Third term Assemblyman Van Tran, a Republican from Orange County, yesterday announced that he was forming an exploratory committee to official look at running for Congress in California’s 47th District, currently represented by Democrat Loretta Sanchez. I had an opportunity to sit down with Tran, and ask him some questions about this major decision in his life. Here is that interview… FLASHREPORT PUBLISHER JON FLEISCHMAN INTERVIEWS ASSEMBLYMAN VAN TRAN

FlashReport (FR): Van, I’m glad that you could spend some time with the Flash Report… Read More

This morning at 9am, Assembly Republicans will enter into a special caucus meeting. The purpose? Apparently Central Coast Assemblyman Sam Blakeslee has put together the votes to become elected Assembly Republican Leader. This morning the current occupant of the job will announce that he is stepping aside (which is the politically correct way of saying that he was "let go" from his duties as leader).

Having had some time to absorb this turn of events, I thought I would make the following observations…

As FR readers know, the current leader, Michael Villines of the Central Valley, was one of the key architects behind a budget deal in February that ultimately gave California’s the largest tax increase in the history of any state. In addition, he along with former State Senate Republican Leader Dave Cogdill (as well as Governor Schwarzenegger and legislative Democrat leaders) concocted the Proposition 1A "toxic cocktail" — a measure that would apply "revenue smoothing" measures into state law, but also triggers, if it passes, an addition $16 billion in higher taxes for Californians. The campaign to pass 1A is… Read More

Third term Assemblyman Van Tran, a Republican from Orange County, yesterday announced that he was forming an exploratory committee to official look at running for Congress in California’s 47th District, currently represented by Democrat Loretta Sanchez.

I had an opportunity to sit down with Tran, and ask him some questions about this major decision in his life. Here is that interview…

FLASHREPORT PUBLISHER JON FLEISCHMAN INTERVIEWS ASSEMBLYMAN VAN TRAN

**There is more – click the link**

View Full Commentary… Read More

This in from California Congressman Ed Royce (R-Fullerton)…

The Federal government Must Get Out Of The Business Of Picking Winners And Losers Congressman Edward R. Royce Tuesday the House Financial Services Committee held a hearing on proposed legislation that would make whole local municipalities with failed investments in Lehman Brothers, an investment bank that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last fall. Orange County’s Treasurer, Chriss Street testified.

By all accounts Lehman Brothers was and is today a failed… Read More

Like all average Californians, I am working away while listening to the John & Ken Show via the internet (isn’t that what most people do?).

They just announced that on May 15th, State Senator Abel Maldonado will be coming onto their show.

Good grief.

That’s like that Hatfields asking to come have dinner at the McCoys (did I just insult the Hatfields?).

LOL — you can be sure we’ll provide a link to the podcast of that appearance!… Read More

As we often say here on the FR Blog, we really aren’t in the practice of writing about the internal politics of legislative caucuses. That having been said, it’s been reported by Capitol Weekly and the SacBee’s Capitol Alert that tomorrow Assembly Republican Leader Mike Villines will step down. This, of course, follows a tremendous amount of internal and external pressure to see a change in this position after Villines negotiated and provided one of the key votes for the largest tax increase in California history.

Capitol Weekly is reporting that Assemblyman Sam Blakeslee of the Central Coast will be the next leader. Blakeslee is a close ally of Villines, and we can presume that his taking the helm would be as a result of a "friendly hand off" by Villines, who probably realized that his days as leader were numbered (especially if, as expected, the ballot measures… Read More

This just in from conservative Assemblyman Martin Garrick:

[Cross-posted from Red County.com]

I’d heard over the weekend that Assemblyman Van Tran would announce formation of a congressional exploratory committee later this month.

"Later" has come early, as Van announced today he’s formed his exploratory committee to take on Rep. Loretta Sanchez, according to Total Buzz.

Van will be the first real opponent Loretta has had since, arguably, her 1998 re-match with Bob Dornan (although few doubted the outcome of that race. In the meantime, she had benefited from a strong of underwhelming or downright weird GOPgeneral election nominees — much like Bob Dornan benefited from a string of underwhelming and downright weird Democratic opponents before newly-minted Democrat Loretta Brixey… Read More