Get free daily email updates

Syndicate this site - RSS

Recent Posts

Blogger Menu

Click here to blog

FlashReport Weblog on California Politics

- Or -
Search blog archive

Jon Fleischman

CRA wants GOP endorsement of Governor Pulled

In a move that pretty-much guarantees the escalation of this issue over Governor hiring Susan Kennedy as his Chief of Staff, I just received a press release from the California Republican Assembly calling for the State GOP, at its upcoming February convention, to pull the Governor’s pre-primary endorsement. The angst comes from the fact that Kennedy has spent the last two years as a Gray Davis appointee on the Public Utilities Commission, and before that she was the now-recalled Governor’s Deputy Chief of Staff, she served as Communications Director and senior policy advisor to United States Senator Dianne Feinstein, and she served as Executive Director of both the California Democrat Party and the California Abortion Rights Action League.

This resolution of the CRA Board of Directors (passed unanimously by their 27 member Executive Committee) is significant because a large percentage of the State GOP Central Committee (which has roughly 1400 members) is made up of proud CRA conservatives. The CRA is the… Read More

Mike Spence

CRA: Endorsement or Kennedy

While, I’m a Flashreport writer, I’m also President of the California Republican Assembly. The recent vote of our board has raised many questions. For further information on our unanimousvote to try pull the CRP’s pre-primary endorsement of the Governor click here.Read More

Jon Fleischman

Two Interesting Stories…

I have really come to enjoy the writing style of columnist William Bradley. I don’t always ‘agree’ with him, but that is a separate issue. He has penned a story for the LA Weekly that includes some observations of yesterday’s ceremony honoring recalled Governor Gray Davis as his official portrait was unveiled. It is a ‘must read’ for those following state politics…

Arnold’s Gray Day – A portrait of a troubled term by WILLIAM BRADLEY Los Angeles Weekly More than a week after Arnold Schwarzenegger shocked the political world and enraged much of his own Republican Party by … Read More

Barry Jantz

More on Grossmont Charter, Related Donnybrooks

As a follow up to my post the other day on the Grossmont Union High School District charter proposals, lots of media since then:

U-T: Support for charter plan urged

U-T EDITORIAL: Spectacle and substance at Steele Canyon High

NEHRING OP-ED: A plan for more charter schools in East County

On a side note, it seems the Grossmont donnybrook that took place the other night during the meeting on the Steele Canyon charter proposal, included some contentiousness over the election of board officers.President Jim Kelly retained his seat on a 3-2 vote, but only after an “attempted” nomination of board member Priscilla Schreiber.Attempted, in that – apparently – her nomination was somehow out of order, and a parliamentary challenge… Read More

Jason Cabel Roe

We Have a Year

Conventional wisdom is that the major issues facing the Congress leading up to the 2006 elections will be immigration, the deficit, and the war in Iraq. From where the Republicans sit today, we are in big trouble with less than a year to go, but a year in politics is three lifetimes. The GOP has a real opportunity to show improvement on all three defining issues in that year.

Today, the House Judiciary Committee will mark-up immigration reform legislation. This legislation, a Judiciary-Homeland Security Committee bill, will deal with border security and law enforcement and will likely sail through the House. The Senate could take up immigration reform in the next few weeks but likely won’t deal with it until next year (I know, it’s shocking that the Senate is moving too slow, but hey, they had to take this week off). Expect to see a bill signed by the President by spring at the latest, with a Senate-sponsored guest-worker program.

With modest deficit reduction ($50 billion over 5 years) working its way through Congress and a humming economy, the deficit is going to drop further. In fact we could see impressive… Read More

Dan Schnur

Arnold’s other Democrat

The furor over Susan Kennedy shows no signs of dying down, but this morning’s San Jose Mercury News reports on what may be another Democratic staffer-incuded headache for Schwarzenegger. Terry Tamminen, the governor’s cabinet secretary and top environmental advisor, opened for Al Gore at a Stanford event yesterday, in which the former VP spoke out against global warming. No problems there, as Schwarzenegger has already signed on to a host of pro-green legislation since taking office.

But the San Jose Mercury News reported that Tamminen delivered the "most politically biting jokes" of the day. And guess who Tamminen bit?

"Tamminen began his remarks by reading from a piece of paper he said was given to him by TV producer and environmental activist Laurie David: “The top five things President Bush says he will do to address global warming.” Among the satirical suggestions made by Tamminen: switching the power on Vice President Dick Cheney’s pacemaker to nuclear power, and invading Silicon Valley to secure more solar panels.

“The No. 1 thing President Bush says he will do to address global… Read More

Jon Fleischman

GOP Presidents speak out on Kennedy, Stirling on illegal borrowing, Campbell wins easily.

OUTRAGE OVER SUSAN KENNEDY APPOINTMENT One of the advantages of publishing a website is that you get to make sure that your positions are very clearly articulated. Today in the Los Angeles Times, Robert Salladay has a story, Governor faces revolt in GOP. This article talks about an ever-growing angst within GOP grassroots activists and donors, all stemming from the ill-advised appointment of recalled Governor Gray Davis’ Chief of Staff, Susan Kennedy, a former Executive Director of the State Democrat Party, by Governor Schwarzenegger to run his administration.

Let me be very clear – I still remain supportive of this Governor. I believe that he has a lot that he wants to accomplish, much of which is in-line with the limited government, free-market principles of the Grand Ol’ Party. That said, I don’t have words to describe my dismay and disappointment at thisRead More

Mike Spence

Huff, Margett on Kennedy

Overlooked in the riots against the Kennedy coup in the horseshoe were comments by a couple of Los Angeles County legislators regarding the appointment.

As reported in the San Gabriel Valley Tribune by Mike Sprague

"I’m very disappointed," Huff said. "There’s no question we needed to make a change in direction. His idea of course correction turned out to be a sharp left turn."

Huff said he now wonders if Schwarzenegger will be willing to sign legislation on driver licenses for undocumented immigrants.

State Sen. Bob Margett, R-Glendora, said he’s concerned Schwarzenegger may not have thought out the ramifications of the appointment.

Read More