XPosted 4/13/2008 10:48 AM PDT on MyDesert.com in blog of BluePalmSpringsBoyz

The campaign Director for the Manual Perez, Democratic candidate for the CA 80th Assembly District seat to replace the termed-out, thank God, Bonnie Garcia, stood in front of the monthly meeting of the Desert Stonewall Democratic Club (DSD) and had the temerity to mislead the 45 or so members and friends of the club about Perez’ stated positions on LGBT issues, particularly Marriage Equality.

Yesterday, April 12, 2008, the DSD under the chair of George Zander, conducted its monthly meeting at the Desert Pride Center from 10:20 a.m. until approximately 12:00 noon.  During the course of the meeting, candidates and their representatives discussed the progress and status of their respective campaigns.  Amalia Deaztlan, campaign director for Perez, spoke eloquently about Perez’ campaign until she claimed that Perez supported Marriage Equality.  Sources from DSD and the Pettis campaign inform this writer that the group erupted in incredulous comments.  

As stated previously in this blog, Perez has had a number of occasions to speak publically on Marriage Equality and other campaign issues before the Coachella Valley Democratic Clubs and each time has refused to state that he will vote ‘Yea’ on the State Assembly Marriage Equality Bill.  On other occasions, for instance at the Sun City Democratic Club meeting and elsewhere, Perez has stated that he is not part of ‘the Alternative Life-style,’ thus pandering to those whom he sees as anti-gay and anti-Greg Pettis, the leading Democratic candidate for the 80th AD and an openly-gay Cathedral City Councilman who clearly and unequivocably supports Marriage Equality and will vote ‘yea.’

More below the flip…

Pettis spoke to DSD about his full support for and plans to vote on the floor of the State Assembly for Marriage Equality, protection of students’ rights in the schools when faced with discrimination and hate speech based on their sexual orientation or perceived sexual orientation, same-sex adoptions, domestic partnership in the face of inability to marry, and other LGBT issues.  Pettis drew clear distinctions between his clearly stated positions and planned votes and Perez’ equivocations and non-specificity regarding his voting intentions.

DSD members registered their disbelief during and following the presentations (e.g., GZ, RS, BCG, GP, RO, TT, et al.).  Perhaps the campaign director ought to check with the candidate on how wide his stance is on LGBT issues rather than making assumptions based on her own clear support for LGBT issues.

Perez’ lack of support on LGBT issues forms the basis for the fact that not a single Democratic Club in the 80th Assembly District has endorsed for State Assembly, while Pettis enjoys the endorsements of the Desert Stonewall Democrats, the Palm Springs Democratic Club, the Pass Democratic Club, the Inland Empire Stonewall Democratic Club, the San Diego Democratic Club, Desert Hot Springs Democratic Club President Will Pieper, Desert Hot Springs Democratic Club co-founder Chuck McDaniel, Palm Springs Democratic Club co-founder Lisa Arbalaez, Palm Springs Democratic Club former Co-chair Robert Lee Thomas, Pass Democratic Club President Jacqueline Atwood, and Sun City Democratic Club President Arnie Kaminsky.  In addition, the Victory Fund, the Nation’s largest LBGT Political Action Committee, endorsed Pettis for Assembly.

Pettis also has the support and/or endorsements of most of the LGBT community leaders and activists while Perez has little to no support in the community.  Supporters and/or endorsers of Pettis in the LGBT community include U.S. Rep. Barney Frank, U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, State Assemblyman Mark Leno, State Assemblywoman Carole Migden, Cathedral City Councilman and Candidate for Mayor of Cathedral City Paul Marchand, Desert Hot Springs City Councilman Karl Baker, Palm Springs City Councilwoman Ginny Foat, and Palm Springs City Councilman Rick Hutcheson.  Not a single LGBT current elected has announced support for or endorsed Perez for Assembly.

LGBT community activists supporing Pettis include Palm Springs Democratic Club Co-Chair Sandy Eldridge, Palm Springs Democratic Club Co-Chair David Pye, DSD Treasurer Bob Silverman, DSD Steering Committee Member Donald W. Grimm, Ph.D., DSD Steering Committee Member, Richard Oberhaus, DSD Steering Committee Member Lyn Worley, LGBT Community Activist Bill Cain-Gonzalez, LGBT Community Activist and Blogger Bond Shands, and LGBT Community Activist Steven M. Smith.  Very few if any LGBT community activists have announced support or endorsements of Perez.

