I’m writing this from the Hyatt Hotel across the street from the California State Capitol here in Sacramento. Tomorrow, America’s Mayor will be visiting this hotel to keynote the California Republican State Convention.

Mayor Giuliani, as we all know, has all but announced his intention to throw his hat in the ring for the 2008 presidential election. If California moves up its primary (which is all but certain at this point), the Mayor could be a huge beneficiary – most polls show him leading the pack. His California organization is being put together by his friend, and former California GOP Gubernatorial nomineee Bill Simon, Jr. We’ll be writing more about Simon’s efforts as we look at the California-specific efforts of all of the major GOP candidates…

It is interesting to note that Mayor Giuliani holds leads in several early primary states where the Republican electorate is comprised of social conservatives (Iowa and South Carolina). It’s surprising because of the Mayor’s… Read More

The California Alliance to Protect Private Private Property rights is an outstanding organization that was founded with the idea that decisions like the Supreme Court made in their 2005 Kelo vs. New London decision where wrong, and that the private property rights of Americans are quickly eroding. I can’t say it any better than the Alliance’s President, Marko Mlikotin, who says, “Californians feel it is wrong for government to profit by seizing private property from unwilling sellers, only to use the property for projects that benefit the wealthy and politically connected." Obviously we were all saddenned when Proposition 90, the Save Our Homes ballot measure, was narrowly defeated last November (a FR ‘shout out’ again to Assemblywoman Mimi Walters for her heroic efforts on behalf of qualifying and campaigning for that ballot initiative). But now there is some great news to report as we go forward… Public Opinion Strategies (POS) is one of the most respected public research firms in America, and their California point man, Steve Kinney, has a decades-long track… Read More

When the campaign for the California Republican Party Vice Chairmanship began, I was honored to lend my support to the candidacy of my dear friend and fellow GOP activist, Jalene Forbis. You must know that when she decided to withdraw from the campaign for vice chairman, she immediately threw her support to former State Assemblyman Tom Bordonaro-a man of accomplishment, great reputation and conservative values. I’ve known Tom for nearly six years and of his reputation as a standard bearer for our party for much longer, including his time in the Assembly and his valiant efforts to run for, and very nearly win, that coastal Congressional seat for our side.

The reasons I have joined Jalene in supporting Tom Bordonaro for Vice Chairman are many, but most important among them is that he has demonstrated the highest degree of character and sound judgment throught out his public life. I believe our state party deserves to have such a leader as vice chairman as we enter this critical presidential cycle.

Tom Bordonaro can be trusted to use all of his boundless energy and experience to support the successful development of our grassroots infrastructure… Read More

Mitzelfelt Should Announce for San Bernardino Supe Re-Elect…Soon As has been reported in these pages, San Bernardino County’s newest Supervisor, Brad Mitzelfelt, was appointed a month ago by his colleagues to serve the remaining months of the term of popular departing incumbent Bill Postmus. FR Friend Postmus was elected to serve as Assessor and he enjoyed seeing his former chief-of-staff take over his seat. Of course Mitzelfelt, a former FlashReport Correspondent, has a distinguished career in public service, which includes a stint as a gubernatorial appointee to his county’s Fair Board and as Chairman of the Victor Valley Transit Authority. In fact, Mitzlefelt’s keen understanding of local government has helped him get off to a tremendous start in his new role as a supervisor. He has already outlined a broad policy agenda that charts a course of improving public safety,… Read More

One of my axioms is that you can never fly to or from Sacramento without running into fellow political hack types. My flight to the Capitol City this morning was no exception. I’m flying up for the CRP Convention, and so I left from John Wayne Airport in Orange County.

Notable flying companions included Marty Wilson, the Governor’s main finance man; Helen Seliverstov of Meridian Pacific (the uber-consulting firm of Tom Ross, John Peschong, Matt Rexroad); political fundraiser Jo Ann Davis; and lobbyist Sean Fitzgerald.

Because the convention doesn’t start until tomorrow, this is a rather lite list of GOP flying companions. My return flight on Sunday will be packed with Republican activists!… Read More

Be sure to check out The Colbert Report’s segment on the Sanchez-Baca "Whore"-gate controversy, titled "CALIFORNIA VALUES WATCH". Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez is Paris (Hilton). Her sister, Congresswoman Linda Sanchez, is Nikki (Hilton). Congressman Joe Baca is Nicole Richie. And Speaker Nunez is Lindsay Lohan!

Get theKleenex out ’cause this clip is hilarious!

Following that, is another tear jerking clip on Newsom’s affair with his campaign manager’s wife, titled "SAN FRANCISCO TREAT", or should we say… Read More

The following is from BOE member Bill Leonard. So don’t look for many answers from the CRP honchos.

***Did CRP Pay “Volunteers” $120 Per Hour?***

In recent issues I have discussed the need for a detailed audit of the California Republican Party’s spending for the November election. There remain far more questions than answers, despite numerous calls for a full accounting. The party’s efforts to register new voters may provide the best example. For decades, the CRP paid Republican volunteer organizations a bounty of up to $3 for each newly registered Republicans voter. Despite problems here and there, this was very effective– both in numbers of voters registered and as a means of funding local Republican organizations. In accordance with state law, Republican volunteers also registered voters from other parties. Last fall, though, the CRP abandoned this successful volunteer-based program in favor of hiring vendors directly.

These paid vendors allegedly focused on registering voters in just 13 of California’s 58 counties. They were… Read More

The CRP maynot have a bounty program, they may be in $4.6 million of debt, but they have a little cash and staff time to turn on it’s own members.

Assemblyman Chuck DeVore has a proposal to change the way delegates are selected.

Today a letter arrived from Duf Sundheim, Ron Nehring and Tim Morgan opposing the change. Who paid for this mailing??? No doubt the CRP. As well an offical email and press release from CRP staff attacked the proposal.

Sundheim and company have every right to have their opinion. They should not be allowed to use CRP dollars to influence the decision. Of course this party has paid consultants from party coffers to run "proxy" drills to bottle up items they don’t like.

The CRP leaders worry about disunity and then shamelessly abuse CRP dollars to attack a members proposal. Let the members decide and the leaders implement.

Regardless of your view can’t we at least agree that CRP resources should not be spent attacking member proposals?

Devore’s Email follows:

Dear CRP Member,

By now… Read More