Having just returned from a quick vacation, I want to first thank our Guest Editor Nicholas Romero for his fine work – he put together the FR main page on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday and did an outstanding job I must say. Nick will continue to help me out, as needed, going forward. Thanks, Nick! The "must read" today is a piece by LA Times political reporter Peter Nicholas on Governor Schwarzenegger: "The Private Side of his Governance. The piece offers an ‘inside look’ at Arnold Schwarzenegger and how he runs his office and how he approaches his job. I found it to be quite interested and eye-opening. I was fascinated to read a piece in the Contra Costa Times (reprinted from the LA Times, so you may have already read it) that focused on the California GOP delegation and the immigration issue. The piece talked about while all of the Democrats support some degree of guest worker program, the GOPers remain solid in their opposition to any kind of amnesty. However, the exception to the GOP solidarity comes from Central Valley Republican Congressmen George Radanovich, Devin Nunes and Bill Thomas, who… Read More

Last Thursday I posted about the Governor’s latest appointment to The LA County Bench, Richard Goul. You can see it here.I have been a critic of the Governor’s judicial picks, especially in LA County where the ratio runs 2 to 1 in favor of the Democrats. The California Republican Lawyer Association introduced and got passed a resolution calling on the Gov to appoint Republican to judicial slots.

So what’s the big deal about this appointment?The press release noted he was a decline to state. That is sort of an abstention in the way most us of count stuff. It doesn’t count for you and it doesn’t count against you.

Well, guess what asource connected in the LA DA’s office told me that Goulwas a Democrat. The Orange County Registrar of Voters shows that he was registered for about eight years AS A DEMOCRAT in Newport Beach until 2/21 of 2006 when he suddenly registered as a decline to state voter.

Why did Goul change his registration? Did he doit tomislead us judicial… Read More

Having just returned from a quick vacation, I want to first thank our Guest Editor Nicholas Romero for his fine work – he put together the FR main page on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday and did an outstanding job I must say. Nick will continue to help me out, as needed, going forward. Thanks, Nick! The "must read" today is a piece by LA Times political reporter Peter Nicholas on Governor Schwarzenegger: "The Private Side of his Governance. The piece offers an ‘inside look’ at Arnold Schwarzenegger and how he runs his office and how he approaches his job. I found it to be quite interested and eye-opening. I was fascinated to read a piece in the Contra Costa Times (reprinted from the LA Times, so you may have already read it) that focused on the California GOP delegation and the immigration issue. The piece talked about while all of the Democrats support some degree of guest worker program, the GOPers remain solid in their opposition to any kind of amnesty. However, the exception to the GOP solidarity comes from Central Valley Republican Congressmen George Radanovich, Devin Nunes and Bill Thomas, who… Read More

I was on vacation for a good chunk of last week, so I am playing catch-up on "Appointment Watch" where we review the Governor’s appointments to various positions, and look at the partisan registration of those individual, using the basic guideline that voluntary association of an individual to a political party gives some indicator of their basic ideological and philosophical leanings.

Last week Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced the appointment of longtime Democrat Richard M. Goul to a judgeship in the Los Angeles County Superior Court.

Goul, 48, of Newport Beach, has served as a deputy district attorney with the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office since 1989. He is currently deputy-in-charge of the sexual assault unit of the Long Beach branch of the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. Goul was a law clerk for the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office from 1986 to 1989. He also served on the Cerritos College Board of Trustees from 1979 to 1985. Goul… Read More

FEC Filings in 50th… The SDPolitics blog first posted them here. Below is the roundup as noted in the post:

Francine Busby (Democrat): She’s raised over $1.3 million. Owes debts of just $9,000 and has about $363,000 cash on hand.

Brian Bilbray (Republican): Raised $328,349 so far in the campaign. Has $107,704 left. (Bilbray had also transferred over about $195,000 from his previous congressional account which has helped his campaign financing).

Eric Roach (Republican): He’s spent over $1.8 million. He had cash on hand of $96,748 but debts of $1,917,388. Of course he can always write another check to his campaign.

Alan Uke (Republican): He reports just $58,056 with debts of $234,667. (This explains the reports that Uke was considering withdrawing from the race. He can write himself a check at any point but he has already spent over $1 million in the race and still has debts of over $200,000).

Bill Morrow (Republican): He has raised $391,000 but now has just… Read More

Today, Saturday and tomorrow, Sunday, there will be no commentary for the FlashReport as I am down in Cabo San Lucas for some rest and relaxation. In the meantime, a big TY to our Guest Editor Nicholas Romero for stepping up this weekend, as well as to all of our FR contributors would continue tomake the FR weblog a place to go to read breaking news and cutting-edge political analysis and commentary!

Have a great weekend!

Adios,

Jon Fleischman, Publisher

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

No April Fools joke here. Seller johnnypie has a Dick Mountjoycampaign button for sale on EBAY. (Quick you have one day left.) You can see it here.The funny part is the former state senator from LA County and Immigration Control Consultant (His ballot title) never made any. Funnier yet is the part about it being"union made".Everyone knows that hadDick made buttonsthey would say "Made in Mexico".… Read More

So Fabian Nunez thinks the illegal immigration issue is dangerous for Republicans. How thoughtful it is for him to want to help us avoid the electoral pitfalls of border enforcement (read it here.)

Nunez joins the ranks of media-appointed experts from across the political spectrum who warn that Republican officeholders who dare to support enhanced border security measures will be punished by a loss of support from Hispanic-American voters. But this isn’t such an easy issue for Democrats either.

Perhaps Speaker Nunez should ask Phil Angelides and Steve Westly why they weren’t giving speeches at last weekend’s protest rally in Los Angeles to half a million potential primary voters. Maybe he should ask them to explain the political calculations behind their decisions to not even attend. And he should definitely ask them when they will run television ads bragging about their support for drivers licenses for… Read More