Matthew J. Cunningham

Matt Cunningham is a principal in Pacific Strategies, in Orange County.
Recent Posts
- Today's Commentary: Poizner Should Reconsider Creation Of His Own "Do Not Invest" List For Private Insurance Companies
- AG to CalPERS: Divest from Iran Now
- NTLC's Lew Uhler Urges Rejection Of Maldonado As Lt. Governor
- CRA Statement on Maldonado Confirmation Vote
- Slate mailer racks up $84,000 fines
- Projections Moving Faster than the Trains
- Statewide proposition lineup
- Sunday San Diego: Napping in AD 77, Waking in AD 78, CalPERS says Pound Sand on Divestments, and More
- Carly Fiorina On President Reagan's Birthday
- CRP Chairman Nehring's Statement In Response To SacBee Story
Commentary Library
Authors
FR BlogScan
Snow postpones Toyota-Congress showdown (Source: OC Register Total Buzz)
Commentary: Poizner Should Reconsider Creation Of His Own "Do Not Invest" List For Private Insurance Companies [By Jon Fleischman - Publisher - Flash Report] (Source: FlashReport)
Today's Commentary: Poizner Should Reconsider Creation Of His Own "Do Not Invest" List For Private Insurance Companies [By Jon Fleischman - Publisher - Flash Report] (Source: FlashReport)
The Lite Guv Intrigue Continues (Source: KQED's Capitol Notes)
February 8 Open Thread (Source: Calitics)
As Some Hesitate, Laird Says He Can Win Maldonado's Seat (Source: Calitics)
The Lite Guv Intrigue Continues (Source: KQED's Capitol Notes)
Recount of Mission Viejo recall announced (Source: OC Register Total Buzz)
Go To BlogScan PageFR BlogScan
Snow postpones Toyota-Congress showdown (Source: OC Register Total Buzz)
Commentary: Poizner Should Reconsider Creation Of His Own "Do Not Invest" List For Private Insurance Companies [By Jon Fleischman - Publisher - Flash Report] (Source: FlashReport)
Today's Commentary: Poizner Should Reconsider Creation Of His Own "Do Not Invest" List For Private Insurance Companies [By Jon Fleischman - Publisher - Flash Report] (Source: FlashReport)
The Lite Guv Intrigue Continues (Source: KQED's Capitol Notes)
February 8 Open Thread (Source: Calitics)
As Some Hesitate, Laird Says He Can Win Maldonado's Seat (Source: Calitics)
The Lite Guv Intrigue Continues (Source: KQED's Capitol Notes)
Recount of Mission Viejo recall announced (Source: OC Register Total Buzz)
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Recent Comments
Katie Teague on CRP Chairman Nehring's Statement In Response To SacBee Story
Katie Teague on CRA Statement on Maldonado Confirmation Vote
Robert Bosich on NTLC's Lew Uhler Urges Rejection Of Maldonado As Lt. Governor
Robert Bosich on CRA Statement on Maldonado Confirmation Vote
JIm Lacy on Statewide proposition lineup
Tom Kaptain on Statewide proposition lineup
Larry Urdahl on Money "Trail" in Open Joel Anderson AD 77 Seat
Matt Munson on Statewide proposition lineup
JIm Lacy on Ballot Designation Junkies Get Excited
Cliff Unruh on Rest In Peace Ethie Radanovich
Chris Lauer on Chief of Staff for Senate Republicans Off To PG&E
JIm Lacy on Ballot Designation Junkies Get Excited
Ken Hunter on An Open Letter to Senate Republicans
Howard Epstein on Today's Commentary: South Lake Tahoe Transit Chief Embroiled In Controversy
Sean Loranger on Sheriff's union biggest loser in Mission Viejo recall election
FlashReport Weblog on California Politics
241 Toll Road: You Can't Serve Two Masters
by Matthew J. Cunningham - Orange County (bio) (email)(print)
An interesting story has emerged from last month's California Coastal Commission hearing on the 241 toll road completion.
One news story (I can't find it at the moment) mentioned the rapid-response operation toll road opponents had going at the hearing. Whenever a speaker testified in favor of completing the 241, this operation would print out the speaker's name, their remarks and a rebuttal and pass it out to the media.
This slick operation was due to the efforts of Cerrell Associates and Sacramento-based GOP consultant Joe Rodota, who were brought on board to help kill the 241, as I reported in September 2007.
Rodota is a long-time Republican political consultant with a background in opposition research. Cerrell Associates is represented in this fight by Executive Vice President Mattt Klink. Cerrell was hired by the California State Parks Foundation to, among others things, help stop the 241 completion. Rodota never returned my phone call last September, so I don't know if he's being paid by the CSPF or some other anti-241 organization.
It's disappointing enough that a conservative like Rodota hired himself out to the Environmental Left to assist their dishonest, hysterical campaign against the 241.
But for Cerrell Associates, it's a huge conflict of interest.
Cerrell Associates is paid at least $250,000 a year by the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) for media and public relations services.
SCAG also strongly supports the completion of the 241/Foothill-South project. It is part of SCAG's Regional Transportation Plan. Laguna Niguel Mayor Paul Glaab, speaking as SCAG's representative at the Feb. 6 hearing, urged the Coastal Commission to approve the 241 completion.
In other words, Cerrell Associates is being paid by the California State Parks Foundation to kill a project being supported by another client -- SCAG -- that's paying Cerell at least $250,000 a year (according to sources it's more like $350,000).
Understandably, as word of this has spread, SCAG isn't too happy. I'll keep you posted.











































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