Daily Archives: September 5, 2007

Uncategorized

CA-04: But wait there’s more bad news for Doolittle

In what is shaping up to be one of a number of slow-moving investigations into Congressmembers, John Doolittle got some action-packed days this week.  Dave told you about the subpoenas yesterday, but today there is word of testimony.

Alisha Perkins, who has worked for six years as the congressman’s scheduler, testified before the grand jury Wednesday morning, said the congressman’s press aide, Gordon Hinkle.
***
Unlike Blankenburg, who started working for the congressman in 2005, and Rogers, who joined the office only in May, Perkins’ work in the office dates back long enough that she would have been there when Abramoff and his associates, most notably Kevin Ring, were seeking to meet with the Roseville Republican. (SacBee 9/5/07)

Ah, I bet those schedules could tell a lot of stories.  While it’s not completely clear if the government has the schedules and is asking her to confirm authenticity or if they are grilling her on the schedules, one thing we can be sure is that more news on his corruption case is the last thing Doolittle wants today.  But don’t worry, Mr. Doolittle is prepared to inform you that the piss on your leg, is, in fact, rain.

In a statement Tuesday, Doolittle said he hopes that the testimony of his staff will bring quick closure to the investigation that has been going on for three years. He has denied any wrongdoing, but said prosecutors believe Abramoff paid his wife, Julie, for work she didn’t do in an effort to reward him for help he provided to the lobbyist.

Of course, Charlie Brown is prepared for another race in 08. He’s on our ActBlue Page too. Charlie’s web page is all newly spiffed up in preparation of his barnstorming tour and campaign announcement.

Uncategorized

GOP Poised to Endorse the Electoral Vote Dirty Tricks Initiative

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From the (subscription only) Capitol Alert

“We’ve received a request and there’s been a great deal of interest among our members who want to see every vote count,” party chairman Ron Nehring told Capitol Alert.

Nehring called a potential endorsement a “significant step” and that the party could provide money or help gather signatures to qualify the measure.

But here is the quote of the day:

“Cynical ploy orchestrated by the blah blah blah,” said Nehring. “The vitriol and overreaction from the Democrats caught a lot of people’s attention from the party.”

Of course, most of the opposition to-date has come from Newspaper Editorial Boards who are going to look none too kindly on the GOP if they make this mistake. Here’s and updated list of what the editorial pages are saying.

Stockton Record, “Awarding California’s electoral votes based on the outcome in each congressional district is unfair, harmful to democratic precepts and a blatant political power grab.”

OC Register, “A proposed change, which could be on next June’s ballot, in the way California’s votes are allocated in the presidential election might have a sheen of fairness, but it is nakedly partisan and profoundly subversive of our constitutional system.”

San Francisco Chronicle, “This is nothing but dirty politics.”

The New York Times, “It is actually a power grab on behalf of Republicans.”

Oakland Tribune “It’s an obvious political ploy.”

San Jose Mercury News, “it’s naked politics masquerading as reform.”

Sacramento Bee, “the California initiatives are merely partisan gamesmanship masquerading as reform.”

Vallejo Times Herald, “an embryonic state-ballot measure filed by some Republicans would make more sense, save for the fact that it smacks of a blatant power grab, and should be rejected as such.”

I’m sure I’m missing some. But I doubt they Ed Board writers will forget.

Health Care

Russ Warner Liveblog Today at 3:30 PT on S-CHIP And Children’s Health care

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UPDATE: This will take place at 3:30pm PT today.

Russ Warner’s campaign has informed me that he’ll be participating in a liveblog here later today about S-CHIP and children’s health care.  Health care is maybe the most pressing domestic issue in California and the nation, and I’m pleased to see one of our Democratic Congressional candidates engage us on this issue.  He’ll post a diary and then stick around in the comments to answer questions.  It should be a good way to get a sense of his policy ideas.  When I get an exact time I’ll update.

Any legislator or candidate can do this simply by posting a diary, and I’m hopeful that this will be the first of many of these live chats.  Rather than supporting anyone with a D in front of their name, it’s important to really engage and understand the views of those who wish to represent us.  On the endorsement front, I can say little other than the Hoyt Hilsman campaign has contacted the editorial board and decisions are in the process of being made.

