I was going to make this post a congratulations to Congressman John Campbell and Assemblyman Doug LaMalfa for joining the stable of FlashReport correspondents. Then, I realized. Before the addition of these two gentlemen to the FR ranks, Jon Fleischman’s 15 bloggers included only two elected legislative officials … Mike Spence and yours truly.

I hadn’t much thought about this prior, but of all the illustrious talent blog-posting on this site … names like Schnur and Whalen, Ross and Probolsky, the Professor and Maryanne … only two were held in such high esteem that we could be called HONORABLE. And, even though it was only two of us, no one was apparently clamoring for more "electeds" to post … were they? Mike and I were obviously more than adequate. Then, Jon goes off and "hires" two more.

Come on, what can a congressional representative and a state legislator add to the FlashReport that a councilmember and a school board member can’t? I mean, besides being one of only 435 and 80, in their respective houses, as representatives forthe most powerful nation in the world and arguably the… Read More

EARTH TO SPEAKER HASTERT — WE HAVE A PROBLEM…IN THE 50TH CD.Today, House of Representatives Speaker Dennis Hastert will be appearing in San Diego at a fundraising event for federal lobbyist and former Congressman Brian Bilbray. Bilbray, as you know narrowly (by 1%) won the GOP side of the special election to fill out the unexpired term of former-Congressman-now-convict Randy "Duke’ Cunningham. Hastert’s visit is motivated by one factor — he wants to keep this ‘safe GOP’ seat represented by a Republican. Well, here is something very important for the Speaker and other national Republican leaders to understanding. As a matter of fact, they need to really etch it into their brains:

BRIAN BILBRAY GOT SUCH A SMALL SLIVER OF THE TOTAL VOTES CASTS FOR REPUBLICANS, SOME OF THEM CROSS-OVER VOTES FROM DEMOCRATS AND INDEPENDENTS. HE IS GOING TO HAVE A EXTRAORDINARILY TOUGH TIME RALLYING GOP… Read More

EARTH TO SPEAKER HASTERT — WE HAVE A PROBLEM…IN THE 50TH CD.Today, House of Representatives Speaker Dennis Hastert will be appearing in San Diego at a fundraising event for federal lobbyist and former Congressman Brian Bilbray. Bilbray, as you know narrowly (by 1%) won the GOP side of the special election to fill out the unexpired term of former-Congressman-now-convict Randy "Duke’ Cunningham. Hastert’s visit is motivated by one factor — he wants to keep this ‘safe GOP’ seat represented by a Republican. Well, here is something very important for the Speaker and other national Republican leaders to understanding. As a matter of fact, they need to really etch it into their brains:

BRIAN BILBRAY GOT SUCH A SMALL SLIVER OF THE TOTAL VOTES CASTS FOR REPUBLICANS, SOME OF THEM CROSS-OVER VOTES FROM DEMOCRATS AND INDEPENDENTS. HE IS GOING TO HAVE A EXTRAORDINARILY TOUGH TIME RALLYING GOP… Read More

Gov. Schwarzenegger issued the following statement following this morning’s votes in the Legislature:

"Today is an important day for all of California. For the first time in a generation, we are making a real investment in our state’s future. "First, let me thank the legislative leaders for all of their efforts to make the Strategic Growth Plan a reality. In January, I proposed the Strategic Growth Plan during my State of the State address. Everybody said it couldn’t be done. Everybody said it was impossible to bring both parties together for such a historic undertaking. … Read More

There is a story on today’s Drudge Report about a family getting kicked out of a Chinese buffet in Iowa for leaving too much on their plates. Kinda reminds me of last night when we were making $35 Billion choices at 3AM and watching how much of it will go for hog feed. I’m very disappointed in the process.

There is great need and merit in doing the effort to improve highways, levees/flood control/water storage. Unfortunately, less than half, perhaps by far, [the ink is still drying on the bill proposals asI tap this out] will get to this type of true infrastructure. For example, there was $3 Billion ostensiblyfor levees but no programming that it will actually go for levee work in that bond. It could still end up with any given amount of the $3B going for bugs and shrubs.

Sorry folks, but I’ve watched Lucy pull the football away from Charlie Brown on previous "water bonds"[btw, no water storage either, the… Read More

Federal lobbyist and former Congressman Brian Bilbray, the Republican, is LOSING to liberal school teacher Francine Busby, the Democrat in a “safe” GOP seat as conservatives nationally, and in this coastal San Diego County district are fed up with ‘big government’ Republicanism.

I just got off of the phone with Bill Hauf. The overwhelming majority of FR readers will be unfamiliar with who that is – Hauf is one of the conservative candidates who ran in the large field to replace ‘Duke’ Cunningham in Congress. Hauf, who ran a principled campaign on the issues, didn’t fare as well as he would have liked. But he was proud that nearly 70% of the votes that went to Republicans were cast for conservative/reform candidates. Of course, Brian Bilbray who is a liberal-moderate Republican, who one with about 15% of the vote, now has to consolidate Republicans and decline-to-state voters behind him for the special election run-off on June 6th.

A lot of… Read More

The California Republican Assembly Board of Directors will have a conference call on Monday at noon to discuss the bonds and the 50th CD and the possible Roach candidacy. Sen. Ackerman has been invited to participate.

You can see my personal view on the bonds here and my personal view on the 50th CD here.… Read More

The FR got a hot tip that turned out to be very true.

I just got off of the phone with a staffer in the office of Democratic Assemblyman Juan Arambula (pictured) who confirmed that his boss has been told to pack his things — he is being moved to a new office, "5126", said the staffer. I asked him if he knew who occupied that office now, and he said, "Assemblyman Sam Blakeslee."

Have you been to Blakeslee’s office? It’s tiny.

Arambula last night had some very serious concerns about the Infrastructure Bond Package being forced through the legislature. (I hear there were issues surrounding unfairness to county governments, among other concerns). Anyways, he did not provide "aye" votes for ANY of the bond measures.

Sounds to me like the Speaker is punishing a member of his caucus for voting his conscience. I sure hope that all of his Democratic colleagues denounce this… Read More