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FlashReport Weblog on California Politics

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AD 72 Update – Boost for Duvall

The campaign for Assembly District 72 has been pretty tame. In the race to replace termed-out Lynn Daucher are Yorba Linda Councilman Mike Duvall–the front runner and Brea Councilman Marty Siminoff. Both are Republicans, Democrats don’t need to bother in this heavily GOP seat.

Duvall is a likable fellow with big voice and constant smile. Siminoff is somewhat more reserved but a smart policy maker and well respected. In terms of philosophy, Duvall is clearly more conservative.

The latest news is good for Duvall. Today he announced that Republican Senate Minority Leader Dick Ackerman has endorsed him.

For Siminoff the news is not so good. His fund raising consultant Jennifer Cowan of CL7 Communications (Jennifer was formerly district director for Rep. Ed Royce and a leader in promoting GOP women) is rumored to have dropped the councilman as a client.

The contest is far from over, but Duvall seems to have the … Read More

Jennifer Nelson

“I Got My Weed In San Francisco”

San Francisco‘s top officials thumbed their noses at the federal drug enforcement officials yesterday as they endorsed a marijuana giveaway at a Civic Center rally. Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi helped hand out bags of marijuana cigarettes and candy laced with the drug yesterday, while representatives of Mayor Gavin Newsom, Assemblyman Mark Leno, state Sen. Carole Migden, and District Attorney Kamala Harris read statements reaffirming the officials’ support for medical marijuana. Supervisor Chris Daley was also on hand to endorse the efforts of Cathy and Steve Smith, the couple who runs HopeNet, a medical marijuana "club." In December, the feds raided HopeNet, seizing plants, equipment and records. The full Chronicle story is… Read More

Matthew J. Cunningham

The First Crack In The Dike?

The GOP rank-and-file response to Gov. Schwarzenegger’s rapid transmogrification from government reformer to The Bondinator — and of course the hiring of Susan Kennedy — has generally been one of sullenness and deflation rather than outright rebellion. Given the alternatives – either a Governor Westly or Governor Angelides — the GOP dike has held despite the pressure Schwarzenegger has been putting on it.

Yesterday, however, the first significant crack appeared in the form of this op-ed by Mike Schroeder, entitled "This Governor Should Be Terminated," published in the conservative heartland of Orange County:

At some point, an elected official’s actions can become so erratic that they call into question his basic competence as a leader. It simply needs to be said. Those who raised serious questions in the beginning as to Gov. Schwarzenegger’s basic competence have been proven right. Gov. Schwarzenegger to date has not shown thatRead More

Ethics Uber Alles?

After a late night debate that ended at just after 11:30 p.m., the City of Irvine has enacted some of the toughest ethics laws in the Sate of California. You can read the OC Register’s take on it here. Among other things, the new ordinance prohibits city council members from working as lobbyists. This provision includes a prohibition on council members lobbying other governmental agencies. (Disclosure: My law firm serves as City Attorney to the City of Irvine and drafted the ordinance, though I had no personal interaction on this issue.) Ethics ordinances have become a trend in cities. The most noteworthy of such ordinances, probably being the Los Angeles ethics ordinance, which permits the LA Ethics Commission to investigate and fine violators.… Read More

Jon Fleischman

Commentary: “Iceberg, Dead Ahead!” – Mom’s frustrations

"ICEBERG, DEAD AHEAD!" Editing and publishing this website, I read a lot of news stories and columns. So I find it fascinating that so many of our Republican legislators, who have year after year voted against putting massive bond measures on the ballot, are now flocking to support a collection of bond measures that would represent the most borrowing – ever – for the Golden State. As a matter of fact, a number of the bond packages are being authored by Republican legislators, and we’ll be talking about that in the coming days. There is a saying that goes like this, "No one has the ability to grow government more than a Republican Chief Executive." Is that what this is all about? Massive borrowing, when proposed by Democrats, is wasteful and irresponsible. But when it is proposed by a Republican, then it is okay. What should be resolute and total opposition to ANY borrowed unless it… Read More

Jon Fleischman

“Iceberg, Dead Ahead!” – Mom’s frustrations

"ICEBERG, DEAD AHEAD!" Editing and publishing this website, I read a lot of news stories and columns. So I find it fascinating that so many of our Republican legislators, who have year after year voted against putting massive bond measures on the ballot, are now flocking to support a collection of bond measures that would represent the most borrowing – ever – for the Golden State. As a matter of fact, a number of the bond packages are being authored by Republican legislators, and we’ll be talking about that in the coming days. There is a saying that goes like this, "No one has the ability to grow government more than a Republican Chief Executive." Is that what this is all about? Massive borrowing, when proposed by Democrats, is wasteful and irresponsible. But when it is proposed by a Republican, then it is okay? What should be resolute and total opposition to ANY borrowing unless it… Read More

Barry Jantz

SDUT: “Arnold the Spender”

A flurry of budget related news pieces and op-eds in the Union-Tribune the last two days. Yesterday’s U-T editorial shouldn’t get lost in the mix:

Arnold the spender Governor’s budget makes dicey assumptions

For all of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s boundless confidence in his ability to "restore, reform, rebuild" California, the governor’s execution of his big plans has often been lacking. That was evident last year when most of the reform initiatives he endorsed were poorly drafted. With the measures already a tough sell, their flaws were compounded by Schwarzenegger’s confrontational campaign style, which made the reforms seem more of a power grab than a noble attempt to end Sacramento’s dysfunction.

Unfortunately, it’s beginning to look as if the 2006 model Schwarzenegger also isn’t going to live up to his grand rhetoric. The 2006-07 budget the governor unveiled yesterday – a $97.9 billion fiscal plan that increases spending by 8 percent – is a disappointment. The plan has a fewRead More

Jon Fleischman

Interesting Survey – Redistricting Post-Mortum (CA/OH)

Today I received a PowerPoint presentation from my friend Roman Buhler. Roman and I have known each other for decades, usually on separate sides of primaries or party battles where the conservative movement is backing a candidate for public or party office, and Roman is working with the Bill Thomas machine to elect people to office who meet one of two criteria: have undying loyalty to Bill Thomas, or are devoid of the passion of conservative beliefs that gets in the way of Thomas’ Jedi Mind Tricks. Anyways, I often say that like a broken clock shows the right time twice a day, even Bill and Roman can get something right (if by accident). They are 100% right on the need to take redistricting away from the legislators. I guess the idea is that the voters should choose their elected officials, and not the other way around. Roman and I have developed a mutual respect for one another through our mutual passion for politics. Back to the PowerPoint.… Read More