Mayor Sam reports that the FPPC is looking into Democrat Mike Gatto’s possible coordination with another candidate to manipulate the outcome of the April 13 Special Election.… Read More

Horrible Arizona has passed a horrible law that allows cops to ask about immigration status if someone horrible is busted doing something wrong and has no identification.Did I say how horrible?

Somehow critics of the law think Arizona peace officers will take time from busting smugglers on the border and increased violence in their cities to check identification cards at local theaters and somehow violate everyone’s rights. Well not everyone’s.

Needless to say such an outrage must be met harshly. My county and several cities have decided that they will boycott Arizona and its companies. Martin Luther King and Ceaser Chavez are held up as great examples of the success of boycotts.

Truly though today’s boycotters are nothing like their heroes. Today’s boycotters are wimps. They will only boycott unless it is "necessary”. Some sacrifice. We will not do business with you unless we need too. What a great… Read More

Ok, nowfor the real analysis on Orange County…(other than the treasurer’s race for which I did a public poll, all predictions are based on my best guess)

-Appointed Sheriff Hutchens will either win re-election or be the top vote-getter

-District Attorney Tony Rackauckas is re-elected (he has no opponent)

-Clerk-Recorder Tom Daley is re-elected

-Public Administrator John Williams is re-elected or will be the top vote-getter

-Auditor David Sundstrom wins re-election

-Assessor Webster Guillory will fend off a challenge from former BOE member Claude Parrish

-Shari Freidenrich will be in a run-off with Keith Rodenhuis will face each other in a run-off for Treasurer

-5th Dist. Supervisor Pat Bates wins re-election (no opponent)

-2nd Dist. Supervisor John Moorlach wins re-election (no opponent)

-Fullerton Councilman Shawn Nelson will win the Special and Primary Elections for 4th Dist. Supervisor and probably face Harry Sidhu in a run-off on November (but Nelson will be seated immediately to fill the unexpired term of now Assemblyman Chris Norby)

There are some other less interesting offices like… Read More

Sometimes I wonder if agencies like the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) make it past their own headlines and read the rest of the newspaper. The above-the-fold front page headline in Thursday’s Tri Valley Herald reads, “Air board gets jump on pollutants,” and goes on to explain a new set of thresholds requiring builders to conduct pollution reduction studies before developing projects that fall within the typical range of what cities call “infill development.”Infill development has helped many cities replace blighted areas in their downtown areas with new, affordable housing for residents who want to work in the cities and enjoy short, often public transportation-enabled, commutes. While the executive director of the BAAQMD, Jack Broadbent, was patting himself and the agency on the back for being the first to adopt such guidelines, business leaders and advocates of affordable housing were not so enthusiastic. Adding additional legal hurdles to the development of badly needed urban housing in California only … Read More

FlashReport readers are very familiar with Peter Foy. You’ll recall that in addition to being Chairman of the Americans for Prosperity California chapter, Peter is an elected Ventura County Supervisor. What you may not know is that Peter was elected to the Board of Supes four years ago by taking on and defeating an incumbent RINO (Republican In Name Only). Since then, Foy has been a solid conservative leader in Ventura County, and he is coasting towards a big re-election this Tuesday night.

Foy does have an opponent, however nominal, who would not even be worth writing about, except for his big-time blunder in for all I know is his only mail piece. Foy’s opponent is a Moorpark School Board Trustee by the name of Bruce Thomas. A mail piece just dropped for Thomas (the entire piece is viewable through the link below) but check out the clip from… Read More

It’s that time again. Stop what you are doing and take a stab. Send your picks to me here. (do not post them as a comment).

Deadline is 7:55 p.m. on June 8 (or anytime before).

Winners will be announced after the election, when I can get to it, or later in the case of any hand counts or other chads-like determinations by the Registrar, especially if followed by protracted lawsuits and court battles.

The contest victors get the ultimate prize – their fellow hacks’ amazement at their prowess.

On yes, in the past, some FR readers have complained that this contest is too "San Diego oriented." Well, yes, I do write about San Diego area politics. It is your choice to participate. Or not.

So, here we go, eleven questions and a couple of tie-breakers, if needed…

1. Chula Vista Fair and Open Competition Initiative: Will Measure G win or lose?

2. Oceanside Charter City question: Will Measure K win or lose?

3. Poway (two part question, must get them both correct):

a) Will Betty Rexford… Read More

Very interesting numbers coming out of absentee data in the Special Election run-off to be held concurrently with the Primary Election on Tuesday.

As of Friday, absentee ballots returned:

This is a district with about 50% Democrats, 25% Republicans, and 25% DTS. About 1/3 of the voters are expected to be Armenian. This is significant because Republicans should have a much higher turnout on Tuesday with very competitive races for Governor and U.S. Senate while the Democrats do not have similar competitiveness (and let’s face it, less than hyper-partisan voters are not flocking to the polls to vote for Assembly).

Republican businessman Sunder Ramani has actually raised impressive amounts of money though not at the level of his Democrat opponent who is able to rake in special interest money from Sacramento.

Ramani has considerable support in the Armenian community and is considered a strong ally while the Democrat, Mike Gatto, is distrusted and has shown very little concern for Armenian issues. Ramani’s campaign has… Read More

Last week I penned a lengthy commentary where I highlighted the fact that San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Katcho Achadjian, who is seeking the GOP nomination for the 33rd Assembly District this Tuesday, had not signed the Americans for Tax Reform "No New Taxes Pledge."

Today, on behalf of Katcho’s campaign, I was faxed this signed copy of the ATR pledge. For and foremost, I commend Katcho for publicly committing to the voters that he seeks to represent that if he is elected to the State Assembly, he promises never to vote for a tax increase. In signing this pledge, Katcho joins with his two primary opponents, Etta Waterfield and Matt Kokkonan.

I do find it interesting to note that Katcho’s pledge is dated for May the 20th — a week and a half before I penned my column. So it does make one wonder why Katcho signed the pledge, but then kept to it himself… Read More