Uncategorized

LA Times on AB 706: Must Pass Bill

Today’s LA Times editorial on six “must pass” bills:

AB 706, by Assemblyman Mark Leno (D-San Francisco), to modify a law that requires upholstery to include flame-retardant chemicals. The problem is that the chemicals are toxic; the bill would change standards to bar use of those substances. This cost-neutral bill should be easy to pass, but it’s stuck in the Senate Appropriations Committee. It’s technically too late to move it to the floor, but the proposal is important enough for a rule waiver or one of the other maneuvers that lawmakers use all the time.

After the flip, check out the new online campaign for this “must pass” legislation, a Spoof movie trailer calls on Governor Schwarzenegger to save the nation from toxic chemicals.

Making Our Milk Safe (MOMS) and Friends of the Earth, co-sponsors of AB 706 (Leno, D-San Francisco),  a California bill that would ban the most toxic fire retardants for use in furniture and bedding, today released a movie trailer titled "Attack of the Killer Couch" to draw attention to the importance of the legislation.

The minute-long animation uses humor to show that some fire retardant chemicals cause endocrine disruption, neurological and reproductive problems, cancer, and changes in DNA. The movie also alludes to the recent study by scientists at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency showing a link between fire retardants in furniture and increased rates of hyperthyroid disease in cats.

"Every parent wants their children to be safe," said Mary Brune, co-founder of Making Our Milk Safe (MOMS), "Preventing fires is essential, but there are smarter ways to do it that don't involve exposing our families, pets, and fire fighters to toxic chemicals."

Rising cancer rates among fire fighters prompted bill sponsors to rename AB 706 after Crystal Golden-Jefferson, a Los Angeles paramedic and fire fighter who died of work-related non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

In a support letter to the bill's author, Assemblyman Mark Leno, Brian K. Rice, President of Sacramento Area Fire Fighters, local 522 said, "not only will the passage of this bill improve the health and safety of firefighters, it will also improve the safety of those we are sworn to protect."

A companion site, www.killercouch.com, provides details about the bill, links to scientific reports and news articles, as well as quotes from supporters in the fire community.

A representative of Friends of the Earth, one of the bill's co-sponsors, said that if AB 706 were to become law, it would be one of the first examples of "green chemistry" legislation in the country.

"California's outdated furniture standard has become the de facto standard in the nation," said Russell Long of Friends of the Earth. "Governor Schwarzenegger has an opportunity to be a hero and protect the health of millions of Americans from toxic fire retardant chemicals by signing AB 706 into law."

AB 706 is awaiting approval from the Senate appropriations committee before it is allowed to go to the senate floor for a vote.

Diaries & Misc., Prisons

The Legislative Rush Begins

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Our favorite on-the-scene Sacramento reporter Frank Russo has the first installment of what will be a wild couple weeks in the California Legislature.  The session is scheduled to end September 14, and over 700 bills are likely to be voted on between now and then, to get to the Governor’s desk for signature.  The first batch of bills have been passed out of their respective chamber; in fact, 83 bills passed in the Senate just yesterday.  Frank highlights several that came out of the Senate and the Assembly; here are a few (on the flip).

AB 1108 (Ma) Toxic Toys- This bill prohibits the use of phthalates in toys and childcare products designed for babies and children under three years of age… It now goes back to the Assembly for concurrence in the Senate Amendments.

AB 122 (Solorio) Voter intimidation- Requires elections officials to provide a copy of the provisions of law prohibiting voter intimidation and voter fraud, and the penalties to every candidate. Senator Calderon used the example of a recent Orange County election where several thousand Latinos were sent a letter warning them not to vote. It passed on a 23 to 12 vote with the support of two Republicans, Senators Maldonado and McClintock and all the opposition was from Republicans. There was no known opposition to the bill. It now goes to the Governor.

