In what is the clearest sign yet that conservative icon and FR friend State Senator Tom McClintock is just days away from formally declaring a candidates for the United States House of Representatives, District 4, the Senator has sent out an e-mail to his sizable list of supporters, entitled "Potential Campaign for Congress" in which he shares with his team that he is "seriously considering runng" for the seat, announces the formation of an official Congressional Exploratory Committee, and urge folks to make contributions.

My intel gathering tells me that when Tom McClintock gets IN to the race for Congress, that his fellow conservative, Rico Oller, gets OUT (as does also-ran Eric Egland, who has been campaigning for the better part of a year but has failed to gain traction).

The real question will be whether or not wealthy Sacramento business tycoon Doug Ose, a moderate Republican who has announced his candidacy for the same seat, would stay in the race. Recent polling data released shows it would be a long, uphill battle for Ose — especially when you consider that McClintock will be able to raise a considerable amount of money here… Read More

You remember Chuck Quackenbush, right? He was the California State Insurance Commissioner who resigned his office amidst a developing scandal in his office (one that sent folks to jail). After his resignation, Quackenbush, a wealthy man from his wife’s success in business. Anyways, the Quackenbush family moved first to Honolulu, and then to Florida where, believe it or not, Quackenbush is a Deputy Sheriff. Although, right now, it would be more accurate to say that he is a Deputy Sheriff on administrative leave after shooting a suspect…with an investigation underway. Check out the story in the local Florida paper here.

(H/T to Capitol Alert on this one, and they have more to add.)… Read More

In politics, it seems like people like to put "labels" on things to make them appear to be other than what they are… The latest attempt to "linquistically twist" reality is one that is commonly used by the left, and was recently used by the state’s Legislative Analyst, and now, apparently, by Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The phrase that is being used is "closing a tax loophole" — but when put through the free translation services available to anyone who understands English, that translates to "raise taxes."

In her proposed "alternative budget" the Legislative Analyst, Elizabeth Hill, proposes increasingly the amount of money that taxpayers are forced to pay into the coffers of state government by BILLIONS of dollars. But never once is this called a tax increase, instead the language "closing tax loopholes" is used.

What Hill refers to as a "loophole" was a specific decision by California lawmakers to either not tax a certain area, or perhaps to give a tax credit in a certain area. Using the phrase "loophole" makes it sound like some sort of technical error… Read More

Over a year ago I wrote about the "Assault" that took place at a city council meeting in Carson. A recall proponent of the mayor swiped some papers at an opponent and shazaam there is an assault case. Now this is going to trial. The youtube Video says it all and the winner is….… Read More

FlashReport readers — you will hear a lot from me on this subject, but I may not be as eloquent as Jon Coupal below. On the June ballot, Proposition 98 represents very real property rights reform, preventing the abusing "taking" of private property by the government. It is an oustanding measure which deserves your energy and support.

On the other hand, Proposition 99 is a fraud — a fake. Placed on the ballot by those who would preserve the rights of government to egregiously use the power of eminent domain to trample the rights of property owners, the backers of 99 are hoping they get their measure to recive just one more vote than 98, as buried in its language is a "poison pill" that voids 98 if 99 gets more votes.

Read more below from Jon Coupal…

**There is more – click the link**… Read More

I am sad to read that this morning William F. Buckley, Jr., passed away. Buckley played a key role in the intellectual establishment of the modern conservative movement, as a pioneer during the pre-Reagan era when his voice, and that of his publication, National Review, were literally a voice in the wilderness.

Over the years I had many opportunities to chat with Mr. Buckley, who was instrumental in the founding of Young Americans for Freedom, the conservative youth organization in which I was extremely involved during my college days.

Rest In Peace, my friend.

There is a short blurb up on the National Review website, but look for a lot more as news of Buckley’s passing becomes widespread…… Read More

Amidst the "Run, Tom, Run" furvor that has sparked up and down California at the prospects of conservative icon and State Senator Tom McClintock entering the GOP primary in the 4th Congressional District (where John Doolittle is retiring), one prominent conservative isn’t too fond of the idea. Jeff Flint, proprietor of Red County’s Placer blog says he’d vote for Tom in a general election, but that’s it. He pens a lengthy commentary this morning, entitled Thanks But No Thanks, Tom.… Read More

With last weekend’s convention, the state budget back-and-forth, and the presidential race, I missed the chance to comment on something the Governor has been pushing pretty aggressively: the continuation of Operation Jump Start.

If you’ll remember, that’s the code name given to the mission assigned to the National Guard to temporarily help secure the border while thousands of additional Border Patrol agents are hired and trained. In 2006, when the federal government announced the mission, Governor Schwarzenegger wanted guarantees that California’s Guard troops would still be available to assist during disasters here, which he received. The Governor then agreed to the mission and since then, National Guard troops have been supporting the Border Patrol along our border with Mexico.

And from what I have been told, the mission has been working. Illegal border crossings are down. Arrests are up. Drug trafficking has been reduced.

The mission was scheduled to end this coming July, but the feds are apparently only about halfway toward their goal of hiring and training 6,000 more agents.

Governor Schwarzenegger has urged President Bush to continue… Read More