According to latest returns for the election held yesterday, Mission Viejo councilman and the currently appointed Mayor, Lance MacLean has been recalled by 6,858 to 6,740, a total of 118 votes. A total of 1,140 votes remain to be counted, and knowledgeable observers state the margin of recall will narrow a little, but that the recall should stand, and MacLean will be forced out of office when the election is formally certified.

Successful recalls don’t happen that often – just ask Assemblyman Anthony Adams that question. The success of the Mission Viejo recall is something significant. It is also significant in who the biggest loser was as a result, which was not MacLean, the target of the recall, or Dale Tyler, a replacement candidate that lost. More on that later….

The "Notice of Recall" Mission Viejo citizens voted on that gave the reasons to recall MacLean, included a charge that he had voted for "lifetime medical benefits" at taxpayer expense for himself and other councilmembers, had voted for a tax increase, and that MacLean had been detained on a charge of assault and battery on a… Read More

A few moments ago the Senate Rules Committee voted 4-0 to approve Senator Abel Maldonado’s nomination to fill the Lieutenant Governor position vacated by John Garamendi. All of the Democrats on the committee and one Republican voted for the confirmation: Steinberg, Oropeza, Cedillo and Dutton. Senator Sam Aanestad announced at the beginning of the hearing that he would recuse himself because of his run for Lieutenant Governor.

The almost three-hour hearing began with Maldonado tearing up during his opening statement as he thanked his immigrant parents for their support. Maldonado also took the opportunity of his opening statement to restate his opposition to offshore oil drilling in California. The nominee announced that his first priority as LG would be jobs, even stating that he wants to be the “Chief Job Creator of California”—a title most business owners would find quite humorous considering any politician’s ability to create real jobs. In fact, Maldonado would better serve California in this capacity by returning to the private sector.

Maldonado went on to state that he also wants to be the “Expediter in Chief,” helping people cut through… Read More

Unfortunately, when I said releasing prisoners early from state prison was a dangerous idea, I was right.

This afternoon, the Sacramento Bee reported:

"One of the inmates the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department released early as part of an effort to reduce the state’s prison population was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of attempted rape, less than 24 hours after getting out of jail."

The idea of releasing prisoners early is a bad idea. We might save some money from the early release idea, but innocent people are going to pay the price in another way — their safety and security, and heaven forbid, with their lives.

I’m not sure how the people who voted for this bill can sleep at night.

Read more here.… Read More

Today the campaign of conservative State Senator Sam Aanestad will announce their endorsement by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association PAC — a major and significant endorsement in any race for public office in California, but an especially powerful one in a Republican primary.

This imminent endorsement should not come to a surprise to anyone who even remotely follows California politics because there are only two candidates running for the GOP nomination — conservative Republican Sam Aanestad and liberal Republican Abel Maldonado.

There is no need for us to lay out the case for why HJTA is backing Aanestad in this race, because HJTA’s President, as always, is quite articulate himself.

“Abel Maldonado received a generous “D” on our 2009 scorecard for his consistent anti-taxpayer votes and back room political deal he cut to increase… Read More

By now, many of you have probably heard or seen the numerous press reports on the President’s visit to the House Republican Retreat in Baltimore, Maryland last Friday. Having been in the room, here’s my analysis. This meeting occurred because the Republican caucus issued an invitation for the President to come. I think thatthis wasthe right thing to do, in fact I think we ought toalways invite the sitting President to our retreat, regardless of their party. The President accepted the invitation. But interestingly, he insisted that the meeting be open to the press and televised. This stands in stark contrast to the fact that his meeting with House Democrats at their retreat was closed to the press. It would appear then, that the President did not want you to hear what he said to Democrats, yet he did want you to hear what he said to us… Hmmmm. So was one a meeting and the other a show?

In any event, our caucus was very respectful. No outbursts or booing and such, and he was welcomed warmly. The message that Republicans were trying to give was that we actually have a lot of positive ideas and an agenda for the future, and that he is… Read More

OK, tales of the bizarre. So I linked to a website of conservative activist Aaron Park who had posted up documents about a 1990 case where Abel Maldonado had a judgment against him in the Santa Barbara County Superior Court over not making child support payments. But then 30 minutes later Park pulled down his post (pressure from..???). So I have pulled my blog post on it, as I am not comfortable leaving a dead link active on my site. Had to delete a tweet as well. Sigh.… Read More

Some years ago I wrote a post on the death of my dog, Felony the Dog, that came to mind today when I learned that Kingpin, the dog of my friends, Jason and Patty Roe, was on his last legs. As a person who spent many years in the company of Kingpin I thought I’d republish. After all, if the people in politics were more like dogs, we’d have to watch our backs a bit less and our shoes a bit more. To me that would be a fair trade.

Eat many burgers in your last days Kingpin, and take many walks.

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FELONY THE DOG

For some thirteen years I’ve had a British Staffordshire Terrier named Felony the Dog, or Felony for short. One of my peers in my first year of law school had purchased a puppy, but his apartment manager had very particular and definite views about the acceptability of pets that required either Donald and Felony, or just Felony, to move. Donald chose to stay, and I, who had just moved into an ancient Victorian downtown that happened to have a yard, became Felony’s new owner. Felony proved to be an intelligent dog who picked her friends and her enemies at first site and generally stuck with the… Read More

Brett Henry leaving the race opened up the San Bernardino area of the seat for another candidate. Ken Hunter is already running from that side of the district. Hesperia Unified School Board Member Anthony Riley is getting in the race. Anthony worked for Supervisor Gary Ovitt until recently and hung out a shingle for a PR firm.

Riley has had an interesting journey. While part of his resume is staffer, he was also principal of the now defunct charter school.

But even more importantly Anthony Riley was on Melrose Place. Yes in a small role he was back when Heather Locklear, no relation to the State Treasurer, was hot. Okay she is still hot.

A couple of issues may be in a GOP primary are the fact the local teachers union supported his election and the charter school officials up above him are in criminal trials (not him, but mail pieces may say it.).

More importantly can he raise the money? The machine in San Bernardino County that was there when Adams was elected is not there. Although, Riley has shown he can compete in many difficult environments.

This race will be a barnburner.… Read More