Yesterday was a roller coaster ride of emotions as I spent the entire day at the capitol testifying in committee hearings. This part of the legislative year could be dubbed “the killing season” with all the great Republican bills dying premature deaths. Although it’s frustrating and infuriating to witness the lack of common sense or real empathy in the majority party, we can muster the fortitude to carry on by some of the encouragements I witnessed yesterday.

Senator Alan Lowenthal’s SB 1322, the bill that will allow communists to teach in public schools, passed the Senate Education Committee with flying (red) colors. The bill passed despite the moving testimony of my friend Alex Pop, a Romanian immigrant who was imprisoned for simply speaking out against the communist government in his country. Yesterday Alex celebrated his nineteenth year of escaping to America and freedom. Alex’s two sons will attend the Naval Academy and West Point and his daughter is Miss Northern California. Alex is the perfect example of the American Dream—he went from a communist prison for speaking against the government to actually addressing the… Read More

Hard to believe that this FlashReport video we took of Mitt Romney on the campaign trail, telling a joke to supporters, has been viewed over 17,000 times! … Read More

From today’s Wall Street Journal Political Diary E-mail:

The Color Purple

Are the Clintons feeling a little desperate? Bill flew into a tirade at last weekend’s California Democratic Party convention. He was there to schmooze local superdelegates on Hillary’s behalf when he encountered activist and Clinton-supporting superdelegate Rachel Binah, who had been a Bill Richardson supporter until the New Mexico governor dropped out of the race.

According to a report in the San Francisco Chronicle, Ms. Binah took the opportunity to criticize Clinton ally James Carville for describing Mr. Richardson as a "Judas" for his subsequent endorsement of Barack… Read More

What’s that smell?

It’s the stink Don Perata’s ethically challenged ways all over the attempt to recall Senator Jeff Denham. We’ve all heard that fable of King Midas who could turn things to gold with a mere touch. Well, here in real life, we have Don Perata, who can turn anything into a smelly quagmire of questionable ethics with his mere involvement.

It seems like forever that Perata has been under the cloud of an FBI probe, which is probably more like an ongoing feeding frenzy as he keeps acting like some dictator with a Nietsche complex (the rules of mere mortals don’t apply to The Don).

**There is more – click the link**

View Full Commentary… Read More

What’s that smell?

It’s the stink Don Perata’s ethically challenged ways all over the attempt to recall Senator Jeff Denham. We’ve all heard that fable of King Midas who could turn things to gold with a mere touch. Well, here in real life, we have Don Perata, who can turn anything into a smelly quagmire of questionable ethics with his mere involvement.

It seems like forever that Perata has been under the cloud of an FBI probe, which is probably more like an ongoing feeding frenzy as he keeps acting like some dictator with a Nietsche complex (the rules of mere mortals don’t apply to The Don).

In an article in today’s Merced Sun-Star Stephen Jones, the Merced County Registrar of Voters, has said that he will be filing an official complaint after the addresses given many petition gatherers working to qualify the recall were not residents of Merced County. An excerpt from the story…… Read More

At the start of the school year, my boss, AssemblymanBenoit, announceda new contest for high-schoolers in Riverside County, called "There Ought To Be A Law." This was a simple idea to promote civic involvement among our students, and it turned out to surpass all of my expectations! First, we were greatly impressed by the more than 200 submissions we received, a commendable effort by young people to be engaged in our State government.

(Caption: Assemblyman John J. Benoit, with RJ’s Law co-author Assemblyman Bill Emmerson, walking out of the Assembly Chambers with RJ Feild)

But one essay… Read More

“OSE CAMPAIGN ACCUSED OF VIOLATING FEDERAL ELECTION LAWS” Placer County GOP Files Complaint against Ose for Failing to Disclose Contributions

Roseville— The Placer County Republican Central Committee Thursday filed a formal complaint with the Federal Elections Commission in Washington D.C. alleging that Doug Ose’s Campaign for Congress distributed a direct mail piece that violated federal elections laws.

Ose is running against State Senator Tom McClintock in the Republican Primary for the 4th Congressional District to replace Rep. John Doolittle.

“Placer County Republicans request an immediate investigation,” said Tom Hudson, chairman of the Placer County Republican Central Committee. “We believe that the Ose Campaign engaged in unfair campaign practices and violated federal election laws.”

According to the complaint, the Ose Campaign for Congress recently sent voters a direct mail piece that shows an illustration of opponent Tom McClintock that is both silly and demeaning. The problem for Ose is the so-called ‘creative material’ is identical to the graphic artwork used against McClintock by then-opponent Dean Andal… Read More

You may not know it, but Sen. Lou Correa strongly opposes completing the 241 toll road.

True, it is Rep. Loretta Sanchez is the OC legislator who has garnered the attention — and just criticism — for her efforts to kill the 241 completion: a politically curious position considering the 47th Congressional District isn’t a hot-bed of environmental activism. That strain runs more strongly through affluent districts where residents can afford to be no-growth environmentalists.

Yet Sen. Lou Correa — who represents many of the same union households as Loretta — also opposes completing the 241. He”s just been quiet about it.

During January’s California Coastal Commission hearing on the 241, the various commissioners had to declare their ex parte communications on the issue.

Commissioner Larry Clark described his being lobbied by Sen. Correa:

On the 24th of January, and again on the 4th of February, I received telephone calls from Senator Lou Correa, from the 34th Senatorial District. Senator Correa conveyed this information to me, and position, his strong opposition for the 241 toll