Numerically, so far the candidate campaign that has sent the most correspondence to California Republican Party Conventioneers in advance of this weekend’s confab is easily Attorney General candidate Steve Cooley (the latest being a letter from four past CRP Chairmen – Dr. Tirso Del Junco, Mike Motgomery, Frank Visco, and my former employer L.A. County Supervisor Mike Antonovich). Right behind him is the campaign of Gubernatorial hopeful Meg Whitman (her latest letter is a piece from former Governor Pete Wilson). But all of those have been rather subdued mailers in terms of presentation — a simple letter in an envelope.

The only mail piece I have received from a campaign that is impressive in its presentation has come from U.S. Senate hopeful Carly Fiorina. This glossy mailer is personalized and includes not only a strong letter from some conservative U.S. Senators, but it really lays out the fiscal follies of candidate Tom Campbell. Of course, for strategic reasons, Fiorina doesn’t even mention the candidacy of Assemblyman Chuck DeVore, whom she cannot "out-conservative" but she can out-spend — but the mail piece is… Read More

This week, we took the first steps to put in place policies that will better protect our children and put an end to the failings in our criminal justice system that allow violent sexual predators to slip through the cracks.

During an announcement at my office, a representative from the Chelsea King Family read a statement from Kelly and Brent King asking me to join them and lead the legislative effort to enact real changes to better protect our children and our communities from violent sex offenders. I am humbled and honored to work with them to create Chelsea’s Law.

This joint effort between my office and the King family will seek changes in the law to protect California’s children from violent sexual predators. Our goal is simple – to make sure that no family has to go through what the King and Dubois families are experiencing right now.

There is not a person in our community who hasn’t been touched by this tragedy. As a father and husband, I can’t imagine the pain felt by Kelly and Brent King and Carrie McGonigle and Moe Dubois. I know every parent out there is worried about the… Read More

Having gotten to know many of the members of the press corps that cover California politics, I have found them to for the most part be pretty fair and balanced. There is always an occasional example of some liberal reporter going too far — but generally, for our part here in the Golden State, we’ve got a good crew of reporters (almost all of whom invariably voted for President Obama – but then again, so did most Americans).

There is no good reason for Meg Whitman and her campaign to go through Herculean efforts to avoid meaningful dialogue with the California press corps. All it does is feed speculation that she has good reason to do so, when I don’t think that is the case. I have heard Whitman in intimate campaign settings, and have myself sat down with her on more than one occasion writing for this website. I’m confident that she would do just fine in media interviews.

As a Republican Party officer, who is neutral in this primary and is waiting on the proverbial "50 yard line" to help our nominee win the office in November, I really do believe that practice makes perfect where it comes to media interviews.… Read More

Here’s the piece. I’m sure it deserves some analysis. But who has time for that? I guess I will leave it to readers to decide whether a Constitutional Officer who has CHP protection should be reimbursing taxpayers for that protection when it is provided at campaign events….

… Read More

My client Assemblyman Bill Emmerson will stay on the ballot for the April 13th special election for the vacant Republican-dominated 37 th State Senate special election, according to a bench ruling by Superior Court Judge Kenneth Andreen, issued about an hour ago in Riverside. The judge announced his ruling after a full blown Perry Mason-style trial that included testimony from a Private Eye that Emmerson opponent and Corona Councilman Steve Nolan, the unsuccessful petitioner, had hired to snoop on where Emmerson sleeps at night. I must admit, I thought the case was getting a little out of hand, but the judge delivered a resounding ruling in Emmerson’s favor and I’m pleased to chalk this one up as yet another Lacy legal masterpiece.… Read More

It has been an honor and pleasure to provide you with information and commentary about state government these past years. Today I am accepting an appointment from Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to serve as the Secretary for State and Consumer Services with the mission to hold down government spending.I am resigning my position the Board of Equalization and turning it over to the capable hands of my chief deputy, Barbara Alby. Because I now have only one boss, the Governor, this will be the lastposting for 2010.I need to focus exclusively on helping the Governor with the duties he assigns me. Thank you for your comments, support, suggestions and prayers, as they are all … Read More

One of the things I love most about my friend Barbara Alby is her "I know something that you don’t know look" — which hasn’t changed in the nearly twenty years that I have known her. When I sat down briefly with Barbara last weekend at the California Republican Assembly’s 75th Anniversary Convention in Buena Park, and asked her about her campaign for Board of Equalization, she gave me "the look" when I asked her about her ballot designation. She told me that it was "a surprise" but that her choice for ballot designation would be very important to her campaign (along with her published statement in the ballot pamphlet).

As always, Barbara has a gift for understatement.

During the CRA Convention, it was obvious that State Senator George Runner was out-hustling her for what concluded in his endorsement by the CRA for his candidacy. Runner had a full campaign operation working the event. In contrast, with a peace of mind about her that was enviable Barbara was in what I would call a "happy place" quietly chatting with the many convention delegates).

It turns out that Barbara was… Read More

One of the things I love most about my friend Barbara Alby is her "I know something that you don’t know look" — which hasn’t changed in the nearly twenty years that I have known her. When I sat down briefly with Barbara last weekend at the California Republican Assembly’s 75th Anniversary Convention in Buena Park, and asked her about her campaign for Board of Equalization, she gave me "the look" when I asked her about her ballot designation. She told me that it was "a surprise" but that her choice for ballot designation would be very important to her campaign (along with her published statement in the ballot pamphlet).

As always, Barbara has a gift for understatement.

During the CRA Convention, it was obvious that State Senator George Runner was out-hustling her for what concluded in his endorsement by the CRA for his candidacy. Runner had a full campaign operation working the event. In contrast, with a peace of mind about her that was enviable Barbara was in what I would call a "happy place" quietly chatting with the many convention delegates).… Read More