A former Democratic rival endorsed Greg Pettis, Cathedral City Councilman and former Mayor Pro-Tem of Cathedral City, in his bid for the 80th Assembly District seat, according to The Desert Sun and the Pettis campaign.  Pettis already has the endorsement of every Democratic club in the 80th Assembly District that thus far has endorsed, including the Desert Hot Springs Democratic Club, the Desert Stonewall Democratic Club, the Inland Stonewall Democratic Club, the Palm Springs Democratic Club, the Pass Democratic Club, the San Diego Democratic Club, and the San Diego Democratic Women’s Club.

In addition, the former-candidate for the 80th Assembly District Mary Ann Andreas, former-President of the Sun City Democratic Club, Arnie Kaminsky, President of the Pass Democratic Club Jacqueline Atwood, Vice-President of the Pass Democratic Club Betty McMillion, the Treasurer of the Desert Stonewall Democratic Club Bob Silverman, the President of the Desert Hot Springs Democratic Club Will Pieper, Vice-President of the Desert Hot Springs Democratic Club Chuck McDaniel, Co-Chair of the Palm Springs Democratic Club Sandy Eldridge, Co-Chair of the Palm Springs Democratic Club David Pye, co-founder of the Palm Springs Democratic Club Lisa Arbalaez, former Co-Chair of the Palm Springs Democratic Club Robert Lee Thomas, Riverside County Democratic Central Committee Alternate Kira Klatchko, Paul Rasso, President of the Democratic Women of the Desert Nikki Stone, and other local Democratic activists have endorsed Pettis as the transformational candidate.

According to The Desert Sun reporter, Nicole Brambila,

Coachella City Councilman Gilbert Ramirez Jr., who was knocked out of the race for the Democratic nomination in March, threw his support behind the Cathedral City Councilman (Pettis) vying to replace outgoing Assemblywoman Bonnie Garcia, R-Cathedral City.

More below the flip…

The Desert Sun article continues:

Garcia cannot run again because of term limits.

“With our economy in recession and our kids facing budget cuts from Sacramento, we want leaders with a successful track record of showing up day in an day out and protecting vital services,” Ramirez said in a campaign press release.

“Greg not only has a track record of success creating jobs in Cathedral City, but also a sensible plan to cover every child with health care and to invest in our public schools. That’s the kind of tested and trusted leadership we need in Sacramento to turn our state in the right direction.”

Ramirez did not qualify for the race because he failed to get 40 Democratic nominating signatures. Only 33 of 68 of his signatures counted.

Pettis’ focuses on three major issues during the campaign, universal healthcare, the local economy, and the environment.  His ideas include:

Make health care more affordable and accessible by

Insuring every child

Expanding access to Medi-Cal and Healthy Families to cover those being priced out of the market

Protecting doctor choice

Encouraging preventative care

Working towards a universal health care system

Create good paying jobs and opportunities by:

Expanding enterprise zones

Micro-targeting loans to distressed communities

Supporting tourism and agriculture industries

Increasing investment in local higher education

Attracting green energy firms

Keep our air and water clean and protect our planet by:

Meeting the goal of 25% renewable energy by 2020

Expanding green building standards to reduce water use

Increasing recycling rates

Creating transportation options and pedestrian friendly neighborhoods to reduce sprawl

Protecting the Salton Sea from excess runoff  

The failure of the Federal Government to provide universal and affordable healthcare has negatively impacted the health and financial viability of American families.  As a result, community-based organizations and non-profits have had to pick up the gauntlet.  Desert Women for Equality is one such organization.  DWE provides free mammograms to the uninsured and underinsured women of the Coachella Valley.

This is a Press Release from DWE:

Desert Healthcare District (DHCD) has awarded a $40,000 grant to Desert Women for Equality’s innovative and successful “We Care” Free Mobile Mammogram Program so that the organization can continue providing free mammograms to uninsured/underinsured women who do not have a doctor’s referral for the test.

DHCD is a governmental agency that was established in 1948 by the State of California to improve and support community health programs within a 457-square mile service area in the Coachella Valley. “The DHCD grant not only provides DWE with necessary funding to sustain and grow our program, but it also recognizes the viability of the program and the great need there is for the services that we are providing to the community,” said Barbara Barrett, President of DWE. “DWE was founded by a group of community-oriented women and has been largely funded and supported by the local community. Now DHCD has joined us in our effort ,and we are very grateful for their support. and we hope that we can establish a long-lasting partnership with them. We are also now investigating the possibility of expanding our services and of offering free prostate cancer screenings to the men of our Valley. We need to keep them healthy too,” Barrett stated.

The grant will pay for individual mammograms given within the District. The DWE mobile mammography partner, Physician’s Diagnostic Imaging, brings mammography equipment to various pre-determined sites in the Coachella Valley. Women are screened on an appointment and walk-in basis, not needing a doctor’s referral. Clients who require follow-up care are then referred to free medical clinics and treatment centers for further medical assessment and evaluation. Since June 2006, Desert Women for Equality has completed 564 free mammograms. In 2008, six clinics were scheduled in the DHCD service area, and three clinics were scheduled outside the District in the cities of Coachella and Indio.

The “We Care” program is in direct alignment with the District’s strategic objectives – target access to breast-cancer screening, improve access to primary health care underserved communities, and facilitate access to health education, disease prevention and comprehensive diagnostic and treatment services.

DWE has planned the next “We Care” clinic at the Indio Senior Center for May 14, 2008, and will also offer other clinics in Coachella, Palm Springs, and Thousand Palms later this year.

To make an appointment for any “We Care” Free Mobile Mammogram clinic, please contact the DWE office at 760-325-4701.  To make a charitable donation, please send your tax-deductible check to Desert Women For Equality, 555 S. Sunrise Way, Suite 212E, Palm Springs, CA 92262. For every $80.00 that you donate, DWE provides one woman with a free mammogram. Check out the website at desertwomenforequality.com for more information on DWE and its programs.

XPosted 4/26/2008 11:22 PM PDT on MyDesert.com in blog by BluePalmSpringsBoyz

At the Desert Hot Springs Democratic Club Monthly Meeting earlier today, according to an email that I just received from Chuck McDaniel, Vice-President, the DHSDC unanimously endorsed Greg Pettis, Cathedral City Councilman and former Mayor Pro-tem of Cathedral City, for the Democratic nomination for the 80th Assembly District to succeed the termed-out, thank the deity, Bonnie Garcia (R).  Pettis’ rivals for the nomination garnered not a single tally in the endorsement process today.

Pettis has been either City Councilman or Mayor Pro-tem of Cathedral City for the last 13 years and has served with distinction in other local governmental positions in the region as well.  McDaniel, also a union official with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 440, was enthusiastic in his support of the Pettis candidacy, having worked with Pettis in numerous capacities and in many local elections during recent years, including Mary Ann Andreas’ candidacy for the 80th AD and Steve Clute’s candidacy for the 80th AD.

More below the flip…

All of the other local Democratic clubs who have thus far endorsed have endorsed Pettis for the 80th AD seat.  These clubs include but are not limited to the Pass Democratic Club, Desert Stonewall Democrats, Palm Springs Democratic Club, Inland Stonewall Democrats, San Diego Democratic Club, and the San Diego Women’s Democratic Club.  Club leaders also endorsing Pettis include Pass Democratic Club President Jacqueline Atwood, Pass Democratic Club Vice-President Betty McMillion, Desert Stonewall Democrats Vice-President Roger Tansey, DSD Treasurer Bob Silverman, DSD Steering Committee Members Sandy Eldridge, Donald W. Grimm, Ph.D., Jono Hildner, James Reynolds, Greg Rodriguez, Robert Lee Thomas, and Lynn Worley, Palm Springs Democratic Club Co-Chair Sandy Eldridge, Palm Springs Democratic Club Co-Chair David Pye, Desert Hot Springs President Will Pieper, and Desert Hot Springs Vice-President Chuck McDaniel, Sun City Democratic Club President Arnie Kaminsky, Democratic Club of Moreno Valley President Paul Rasso, and Riverside County Democratic Central Committee Alternate Kira Klatchko.  Not a single Democratic club in the Coachella and Imperial Valleys has thus far endorsed another candidate besides Pettis for the nomination.

Pettis stated, “I am indeed grateful for the confidence that the Desert Hot Springs Democratic Club has shown in my candidacy and for their generous support.  The local clubs, especially the Desert Hot Springs Democratic Club, have long been a source for the volunteers in any successful Democratic campaign in the Coachella and Imperial Valleys.  I deeply appreciate the work that Will Pieper, Chuck McDaniel and the Club membership have done thus far with my campaign, and I look forward to continue working with them during the primary and general election campaigns.”