AB 976 (Calderon) Prohibits a city or county from enacting an ordinance that compels a landlord to inquire, compile, report, or disclose any information about the citizenship or immigration status of a tenant. It passed on a straight party line 22 to 12 vote.

AB 1539 Krekorian- Compassionate release for medically incapacitated inmates with terminal illnesses. This bill provides that a court shall have the discretion to resentence or recall a prisoner’s sentence when the prisoner is permanently medically incapacitated if the conditions under which the prisoner would be released do not pose a threat to public safety. It passed on a 22-16 party line vote with Democratic Senator Lou Correa the sole member of his party voting against it. It needs to go back to the Assembly for concurrence in amendments.

AB 435 (Brownley) Wage Discrimination- Requires that all employers maintain their records of wages, wage rates, job classifications, and other terms and conditions of employment for five years, and extends the statute of limitations for a civil action to collect back wages to four years, or, in the case of willful misconduct, to five years. It passed on a straight party line vote of 21 to 15 with Democratic votes. It now goes back to the Assembly for concurrence in amendments.

AB 1429 (Evans) Requires health care service plan contracts and health insurance policies that provide coverage for cervical cancer treatment or surgery to also provide coverage for a Human Papilloma virus vaccine. It passed 26 to12 with a couple of Republican votes and all the opposition was from Republicans. It needs Assembly agreement on amendments.

AB 548 (Levine) Would require managers of multi-family dwellings to provide recycling services for their buildings. This is significant because it provides a residential recycling opportunity for more than 7.1 million Californians residing in more than 2.4 million multifamily dwelling units. It passed on a largely partisan vote of 47 to 25 and goes to the Governor.

SB 490 (Alquist) Would ban foods with transfat from being sold to kindergarten-high school students on school campuses. It passed on a largely partisan 50 to 26 vote with Republicans complaining that it trampled on local school boards’ discretion and Democrats saying the state sets the rules for schools.

Some thoughts:

• I’m glad something came out of that disgusting attempt in Orange County to intimidate Hispanic voters.  Good for Asm. Solorio.

• The Krekorian bill for compassionate release is simple common sense in a time of prison crisis.  Apparently the Big Kahuna of prison reform, Sen. Gloria Romero’s bill to create an independent sentencing commission, is being negotiated with the Governor’s office so that he’ll sign it.  We’ll see what transpires.

• AB 435 is a local version of the Lilly Ledbetter Equal Pay Act.  The Supreme Court ruled that a woman could not sue for wage discrimination because the statute of limitations had run out even though she didn’t know the extent of the wage discrimination until it was too late.

• The HPV vaccination bill should give the theocrats a jolt.  They’ve argued for some time that you can’t vaccinate and save kid’s lives because it might make them a little more promiscuous.  Showing their true priorities.

We’ll try to keep up with the major bills coming through the Legislature until the end of the session.

education

Privatization Is Always Good!

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For example, the levels of corruption and taxpayer ripoffs a private company can pull off is far superior to a government agency!

A San Bernardino County Grand Jury on Tuesday indicted the founder of a charter school network that once was the largest in California, charging him with grand theft and misappropriation of public school funds. A Hesperia city councilman also was indicted.

Charles Steven Cox, 59, who built California Charter Academy into a statewide string of 60 campuses serving more than 10,000 students from Yuba City to Chula Vista, was taken into custody Tuesday and charged with more than 100 counts of misappropriation of charter school funds and theft of nearly $5.5 million.

A 2005 state audit alleged that Cox, as head of the charter academy and also owner of a for-profit company that provided management services to the schools, misused millions of dollars in charter school funds to lavishly pay himself, friends and family and to buy luxuries such as spa services and concert tickets.

The schools were paying the teachers below the state average, too.  More money for the corporation!

The numbers are actually worse, the state is seeking $23 million in misappropriated funds.  Some of the problems with the kind of charter schools Cox created have been addressed; for example, improving oversight and ensuring the corporation is in the same district as the charter school.  But the central issue – a school focusing more on corporate welfare and the balance sheet rather than the needs of students – remains.  To deny that possibility is to deny the existence of human greed.

