The Americans for Taxpayers Reform meeting (aka…the “Secret Squirrel” meeting) went very well. Because of the rules of the meeting, I can’t go into details. But I will risk excommunication by saying two things – Eric Roach was well received, and also a TY to Grover Norquist for letting me say a few words about the FlashReport!

The ATR meeting is a group of primarily fiscally oriented folks. We are now off to another conservative meeting coordinated by movement leader Paul Weyrich, and this meeting is much more oriented towards social conservatives. I’m sure Eric will be well received at this meeting, too.

We’re being accompanied to these meetings by Steve Baldwin, who heads up the Council for National Policy, a premiere coordinating group of conservative leaders from around the nation. Baldwin for years was an Assemblyman in San Diego County. He is enthusiastic about Eric, but I am sure he is also motivated by the memory of Brian Bilbray endorsing his Democratic opponent in his first, unsuccessful run for the Assembly.

It is amazing how many people Roach has spoken with who are anxious to have a strong… Read More

The meeting with the Weyrich group was outstanding. It underscored two important points – social conservatives are disheartened with the idea of a long-term stint for Brian Bilbray in Congress (again, we all think that he is better than Busby, but altogether unremarkable). There was tremendous excitement for Eric from many leaders of important conservative groups.

As an aside, I had a great talk with former Congressman Pat Toomey, who heads up the Club for Growth. He is very concerned about Congress assaulting the first amendment rights of 527 advocacy groups.

Now we are headed to Capitol Hill to meet with various conservative leaders in Congress!

Yes, this is a rush! Let me add, by the way, that the more time I spend ith Eric, the more I really come to realize what a great person he is – truly dedicated to our Republican principles!… Read More

Eric Roach and I were walking by the Judiciary Committee meeting room in the Rayburn House Office Buidlng, and noticed a lot of people going in. Eric asked the young lady at the door what was going on…and she told us a, “hearing on the National Security Agency syping on Americans.”

Eric and I walked up the hallway, looked at each other, and speaking about the young lady, we simultaneously said, “Democrat.”… Read More

We’ve been having productive meetings with Eric Roach on The Hill. It really resonated with Congressman Buck McKeon when we talked about how a Roach candidacy that is driving UP Republican turnout for the election day can only HELP the party keep the 50th in GOP hands. The opportunity of a Roach candidacy is a conservative Congressman long-term for the 50th. The danger if Roach doesn’t run is a suppresed GOP turnout and a real danger of a Busby win in June.

After all, there was a lot of pressure on Tom McClintock to stand down his campaign for Governor in the special election. But in reality, it was likely the increased conservative turnout is what put the first question, the recall of Davis, over the top. Had McClintock not driven conservative turnout, we might still have Gray Davis in office.

For those tired of this string, cut me some slack. I’ve never “live-blogged a trip to DC and I’m having fun!… Read More

Richard Pombo is a great Congressman. A principled conservative who has brought common sense to the Chairmanship of the House Resources Committee. It was great to be able to catch up with him. It’s one thing to write about these folks on this site — it’s another thing to get to talk to them! We had a chance to meet with Pombo – a great meeting. Steve Ding, his Chief-of-Staff is a close FR friend.

It was also nice to see another old friend today, Chuck Cunningham. Chuck is the political director at the National Rifle Association. A great guy and an FR subscriber. Chuck spent some time explaining how Bilbray earned his “F” ratins from the NRA because of his appearances with then-President Bill Clinton at pro-gun control events.

I did experience a bout of post-traumatic stress when we spent time at the Dwight D. Eisenhower Center, the headquarters building of the Republican National Committee. We went there since Eric Roach had a meeting scheduled with RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman.

I don’t know if I mentioned the wonderful weather here – balmy and nice. It’s been a great day!… Read More

The Eric Roach mission to Washington, D.C, has officially ended with our arrival back to San Diego!

I’m sure I will write more observations on this trip in the coming days, but the overwhelming impact of the trip is easily summed up – lots of encouragement for Roach. It was clear that conservatives in D.C., who were totally underwhelmed by Brian Bilbray’s previous stint in Congress, and that everyone was very excited after getting to know Eric.

Clearly a lot of seeds were spread on this journey…with the potential to grow into a big tree – a really big, conservative one!

On a closing note – traveling with John Feliz, Stan Devereux, Sal Russo, Bill Hauf, Howard Kaloogian, Duane Admire and, of course, Eric Roach was a great experience. For those of you who know me, you know that I do not give my “seal of approval” easily – I’ve been around the block a lot. Roach is the real deal – an honorable, values-driven conservative who understands and is a part of a conservative movement. There are great things in store for Eric’s future…his near future!… Read More

If you were a member of the Filipino Baptist Fellowship Church in Long Beach, you would be confronted with the fact that the California Redevelopment Agency wants to condemn your Church… If you are in Yolo County, your county is using police powers to try and seize the 16,300 Conaway Ranch, intending to own and manage the ranch itself… If you are the owner of 16 acres of residential land in Grand Terrace, California, city officials are trying to force a shopping center and a ‘big box’ store on your land…

These are just a small sampling of abuses that are currently taking place because California property owners are lacking basic protections to preserve their private property rights against over 6,000 governmental jurisdictions in California that have the power to seize your property!

In the next couple of days, over ONE MILLION letters will arrive into the mailboxes of California voters. Inside of them, an urgent appeal from popular State Senator (and GOP Lieutenant… Read More

Late last week I got a phone call from Eric Roach. Roach, who recently was the top conservative vote-getter in the recent CD 50 Special Election where conservative candidates split up the vote and moderate lobbyist and former Congressman Brian Bilberry narrowly came in second place, and a spot in the runoff.

Roach is now looking at a potential active run in the GOP ballot for the full two-year term in the “Cunningham” seat.

Roach asked me my thoughts on whether he should run or not. We spoke at length and we certainly agreed that Bilbray’s election would do nothing to contribute to a conservative majority in the House, and that the 50th district was conservative enough to send someone to DC that would confront the “pink elephant” in the room – massive growth in federal spending under the GOP watch.

Roach asked me if I would take couple days off of work and join him on a trip to Washington, D.C, to meet with some interested conservative groups.

In talking with Roach extensively on the flight out, I was filled with excitement at the drive, energy and optimism that he has – even after the narrow loss in the special.… Read More