We’re now making an effort to keep a closer eye on Gubernatorial appointments, with a specific eye on political party registration. Yesterday, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced twelve appointments (read more detail here). If you are keeping score, they are: 7 Democrats, 3 Republicans, and 2 Decline-to-State.

DEMOCRATS: 7 Cleotha Adams, 49, of Marysville, has been appointed to the Corrections Standards Authority. Adams is a Democrat.

Carol Biondi, 62, of Los Angeles, has been appointed to the Corrections Standards Authority. Biondi is a Democrat.

Robyn Boyer, 57, of… Read More

Steve Cooley is one gutsy guy. This Los Angeles DA took on "Tookie" Williams. (See my previous post here.) And today he took on the San Gabriel Valley Lincoln Club with some of his thoughts about justice. Several items to report on: He spoke about the progress in implementing Prop. 69 and the DNA testing that require. Cooley was excited about the prospect of solving cold and hot cases with the database being formed. Cooley also talked about EscapingJustice.com his site that has pressured Mexico and the US to do more about killers hiding in Mexico. Cooley also said that despite changes in Workman’s Compensation law it is impossible to “prosecute” a solution to Workman’s Comp Fraud. Thank you legislature. … Read More

JESSICA’ LAW PROPONENTS TURN IN SIGNATURES Consultant and FR Friend released the news today that legilslative dynamic duo George and Sharon Runner today turned in over 600,000 signatures to qualify the tough-on-sexual-predator Jessica’s Law measure for the ballot.

Assemblywoman Runner had this to say:

"California families have waited too long for this day to come. I lookforward to November when Californians will vote to make our neighborhoodssafer for our children and grandchildren. It is unfortunate our Legislature refused to act on Jessica’s Law, but the people have a history of showinggreat aptitude to act when the Legislature refuses good public policy. The yare doing just that by qualifying the Jessica’s Law initiative."

IS DR. PHIL OUT OF THE RACE?… Read More

Orange County’s Coastal State Senate 35th District is in the midst of a Special Election. There are two candidates vying for the open seat, vacated when the incumbent, John Campbell, was elected in a special election to Congress.

Since the beginning of the year, the momentum in the race has all been for Dana Point Councilwoman Diane Harkey (you can click her ad on this site to find out more about her). Her opponent, Assemblyman Tom Harmon has been relatively quiet, though presumably his name identification from having represented a good chunk of this district would be pretty high.

Harkey, who is quite affluent herself, has been raising money and putting out mail pieces the old fashioned way – where the campaign produces and mails them out.

Harmon, who has less cash-on-hand is resorting to what is probably legal but a shady practice — pumping out taxpayer-paid-for mail right in the midst of a special election (see the attachment).

I think that this will backfire on Harmon, who can’t campaign as a conservative Republican in a closely-watched primary while using confiscated tax dollars to fund his campaign. California… Read More

The two leading candidates in the 59th Assembly District primary faced off Thursday night at a forum hosted by the San Bernardino County Republican Central Committee in Rancho Cucamonga.

Anthony Adams (pictured left) of Hesperia in San Bernardino County’s High Desert and Chris Lancaster (pictured below left) of LaVerne in Los Angeles County each took questions submitted by committee members on subjects ranging from taxes to the Second Amendment to abortion and property rights. The forum was cordial, with neither candidate directly attacking the other or making any major gaffes (it’s still early, right?). Both Lancaster and Adams said they were pleased with the way the event was conducted.

Meanwhile, the other High Desert candidates, Susan Slater and… Read More

Matt Rexroad (pictured to the left) is someone that I hold in high regard. I’ve known Matt for over a decade. His political acumen is pretty sharp. He is a friend. I thought a recent commentary that he wrote was very interesting.

Former Assemblyman Howard Kaloogian is one of the ten thousand Republicans vying to replace the disgraced Randy ‘Duke’ Cunningham in Congress. At his firm’s Cal Races website, Rexroad says:

There is no commentary today or tomorrow (Fri). FR will return in "full force" Sat.… Read More

Wow. The Governor has appointed another Republican Judge to the Los Angeles Superior Court. Congrats to UCLA Alum Tia Fisher. See the press release here. And even better she wasn’t a criminal defense attorney.

That makes the unofficial score 17 Dems and 10 Republicans plus a couple of decline to states. Does two in a row make a rally for GOP appointments to the LA bench by a Republican Governor time will tell. See my other post on judges here.

As a side note I received a call from a very high ranking GOP State Senator that told me that he was told by the Gov’s Judicial appointment people that there weren’t enough qualified GOP judge applicants for Los… Read More