It was recently reported that conservative former Assemblyman Howard Kaloogian had listed on campaign piece that he had been endorsed by the California Pro-Life Council, when, in fact, he never had the endorsement of that group. I heard from a representative of Kaloogian’s campaign that this was printed in error. In reality, Kaloogian was actually endorsed by Mike Meunsh, Legislative Director for the National Pro-Life Alliance.

Of course, Kaloogian is running with about 500 other Republicans in the primary to see who will replace Duke Cunningham in Congress. Many of the candidates are pro-life — Howard certainly one of them.… Read More

A few weeks ago, I reported that Christopher Cox, Chairman of the Federal Securities and Exchange Commission, was undergoing surgery. I’m happy to let you know that FR friend Chris Cox today returned to work! Cox, of course, ably represented Orange County in the United States House of Representatives from 1989 until last year when he was tapped by the POTUS for this new role.

Here is the short AP blurb on Cox’s return to work:

It is said that power corrupts, but I’m inclined to think being in power too long also corrupts the capacity to think.

At least, that’s what the attached letter to Governor Schwarzenegger leads me to conclude.

It’s signed by five of the state Senate’s most powerful Democrats: Senate President pro Tempore Don Perata; Judiciary Committee Chairman Joe Dunn; Natural Resources Committee Chairwoman Sheila Kuehl; Trasnsportation Committee Chairman Alan Lownethal; and Environmental Quality Committee Chairman Joe Simitain.

It also looks like it was written by NRDC senior attorney Joel Reynolds, employing the same hackneyed combination of apocalyptic rhetoric and divorcement from reality that Reynolds’ infused into his Feb. 18 op-ed in the LA Times.

It amazes me these Senators contend that the long-planned completed of this toll road, fully vetted by a six-year, $17 million EIR, actually… Read More

The fact the State of California has postponed indefinitely the execution Michael Morales, who beat a teenage girls face beyond recognition and then raped her, two decades ago, is disgusting. Even though it was a ludicrous Federal Judge that put this latest circus in motion, I hope the Governor’s folks are asking this question when they appoint Democrats to judgeships; Do you support the death penalty and will you pledge not to interfere with its application?… Read More

Great news from Jessica’s Law co-sponsors Senator George Runner and Assemblywoman Sharon Runner (both pictured center right), who have announcedthat 713,787 signatures were submitted today to election officials throughout the state. Thisvirtually assuresthe ballot-initiative version of Jessica’s Law will go before the state’s voters in November. The campaign needed to collect 373,816 valid signatures to qualify the statutory measure. "This is a historic step in our efforts to protect Californians and especially our children and grandchildren, from sexual predators," said George Runner.

This morning, local Jessica’s Law supporters gathered at the San Bernardino County Registrar of Voters’ Office to turn in 63,000 signatures. Below is the text of a release from the Jessica’s Law campaign regarding the San Bernardino signature turn-in.

SAN BERNARDINO — Fourth District Supervisor Gary Ovitt (Jessica’s Law Statewide Co-Chair), Assemblyman… Read More

A laugh for the day….read the San Francisco Chronicle’s story on the Richmond music teacher who is so upset that the kids in his community are gang-bangers with asthma that he felt compelled to chain himself to a park bench in Oakland for the week to protest the war. He’ll be getting up for bathroom breaks at the nearby Grand Lake Theater, which regularly posts diatribes on the marquee which alternate between calling for President Bush’s impeachment and deploring the use of Diebold voting machines. The protester was going to chain himself to a federal building, but decided he didn’t want to get charged under the Patriot Act. Like most of us, he couldn’t get a phone call returned from the Oakland police (after calling to see how much trouble he’d get into chaining himself to a city bench, so he just went ahead and did it).… Read More

Based on a ton of emails that I have received since my post yesterday afternoon on the California Republican Party hiring Patrick Dorenson to be its new Communications Director, I felt like I needed to follow up with a note.

You see, I thought it was incredibly newsworthy that the CRP has hired a prominent former Democrat political operative to head up their Communications effort. I first heard about this hire from reading about it in Capitol Weekly, who also thought that Dorenson’s past work for the campaigns of Al Gore and Bill Clinton were worthy of note, leading with that in their story.

The reason for this note is that many are assuming that because I pointed out this ‘unique’ (to say the least) background for Dorenson, that this means that I am unhappy or displeased with his being hired. That is not the case at all. As a matter… Read More

Dr. Phil Kurzner has decided to end his quest to become California’s next Insurance Commissioner. During my opportunities to talk with Phil, I found him to be an intelligent, engaging and savvy candidate. While I understand the politics of his departure, I do lament a process that causes some of our better candidates to decide not to run.

Phil’s departure, combined with the very low-key candidacy of Gary Mendoza appears to leave the doors wide open for businessman Steve Poizner from the San Francisco Bay Area.

Here is a statement released today from Dr. Phil Kurzner on his departure from the race: