The East Bay Express has done a number of stories exposing Don Perata’s personal use of campaign funds. If you need a refresher, look no further than right here to get a reminder of how Don Perata outdoes even Fabian "Louis Vuitton" Nunez when it comes to living the "high life" on the backs of one’s campaign donors (we won’t even get into the tactics allegedly used to "extract" money from those doing business before legislature). Yesterday, the EBE’s Paul Gammon, on their blog, proclaimed Don Perata to be the "Hypocrite of the Year" for his moxie in attacking Senator Jeff Denham for allegedly "living large" of of campaign contributions. As Gammon says in his post, … Read More

Sen. Reid unloads on, among others, a certain former first lady many know and love. From today’s Roll Call "Heard on the Hill" gossip column (subscription required).

From the people that brought you composting in the House cafeteria: the first green convention. Nevermind that the Capitol complex still relies on a dated coal-fired heating and cooling system. Also from Roll Call (ibid the subscription disclaimer from above). On a related note, Sen. Boxer is still working hard for the polar bear too, from the Hill.

The SEC, under the leadership of former California Rep. Chris Cox launched a useful new tool to compare mutual funds, here.

Politico launches a feature on the 50 greatest political moments, here.

San Diego attorney and GOP activist Michael Rosen pens a column in Politico,… Read More

The Securities and Exchange Commission finally rolled out charges in the City of SD pension mess. The Union-Trib article is posted on the main FR page, and here’s a hodgepodge of opinions on the matter (as many will have one today), as well as some straight news entries. Included are some links to the complaint and other documents:

Blogger Pat Flannery, from Red County SD…

Here is the full SEC complaint filed today alleging fraud by five former City officials in the issuance of $260 million San Diego municipal bonds. The accused officials are former City Manager Michael Uberuaga, former City Auditor and Comptroller Ed Ryan, former Deputy City Manager for Finance Patricia Frazier, former Assistant City Auditor and Comptroller Terry Webster and former City Treasurer Mary Vattimo.

Here is the… Read More

Progressives may have created California’s direct democracy process, but it’s been conservatives who have perfected the use of it. Whether its landmark property tax reform or recalling an inept governor, limited government’s biggest victories have been through initiatives, referendums and recalls.

Ironically, today’s progressives thwart the direct democracy process with unconstitutional bureaucratic impediments to signature gathering. Most notable of these restrictions is a residency requirement for signature gatherers. Petitions require a massive amount of signatures in a short window of time. As someone who is actively involved in these campaigns, I know that in some cases it would be impossible to gather enough signatures without using out-of-town signature gatherers. Case in point, a San Clemente referendum to overturn a city ordinance banning second story additions. The City of San Clemente … Read More

After reading the Dan Walters review of this book I almost passed.

For Brown, it has to be a disappointment when someone writes the defining biographical work of your career before you can get your two cents in. James Richardson beat Brown to the punch with his book from 1996 on the former Speaker of the Assembly and Mayor of San Francisco.

Being Mayor really did nothing to add to the legend of Willie Brown. To most conservatives it was good to have him confined San Francisco instead of roaming the state. If he wanted to spend his time getting an Amtrak station somewhere in Texas — that is his deal with President Clinton.

There are only three things that I found interesting in this book. The first is the Brown version of what happened with Assemblyman Paul Horcher after the 1994 election. It was certainly not the way I viewed it but that is his version.

The second interesting thing was his version of NIMBYism when he served as Mayor of San… Read More

Progressives may have created California’s direct democracy process, but it’s been conservatives who have perfected the use of it. Whether its landmark property tax reform or recalling an inept governor, limited government’s biggest victories have been through initiatives, referendums and recalls.

Ironically, today’s progressives thwart the direct democracy process with unconstitutional bureaucratic impediments to signature gathering. Most notable of these restrictions is a residency requirement for signature gatherers. Petitions require a massive amount of signatures in a short window of time. As someone who is actively involved in these campaigns, I know that in some cases it would be impossible to gather enough signatures without using out-of-town signature gatherers. Case in point, a San Clemente referendum to overturn a city ordinance banning second story additions. The City of San Clemente … Read More

Once the LA Times only bright spot, Mike Ramirez won his second Pulitzer earning the distinction as one of America’s best cartoonist.

Ramirez who presently works with the Investor’s Business Daily, handing the pro business journal its first Pulitzer. Ramirez was removed from the Times, as further evidence of the LA Times market deterioration, but the IBD picked up Ramirez. Mike Ramirez’s clever political cartoons are syndicated to over 450 newspapers.

The big question is why the Flashreport doesn’t carry the prize winning cartoons?

You can see Ramirez’s work at http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:Ek_dpjmNAIYJ:www.investors.com/editorial/cartoon.asp+%22michael+Ramirez%22&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us . Or google him.

… Read More

On Saturday, the Riverside County Republican Party held the grand opening of its new, permanent, Coachella Valley headquarters. The turnout was good, and a fun time was had by all judging from the participation level in the sing-a-long of old standards such as “Happy Days Are Here Again.”

The headquarters will serve as a work station for the election of John McCain, Mary Bono Mack, and Gary Jeandron in the targeted 80th Assembly race. All good Republicans should stop by and do some phone calling, or support those who are with some food and drink and a shoulder rub!

I’ve been hanging around county headquarters since 1969, when my dad took on Ken Cory in Orange County’s 69th Assembly District. One… Read More