In a related positive note, at tonight’s Pass Democratic Club Annual Unity Dinner at the Morongo Resort and Casino in Cabazon, McMillion gave a wonderul personal introduction to Pettis during the night’s festivities that was only outshone by that given to Secretary of State Debra Bowen.  McMillion noted that ‘all’ of the desert clubs have fully supported Pettis’ candidacy, especially at the pre-nomination convention in Moreno Valley where 70%+ of the delegates voted to endorse, and continue to provide active and full support for Pettis.  Most in attendance were pleasantly surprised at the length and depth of the support from the platform.  Kudos to McMillion!

Following Pettis’ introduction, McMillion gave a brief intro for Victor Manuel Perez, Candidate for the 80th AD, alluding to the fact that Perez might have some school involvement.  Perez, his campaign manager, and another in his contingent were then seen leaving the ballroom before Bowen’s introduction and speech.  Some Democratic activists in attendance, myself not included, wondered about the propriety of Perez’ sudden departure and the unintended message to Bowen.

This week, three members of the Coachella Valley Unified School District (CVUSD) endorsed the candidacy of Rick Gonzales for the 80th Assembly District to replace the termed-out, thank God, Bonnie Garcia (R).  Gonzales works for Wells Fargo as a comunity housing investor.

The news behind the endorsements is that this is a repudiation of the leadership of Victor Manuel Perez on the board and of his Candidacy for the 80th AD.  Seems that Perez’ major claim to the nomination is his ‘credentials’ on education.  Backers claim that Perez has the unified backing of the education community in the Coachella Valley.  Not.

More below the flip…

Perez serves on the CVUSD and the executive committee as its Vice-President.  As such, Perez was intimately responsible for the ill-advised decision on the part of the board to seek Federal funds that, according to The Desert Sun, lead to the CVUSD being the only board in the state threatened with state sanctions to actually be placed under state-sponsored trusteeship this year (see my previous posts).  The state made it clear that acceptance of the funds by CVUSD board was the primary determining factor in its decision to place the board and the Superintendant under state trusteeship.

Now, three of the members of the CVUSD board, Gloria Maldonado, Anna Rodriguez, and Maria Elvia Rios, according to the Rick Gonzales for State Assembly website, have rejected the candidacy of Perez and have endorsed Gonzales.  Whether they repudiate Perez for his part in the ill-conceived decisions of the board or for other reasons remains to be seen.

As they have done to others during the campaign in the Coachella Valley and here on Calitics, including with this blogger, the Perez campaign is attempting to smear the actions of these three boardmembers and to label them as the problem with the CVUSD board.  (This approach seems so familiar.  Remember the Bush tactics used against its detractors?)  Rather than innuendo, mudslinging, and slander, it is up to the Perez campaign and its blogger to address the voting patterns of Perez and the CVUSD boardmembers for the benefit of the reader to see if in fact these were recalicitrant board members or if they were in fact the ones who were shall we say ‘transformational.’

Oh, and just to be fact-based, here is the evidence for the fact that the education community in the Coachella and Imperial Valleys are not supportive of Perez for the 80th AD:

Rick Gonzales for Assembly Endorsements in Education:

Gloria Maldonado, Coachella Valley Unified School Boardmember

Anna Rodriguez, Coachella Valley Unified School Boardmember

Maria Elvia Rios, Coachella Valley Unified School Boardmember

Irene Padilla Salazar, Vice-President Brawley Elementary School District

Marion Long-Former Imperial Valley Community College Board Member

Norma Sierra Galindo– Imperial Valley Community College Board

Louie Wong– Imperial Valley Community College Board

Carlos Acuña– Imperial Valley Community College Board

Tim Asamen – Former Westmorland Elementary School Board Member

John Moreno — School Administrator, Calexico Unified School District

Enrique “Pinky” Alvarado–Calexico Unified School Board

Eduardo Rivera –Calexico Unified School Board President

Enrique “Pinky” Alvarado–Calexico Unified School Board

Eduardo Rivera –Calexico Unified School Board President

Gloria Santillan — Former Brawley Union High School Board Member

Helen Noriega — Brawley Union High School Board Member

Rusty Garcia — Brawley Union High School Board Member

Joe Padilla — Brawley Elementary School Board Member

Cesar Guzman — Brawley Elementary School Board Member

Michael Romero — Brawley Educator

Kathy Prior — Brawley Elementary School Board Member

More on the various candidate stances on education later this week.

