We have learned that activist Anita Anderson has submitted another initiative to the Attorney General’s office. The new proposed initiative is aimed squarely at one of the Legislature’s key perks – gifts to legislators. Anderson’s first initiative would eliminate tax-free per diem for legislators. The new proposal is a sweeping ban on gifts to legislators from lobbyists, lobbying firms, or from "any entity that, during the previous twelve months, has employed a lobbyist or retained a lobbying firm or is a member of a trade association that employs a lobbyist or lobbying firm." That means no more junkets to Hawaii, golfing trips to Pebble Beach, or tickets to Kings basketball games or the Academy Awards.

The two initiatives paired together create a powerful one-two punch to legislators by eliminating their two favorite things – per diem and gifts. Insiders know the real force behind these initiatives is US Term Limits which is most unhappy about the Legislature’s game-playing on trying to extend legislative terms. US Term Limits President Paul Jacob promised last year there would be an initiative targeting per diem… Read More

LB Reporttells us the Dems have at least two candidates for the termed out Assembly seat of Betty Karnette (Dem) They have Long Beach Vice Mayor/1st district Councilwoman Bonnie Lowenthal runningas well as Long Beach Councilwoman Tonia Reyes Uranga is "publicly pursuing" the race.

On the GOP side they expect former Vice Mayor/Councilman and Lincoln Club Board of Governors memberFrank Colonna to run. See thepiecehere. I also understand that the GOP nominee last time, Michael Jackson (of course not the singer/dancer/lover of children) will make another attempt.

This district has the best GOP registration of any seat held be a Democrat in Los Angeles County.

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Dana Point Mayor and candidate for the 73rd Assembly District Republican nomination, Diane Harkey, led the charge in appointing Michelle Brough to the Dana Point Planning Commission Tuesday night. Brough is a lawyer and fully capable of the job. But she is a relatively new resident of Dana Point, and replaces April O’Connor, a protege of current Assemblywoman Mimi Walters, who was forced out by Harkey to make room on the Commission for Brough, in a divided 3-2 vote.

Political observers will make note that the Brough’swere die-hard supporters ofBill Hunt in his campaign for Sheriff against Mike Carona, and that her husband served in an official role as a campaign manager for Hunt’s losing race against the Sheriff.… Read More

Yesterday I spent quite a bit of time talking with media folks about this issue of Governor Schwarzenegger and his characterization on the Today Show on Tuesday of Rush Limbaugh (and his listeners) as ‘irrelevant’. While there were a number of interviews with radio and print reporters, the most fun was participating on Warren Olney’s radio program where I got to participate in a discussion of this issue with my good friend, and a fellow writer for this website, Dan Schnur. San Jose State’s Larry Gerston was also on the audio-panel. First and foremost, it was very clear that Arnold Schwarzenegger regretting making the offhand comment on the Today show – which would explain his calling into the Rush Limbaugh program yesterday (you can read the transcript, which is linked from the main page). There’s no better way to show that you really do think that Rush, his show and his listeners are not irrelevant than by appearing on the program, right? Well… Let me quickly add that it was very clear to anyone listening to the… Read More

Yesterday I spent quite a bit of time talking with media folks about this issue of Governor Schwarzenegger and his characterization on the Today Show on Tuesday of Rush Limbaugh (and his listeners) as ‘irrelevant’. While there were a number of interviews with radio and print reporters, the most fun was participating on Warren Olney’s radio program where I got to participate in a discussion of this issue with my good friend, and a fellow writer for this website, Dan Schnur. San Jose State’s Larry Gerston was also on the audio-panel. First and foremost, it was very clear that Arnold Schwarzenegger regretting making the offhand comment on the Today show – which would explain his calling into the Rush Limbaugh program yesterday (you can read the transcript, which is linked from the main page). There’s no better way to show that you really do think that Rush, his show and his listeners are not irrelevant than by appearing on the program, right? Well… Let me quickly add that it was very clear to anyone listening to the… Read More

Fresno Mayor Alan Autry, the latest in a long line of Republicans supported by the local Party and Lincoln Club only to disappoint on easy issues, clearly doesn’t have a clue on how to fix immigration policy, only that he doesn’t like anyone being deported. All around us here in Fresno there are Republican farmers supporting amnesty, called "adjusted status" now in a sleight of hand change of nomenclature. Of course, this will not work, and is a disaster waiting to happen in Washington.

We’ve gone almost six years now past 911 and Congress nor the President has moved to fix immigration. Add this to a long list of problems not solved. Autry’s actions don’t solve anything either.

What needs to take place is simple. We need to cut the wait time for entering the country legally from eight years to six weeks. Who can accomplish this? Silicon Valley tech leader can. They need to examine all of our duplicative bureaucracies, overlapping procedures, and outmoded technology and put the fixes on a fast track, without government intervention. Only until… Read More

In today’s Stockton Record, Hank Shaw broke the story that Assemblyman Greg Aghazarian (full disclosure: he’s my boss) will run for the open Senate seat of term -limited democrat Mike Machado in what will be the premiere Senate race in the state. Below is Greg’s statement to the readers of the Flashreport:

"In this era of term limits, we elected officials are faced from time to time with opportunities about our future. Sometimes the decisions are easy, sometimes they are not. As I come to the close of my time in the Assembly, it is no secret I have some opportunities. A Congressional run against a vulnerable freshman democrat in the 11th District or a Senate race in the open 5th District – That’s right, Machado is FINALLY terming out. At first blush, the decision seemed daunting, but it really came down to priorities. My top priorities: FAMILY, FAMILY, FAMILY … Read More

The Honorable Justice Randall Wilkinson, Orange County Superior Court, took "under advisement" the decision on the preliminary injunction in the Minuteman case today, wherein Plaintiff Jim Gilchrist is suing his former colleagues on the Defendant Board of Directors for control of the organization he founded.

It is very unwise for a lawyer in a case to speculate on a Judge’s decision (I represent the Defendants!). And I will not speculate. But I will observe for my readers that Gilchrist lost a motion for a temporary restraining order in late February, and the Judge today decided to not rule from the bench on the "shortened time" hearing on Gilchrist’s request for a preliminary injunction. Preliminary injunctions are based in part on urgency and need for "immediate" relief.

But, on the other hand, anything can happen ina California court. Just ask OJ!

I’ll report on the decision in the case, which is expected to be received in the mail in a few days.

It was a busy day at Orange County Superior Court Main Branch in Santa Ana today! As I was "enjoying" my egg salad… Read More