Rob Reiner’s use of taxpayer money to promote his ballot measure highlights a disturbing trend that has been developing at the local level for years in California.

It usually works something like this — a local government (school district, fire district, city or county) is trying to pass a bond or a local sales tax increase. This is an expensive proposition so often times the local government seeds the campaign with a little taxpayer money. Using taxpayer resources, they hire a public relations firm (really a political consultant), they conduct a survey to ‘test messages’, they begin mail and other efforts to create the need for the increase. Most of us have seen these ‘public relations campaigns, usually they are mail pieces claiming that schools are falling down, traffic is so congested we can’t get to work and police and fire protection is so low that we can’t leave our houses without fear of being mugged.

Some local governments spend 6 months to a year in this development stage, often times spending hundreds of thousands dollars that belong to taxpayers. Then when they put the measure on the… Read More

ENDORSED… Lt. Gov: McClintock SoS: McPherson Treas: Parrish AG: Poochigian Ins. Comm: Poizner Controller: Strickland SPI: Diane Lenning BOE 2: Leonard BOE 4: Forsch

NOT ENDORSED… The CRA did not endorse the Governor, nor did they endorse between Ray Haynes or Michelle Steel in BOE 3.

Word is that there was a move to co-endorse Arnold/Tom/Dick that fell just short of the 2/3.… Read More

This weekend, a couple hundred delegates are gathered at the Doubletree Hotel in Bakersfield for the biennial endorsing convention of the California Republican Assembly. The CRA is California’s oldest and most conservative Republican volunteer organization, with traditions that go back to its founding in the 1930’s. The CRA has been a pivotal force in California politics, a key player because of its direct influence on politics as well as the training grounds it provides for many who go on to seek elective office or otherwise get involved in the process. Speaking in the first-person, I spent a decade of ‘intense’ involvement with the CRA starting from being a club member and rising through the ranks to an eventual two-year term as State President from 1995-1997. Being elected CRA President was one of the greatest honors of my life. The things I learned, the perspective gained, the challenges met and overcome continue to provide me with guidance in the things I do today. I am… Read More

This weekend, a couple hundred delegates are gathered at the Doubletree Hotel in Bakersfield for the biennial endorsing convention of the California Republican Assembly. The CRA is California’s oldest and most conservative Republican volunteer organization, with traditions that go back to its founding in the 1930’s. The CRA has been a pivotal force in California politics, a key player because of its direct influence on politics as well as the training grounds it provides for many who go on to seek elective office or otherwise get involved in the process. Speaking in the first-person, I spent a decade of ‘intense’ involvement with the CRA starting from being a club member and rising through the ranks to an eventual two-year term as State President from 1995-1997. Being elected CRA President was one of the greatest honors of my life. The things I learned, the perspective gained, the challenges met and overcome continue to provide me with guidance in the things I do today. I am… Read More

A close political associate of mine contacted me and told me that Bill Thomas is retiring on Monday. He didn’t say “might be” retiring. The person is not a staff member, just a citizen and operative who is close to all the parties involved. I think the information is accurate. I might also add that I look forward to the announcement, and that Kevin McCarthy will be better than most conservatives expect as a member of Congress.… Read More

A good question for a Saturday morning… Why is Rob Reiner still the Chairman of California’s Children and Families Commission? Its been a couple of weeks now since the FR suggested that the Governor replace Reiner. Starting with the revelation by FR friend Hugh Hewitt that Reiner’s term on this influential commission actually is long-expired and that he can be replaced at will by the Governor, everyone I know is asking the question: why isn’t he being replaced? Our reasons for believing that Reiner should be "terminated" from this spot exist on multiple levels. First and foremost, his socialistic mentality of increasing taxes on those who are responsible for job creation in the California economy, and then providing questionable government-run services that he has invented is loonacy. He is so far off of even the liberal main-stream that he is an embarrassment to the Golden State. That… Read More

A good question for a Saturday morning… Why is Rob Reiner still the Chairman of California’s Children and Families Commission? Its been a couple of weeks now since the FR suggested that the Governor replace Reiner. Starting with the revelation by FR friend Hugh Hewitt that Reiner’s term on this influential commission actually is long-expired and that he can be replaced at will by the Governor, everyone I know is asking the question: why isn’t he being replaced? Our reasons for believing that Reiner should be "terminated" from this spot exist on multiple levels. First and foremost, his socialistic mentality of increasing taxes on those who are responsible for job creation in the California economy, and then providing questionable government-run services that he has invented is loonacy. He is so far off of even the liberal main-stream that he is an embarrassment to the Golden State. That… Read More

Banning Councilwoman and 65th Assembly candidate Brenda Salas is set to announce she’s been endorsed by Sen. Tom McClintock, the GOP’s presumed nominee for Lt. Governor.

The endorsement of the conservative GOP stalwart could help Salas fend off criticism of her past Democratic Party affiliation.

It’s probably worth a mention that McClintock’s district director, Joe Giardiello, is Salas’ campaign consultant. I’m told the senator also interviewed at least one other candidate: San Jacinto Councilman Jim Ayres, considered by many to be the frontrunner in the race.

Salas also welcomed additional help last week from San Bernardino County Supervisor Gary Ovitt, who has loaned his district director, Josh Candelaria, and constituent services rep Naseem Farooqi to run Salas’ ground game.

In other A.D. 65 news, Yucca Valley Councilman Paul Cook has retained former CRP Development Director Mike Fresquez to boost his fundraising effort. Fresquez specializes in finding "new money" and is said to be quite good at it.… Read More