XPosted 4/25/2008 10:36 AM PDT on MyDesert.com in blog by BluePalmSpringsBoyz

Been away on vacation and come back to major doin’s on the 80th Assembly District campaign trail.  Nicole Brambila (staff writer for The Desert Sun) penned an interesting article today (on mydesert.com) that explains that the Fair Political Practices Commission needs more time to investigate the claim by Greg Rodriguez, candidate for the Palm Springs Unified School District, Hillary Clinton delegate to the Democratic National Convention this summer in Denver, and a supporter of the Greg Pettis for 80th AD that the Victor Manuel ‘Slick Manny’ Perez campaign violated campaign ethics.

Here are portions of Brambila’s article:

The Fair Political Practices Commission requested more time to look into whether it will investigate a formal complaint against an 80th Assembly District candidate (Perez).

Greg Rodriguez, who supports Democratic candidate and Cathedral City Councilman Greg Pettis, filed the complaint against Democratic candidate and Coachella school board trustee Manuel Perez on April 4, accusing him of failing to disclose who paid for his campaign advertising…

More below the flip…

Now, it seems that Dale Wissman, a supporter of Perez and a labor relations representative with the California School Employees Association, filed a FPPC complaint against Richard Gutierrez, another Democratic candidate for the 80th AD.  This after the Perez campaign went off the deep edge about the Rodriguez complaint.  Interesting, what apparently is good for the goose has become good for the gander.  The Perez campaign complaint against Gutierrez claims that Gutierrez had not submitted semiannual and pre-election campaign statements nor disclosed contributor information.

The FPPC was created in a ballot initiative in 1974, investigates violations of the Political Reform Act and can assess a $5,000 administrative penalty. A violation of the political reform act is a misdemeanor.

The only other Democrat in the June primary race is Rick Gonzales, a community development manager for Wells Fargo.  Apparently, the Perez campaign also has plans for Gonzales, according to my source at Palm Springs Village Fest last evening.  In my estimation, the Perez campaign has suffered greatly in the past weeks under the examination of the media regarding Perez’ failures as Vice-President of the Coachella Valley Unified School District.  Recently, the State of California placed only the CVUSD out of 97 Districts threatened under trusteeship for the CVUSD board and Superintendant’s failures to achieve academic goals under the Federal program “No Child Left Behind.”  And, recently, in a significant blow to the Perez campaign, two of his colleagues on the CVUSD endorsed Gonzales for the 80th AD race.  Seems that even his acquaintances and friends are questioning Perez’ capabilities and accomplishments!

The presumptive Republican candidate, former Palm Springs Police Chief Gary Jeandron, is running unopposed and has his own problems.  This blogger has reported extensively regarding Jeandron’s failures on the Palm Springs Unified School District as it was also threatened with trusteeship for academic failures and for his failures as Palm Springs Police Chief in his failure to develop and institute an significant department program to address the problem of crime in the neighborhoods or to deal with the methamphetamine crisis in Palm Springs.  Jeandron has consistently been an absense on the PSUSD and in the PSPD in the development of any program that would help to achieve community goals.

The campaign intensifies and fur flies.

XPosted 4/19/2008 1:32 PM PDT on MyDesert.com

…DoD Chairwoman Elle Kurpiewski announced that Carole Sumner Krechman had resigned from the DoD board and from her membership in the Democratic Club.

DoD represents itself as

“…the largest and oldest Democratic Club in the Coachella Valley, chartered by the State Democratic Party of California.”

According to the DoD website, Sumner Krechman served the club and its members as Vice President & Chair Fund Raising.  Sumner Krechman is also a member of the Riverside County Democratic Central Committee…

…Sumner Krechman, Kurpiewski, and others have been contacted by this writer for comment, but to date have not responded.***

***Elements of this post that had been reported by and confirmed independently by multiple members of DoD who attended this meeting, have been redacted at the request of the DoD executive and boardmember(s).  Oh, the pressures exerted on a free and ‘unfettered’ press.  Now I know why The Desert Sun reporters do not report on the doings of the Bono Baxely Mack posse.

(XPosted 4/19/2008 8:33 AM PDT on MyDesert.com in BluePalmSpringsBoyz blog.)

…Pettis has the support of all of the Democratic Clubs that have endorsed to date, the most active union leadership and membership, and the community.

Pettis has thus far been endorsed by the Desert Stonewall Democratic Club, the Inland Stonewall Democratic Club, the Palm Springs Democratic Club, the Pass Democratic Club, the San Diego Democratic Club, the San Diego Democratic Women’s Club.  He has been endorsed by former-Brawley Mayor Orbie Hanks, Cathedral City Councilmember and Candidate for Mayor of Cathedral City Paul Marchand, former-Cathedral City Councilmember Sarah Digradi, former-Coachella Mayor Juan DeLara, Coachella City Councilmember Gilbert Ramirez, Desert Hot Springs City Councilmember Karl Baker, El Centro City Councilmember Sedalia Sanders, Palm Springs City Councilmember Ginny Foat, Palm Springs City Councilmember Rick Hutcheson, former-Rancho Mirage City Councilmember Jeanne Parrish, and former Candidate for the 80th AD Bonnie Garcia.

He also has the endorsement of such local Democratic Party activists as Roger Tansey, Vice-President, Bob Silverman, Treasurer, James Reynolds, Secretary, Greg Gonzalez, Steering Committee, Donald W. Grimm, Ph.D, Public Relations Committee Chair, Richard Oberhaus, Steering Committee, and other Desert Stonewall Democrats as well.  Pettis enjoys the support from Chuck McDaniel and Will Pieper, Co-Chairs of the Desert Hot Springs Democratic Club, from Sandy Eldridge and David Pye, Co-Chairs of the Palm Springs Democratic Club, and from Jacqueline Atwood, President, and Betty McMillion, Vice-President of the Pass Democratic Club, and Arnie Kaminsky, President of the Sun City Democratic Club.

Pettis has the active endorsement and support from the major local unions including the American Federation of State, County, and Munipal Employees, the Building Trades of California, the California AFL-CIO, the Cathedral City Professional Firefighters, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 440, the Riverside/San Bernardino Counties Central Labor Council, the San Diego/Imperial Counties Central Labor Council, and Teamsters, Joint Council 42.

More below the flip…

Finally, Pettis clearly has the support of a clear majority of Democratic activists and our friends in the District.  In the most recent electronic filing, the figures released by the State demonstrate that Pettis both outraised and outspent ALL of his Democratic opponents combined.  He also has more monies in his campaign treasury than any of his opponents…

…Pettis has the voter registration on his side with Democrats now outnumbering Republicans by more than 15,000, not including the Decline to State voters in the District.  Steve Clute, underfunded and poorly organized, barely lost to Garcia in 2006.  Pettis has the funds and the local Democratic organizational support…***

***Elements of this post that had been sourced from members of DoD who are also leaders in the local Democratic activist community have been redacted at the request of these individuals for the purpose of preserving Democratic Unity.

Posted 4/17/2008 10:26 PM PDT on MyDesert.com

Earlier this week, The Desert Sun and its online edition, mydesert.com, detailed the California Fair Political Practices Commission complaint against the Perez campaign for the 80th Assembly District for unfair practices during the California Democratic Party convention in San Jose.  For the entire article, refer to FPPC Complaint Alleges Candidate Skirting Campaign Advertising Disclosure.

The California Fair Political Practices Commission confirmed that someone had filed a complaint against 80th Assembly District Democratic candidate Manuel Perez accusing him of failing to disclose who paid for his campaign advertising.

The complaint was filed by Greg Rodriguez, Democratic activist and candidate for the Palm Springs Unified School District, against the failed Coachella School Board trustee April 4, 2008.  Seems that Rodriguez has had enough of local failed school board officials and soiled campaigns.

“It’s obvious some people want to manipulate rules and don’t want to follow them,” said Greg Rodriguez, who filed the complaint. “I think everybody needs to be scrutinized by the rules they follow.”

More below the flip…

Rodriguez is a candidate for the Palm Springs Unified School District board and a Sen. Hillary Clinton delegate to the Democratic National Convention in Denver later this summer.  Pettis, a Cathedral City Councilman and former-Mayor Pro-tem, is the leading candidate and leading fundraiser of the four Democratic contenders for the 80th AD.

According to The Desert Sun,

Perez says he’s complied with the law.

“It’s one thing or another,” he said. “We’ve got more important things to do like walk the streets and talk to voters.”

