Link to UPDATE above.

The California GOP’s hiring of Canadian Christopher Matthews as deputy political director has a few folks in a tizzy.Especially considering Matthews’ special work visa application purportedly requires the employer to signify that no U.S. citizen is qualified to do the job, the concern is understandable.

Further, the hiring is in addiiton to the State GOP’s earlier engagement of Michael Kamburowski, an Australian citizen, as chief operations officer.

These guys are in the country legally, working legally. So, what’s the big deal? Well, some suggest that the positions, given their nature, should at least be filled with folks that can vote.

Instead of sweeping these kinds of debates under a rug — which, by the way, surprisingly leads people to say they are being swept under a rug — let’s get the discussion in the open. I won’t weigh in on the matter, as much as… Read More

AB 951 is Big Government. TheGovernor should veto it and shameon theGOP Lawmakers that voted for it. Yesterday, The Senate passed AB 951. This bill rushed through both houses with an emergency clause will ban all alcohol in open OR closed containers on boats on the state controlled portions of the American River during long holiday weekends. Now what outrages me about this bill are thequestions never asked by the Republicans. Many of which foolishly voted for the bill. If you can believe this, the legislature is saying that if you have a party on a boat or raft the Thursday before a big holiday and leave a couple cans of beer that no one drank on it, the next day you are breaking the law! … Read More

Today I am pleased to present a guest commentary from FR reader Gary Aminoff. Gary is the President of the San Fernando Valley Republican Club, and also serves as Treasurer of the Los Angeles County Republican Party. I hope you enjoy his column…

ETHNIC GRADUATIONS ARE ANTI-AMERICAN by Gary Aminoff When I attended UCLA it was a multi-racial, multi-ethnic and multi-cultural campus. There were students from nearly every country, every religion and all races. Yet, most students thought of themselves as Bruins and as Americans. We were all graduated in a single commencement ceremony which made us feel we were all part of a single community

John Leo, in the City Journal, writes an article entitled, … Read More

Today I am pleased to present a guest commentary from FR reader Gary Aminoff. Gary is the President of the San Fernando Valley Republican Club, and also serves as Treasurer of the Los Angeles County Republican Party. I hope you enjoy his column…

ETHNIC GRADUATIONS ARE ANTI-AMERICAN by Gary Aminoff When I attended UCLA it was a multi-racial, multi-ethnic and multi-cultural campus. There were students from nearly every country, every religion and all races. Yet, most students thought of themselves as Bruins and as Americans. We were all graduated in a single commencement ceremony which made us feel we were all part of a single community John Leo, in the City… Read More

LBREPORT.comhas some great audio of OC/LA GOP Congressman Dana Rohrabacher makinghis viewvery clear at a an anti-amnesty rally. The message: He will not endorse a presidential candidate that does not PUBLICLY declare in favor of a pardon for jailed Border Patrol agents Igancio Ramos and Jose Compean.

That leaves Tancredo and Hunter that have publicly said so as far as I know. Maybe others??? Thompson publicly says he would pardon Scooter Libby. Now we have a new issue for the next presidential "debate". Hear and read it here.

The two agentsdeserve to be pardoned and let’s hope Rohrabacher’s efforts pay off.… Read More

Last week, I was invited by my friends at the Young America’s Foundation to travel to Santa Barbara, where the Foundation has its Western presence — through its 1997 acquisition of President Ronald Reagan’s 600 acre mountain ranch, Rancho Del Cielo, and where they subsequently built the Reagan Ranch Center in downtown Santa Barbara — a state of the art conference center which acts as a headquarters for training thousands of young people about the conservative principles which Reagan espoused and lived.

Last Tuesday, at the Reagan Ranch Center, the Foundation hosted a special event to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Ronald Reagan’s prophetic speech at the Brandenburg Gate in a then-divided Berlin where Reagan appealed to the Soviet Premiere, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!"

About a hundred and fifty of us were on hand for the festivities, which started with well known… Read More

Last week, I was invited by my friends at the Young America’s Foundation to travel to Santa Barbara, where the Foundation has its Western presence — through its 1997 acquisition of President Ronald Reagan’s 600 acre mountain ranch, Rancho Del Cielo, and where they subsequently built the Reagan Ranch Center in downtown Santa Barbara — a state of the art conference center which acts as a headquarters for training thousands of young people about the conservative principles which Reagan espoused and lived.

Last Tuesday, at the Reagan Ranch Center, the Foundation hosted a special event to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Ronald Reagan’s prophetic speech at the Brandenburg Gate in a then-divided Berlin where Reagan appealed to the Soviet Premiere, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!"

About a hundred and fifty of us were on hand for the festivities, which started with well known… Read More

From time to time, it’s important to note the goings on with some of our FR friends. Hot off of the presses is the news that Joe Shumate (with whom I had a chance to do some work back when I was Executive Director of the State GOP), and whom I would charactarize as a savvy political strategist and a voter targeting expert, is joining up with well-respected opposition research specialist Mark Bogetich (pictured) and (along with two policy-wonk types, Mike Kahoe and Larry Green) are starting up a new firm, BGK Strategies.

From chatting with Mark, it would appear that their firm will focus on independent expenditure efforts, ballot measure campaigns, issue advocacy and public affairs projects. Republican candidates fear not, Mark assures me that he and Joe will continue to provide services to GOP candidates.

Bonus round question: Which candidate for President did Joe… Read More