One of the hottest legislative primaries in the state has evolved into a close contest with heavy involvement from PACs flooding mailboxes with hit pieces. Sixty-Fifth Assembly District Republican primary candidates are seeing themselves painted in unflattering colors by PACs like the West Valley Young Republicans and the “Committee Against Corruption”. The WVYRs have spent $104,000 so far on independent expenditures (by Meridian Pacific) opposing San Jacinto Councilman Jim Ayres ($42,000), Yucca Valley Mayor Paul Cook ($35,000) and Hemet Mayor Robin Lowe ($35,000), while supporting Banning Councilwoman Brenda Salas ($30,000). The Upland-based Committee Against Corruption has spent $55,000 on the services of Delta Partners opposing Ayres. See the San Bernardino County Sun’s coverage from yesterday.

One might ask why Mayor Cook, a retired Marine colonel with a ballot title that says so, has started to draw fire. As a matter of fact, probably the biggest paradigm shift since my last… Read More

Today’s feature column is an important piece on why Californian’s should vote No on Proposition 82, liberal Hollywood producer/actor Rob Reiner’s latest attempt to create government bureaucracy. This is the measure that would increase state taxes and take the funds and create a government-run preschool system. Zaremberg makes some great points about how Prop. 82 simply is poor public policy.

NON-PROFIT RATES PROFITABLE FOR LACY I also took the opportunity to feature and interesting story in today’s Sacramento Bee. The article focuses on my good friend Jim Lacy, who is a prominent political law attorney in Orange County. Well, to be more accurate, the article focuses on how some people are upset that Lacy helps non-profit groups put out informational mailings that contain information on political candidates – for like 40% off the going rate for postage! How does this work? Well, read the article. I found it… Read More

The Memorial Day observance ceremonies this past weekend really give one pause to reflect where we are as a nation. Spending time with these veterans and listening to their concerns about politics, veterans issues, or just fishing opens a discussion about what they fought for and what we’re doing to uphold and preserve their efforts to preserve our liberties.

It is really moving to watch duringa ceremony, these WWII veterans especially, some that could barely walk or stand, snap to attention and give a tightsalute to the color guard, salute the pledge to the flag or to the playing of taps. I could see one of the WWII vets getting tight in the throat and eyes tearing up at the singing of the national anthem. Iknow he wasn’t the only one.The reverance and affection for our nation and our flagand those that have fallen defending it, by these veterans, is remarkable to behold as is the beauty of the surroundings atany of the ceremonies where there isan ‘avenue of flags’ displayed.Usually, they are the special extra long ‘casket’ flags that have been loaned or donated by a family of a… Read More

Today we remember those who have fallen in defense of our nation and for the cause of liberty and freedom.

Care to read comments, or make your own about today’s Daily Commentary?

Just click here to go to the FR Weblog, where this Commentary has its own blog post, and where you can read and make comments.… Read More

Today we remember those who have fallen in defense of our nation and for the cause of liberty and freedom.

… Read More

At my third stop at a Home Depot in Orange County, in a full-scale search for just the right to outdoor lighting for my backyard, I chanced upon FR friend and esteemed political law attorney Dan Reed. Dana was in search of patio furniture.

We talked about the Orange County Sheriff’s race. Dana lamented that he was registered to vote out in Riverside County, and thus could not vote for our great OC Sheriff (my boss) Mike Carona. He also pointed out that he had yet to receive his sample ballot nor his actual ballot. The Riverside Registrar isn’t doing so hot – which Phil Paule has pointed out on this page.

Dana is off to the Firestone retreat soon, to see the sight there. Perhaps he can buy Bob Larkin a sypathy beer – or rather – sypathy Sauvignon Blanc!

Dana found himself a swell patio set, with comfy chairs (I tried one). As for me, well I am off to a fourth HD store. But at least they’ve called ahead and the lighting fixtures I need await me.… Read More

Vargas’ Double-Edged Sword… Assemblyman Juan Vargas can’t gain a bit of traction in what is becoming a flailing attempt to unseat Congressman Bob Filner (Dem primary in CD 51). Vargas is running some inanely cartoonishTV ads trying to tie Filner to Duke Cunningham…some of the worst spots I’ve ever seen. Filner may be as liberal as they come, but no one in this strongly Democratic district is buying he’s a crook as well. Alternatively, Filner’s ads compellingly tie Vargas to the insurance industry, with victims of the Cedar Fire saying that Vargas sold them out for an ounce of silver. This all follows the early March Union-Trib expose on the Vargas-Insurance connection.

This past week, Matt Potter in the San Diego Reader nails Vargas’ perception problems in one blurb, writing that… Read More

Cash on hand. It’s king right now. And in partisan races, the 3rd house is looking to see who still has the dinero to play in the final few days of the campaign. So I would argue the market drives ‘flubbing’ real COH totals.

Here is a fun game. Find a slate mailer disclosure. Find a candidate who shows a payment. Go back to the candidate’s website and see if the payment is there, or if it is accrued. Hint: in the name of showing more cash on hand there are quite a few that just ‘slipped through the cracks."

Game number 2. Find a candidate. Go back in past records and see how much their political consultant is getting paid every month. Then see if that consultant shows up in the most recent candidate disclosure for April and May. How odd… are consultants suddenly working for free, or did some more bills ‘slip through the cracks."

Bonus game. This requires you be local. Collect each mailing a given candidate mails out before the disclosure due date and pin them to the wall. Look up postage and/or mail house and/or consulting firm payments and see if they match.

Hey, I’ll be the first to admit… Read More