Apparently one of the more important things that the Perez campaign has to do is voter intimidation in the Coachella Valley.  Perez’ Campaign Director, Amalia Deaztlan, was reported to intimidate one of Pettis’ Latino supporters and endorsers at the Democrats of the Desert Annual Banquet on Saturday, April 5, 2008, harshly pinching him in a manner usually applied by Latino adults to recalcitrant children, telling him after he refused to switch his allegiance from Pettis to Perez, “You are no longer one of us!”  In addition, Perez supporters have attempted to intimidate Pettis bloggers and diarists with threats and accusations.

Created with a ballot initiative in 1974, The Fair Political Practices Commission was created in a 1974 ballot initiative to investigate campaign violations of the Political Reform Act and imposes administrative penalties.

The FPPC will notify Rodriguez in writing by Friday whether the department will investigate or not, said Roman Porter, a department spokesman. Porter would not speculate on the merits of the complaint.

“One advantage of having a formal complaint signed under penalty of perjury is to reduce frivolous complaints,” he said.

State law requires disclosure on campaign advertising when advocating for or against a candidate or ballot measure.

Perez supporters created and distributed fliers advertising the Perez candidacy at the CDP convention in order to attempt to revoke the party endorsement of Pettis for the 80th AD which he obtained with over 70% of the Democratic Club votes at the Moreno Valley confab.  Perez supporters created the advertisements without any FPPC-required denotations as required for the mass production of campaign materials.  Perez supporters to date have not reported exactly how many fliers were created for distribution.  Under FPPC regulations, mass-produced advertisements are often regulated when created in numbers of 200 or greater.

Manuel Perez, Vice-President of the failed Coachella Valley Unified School District and Candidate for the 80th Assembly District, and his campaign, have allegedly fun afoul of campaign ethics with campaign violations in two campaign scandals, according to my mydesert.com blogger source at Palm Springs Village Fest.

First, someone who volunteers for the Perez for Assembly campaign, was allegedly using her office computer to mail out campaign materials for the Perez campaign.  My source is in possession of an original piece of email from the campaign worker.

Now, as anyone who has worked in an office environment in the past 15 years knows: “Do not use your office computer for personal use, otherwise your job is in jeapardy!”  Well, not only did this employee apparently use her office computer to produce mass emailings for the Perez campaign, but she worked for the County of Riverside!  Not only is her job in jeapardy, but she violated State of California campaign law in her endeavors.  The Perez campaign has not addressed to what extent it was involve in the production and distribution of the fliers.

My source eventuall contacted Roy Wilson, Supervisor in the County of Riverside and a newsreporter at The Desert Sun, Nicole Brambila.  According to my source, Wilson has conducted an investigation and found that two, count them, two Perez campaign workers and/or volunteers have been using County of Riverside computers to do campaign work for Perez.  When the Perez campaign found out that its skullduggery had been found out, it cried ‘Mudslinging!’ and ‘Republican talking points!’  Seems that the Perez mouthpieces went apoplectic.

Wilson instructed County supervisor(s) to conduct an investigation and to act accordingly.  In addition, thousands of County employees received emails from the County reminding them that it is against the law to use County computers, offices, etc. to conduct campaign work.

Second, the Perez campaign mass-produced and distributed campaign materials that omitted the required by law disclaimers that are required one each piece of campaign materials.  Bethcaskie, blogger shill for the Perez campaign was observed handing out hundreds of the illegal fliers at the California Democratic Party convention in San Jose.  Greg Rodriguez, local Democratic activist, filed a complaint with the FPPC on Monday, March 31, 2008.

Seems that the Perez campaign has in disarray without adequate leadership and direction, unable to direct and/or manage its volunteers and/or staff.  An organized and well-directed campaign would not make these kind of mistakes, first not instructing their workers to not use office computers, let alone County resources, to further the campaign, and second, not vetting the campaign materials for irregularities and illegalities.

The Perez campaign response to the allegations is to label Rodriguez and other Pettis supporters as ‘mudslingers’ and adherents to ‘Republican talking points.’  Seems that the Perez campaign loves to see itself as the victim.  Not a pretty sight that.

What is going on over at the Perez campaign?

The Desert Sun and its online edition, mydesert.com, detailed the California Fair Political Practices Commission complaint against the Perez campaign for the 80th Assembly District for unfair practices during the California Democratic Party convention in San Jose.  For the entire article, refer to FPPC Complaint Alleges Candidate Skirting Campaign Advertising Disclosure.

