After several attempts to get the votes to get the votes to confirm Maldonado, all of which failed — the first motion to confirm failed. Astonishingly EVERY Republican voted for him, except Chuck DeVore who laid off, and Danny Gilmore who is apparently home in his district, ill (but who is now driving up to the Capitol to vote FOR the confirmation).

Republicans made a request to reconsider (reserving the right to bring it up for another vote). Democrats counted with a motion, which passed, to bring up the reconsideration vote immediately. This caused the Republicans to call a Caucus to discuss the matter.

As far as I am concerned, Republicans should be saying, behind close doors, "This is perfect! We don’t like or want Maldonado, but we’ve shown our GOP solidarity — and we don’t have to have Maldonado as Lt. Governor. In fact, the Democrats now look like the partisans."

Republicans should just lay down at this point, let the Democrats defeat the motion for reconsideration, and everything can let Maldonado that this is his "thank you" for blackmailing the legislature last year to put his… Read More

I found myself on the campaign website of Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher today (yes, your websites do get visited by those of us in the blogging world). Fletcher gets an A+ for his site — others should pay heed. Anyways, I found this great news story on his site, and thought I would share it…

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Earlier this week we all read the headline that our state government spent well over $75 million dollars in 2009 on cars, furniture and conferences.

I had a chance to ask why yesterday during a hearing of the Assembly Committee on Government Accountability and Administrative Review.

Today, I’m still waiting to get good answers to why we’re paying $7,000 for each employee cubicle, why we retire cars in the state fleet after they accumulate 120,000 miles, and why California spends $2 million each year paying for employees to go to conferences at hotels and convention centers when the state owns facilities that can accommodate those needs.

In the face of California’s taxpayers – our working families and small businesses – who are being stretched more than ever and making do with less, hiring new employees and making these sorts of purchases is unconscionable. But it’s the status quo in Sacramento. Only here, do people justify spending $7,000 on one workspace because it’s a cubicle–gee a whole desk with walls. That makes sense. … Read More

[Cross-posted from RedCounty.com]

Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner is hell-bent on convincing Republican primary voters that he is a real conservative — which makes the contrast with his assault on insurance companies that may have even indirect investments in Iran all the more jarring, because he is laying the groundwork for social engineering by Democratic successors of the kind that set conservative teeth on edge.

I first reported on this back on December 2, when Poizner was threatening insurance companies to "voluntarily" divest themselves of $12 billion in indirect investments — and if the didn’t volunteer, he’d force them.

As I commented at the time, this reeks of campaign posturing and is the kind of gratuitous, publicity-seeking corporate bashing I would expect from a Democrat:

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From the things you can’t make up file. I tried to "splain it in 140 characters on Twitter as follows…

Although Abel Maldonado Lt Gov bid fails in Assembly, 37-35, reports have Arnold claiming it takes 41 vote majority for a rejection. Here’s the longer "official" version…

For Immediate Release: Thursday, February 11, 2010

Contact: Aaron McLear Rachel Arrezola

Gov. Schwarzenegger’s Legal Secretary Andrea Lynn Hoch Issues Statement on California Constitutional Requirements for Governor’s Lieutenant Governor

Governor Schwarzenegger’s Legal Secretary Andrea Lynn Hoch today issued the following statement on the Governor’s Lieutenant Governor nominee Senator Abel Maldonado and what the California Constitution requires for confirmation:

"The California Constitution is clear: if the legislature does not act to refuse to confirm the Governor’s nominee, his… Read More

Former San Bernardino County Assessor, former Supervisor and former San Bernardino County GOP Chairman Bill Postmus has been arrested again, with substantial charges leveled at him. His former aide, Jim Erwin, was also arrested again, with substantial new charges leveled at him.

Read more here.… Read More

The long, sad saga of Poway Councilwoman Betty Rexford reached what may be its final stage this morning. The FlashReport just confirmed that the San Diego County Registrar of Voters completed its sampling of petitions submitted by recall proponents, certifying that more than the required 5,657 needed signatures were submitted. Over 6,300 valid signatures were previously turned in.

This qualifies the election for June 8, with both the Rexford recall and an "if she is recalled, who replaces her" question to appear on the ballot, sure to start a scramble by potential candidates.

"June 8 can’t come too soon," said recall organizer Steve Vaus, "It’s a bad day for Betty, but a great day for Poway."

For more on the recall: www.recallrexford.com… Read More

KTVU television reports that Democrat consultants Ace Smith and Chris Lehane will head up a new labor-funded $20 million independent expenditure campaign to start bloodying up GOP gubernatorial front-runner Meg Whitman. See the KTVU piece below, and read more about it from the San Francisco Chronicle.

Is that Steve Poizner smiling over there?

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