* Governor Schwarzenegger’s Deputy Chief of Staff, Dan Dunmoyer (pictured), attended the meeting of the California Republican Lawyers Association last weekend at the State GOP confab in San Jose. Dunmoyer spent over a half hour talking to the group, and to its leaders, both publicly and privately. He made it clear that the Governor’s administration would like to appoint more Republicans, and specifically would like to work with the CRLA towards that goal. He said that he looked forward to working with CRLA to set up a specific process to engage them in the process of making suggestions for potential nominees, and would work with the group to get them information ahead-of-time on locations of vacancies. In response to this, the (very excited) CRLA members, according to their Los Angeles County Chairman Adam Abrahms, have already set up a new program, forming their own "Mini-JENY" Commission – aimed at being able to give the administration the names of Republicans to consider for… Read More

* Governor Schwarzenegger’s Deputy Chief of Staff, Dan Dunmoyer (pictured), attended the meeting of the California Republican Lawyers Association last weekend at the State GOP confab in San Jose. Dunmoyer spent over a half hour talking to the group, and to its leaders, both publicly and privately. He made it clear that the Governor’s administration would like to appoint more Republicans, and specifically would like to work with the CRLA towards that goal. He said that he looked forward to working with CRLA to set up a specific process to engage them in the process of making suggestions for potential nominees, and would work with the group to get them information ahead-of-time on locations of vacancies. In response to this, the (very excited) CRLA members, according to their Los Angeles County Chairman Adam Abrahms, have already set up a new program, forming their own "Mini-JENY" Commission – aimed at being able to give the administration the names of Republicans to consider for… Read More

I’m hesitant to post any kind of reflective thoughts on the CRP convention, but Jon asked us to do so…and I think I’ve come up with a way to offend as few as possible…and to make my good friend Mike Gunning over at PIF happy….this time my title comes from a songe by one of the best jazz saxophonists ever – John Coltrane…his song “… Read More

Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown wants to be California’s next top cop. Yet, after two terms in office, Brown has not done much to fundamentally change Oakland’s crime problems. Today, he finally announced that he was putting 115 more cops on the streets after a rash of violent crime, which City Council President and mayoral candidate Ignacio de la Fuente calls a “crisis.” (We have already ha… Read More

This morning’s San Jose Mercury News reports that ever-gelled, always dapper San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom is romantically involved with actress Sofia Milos, a co-star on “CSI: Miami”.

What gives the story a distinctly California flavor: Ms. Milos is an advocate of the Church of Scientology — so much so that she brought along the mayor to an annual dinner held by the group in Beverly Hills.

Stay tuned to see if the local press corps jumps the mayor will all sorts of Scientology “gotcha” questions: does he think Tom Cruise is unhinged; is he for or against psychotherapy and anti-depressants; has he ever read the works of L. Ron Hubbard, etc.?

Meanwhile, here are some sure signs that Newsom is falling under the Scientologists’ spell:

1) Gives up his tailored suits for too-small black t-shirts.

2) Starts jumping up and down on the couch the next time he’s interviewed by Phil Matier.

3) John Travolta is named head of the San Francisco Film Commission (mayor calls for citywide “Battlefield Earth Appreciation Day”).

4) SF Board of Supervisors is… Read More

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today announced the appointment of John Laettner to a judgeship in the Contra Costa County Superior Court.

Laettner, 50, of Walnut Creek, has served as assistant United States attorney in the United States Attorney’s Office since 1989. He was previously deputy district attorney in the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office from 1985 to 1989. Laettner also served as an associate with Stammer, McKnight, Barnum and Bailey law firm in 1983. He earned a Juris Doctorate degree from Hastings Law School and Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, San Diego. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Merle Russell Eaton. Laettner is a Republican.

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Since the GOP Convention, when a resolution was overwhelmingly passed by delegates asking the Governor to appoint Republican judges,… Read More

[Editor’s note: Probolsky, a regular contributor to this page, is the president of Probolsky Research, a prominent and respected political polling firm. – Flash] The Governor makes me proud every once in a while. Like a father that cries while spanking his son, it pains me to criticize the Governor when he all to often does something that upsets my conservative, limited government, pro-border security sensibilities.

But today’s Field Poll demonstrates a phenomenon that I have always claimed existed. That is that this governor will always, in the final stretch, win re-election. You can never count him out. He will raise the money he needs and his ability to develop a personal connection with the voters means he will win enough of them over to put him over the top.

Today’s Field Poll release shows the Governor about even with his Dem rivals Angelides… Read More

Matthew Dowd, senior strategist for the Schwarzenegger for Governor campaign sent around the attached memo to Team Arnold folks, in which he discusses the current political environment surrounding the Governor’s race, especially with the release of the latest Field Poll data. It’s worth a read. Don’t worry, unlike many of these ‘insider memos’ this one is actually short and to the point.… Read More