"Republican lawmakers scolded Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Tuesday, telling him in a closed-door meeting how seriously his support among party stalwarts is wavering." – Los Angeles Times

**So…want to know which 19 GOP Assemblymembers actually showed up to hear from the Governor in yesterday’s caucus meeting? It’s at the bottom of this Commentary!**

In today’s Commentary:

I continue to be knotted up inside over the… Read More

Newsflash in the San Bernardino/Riverside County 65th Assembly District. Businessman Jim Grimes has parted ways with his consultant Tim Clark. Losing a consultant this far down the road is never a good sign. Tim is one of the best and brightest in primary races of this type. With Grimes campaign sailing without a rudder, many think that the San Jacinto Councilman Jim Ayres is the leader in this race. However many insiders would like to see acredibleknown consulting firm involved in his campaign. Ayers would be smart to grab Clark before another candidate does. Hemet Councilwomen Robin Lowe has a great deal of local support and has hired Jim Nygren to help her with some of her GOP credentials. Republican Banning Councilwomen Brenda Salas is hard working, but over coming here past employment with Democratic open borders Congressman Joe Baca is going to be a challenge inthis conservative Republican district.… Read More

OK — time for some conspiratorial cynicism, or cynical conspiracy theorizing. Take your pick.

I don’t claim credit for the theory I’m going to advance — that belongs to a Sacramento insider I know.

It’s basic assumption is that Governor Schwarzenegger is an evil genius and master media manipulator, rather than dumkopf he heedlessly enrages his conservative supporters with the Susan Kennedy appointment.

The theory goes something like this:

Schwarzenegger never had any intention of granting clemency to Tookie Williams. After all, he had already denied clemency for two other convicts, so there’s no reason to think Arnold has suddenly begun agonizing over the death penalty.

However, Arnold also knew that appointing Susan Kennedy as his chief-of-staff would provoke a firestorm among California conservatives. So, rather than telling the liberal… Read More

I hope that all FR readers will join me in welcoming Mr. Tom Ross to the talented group of folks that the FlashReport has assembled to help you digest California polical news. Tom, like the rest of the team, will be doing double duty — a least a couple times a week, he will bring you an insight, observation or more on something in the Sacramento area (loosely defined as stretching west-east from the Nut Tree (those of you who are out there know where this is) to the Cal-Neva hotel in Tahoe, and from Modesto to Lassen. So if you live in this area, feel free to send along your story ideas and tips to Tom or his evil-twin, Joe Justin our other Sacramento area blogger. His other duty will be, like the rest of us, to give us timely insights on statewide California political issues, or stuff going on out of his "turf". Tom’s first post is right below this, and you can click on the "i" next to his name to read more about his background, and tap the little envelope to send him a note!

Welcome aboard the team!

Jon Fleischman Publisher… Read More

As I wondered the Riverside County GOP Christmas Party last night I had the opportunity to chat with RiversideCounty Party Chairman and candidate for the 66th Assembly District Kevin Jefferies. (Full disclosere time- my wife /business partner is the fund raiser for Jefferies.) Kevin’s race is going full guns. He has picked up the endorsement of termed out 66th District Assemblyman and conservative hero Ray Haynes. In addition he has the backing of Riverside County Congressional Members Darrell Issa and Ken Calvert along with State Senator Dennis Hollingsworth. Add in the mix a host of State Senators, Assemblymembers, and local electeds along with the usual suspects of the Riverside County donor community and it looks like a campaign on the move towards the winners circle.

Jeffries just recently picked up the valuable endorsement of Founder and President of the National Tax Limitation… Read More

Phil Angelides’ drive to get media attention reminds me of the face painted, wig wearing, foam finger waving fanatic at the basketball game who is jumping up and down behind the announcers to get on camera. He’ll do anything to get onto TV, the radio or in print. So on a day a day like today, after the execution of Tookie Williams, you’d expect to see Angelides all over your morning clips, right? Wrong. For a guy who has no trouble letting every reporter and political insider in California know how he feels about every issue, he was noticeably absent this morning from your clips — and it says volumes. Angelides can’t afford to offend the liberal establishment that he needs to support him in the Democratic primary while at the same time staying ‘mainstream’ enough for the general election. This is the reason that I think Angelides wont be elected Governor in 2006 and the reason that IF he were elected couldn’t govern the state. Gray Davis faced the same dilemma on an… Read More

I’m the last to claim that I am an OC insider, but I think that another look at State Senate seat 35 might be in order. As much as I respect Cunningham, Probolsky, and Fleischman as consummate players in OC, I also believe that their perspective on the race is biased. You see, I don’t think that these folks have ever gotten over the WAY Tom Harman was elected to the State Assembly. I also think these same folks, all of whom are friends, would rally around any candidate who challenged Harman and they thought was capable of beating him. I think that their opinions require a little balance (disclaimer: we are Tom’s consultants, and while I would never play my entire hand, I feel an obligation to at least show one card to get some balance).

A look at Tom’s actual votes in the Assembly demonstrates his Republican record. Lets use the California Republican Assembly’s rankings over the past few years, as an example. I don’t think… Read More

Does anyone ever make the wrong decision for principled reasons?

Reading the defenders of Tookie Williams in today’s news coverage, I couldn’t help but to be struck that every single critic of the governor dismissed his conclusion to reject clemency as a decision made for political purposes. Some talked about Schwarzenegger’s need to placate conservative voters, while others admitted that the majority of Californians support the death penalty and that Arnold didn’t want to offend them heading into re-election. But every single proponent for clemency automatically dismissed the idea that the governor genuinely believes that Williams deserved to die for his crimes, and that refusing to admit guilt for those crimes precludes the possibility of redemption.

Of course, this works both ways. Last week, the governor’s conservative critics assailed his hiring of Susan Kennedy, also arguing that the appointment was made because of political motivations. Arnold is moving to the left because of his defeat in the special election, he’s looking to reach out to disaffected moderates, Maria has cast a magic spell upon him, etc,… Read More