All the talk in Sacramento over the past couple of weeks has centered around a new arena deal. The negotiations have centered around a 1/4-cent sales tax increase to fund the $500 million new entertainment facility that would be home to the Sacramento Kings/Monarchs. It is likely to be financed with 80% public money and 20% private dollars (Sacramento Kings ownership).

Negotiators from the county and the NBA have a deadline of this week to come up with a deal that will allow the Board of Supervisors to put the measure on the November ballot.

The rumor is that they will split the measure into 2 questions. Part 1, would be the question to raise the sales tax and Part 2 would be how to spend it. By splitting the question, they will avoid the 2/3rds vote requirement and the measures will need only a simple majority. The strategy has some risk, opponents will likely take the measures to court if they pass, charging that splitting the vote was a end run around California law that requires tax increases that are "earmarked" be approved with a 2/3rd vote.

In order… Read More

Just hearing the word conflict gives government watchdogs a warm fuzzy feeling and the media just can’t help themselves from writing a story ANY time someone suggests a conflict exists.

Few people, even those engaged in the business of government and politics and public policy can cite what, under the law, actually constitutes a conflict. Thus every time someone lobes an accusation of conflict, it becomes news.

Not being a member of the State Bar I cannot offer legal advise, but I do know that there is NO law that would put a political consultant who is not on the government payroll in the position of having a legal conflict.

So you can imagine my frustration when I read a story in the LA Times today with an Internet link that reads: Conflict of Interest for Gov.’s Aide?

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

Just hearing the word conflict gives government watchdogs a warm fuzzy feeling and the media just can’t help themselves from writing a story ANY time someone suggests a conflict exists.

Few people, even those engaged in the business of government and politics and public policy can cite what, under the law, actually constitutes a conflict. Thus every time someone lobes an accusation of conflict, it becomes news.

Not being a member of the State Bar I cannot offer legal advise, but I do know that there is NO law that would put a political consultant who is not on the government payroll in the position of having a legal conflict.

So you can imagine my frustration when I read a story in the LA Times today with an Internet link that reads: Conflict of Interest for Gov.’s Aide?

Folks, I will let you in on a little secret. I use the same technique in political direct mail. The devise: framing the damning accusation as a question. This way you are not making an… Read More

This is Ramesh Ponnuru regarding a federal marriage amendment:

MARRIAGEAMENDMENT VOTEIN THE HOUSE[Ramesh Ponnuru]

The vote was 236-186, not enough to pass an amendment but 9 more than last time. Nevada Republican Jim Gibbons was the only former no vote to switch to yes; the other gains came from freshmen members. (For example, Chris Cox, a no vote, was replaced by John Campbell, a supporter.) Posted at 2:09 PM… Read More

I know that many readers of the FlashReport assume that publishing this site is a full-time endeavor. Thanks to the great support team on this site, and miracles of modern technology, the FR is largely done in the wee hours of each morning (at least my part). My full time job since March of 2001 (when I left my position as Executive Director of the California Republican Party) has been as Deputy Director for Public Affairs with the Sheriff’s Department in Orange County. It’s been a great position, working closely with our great Sheriff Mike Carona.

I’m excited to share with you all that after over five years, I have decided to go out on my own, and form my own business. So starting in August, I will be opening up an office (actually I will be subletting some office space from FR friend and former Assembly Republican Leader Scott Baugh) and starting up a government relations – political – communications consulting firm! I’ll share more with you about it when I get it off of the ground in the coming weeks. I am very excited to be going out on my own!! (Of course, this will give me more time and flexibility to work on… Read More

Fifteen months after he officially began running for Governor… Almost a year since Governor Schwarzenegger proposed the legislation now known as Jessica’s Law… More than a month after law enforcement and others asked him to take a stand for California children…. More than three weeks since he himself promised to lay out an "alternative," Phil Angelides today finally came out with a position on Jessica’s Law…

He endorsed it. (No-brainer.) Nice work for a first day on the job by Angelides’ two new Democratic operatives — Steve Maviglio and Roger Salazar — who were called in to pick up the slack left when senior advisor Bob Mulholland was benched last week.

But in typical Angelides fashion, he had to tweak his support a bit to maintain his "anti-Arnold" image. So, he criticized the state’s parole system for sex offenders. And what does he use to back up his assertion? Not info from the Governor’s Office. Not stats from the Department of Correction or any other state agency. What does he use? A… Read More

I am proud to be an elected member of the Orange County Republican Party Central Committee (t/y to any FR readers who helped me get re-elected last month). Tonight, as I write this, I am at the monthly OC GOP meeting, where there is a debate taking place that is soooo boring that pillows should be issued to attendees.

The issue? It’s obscure – but has to do with whether or not the Alternate appointed by an Ex-Officio Member (in this case a State Senator) had the right to pull a candidate for office off of the Endorsement consent calendar. (The OC GOP like many other County Committees endorses in local non-partisan races.)

Chairman Scott Baugh ruled that the Alternate could vote. His ruling was challenged, sending a group of about 200 people into a unique form of hell – with pro and con speeches, etc., etc. Ultimately Baugh’s ruling was upheld.

Why am I sharing this with you? Oh, that’s simple. Misery deserves company.

My two final observations: Scott Baugh is a great Chairman who volunteers his time despite sometimes challenging times. The other is that FR blogger Adam Probolsky was the Ex-Officio… Read More

Last month in the Napa Valley, I had a chance to meet a lot of interesting people while participating as a panelist at a California Chamber of Commerce post-primary retreat. One of those people was Democrat operative Darry Sragow. I found him to be quite interesting. A bit more subdued than I thought he would be – at least as he came across at this event. Then again, given that his audience was mostly Republicans… I bring up Sragow because he is apparently gifted with the ability to understate the obvious. Today in the Sacramento Bee is a story entitled, "Campaign 2006: For Angelides, the path ahead is mostly uphill," in which Sragow is quoted: