Links:
• An interesting story out of the race to replace Ted Lieu (AD-53). Apparently two of the candidates were in a relationship years ago.
• One of the less discussed renewable energy sources is geothermal. However, some Californians worry that it will create seismic activity. At this point, it is clear that such projects do cause small earthquakes, but the company testing the idea claims they can limit them to 2.3 quakes.
• For the last few years, toxics in children’s products and some furniture has been a big topic of debate. Those bills have continued to flow, especially from Sen. Mark Leno. It turns out it takes a few years to undo damage that we legislated into existence a generation ago.
• More immigrant bashing. This time it’s from people who have made well, an obsession, of it. The nativists plan on putting an initiative to end all services for undocumented immigrants AND their US Citizen children. They claim birth isn’t really a reason to become a citizen. Wonder what the Native Americans have to say about all this…
I have much more on this story. The Daily Breeze is kind of out to lunch on it. Jim Aldinger told me personally Saturday that he had his run and was out of public life for good. Moments later he was announced as a candidate for AD-53 (there were seven of them at the event I attended, and that doesn’t even include the 2 others mentioned in this article, which is heavily biased toward the South Bay and not Venice/Mar Vista, where there are more active Democrats).
I don’t know entirely what’s going on, but my guess is that Aldinger, who ran against Ted Lieu 6 years ago, is a stalking horse in the race for somebody. And I don’t think to run against Butler, either, who is only the favorite in Parke Skelton’s head.
His candiacy seems creepy to me given the track record of non-payment to Verizon as well as this protracted dispute over something as silly as furniture.
I know nothing about Jim Aldinger other than this story and he can’t be serious given these past issues. At the same time, one has to wonder what is going through the mind of Betsy Butler and her inability to even address what will likely dog her throughout this process.
Butler seems like an insider who believes a non-entity politically can win in a crowded field based on raising the most money. There are other candidates in this field far more qualified than either Aldinger & Butler and this personal episode has the possibilities of tarnishing the race as well as the Democrats.
I urge Calitics to keep a strong eye on this race as perceptions of front-runner status are created by the likes of Skelton when in fact 99% of the district’s residents have no idea who any of these people are, including the incumbent who is seeking the AG’s nomination.