San Francisco Supervisor Tom Ammiano introduced a resolution on Tuesday calling on Cardinal William Levada, the former archbishop of San Francisco, to reverse a rule that prevents the church’s charity organization from placing children awaiting adoptions with same-sex couples.

The San Francisco Chronicle reports: "As a gay Catholic," Ammiano said, referring to himself, "Cardinal Levada is everything that is wrong with the Catholic Church.

"If this cardinal would put the kind of energy into ending sexual abuse and homophobia in the church as he puts into persecuting same-sex couples …" Ammiano said, adding, "I think there’s a reason that the office he represents now was once called the Office of the Inquisition."

In San Francisco, everyone is a radical and no one has to… Read More

Missed this article in the am – but it’s certainly significant. It’s by veteran columnists Phil Matier and Andrew Ross…

FBI jumpstarts Perata probe; police academy class scrubbed — no funds – Phillip Matier, Andrew Ross – San Francisco Chronicle Wednesday, March 15, 2006 Theeeeey’re back! After months of relative quiet, the Justice Department has… Read More

FYI for inquiring minds. The State GOP has hired crack political operative Kathy Tavoularis as its ne Statewide Field Coordinator for the Victory ’06 program.

Victory ’06 is the coordinated Get-Out-The-Vote political effort of the whole Republican Team – from the Governor’s political operation to the Congressional, legislative and state and local GOP committee efforts.

Cathy will be teamed up once again with her old boss, Bill Christiansen, who is the Victory ’06 State Director.

Both are former Executive Directors of the Orange County Republican Party.

Congratulations, Kathy!!… Read More

I’m sure that we could put together a top-ten list of reasons why Elton Gallegly is running for re-election. Instead..we’ll just say that one of the top reasons would be the telephone call from WH uber-strategist (and Deputy CoS) Karl Rove.

Makes you wonder if Michael Tenenbaum was a Gore supporter in ’00… Just kiddin’. I think his candle just blew out.

(I dedicate the Elton song title to Joe Justin.)… Read More

Just in….. The Assembly has been called into immediate session to vote on what appears to be a mini-version of the Infrastructure plan. Driven by Assembly Reps, the new plan will only focus on the issues of school and levee repairs, leaving other issues presumably to be picked up in a follow up measure for November. We got to this point because legislative Republicans, committed to fiscal common sense, drew a line in the sand. Who says the minority party can’t make a difference?… Read More

The Governor has made some new appointments. The release is here.

REPUBLICANS

Angela Chi, 51, of Fresno, has been appointed to the Board of Accountancy. Bill Maile, 38, of Sacramento, has been appointed deputy press secretary for the Office of the Governor. Cynthia Mitchell, 48, of Folsom, has been appointed to the Contractors State License Board. Robert Petersen, 66, of Saratoga, has been appointed to the Board of Accountancy. Anne Searcy, M.D., 52, of Oakland, has been appointed executive medical director for the Medical Unit of the Division of … Read More

I just got off of the telephone with Senate Republican Leader Dick Ackerman. Ackerman told me that the State Senate tonight unanimously passed a one billion dollar general fund appropriation (that would likely be drawn over several years) for levee repairs, and then ADJOURNED FOR THE NIGHT. This is significant because tonight is the last night for a bond measure to pass the legislature to make the June Ballot. Apparently there were some negative dynamics taking place between the two Democrat Leaders — Senate President Don Perata and Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez.

In the meantime, on the Assembly side, while the Senate was passing their appropriation, the Assembly did pass two sizable bond measures, one on levee repairs and the other on education facilities. Even though they were still in session when the Senate passed the billion dollars for levee repairs, Speaker Nunez chose not to take it up.

Given the critical need for levee repairs, there will now be a lot of pressure on Nunez to call the Assembly into session and pass that appropriation.

UPDATE: I just… Read More

GOP Source: Gallegly to Switch Course, Seek Re-election By David M. Drucker Roll Call Staff Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-Calif.) has reconsidered a last-minute decision to retire and will announce Tuesday that he intends to seek re-election this year after all, a move that comes at the urging of House leaders and members of California’s GOP delegation, a knowledgeable source said late Monday. … Read More