Democratic leaders have proposed a lobbying reform measure that, if enacted, will require disclosure of names and addresses of donors of $500 to nonprofits that actively advocate for Federal legilsation. Such donors have never been subject to public disclosure before and advocacy groups fear a "chilling affect" on grass roots advocacy activity will occur if the Democrats succeed with their bill.

According to a report in The Hill, “This is written in a very vague manner such that it is unclear what their intent is and could be construed to require all 501(c) organizations to disclose anyone who gives more than $500 in a quarter,” said Cleta Mitchell, a lawyer with Foley Lardner who represents some conservative membership organizations, including the NRA and Americans for Tax Reform, who would be affected by the measure. Mitchell said that a lifetime membership to the NRA costs about $700. She said the Democratic leadership’s bill could be interpreted as requiring the NRA to disclose the names of anyone who purchases a lifetime membership in the group.

The Hill also reports aHouse Democratic aide familiar with the bill’s… Read More

At the end of next year, both Senate President Pro-Tem Don Perata, a liberal Democrat, and long-time legislator Roy Ashburn, a conservative Republican, will reach the end of their time in the State Legislature. Both will bump up against the voter-approved legislative term-limits in our State Constitution. This is as it should be. Term Limits allow for more Californians to have an opportunity to be citizen-legislators. As a matter of fact, were it not for term-limits, it is likely that neither of these politicians would be in Sacramento right now. That said, it is with a skeptic’s eye that we read news that these two termed-out legislators are pushing forward with a ‘comprehensive reform’ plan for next year’s ballot that, if put before the voters as currently written, would allow Perata, Ashburn and a host of other legislators who would be forced to retire to instead serve longer in the State Legislature. Of course, there has long been a discussion that Republican legislators, most of whom support the current term limits, would be willing to… Read More

In yesterday’s report on the Los Angeles County School elections, it was revealed in the Los Angeles Times that a “moderate Republican” group had spent $170,000 to help elect Villaraigosa backed Democrat Tamar Galatzan over the Teacher union backed Democrat Jon Lauritzen. See article here. The group was the New Majority PAC (TNM). Initial results had Galatzen winning by about 6000 votes. While the New Majority was spending that kind of cash to help a Democrat, Villaraigosa backed REPUBLICAN candidate Dick Vladovic was winning by a margin of about 700 votes. Roy Burns another GOP candidate for Los Angeles Community College District was winning by a mere 88 votes. … Read More

Where will YOU be on October 12th and 13th?

I would like to cordially invite you to join me at the 2007 Western Conservative Political Action Conference being held right here in California! This conference, a sister to the wildly successful CPAC conferences in Washington, D.C., will be an exciting opportunity for conservative leaders and activists from the Western United States to come together to hear from great speakers, engage in discussions on the important issues of the day, and organize so that conservatives can have the greatest amount of influence for the coming national, state and local elections! President Reagan’s eldest son, Michael, a reknowned talk-show host and conservative leader in his own right, is the General Chairman for this event, and will be on hand playing a primary role… Read More

Where will YOU be on October 12th and 13th?

I would like to cordially invite you to join me at the 2007 Western Conservative Political Action Conference being held right here in California! This conference, a sister to the wildly successful CPAC conferences in Washington, D.C., will be an exciting opportunity for conservative leaders and activists from the Western United States to come together to hear from great speakers, engage in discussions on the important issues of the day, and organize so that conservatives can have the greatest amount of influence for the coming national, state and local elections! President Reagan’s eldest son, Michael, a reknowned talk-show host and conservative leader in his own right, is the General Chairman for this event, and will be on hand playing a primary role… Read More

I just got off the phone with Doug Boyd, The CRP Regional Vice-Chair for Los Angeles County. There are about 10,600 outstanding ballots in the race for LA Community College. That race currently has Roy Burns with a LA County currently has 4 observers. Good thing Doug is a lawyer with some knowledge of this stuff. The breakdown is as follows: Approximately 2800 provisional ballots, 3500 vote by mail turned in on election day, 2300 vote by mail not counted in the first count and another 2000 “snags”. … Read More

Senate President Pro-tem Don Perata and Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez are required to retire at the end of next year, as they will have reached the limit of their service in the legislature under the voter approved term limits in our State Constitution. So, with a supreme interest in emphasizing the CAREER in "career politician" they are working to place a measure on the February ballot to severely WEAKEN term limits and substially extend their own legislative careers, among others. The sad reality, however, is that Perata and Nunez are facing an electorate that is HOSTILE to weakening term limits. In an act of total hubris, they are actually trying to say that their measure strengthens term limits. How laughable. Consider these points:

Republican Roy Burns may have pulled it off. His under funded grassroots campaign is leading incumbent Georgia Merced by 88 votes out of 122,436 votes cast. Last week I commented that with a low turnout (about 6 %) would a GOTV effort make the difference. See previous post here. Obviously having a highly contested LAUSD race in the San Pedro area and the San Fernando Valley helped bring more conservative type voters to the polls. (On another note Dick Vladovic elected to LAUSD is a Republican as well). Also having an active GOP candidate in an ultimately losing race in the 39th Assembly District helped. Heck with a lead of 88 votes it all helped. Let’s hope Burns hangs on for the win! See election results here. … Read More