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

Last night, I made the two mile trip over to the campus at the University of California, Irvine. Why? Because FR friend Kristen Lucero, who is President of the UC Irvine College Republicans told me about an event they were hosting on campus. An excerpt from a Los Angeles Times article on the event described it this way:

The caricatures, first printed in European newspapers, incited riots worldwide that led to dozens of deaths last month.

Organizers of the UCI forum, which drew about 250 people to an auditorium at the… Read More

Our Central Coast Correspondent, Amy Thoma, is on a little break right now. But I am sure that you will recall that she recently penned a column for the FR talking about a draconian, anti-freedom general plan amendment that has been proposed via initiative in the County of Monterey. This measure would take the balance that exists between allowing common-sense development and use of land by people against the need to preserve the natural beauty of the area and turn it on its head. Well, you can read all about it in Amy’s column.

I wanted to let you know that in the latest development, citing ‘fatal flaws’ the Monterey County Board of Supervisors by a 3-2 vote DECLINED to place this initiative onto the ballot. This is unusual given that there were enough signatures to qualify it, I think. So, the proponents have vowed to take the matter to court, and force the county to put the matter before the voters.

You can read the Monterey Herald’s take on the whole broo-haha… 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