****Exclusive to the FlashReport****

It has all the makings of a municipal soap opera.

A personal bodyguard hired at the behest of Chula Vista Mayor Steve Padilla for a mere $10,000 per month. Allegations against the Mayor of wasting taxpayer money and undue paranoia. Padilla firing the bodyguard, so as "to end complaints from fellow council members and remove the bodyguard issue from the political campaign" (per the Union-Tribune). Bodyguard David Kanter alleging breach of contract and threateninga lawsuit against the city. The City Council reinstating the contract because no termination clause was included to protect Chula Vista’s interests. According to the U-T, "the council’s decision (to reinstate) calls for Kanter’s firm to provide ‘specialized investigative and research services’ to the Chula Vista Police Department and to ‘investigate… Read More

WILL BILL THOMAS RUN FOR CONGRESS? All eyes are on the Registrar of Voters in Kern County these days as much speculation swirls about whether long-time moderate GOP Congressman Bill Thomas (pictured to the right) will decide to retire at the end of this term or not. For a while, it was really being talked about as a likely scenario, as Thomas’ seat as Chairman of the House Ways & Means Committee must be surrendered at the end of this session due to the House "3-term limit" on Committee Chairmanships (part of the Gingrich-era reforms). Most are of the opinion that Thomas’ retirement couldn’t come soon enough. The mercurial Congressman has long championed the election of liberal Republicans and has a decades-long track record of divisive politics. He also has quite a temper, which has been exhibited in public many-a-time. He… Read More

WILL BILL THOMAS RUN FOR CONGRESS? All eyes are on the Registrar of Voters in Kern County these days as much speculation swirls about whether long-time moderate GOP Congressman Bill Thomas (pictured to the right) will decide to retire at the end of this term or not. For a while, it was really being talked about as a likely scenario, as Thomas’ seat as Chairman of the House Ways & Means Committee must be surrendered at the end of this session due to the House "3-term limit" on Committee Chairmanships (part of the Gingrich-era reforms). Most are of the opinion that Thomas’ retirement couldn’t come soon enough. The mercurial Congressman has long championed the election of liberal Republicans and has a decades-long track record of divisive politics. He also has quite a temper, which has been exhibited in public many-a-time. He… Read More

It was annoying to see the big Pierre Richard Prosper for AG display at the convention this weekend, especially since he has not pulled papers on the race.

Prosper really should be running against Dianne Feinstein for U.S. Senate. We have no one running against Feinstein, allowing her to lean left in an election year (voting against Supreme Court nominees Alito and Roberts in committee and on the floor).

Prosper should run in this seat, not against Sen. Chuck Poochigian in the attorney general race. He has no state experience, he doesn’t live in California and his homeland security experience would serve him well in the Senate race.

There’s no question that… Read More

As I begin to write about the California Republican Party Convention that I attended this weekend at the Fairmont Hotel in San Jose, I should start out by saying that as the week goes by, I (along with many other FR weblog contributors who attended the convention) will be following this piece with other thoughts, observations, stories and vignettes on things that happened in the hallways, backrooms, and hospitality suites at the convention. Of course, the highlight of our review of the CRP convention will come late in the week when the FlashReport releases our latest version of the Winners & Losers of the CRP convention. For the last ten convention (going back five years), the W&L edition of the FR has looked back over the weekend, from just about every imaginable angle, and tried to figure out how people fared, from topics as varied as political elections to personal attire. We really encourage input as we figure this all out, as the FR and our team couldn’t be everywhere, so please submit your ideas here. My first… Read More

The important California Republican Assembly endorsement went to Cypress Councilman Mike McGill running for the 67th Assembly District against Supervisor Jim Silva and legislator’s wife Diane Harman. Also endorsed was Jim Righeimer, GOP donor/businessman running for the 68th Assembly Distinct against Garden Grove Councilwoman Janet Nguyen.

The Righeimer endorsement was no surprise. He is a long time conservative activist who has strong support in the grassroots.

McGill’s endorsement is shocking. He is a good guy, but no movement conservative.

The CRA endorsement is a huge boost to Righeimer who’s opponent Nguyen just claimed the Cal Chamber endorsement today.… Read More

The convention this weekend continued the ongoing GOP dialogue about our governor and our party. Going into the convention, Schwarzenegger’s re-election campaign announced that Mindy Fletcher Tucker, the governor’s deputy chief of staff for external affairs, was joining the organization as deputy campaign manager. The campaign is shaping up to be a great GOP organization.

But, in truth, I’d be happier with a boatload of Democrat staffers running the campaign, getting him re-elected, and then have our folks in the governor’s office, shaping policy, keeping the civil servants in line and negotiating with the legislature, instead of the other way around.

With the ongoing exodus of Republicans from the Horseshoe, my issue with Schwarzenegger is not what the campaign will do to keep my vote (all… Read More

As I begin to write about the California Republican Party Convention that I attended this weekend at the Fairmont Hotel in San Jose, I should start out by saying that as the week goes by, I (along with many other FR weblog contributors who attended the convention) will be following this piece with other thoughts, observations, stories and vignettes on things that happened in the hallways, backrooms, and hospitality suites at the convention. Of course, the highlight of our review of the CRP convention will come late in the week when the FlashReport releases our latest version of the Winners & Losers of the CRP convention. For the last ten convention (going back five years), the W&L edition of the FR has looked back over the weekend, from just about every imaginable angle, and tried to figure out how people fared, from topics as varied as political elections to personal attire. We really encourage input as we figure this all out, as the FR and our team couldn’t be everywhere, so please submit your ideas here. My first… Read More