the issue, the best statement was made by Vietnam POW Sam Johnson (R-TX). A link to his speech is below.

Watch Video

Yesterday I spent quite a bit of time talking with media folks about this issue of Governor Schwarzenegger and his characterization on the Today Show on Tuesday of Rush Limbaugh (and his listeners) as ‘irrelevant’. While there were a number of interviews with radio and print reporters, the most fun was participating on Warren Olney’s radio program where I got to participate in a discussion of this issue with my good friend, and a fellow writer for this website, Dan Schnur. San Jose State’s Larry Gerston was also on the audio-panel. First and foremost, it was very clear that Arnold Schwarzenegger regretting making the offhand comment on the Today show – which would explain his calling into the Rush Limbaugh program yesterday (you can read the transcript, which is linked from the main page). There’s no better way to show that you really do think that Rush, his show and his listeners are not irrelevant than by appearing on the program, right? Well… Let me quickly add that it was very clear to anyone listening to the… Read More

Yesterday I spent quite a bit of time talking with media folks about this issue of Governor Schwarzenegger and his characterization on the Today Show on Tuesday of Rush Limbaugh (and his listeners) as ‘irrelevant’. While there were a number of interviews with radio and print reporters, the most fun was participating on Warren Olney’s radio program where I got to participate in a discussion of this issue with my good friend, and a fellow writer for this website, Dan Schnur. San Jose State’s Larry Gerston was also on the audio-panel. First and foremost, it was very clear that Arnold Schwarzenegger regretting making the offhand comment on the Today show – which would explain his calling into the Rush Limbaugh program yesterday (you can read the transcript, which is linked from the main page). There’s no better way to show that you really do think that Rush, his show and his listeners are not irrelevant than by appearing on the program, right? Well… Let me quickly add that it was very clear to anyone listening to the… Read More

We have learned that activist Anita Anderson has submitted another initiative to the Attorney General’s office. The new proposed initiative is aimed squarely at one of the Legislature’s key perks – gifts to legislators. Anderson’s first initiative would eliminate tax-free per diem for legislators. The new proposal is a sweeping ban on gifts to legislators from lobbyists, lobbying firms, or from "any entity that, during the previous twelve months, has employed a lobbyist or retained a lobbying firm or is a member of a trade association that employs a lobbyist or lobbying firm." That means no more junkets to Hawaii, golfing trips to Pebble Beach, or tickets to Kings basketball games or the Academy Awards.

The two initiatives paired together create a powerful one-two punch to legislators by eliminating their two favorite things – per diem and gifts. Insiders know the real force behind these initiatives is US Term Limits which is most unhappy about the Legislature’s game-playing on trying to extend legislative terms. US Term Limits President Paul Jacob promised last year there would be an initiative targeting per diem… Read More