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Faxing Arnold

You didn’t think we would drop all of those initiatives off at his office and not follow up with the guy did you?

This is not your average advocacy campaign, where petitions go undelivered and people don’t actually follow through on your promises.  This is a new style campaign and we are continuing to pressure Arnold about the dirty tricks initiative.  Below the fold is the fax we sent to him today and copied all of the press on.

If you would like to donate to my ActBlue page to pay off the $616.19 in Kinkos bills and reward blogactivism you can do so here.

  The Honorable Arnold Schwarzenegger

  Governor

  The Capitol

  Sacramento, California 95184

  VIA FAX– 916-445-4633

  Dear Governor Schwarzenegger:

  On Friday, Julia Rosen delivered to your office 2,148 copies of the so-called Presidential Election Reform Act. If this proposed initiative qualifies and passes, it would, as you said quite astutely, “change the rules in the middle of the game.” Courage Campaign members from across California sent you copies of the initiative to read, since you said you had not previously read it.

  Nearly 10,000 Courage Campaign members have signed our pledge to oppose this destructive attempt to hijack our democracy by re-allocating Electoral College votes unilaterally. People all across the country see this as a simple right-wing power grab, not “post-partisan” in any way. And, as you may know, editorial boards from the Orange County Register to the Stockton Record have also come out strongly against this dangerous initiative.

  Governor, we want to take you at your word that you want to lead the people and rise above partisan politics. Here is an ideal opportunity to demonstrate your leadership above the partisan fray. Now that you have plenty of copies of the initiative — a document that only takes about five minutes to read — we call on you to state clearly and directly that you oppose this initiative. We also call on you to ask leaders of the California Republican Party to oppose this partisan power-grab.

  Please take a stand in advance of this weekend’s California Republican Party convention. By standing tall against what the New York Times calls an “elaborate dirty trick” designed by a “shadowy group” to do “serious damage to our democracy,” you will join dozens of leading national bloggers, and prominent Californians such as, Sherry Lansing, Sal Rosselli, Bradley Whitford, Arianna Huffington, Kathy Spillar, Assembly Majority Leader Karen Bass, LA City Council President Eric Garcetti and so many others who oppose this initiative.

  Let’s not waste time and money on this folly. As you have said, California has too many important issues on which we have to focus. No more dirty tricks. No more partisan power-grabs. Not in California. Not in America. Governor, please just say no. We look forward to hearing from you.

  Respectfully,

  Richard Jacobs Chair, Courage Campaign

Arnold Schwarzenegger, Blog Roundup, Budget, Environment, Health Care

September 4, 2007 Blog Roundup

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Today’s Blog Roundup is on the flip. Let me know what I missed.

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The One Two Thing[s] to Read
Today

The Dignity of Labor

Health Care

The Environment

Electoral, Term Limits,
Redistricting Iniative “Reforms”

CA-03 and CA-04

Everything Else

Uncategorized

Presidential Election Reform Act and Gray Davis Recall

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The similarities between the 2003 recall and the current electoral vote swindle are quite stark (and not only because it is the same people using the same language about a right-wing power grab in an election where nobody knows the turnout). So let’s compare the benchmark testing by Field Poll in each race, among all registered voters.

Recall:
46% Yes
43% No

PERA:
47% Yes
35% No

Keep in the recall passed with 55.4% of the vote. Want some more numbers?

Recall Among Democrats:
28% Yes
61% No

PERA Among Democrats:
41% Yes
42% No

Clearly, we are in far, far worse shape initially with Democrats than we were when we lost the Governor’s mansion.

Recall Among Unaffiliated:
45% Yes
39% No

PERA Among Unaffiliated:
43% Yes
34% No

Again, opposition is softer initially.

Recall Among Republicans:
69% Yes
22% No

PERA Among Republicans:
57% Yes
28% No

Ouch. Comparing the two initiatives’ benchmark polling, the only good news is that the GOP isn’t yet salivating over this to the degree they were in the recall.

In short, if we do what we’ve done we’re going to get what we’ve got. The unique advantage that we have in this race over 2003 is that progressives are using the internet to work as a team.

Join us!