I received the following statement from Grover Norquist, President of Americans for Tax Reform. FR readers will recall that is ATR’s No New Taxes pledge that Maldonado egregiously violated. No one forced him to sign the pledge, and no one forced Maldonado to vote to smack California taxpayers with the largest tax increase ever in the history of any state… “I urge California legislators to reject political payback for the guy that provided the deciding vote for the largest state level tax increase in the history of the United States.

First Abel Maldonado gets his ballot measure that would destroy the integrity of the primary election process in exchange for throwing already over-burdened California taxpayers under the bus, breaking his promise to not raise taxes in the process.

Now Abel Maldonado is on the cusp of rising to higher office.

This is not someone California taxpayers want sitting just one heart beat away from becoming governor.

The only job his recent behavior… Read More

This weekend, Assemblyman Alberto Torrico (D-Fremont), Chair of the Select Committee on the Prison and Rehabilitation, blamed Sacramento County Sheriff McGinness for the early release of Kevin Peterson, who hours after he was released from a Sacramento County jail, tried to rape a woman.

Asm. Torrico noted that the actions by the county were:

“A total aberration of the law here in Sacramento County, unfortunately. I think they had to do it intentionally, to try to lower their costs, to try to lower their population. It is a stretch beyond imagination what they have done here.” …

“It is a complete stretch to apply the legislation to a county inmate especially a dangerous one like they did here in Sacramento.” …

“What they are doing here in Sacramento is whole sale release of people who are not ready to be let out. They are giving them credit for time they don’t deserve. They are applying a statute that does not apply to county prisoners, it is a mistake and they put people in jeopardy here in Sacramento.”

… Read More

I admire the passion of Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner. Having gotten to spend a lot of time with him over the last five years or so, I know him as someone who really pours his heart and soul into just about everything he does. I figure it takes that kind of drive to have his level of epic success in business, and it certainly takes an Energizer-Bunny type level of activity to get elected to statewide office as a Republican in California, let alone to now be running for the Republican nomination for Governor. I know Steve to be a good man, who is passionate about making a difference.

I preface this column with these comments because I don’t want FR readers to misinterpret a critique of an individual policy proposal of the Commissioner as some sort of rebuke of the man, which it certainly is not. Nevertheless I have been troubled by a proposal he has generated from the Department of Insurance, which I wanted to address. I have brought this up directly with Poizner, so he won’t be surprised to read it here.

Last year Insurance Commissioner Poizner rolled out what I thought was a creative and useful plan to review the substantial financial… Read More

I admire the passion of Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner. Having gotten to spend a lot of time with him over the last five years or so, I know him as someone who really pours his heart and soul into just about everything he does. I figure it takes that kind of drive to have his level of epic success in business, and it certainly takes an Energizer-Bunny type level of activity to get elected to statewide office as a Republican in California, let alone to now be running for the Republican nomination for Governor. I know Steve to be a good man, who is passionate about making a difference.

I preface this column with these comments because I don’t want FR readers to misinterpret a critique of an individual policy proposal of the Commissioner as some sort of rebuke of the man, which it certainly is not. Nevertheless I have been troubled by a proposal he has generated from the Department of Insurance, which I wanted to address. I have brought this up directly with Poizner, so he won’t be surprised to read it here.

Last year Insurance Commissioner Poizner rolled out what I thought was a creative and useful plan to review the substantial financial… Read More

Dave Maass of San Diego CityBeat posted a story this afternoon that Attorney General Jerry Brown today called on CalPERS and CalSTRS to abide by the law and divest from Iran.

This follows CityBeat’s story of last week detailing how the two large pension systems are ignoring State law that bans investments in Iran and Sudan. The story was hi-lited on the FlashReport yesterday.

The AG uses strong language to note the flaunting of the requirements. "CalPERS and CalSTRS need to honor the state law requiring them to divest from companies doing business in Iran, " he writes. "It’s time for our public pension funds to show some leadership and stop supporting companies that do business with a tyrannical regime."… Read More

One of the most prominent anti-tax organization in California, and across the country for that matter, is the National Tax Limitation Committee.

NTLC’s President, Lew Uhler, just sent over the following statement to publish on the FlashReport concerning the Governor’s nomination of State Senator Abel Maldonado to be Lt. Governor…

“I urge all legislators who are committed to limited government to vote against the confirmation of Senator Abel Maldonado to be Lt. Governor.

Taking a no new taxes pledge and then voting for the largest tax increase in the history of any state should not be rewarded."… Read More

CRA Statement on Maldonado Confirmation Vote The pending confirmation vote for Abel Maldonado as Lt. Governor is a sad day for California. He has not exhibited the honor, integrity or principles that merit support for this position. A confirmation would provide a stark contrast of the disconnect between the elitists and the Tea Party movement.

Ken Mettler, president of the California Republican Assembly, stated that, “Maldonado represents everything that is wrong with the Republican Party and support for him will further encourage many voters to register decline-to-state.”

Ken Mettler President California Republican Assembly __________________________________________________ One would imagine that since the CRA does not speak out ahead of time on too many legislative votes that this one is… Read More

The Nonpartisan Candidate Evaluation Council owes the Secretary of State over $84,000 in fines for failing to disclose its finances. I was a little stunned by this report. As readers may know, I am involved in the slate mail business as well as running my law firm. Nonpartisan is a venerable but aging slate mail organization that has successfully mailed millions and millions of slates over the last 50 or so years of operation in California. It generally helped Republican candidates. Over the years, its operating management has changed several times, with notable consultants including Allan Hoffenblum and Dave Gilliard doing a good job of managing its program, and Shawn Steel later involved in its oversight. I had some limited ties to it during the 2004 cycle. But the operating management changed again around 2004, and the slate mailer, according to a published report, and study by the Sacramento Bee, completely stopped filing disclosure reports in 2007. Nevertheless, it mailed slates in the 2008 election cycle. The Bee determined that… Read More