Matthew Dowd, senior strategist for the Schwarzenegger for Governor campaign sent around the attached memo to Team Arnold folks, in which he discusses the current political environment surrounding the Governor’s race, especially with the release of the latest Field Poll data. It’s worth a read. Don’t worry, unlike many of these ‘insider memos’ this one is actually short and to the point.… Read More

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today announced the appointment of John Laettner to a judgeship in the Contra Costa County Superior Court.

Laettner, 50, of Walnut Creek, has served as assistant United States attorney in the United States Attorney’s Office since 1989. He was previously deputy district attorney in the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office from 1985 to 1989. Laettner also served as an associate with Stammer, McKnight, Barnum and Bailey law firm in 1983. He earned a Juris Doctorate degree from Hastings Law School and Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, San Diego. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Merle Russell Eaton. Laettner is a Republican.

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Since the GOP Convention, when a resolution was overwhelmingly passed by delegates asking the Governor to appoint Republican judges,… Read More

In recent days, Medical Marijuana supporters and former Assemblyman Bruce Thompson have come out in support of term limits for the SD County Board of Supervisors. Although this may seemingly put the conservative Thompson in strange company,it’s pretty clearthere appears to be no connection between the two … other than a shared dislike for incumbent Sups, or perhaps one incumbent Sup … in Thompson’s case.

Thompson’s campaign against Supervisor Bill Horn (pictured here with a mic, not a bong), rich with endorsements but apparently strapped for cash against the Horn war-chest, is simply tossing a needed issue into the public fray that Horn will either have to ignore or be hard pressed to ‘splain his position on.Here’s most of the Thompson release:

Fallbrook – 5th District Supervisor candidate Bruce Thompson formally announced today that as a County Supervisor he would immediately introduce a motion to adopt term limits for the… Read More

Eons ago I asked if Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca could be beat and promised to revisit the issue. See it here.

Since that time Baca’s run jail system has seen a week worth of riots and now they have spread to the youth facilities. See a sample here.

Baca has never been popular among most Republicans. While he nominally a registered Republican, he supports Democrats all the time, likes grabbing guns and sponsored a tax increase that failed last year.

His administration has bungled more than just the jail riots, there have been escapes and killings of witnesses while in Sheriff custody. There are whispers of corruption and clearly mismanagement is a big issue. Deputies are leaving. The early release progarms is a tragedy. Some LA papers may want Baca gone as well.

Usually, that is bad news for an… Read More

Who killed Stephen Ballreich?That’s the title of the Pasadena Weekly article on the 1991 murder of political consultant andformer Alhmabra MayorBallreich. While at one time he was a rising GOP star before flaming out, he was partially responsible for starting the process of registering and empowering Asain voters in that part of the San Gabriel Valley. It is lengthy, but you can read the article here.… Read More

I’ve heard of statewide organizations endorsing a candidate for office – but here is a case where an organization has endorsed a candidate for an office for which he is not even seeking. Prosper is currently running some sort of ‘Little Engine That Could’ campaign against Senator Chuck Poochigian for Attorney General.

The California Congress of Republicans, at the Republican State Convention in San Jose this past weekend, endorsed Ambassador Pierre Richard Prosper for the United State Senate seat now held by Dianne Feinstein. When told about the endorsement Ambassador Prosper said "it was the first endorsement he had received and thanked CCR for it."… Read More

The campaign for Santa Ana City Councilman and candidate for the Democrat nomination for the 69th Assembly District (a Dem stonghold) Jose Solorio announced today:

"We have received formal endorsements fromfour statewide organizations that Democratic candidates compete for: the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFL-CIO, California), California LeagueofConservation Voters, the … Read More

State Senator Abel Maldonado is promoting an upcoming fund raiser in Orange County for his race for State Controller. My goal is not to promote the event (promoting upcoming events is discouraged by the FR publisher) but rather to point out what a mockery Maldonado makes of himself and his supporters.

The event chairman for Maldonado’s fund raiser is Bill Ito, president of Ito Farms, Inc. I have nothing against Mr. Ito, mostly because I have never met him. For all I know he has contributed to Tony Stickland (the other GOP candidate vying for the nomination) too.

But being in the farming industry something tells me that Mr. Ito does not pay all employees a living wage. I would bet he pays most of his employees in the field minimum wage (if that much). Does he know that Abel’s legislation to increase the minimum wage is about to take the wind out of his bottom line? Does Mr. Ito know that Able thinks government is the solution to our woes? Does he know that Abel (who flies… Read More