The California Fair Political Practices Commission confirmed today that someone filed a complaint against 80th Assembly District Democratic candidate Manuel Perez accusing him of failing to disclose who paid for his campaign advertising.

The complaint was filed against the Coachella School Board trustee April 4.

“It’s obvious some people want to manipulate rules and don’t want to follow them,” said Greg Rodriguez, who filed the complaint. “I think everybody needs to be scrutinized by the rules they follow.”

More below the flip…

Rodriguez is a Greg Pettis for 80th Assembly District supporter, a candidate for the Palm Springs Unified School District board, and a Sen. Hillary Clinton delegate to the Democratic National Convention in Denver later this summer.  Pettis, a Cathedral City Councilman and former-Mayor Pro-tem, is the leading candidate and leading fundraiser of the four Democratic contenders for the 80th AD.

According to The Desert Sun,

Perez says he’s complied with the law.

“It’s one thing or another,” he said. “We’ve got more important things to do like walk the streets and talk to voters.”

Apparently one of the more important things that the Perez campaign has to do is voter intimidation in the Coachella Valley.  Perez’ Campaign Director, Amalia Deaztlan, was reported to intimidate one of Pettis’ Latino supporters and endorsers at the Democrats of the Desert Annual Banquet on Saturday, April 5, 2008, harshly pinching him in a manner usually applied by Latino adults to recalcitrant children, telling him after he refused to switch his allegiance from Pettis to Perez, “You are no longer one of us!”  In addition, Perez supporters have attempted to intimidate Pettis bloggers and diarists with threats and accusations.

Created with a ballot initiative in 1974, The Fair Political Practices Commission was created in a 1974 ballot initiative to investigate campaign violations of the Political Reform Act and imposes administrative penalties.

The FPPC will notify Rodriguez in writing by Friday whether the department will investigate or not, said Roman Porter, a department spokesman. Porter would not speculate on the merits of the complaint.

“One advantage of having a formal complaint signed under penalty of perjury is to reduce frivolous complaints,” he said.

State law requires disclosure on campaign advertising when advocating for or against a candidate or ballot measure.

Perez supporters created and distributed fliers advertising the Perez candidacy at the CDP convention in order to attempt to revoke the party endorsement of Pettis for the 80th AD which he obtained with over 70% of the Democratic Club votes at the Moreno Valley confab.  Perez supporters created the advertisements without any FPPC-required denotations as required for the mass production of campaign materials.  Perez supporters to date have not reported exactly how many fliers were created for distribution.  Under FPPC regulations, mass-produced advertisements are often regulated when created in numbers of 200 or greater.

Based on a post 4/13/2008 11:42 PM PDT on MyDesert.com by BluePalmSpringsBoyz

George Zander, Chair of the Desert Stonewall Democratic Club (DSD) reported today that the delegates from the 45th Congressional District were chosen and resulted in fabulous news for the local DSD Democratic Club.  Four local delegates and one alternate were chosen today at local cauci for Sen. Barack Obama and for Sen. Hillary Clinton to attend the Democratic National Convention in Denver this summer.  All four delegates and the one alternate are members of DSD and provide evidence re the strength of the club in local Democratic politics!

The Clinton caucus was conducted at the Cabazon Indian Reservation meeting room in Indio while the Obama caucus was held at the James O. Jesse Desert Highland Unity Center in Palm Springs.

According to Zander, the four delegates for the 45th congressional district included Ginny Foat, openly gay Palm Springs City Councilwoman, Greg Rodriguez, openly gay candidate for the Palm Springs Unified School District, and Kira Klatchko, former-candidate for the PSUSD, representing Clinton and Rob Simmons, openly gay Palm Springs Airport Commissioner, representing Obama.  Sandy Eldridge, openly gay Co-Chair of the Palm Springs Democratic Club is the Clinton alternate.

More below the flip…

The caucus results were:

Obama caucus – 228 voters total

Rob Simmons, 117 votes

No alternate

Clinton caucus – 231 voters total

Delegate Greg Rodriguez, 136 votes

Delegate Ginny Foat, 125 votes

Delegate Kira Klatchko, 99 votes

Alternate Sandy Eldridge, 53 votes

Needless to say, Zander was ecstatic at the results, indicating that it represents the strength of the local Democratic clubs and is a great achievement for the DSD Clinton and Obama activists.