If the reports are true that newly-minted California Democratic Congressman Jerry McNerney is the #1 target of national Republicans to retake this central California Congressional seat formerly held by Richard Pombo, then a decision by a Federal court yesterday emasculating much of the McCain-Feingold soft money restrictions could mean that McNerney will be in for a "soft money" brusing.

The Federal case, brought by Wisconsin Right to Life, challenged the portion of the McCain-Feingold reforms that restricts "issue ads" in the final days of a Federal election campaign. McCain-Feingold, as previously upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court, essentially bans use of "soft money" (corporate or union funds) for any mass media advertisement in the final 30 days before a primary and 60 days before a general election that mentions a candidate’s name, even if the ad doesn’t specifically include words of advocacy such as "vote for," or "vote against." Wisconsin Right to Life claimed the law restricted their ability to criticize Wisconsin’s U.S. Senators by name for their votes on abortion legislation. A Federal… Read More

Being filled with the Christmas Spirit, (some say very full of it) I write something kind and hopeful about the Governor.

Yesterday the Governor announced three new appointments to the LA Superior Court. Seepress release here.The good news is that this time it was two Reps and only 1 Dem. For the first few years of his reign, the Governor’s judicial appointments were –well awful. See here. It was running two to one Democratic plus at least one changing from Dem to DTS to fudge the numbers. See here.

Yesterday was a day of big announcements in Sacramento. The holiday gifts that have been given out this year are more proposals for massive spending. But this isn’t surprising. More spending has been the theme out of Sacramento all of this year, and we’re closing out the year on the same note. Yesterday the Governor proposed a massive spending program (over ten billion dollars) to build prisons to deal with our overcrowding problems. The FlashReport is concerned that this proposal for more massive borrowing should have been made before the November election so that voters could have considered whether they still wanted to approve the tens of billions in borrowing that they did on that ballot. We also feel that these proposed new bonds should be taken to the ballot for a vote of the electorate. As they are proposed, these bonds would supposedly be paid off by revenue — so someone will have to explain to us what kind of revenue is generated by a prison? Also of concern in the proposal is a Sentencing Commission who, it seems, would have the job of lessoning the sentences of convicted criminals. Clearly action is required as the… Read More

Yesterday was a day of big announcements in Sacramento. The holiday gifts that have been given out this year are more proposals for massive spending. But this isn’t surprising. More spending has been the theme out of Sacramento all of this year, and we’re closing out the year on the same note. Yesterday the Governor proposed a massive spending program (over ten billion dollars) to build prisons to deal with our overcrowding problems. The FlashReport is concerned that this proposal for more massive borrowing should have been made before the November election so that voters could have considered whether they still wanted to approve the tens of billions in borrowing that they did on that ballot. We also feel that these proposed new bonds should be taken to the ballot for a vote of the electorate. As they are proposed, these bonds would supposedly be paid off by revenue — so someone will have to explain to us what kind of revenue is generated by a prison? Also of concern in the proposal is a Sentencing Commission who, it seems, would have the job of lessoning the sentences of convicted criminals. Clearly action is required as the… Read More

Today the Governor made 27 more appointments into State Government — 9 Republicans and 6 Democrats.

California’s Republican National Committeeman is Tim Morgan of Santa Cruz. Tim was elected to this post by the California Republican Party Membership back in 1996, and re-elected subsequently in both 2000 and 2004. Tim has penned a column, which is below, in which he calls for the upcoming races for California Republican Party office to be "spirited, vision packed and respectful" – I present his views for your reading pleasure. I suppose this also a good time to express my appreciation to Tim, as when I announced my candidacy for Vice-Chairman, South of the CRP, Tim was one of the very first to endorse me. Thanks, Tim!

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California’s Republican National Committeeman is Tim Morgan of Santa Cruz. Tim was elected to this post by the California Republican Party Membership back in 1996, and re-elected subsequently in both 2000 and 2004. Tim has penned a column, which is below, in which he calls for the upcoming races for California Republican Party office to be "spirited, vision packed and respectful" – I present his views for your reading pleasure. I suppose this also a good time to express my appreciation to Tim, as when I announced my candidacy for Vice-Chairman, South of the CRP, Tim was one of the very first to endorse me. Thanks, Tim!

… Read More

A federal court today significantly weakened the so-called "soft money" rules of the McCain-Feingold bill by declaring that the late campaign restriction against mentioning Federal candidates names in issue-oriented mass media advertising of so-callled "527 committees" is unconstitutional. ("527" refers to the section of the Internal Revenue Code that provide these entities tax exemption). The effect of the ruling will be to allow unlimited corporate, union, and special interest funding of issue ads supporting or attacking Federal candidates by name, but which do not specifically urge their election or defeat, during an election campaign.

The 2-1 decisionby a three-judge panel of the U.S. District Courtfor the District of Columbia will now likely be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. Your author’s opinion is that the ruling is a victory for the First Amendment. But who knows how the Supreme Court will respond?!

In a second significant ruling in California, the Supreme Court here in a split decision ruled today that Indian tribes are bound by FPPC disclosure rules. More than 100 tribes are major donors in… Read More