Yesterday marked the beginning of the 2007-2008 legislative session. The Assembly once again installed Assembly member Fabian Nunez as Speaker of the Assembly yesterday and the Senate re-elected Senator Don Perata as Senate Majority Leader. Most of the action was in the Assembly, as the governor sat through the whole swearing-in ceremony and got up to saw a few words when Nunez introduced him.

Nunez gave a speech about wanting to work with members of both parties on issues such as health care, education and the environment. When Assembly member Mike Villines was elected as Republican leader in November, Nunez issued a statement saying, “I congratulate Assembly member Mike Villines on his election today as Republican leader. If there is any lesson to be learned from the election, it is that California voters want us to be partners, not partisans…I look forward to working with him to continue the bipartisan progress we made with Governor Schwarzenegger.”… Read More

After 3 1/2 days with no Assembly in place, we were sworn in today a little after noon. The ceremony was orderly and timely, including the attendence by Governor Schwarzenegger, a very rare thing for a governor to visit the Assembly chamber for its swearing-in ceremony…for sure the firstduring the3 swearing-in ceremonies I’ve been around. I thought it was a great gesture and a signal of his interest in working with the Legislature. A bi-partisan chord was what was trying to be struck by those that spoke…and it lasted until the rules of the house were brought forth for adoption as we do atthe beginning of each 2 year session. The kicker: As usual, Republicans only received the rules draft that we were to vote on at about 9:30 AM, with no time for us to really consider them, membersgot copies much later. So that put a damper on the bi-partisan love fest but that’s how the majority issues the rules each year. One colleague remarked to one of the freshmen members, "There, you’ve experienced your first [vote] loss already!" Also, about 80 bills were introduced on day one, a number which will grow to about 1900 by the end… Read More

Assembly Republican leader Mike Villines introduced a redistricting reform measure today. Good for him. I hope that the Governor picks this as an issue of importance to help usher through. Maybe he can prevail on the Democrats to sign on and make California’s legislative races more competitive (and therefore, more democratic). From Villines’ office:

REPUBLICAN LEADER VILLINES INTRODUCES REDISTRICTING REFORM MEASURE Legislation Strips Powers from Politicians, Returns Them to the People SACRAMENTO – Assembly Republican Leader Mike Villines, of Clovis, today introduced legislation that will take away the power to draw legislative… Read More

There is nothing more underwhelming than when the main stream media tries to get cute, and speedily pen an article that attacks the integrity of a conservative (under the ‘guise’ of objective reporting), conveniently timed to try and impact an election. Today’s award winner for gutter-journalism: the Sacramento Bee. They ran a front-page story today making it sound like State Senator Jim Battin has questionable ethical standards because of his policy beliefs. Someone forgot to tell the Bee that ideologues like Jim Battin have a lot of passionate beliefs, and that instead of looking to ‘personal gain’ as reasoning for someone’s positions on issues, how about looking to their core-beliefs?

Jim Battin is an advocate for rights for Indian Gaming tribes. Not too shocking — he is not alone, there are many who share his position. But for the Sacramento Bee to run a front-page smear job the morning that Battin is trying to put together votes to become the leader of Senate Republicans is shameful. While Battin lost his bid by one swing vote, I am pretty sure than none of his colleagues let that article impact their… Read More

Hats off to Capitol Weekly’s Anthony York for being first out of the gate with the news that Senate Republicans this morning re-elected Dick Ackerman as their leader. According to the story, it was a razor-close vote between Ackerman and challenger Jim Battin.

There were several votes, and that among other issues discussed, according to Battin, there was the relationship between Senate Republicans and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Specifically, Battin told York, "And we had a long discussion on how the leaders should act with the governor."

You can read Capitol Weekly’s piece here. Congratulations to Senator Ackerman.

(We understand that the ultimate ‘swing’ vote was an undecided Senator Abel Maldonado. Maldonado went with Ackerman, and sealed the deal for the Leader’s re-election. )… Read More

Right now, 100 newly elected (or re-elected) legislators are being sworn into their terms in the State Legislature. This is a good opportunity to provide some "unspin" to counter what we have been reading lately about legislative Republicans and the upcoming session…

There have been several efforts in the last few weeks my the main stream media (including some of the more well read columnists) to frame the election of Mike Villines as Assembly Republican Leader as some sort of ‘lurch to the right’ by Republicans, and a rejection of any notion of bi-partisan cooperation in the State Capitol. Let us remember that the Republican Party’s major tenants are a commitment to limited government, local control and individual responsibility. It should not come as a shock to any political pundits that Republicans in the State Legislature are very concerned about the growth in the size and scope of state government. Despite the dismal performance of our Republican majorities in Congress where spending increasing steadily under their watch, the vast majority of Republicans, especially when time is taken to explain how their tax… Read More

Last Friday, at financier Doug Brown’s Manhattan Beach ocean view home, Sen. Sam Brownback announced that he would open his Presidential Exploratory Committee today. The Senator pointed out that in politics " anything " can happen. Given, that conservative Sen. George Allen is no longer, in less than a month, proves the point.

Explaining how he would succeed, Brownback (pictured to the right) pointed out the obvious. It’s all about Iowa. Kansas which shares a long geographical border also share common political instincts. The nature of that Primary demands intense retail politics. Brownback has nurtured his contacts there since he was elected to Congress in 1994. The Senator correctly believes that if he shows well in the Iowa primary his campaign could ignite nationally.

Sen. Rick Santorum help convert Sam Brownback into Roman Catholicism in 2002. As such it was no surprise seeing several prominent Catholic leaders.… Read More

I’m in Sacramento for the swearing in. The night before was a big dinner. A couple of interesting items. First, Freshman Assemblyman Joel Anderson invited everyone to a party after the dinner. It was attended by Assembly members Villines (the new GOP leader), Martin Garrick,Jean Fuller, Paul Cook and Senators Wyland and Battin. It was so popular the the Sheraton shut it down!

My big question is this. Jon Fleischman sends us bloggers an email explaining that he needs our help, because he is going on vacation for his B-day etc… Imagine my surprise when I run into his wife Maureen at the dinner. Turnout she is the new District Director for Assemblyman Mike Duvall. I guess someone has to pay the credit card bills from Hawaii.

[Publisher’s Statement: "I am very excited about Mike Duvall’s selection of Maureen for a prominent role on his staff. She will do a great job for… Read More