Having served as Treasurer of the State Republican Party from 1999-2001, I know a little something about the way the Party was run then, and run now. During my term, the Party Board of Directors and Chairman had the authority and responsibility to make decisions and implement policy for the benefit of building the Party organization in the State. The Party had leverage against Presidential and Gubernatorial nominees and was at the table in a significant way, on all matters including finance and operations.There was an interdependent relationship, and although it resulted often in friction and negotiation, it was a process that served the Party well for decades

When then Chairman John McGraw, and Executive Director Jon Fleischman actually had the audacity to stand up to the Bush campaign and California legislative leaders during the 2000 cycle, right or wrong, some conservative members of the Party Board led a coup attempt against McGraw and Fleischman, and I am proud to say I had a big role in putting down that uprising (some of those coup leaders are still around today). Their efforts were misguided and led to the "reformed Party" we see in operation… Read More

Yesterday, California Republican Party Chairman Duf Sundheim sent out an e-mail , presumably to CRP Members, where he addressed the issue of the CRP’s debt, and specifically assured Party Members that there was a plan in place to retire this debt in the next few months. Based on what I have heard, the CRP ended the election with somewhere between $4.5 and $5 million in debt — $3 million being a loan taken out and the rest being various expenditures in the final weeks of the campaign that, when the dust cleared, exceeded what was in the bank. To be honest, my primary concern here is not the debt itself. It is actually fairly common for political parties and campaign committees to incur debt — albeit this is a very large one. I am more concerned about the process. Specifically, how we got into debt. Questions in my mind include who authorized the debt, and who knew we were spending funds beyond what was readily available to pay the bills. For example, a big piece of this debt is what I have heard is a $3 million dollar loan that was taken out by the… Read More

[Note from Jon: Some of you may be reading this post because you were referred by an e-mail from my opponent for CRP office. Needless to say, I could have disabled this link. But what I said when I wrote this is still my opinion today. I have run a positive campaign for this Party office, never once attacking my opponent (let alone on character issues). It is my hope, since she has "referred" you to this website, that you will take some time while you are here to check it out. The FlashReport is a place where we compile news and views on California politics. We have over twenty top notch writers for the site (all Republican) and it has been a lot of fun to put together. I think you will enjoy it. I look forward to seeing you at convention this weekend, and am happy to discuss any matters with you that you would like. I love the GOP, and have spent decades working hard to elect Republicans to office because I am passionate about our principles! Jon]

Yesterday, California Republican Party Chairman Duf Sundheim sent out an… Read More

Though still not responding to any of Mike Spence’s questions, earlier today CRP Chairman Duf Sundheim did at least acknowledge the CRP’sdebt. Though not exactly the best kept secret in politics, even stating the obvious is refreshing as it represents a level of forthrightness that frankly I’m not accustomed to from this Chairman.In a letter which in words and in tone Duf claimed to want to "set the record straight,"he still managed toavoid ANY specificity as to how the Party’s financial status came to be.

However,Duf did at least saythat starting in the Spring, at least something is scheduled to be done aboutthe situation. A couple of fundraisers are set, with the Governor and Steve Poiznerhave signed on to help bring in the bucks…As perferable as action isto inaction,it still would’ve been nicehad those fundraisers been able to have been used to put the Partyactually into the black, rather than just back to ZERO, but oh well…

From our Mighty Leader:… Read More

When Speaker Fabian Nunez held his press conference yesterday to announce that his "support" for a fair redistricting process, he didn’t count on the Mayor of San Francisco displacing all of his prime media coverage — yet that is exactly what happened. Nunez’ little tap-dance where he and his termed-out, self-interested legislative colleagues who desperately don’t want to have to return to life outside of the legislature was relegated to less optimal locations in state newspapers… We will be talking a lot here about this ‘deal’ where a weakening of California’s term-limits statute gets married up with a fair redistricting proposal, and the pros and cons. But since I am in a hurry this morning, I will jump straight to the big news of the day… San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom had an affair with his campaign manager’s wife… Joy. The good news for Newsom is that our nation is filled with examples of public… Read More

The race to succeed termed-out Assemblyman Todd Spitzer is gearing up.

Over at Red County/Riverside, you can read about Corona Mayor Pro Tem Jeff Miller signing up GBWA to run his campaign, and about other potential contenders.

In OC, Rancho Santa Margarita Councilman Neil Blais has hired JohnsonClark & Associates to run his AD71 effort.… Read More

As most FR readers know, I have spent the last few months on the campaign trail as I seek election as Vice Chairman, South, of the California Republican Party. The region is vast — including Orange, Riverside, San Diego and Imperial Counties. This large region has meant a lot of driving to event like today’s meeting of the Lincoln Club of Palm Springs. (Not to reinforce any stereotypes, but we are gathered at a country club!).

The Chairman of the club is the very energetic and very Repubican Kim Glassman, who today is presiding over a meeting of nearly a hundred GOPers from all around the Coachella Valley. The main featured speaker today is newly elected Riverside County District Attorney Rod Pacheco (many of you may recall that for a time, then-Assemblyman Pacheco served as Assembly Republican Leader.

Also on hand are State Senator Jim Battin and freshman Assemblyman Paul Cook – both great legislators (and not just because they’ve endorsed me in my Party run).

Pacheco’s presentation was about 25 minutes long, and pretty comprehensive. He started off with a very sobering statistic that this county has well over… Read More

When Speaker Fabian Nunez held his press conference yesterday to announce that his "support" for a fair redistricting process, he didn’t count on the Mayor of San Francisco displacing all of his prime media coverage — yet that is exactly what happened. Nunez’ little tap-dance where he and his termed-out, self-interested legislative colleagues who desperately don’t want to have to return to life outside of the legislature was relegated to less optimal locations in state newspapers… We will be talking a lot here about this ‘deal’ where a weakening of California’s term-limits statute gets married up with a fair redistricting proposal, and the pros and cons. But since I am in a hurry this morning, I will jump straight to the big news of the day… San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom had an affair with his campaign manager’s wife… Joy. The good news for Newsom is that our nation is filled with examples of public… Read More