Other Democratic leaders who fully support the LGBT community and who endorsed Pettis include Califorrnia Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi, California State Controller John Chiang, former-State Controller Steve Westley, State Board of Equalitzation Boardmember Judy Chu, State Senate President Pro-tem Don Perata, State Senator Christine Kehoe, State Senator Sheila Kuehl, State Senator Darrell Steinberg, State Assemblyman Mike Eng, State Assemblyman John Laird, State Assemblyman Lloyd Levine, State Assemblyman Ted Lieu, former-State Assemblyman Paul Koretz, former-State Assemblyman Fran Pavley, former 80th Assembly District Candidate Mary Ann Andreas, Riverside Mayor Ronald Loveridge, Riverside City Councilwoman Nancy Hart, West Hollywood Mayor John Duran, West Hollywood Mayor Pro-tem John Heilman, former Coachella Mayor Juan DeLara, former Brawley Mayor Orbie Hanks, El Centro City Councilwoman Sedalia Hanks, El Centro School Board Trustee Diana Newton, and Palm Springs School Board Trustee Meredy Schoenberger.

Pettis enjoys widespread support in the LGBT and LGBT-friendly communities because of his clearly stated positions and his commitment to vote ‘yea’ on Marriage Equality.  Perez equivocates and has never stated in a public forum that he supports Marriage Equality and will vote ‘yea’ on the measure when it again hits the State Assembly floor for a vote.

LGBT community members and activists know equivocation when they see it.  LGBT members also know not to trust someone who does not fully commit to the issues in advance, knowing betrayal is not a pretty face to behold.  Ask Perez tomorrow on the Calitics podcast why he will not commit in public to vote ‘yea’ on Marriage Equality.  

LGBT Californians and our supporters cannot afford Perez’ equivocations on Marriage Equality and other LGBT issues.

Received this press release today from the Greg Pettis for CA 80th Assembly District campaign.  Pettis presently has the overwhelming support of labor and LGBT groups in his race to replace the termed-out, thank the deity, State Assemblywoman Bonnie Garcia (R-CA).  Pettis, much to the chagrin of his opponents, is also picking up key endorsements from the ethnic minority and multicultural communities.

Pettis has also significantly outraised and outspent his Democratic opponents each reporting period.  According to The Desert Sun, in the last reporting period, Pettis raised and spent more monies than all of these Democratic opponents combined.  Of interest, Pettis also outraised his presumptive Republican opponent, Gary Jeandron, by a significant margin!

Add to this the fact that the current voter registration favors the Democrats.  Thanks to the local Democratic clubs, activists have shifted the 80th AD voter registration from a majority Republican in 2000, to a more than 15,000 voter advantage at present.  And, this does not include the Decline to State voters which have been since 2004 trending Democratic.  Bodes well for a Pettis candidacy in November 2008.

Here is the text of the press release:

For Immediate Release

April 8, 2008

For More Information, contact Richard Oberhaus 760-413-7938

Cathedral City Councilmember Greg Pettis picked up four critical endorsements in the last week from labor and a Latino group, both keys to winning the 80th Assembly District.

More below the flip…

Earlier today, the California AFL-CIO Committee on Public Education endorsed Pettis for the 80th Assembly District. They join the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) who represent 179,000 workers in California and the California State Council of Laborers, who had previously endorsed one of Pettis’s primary election opponents.

Pettis also won the endorsement of HONOR PAC, a statewide Latino group representing Latino and Latina LGBT communities.

The four endorsements cemented Pettis’s position as frontrunner in the Democratic primary in the race to replace Bonnie Garcia, who is prohibited by term limits from serving another term in the 80th Assembly District.

Pettis has previously won endorsements from all the Central Labor Councils representing the 80th Assembly District as well as the California League of Conservation Voters, Cathedral City Professional Firefighters, Progressive Majority, Democracy for America and the Victory Fund.

He has also raised more money than any Democrat running for the 80th Assembly District and has more individual donors than any other candidate.

“We are building a broad-based grassroots coalition that will continue to build momentum through November. Residents of the 80th are coming together behind the need to bring experience to Sacramento to change the way Sacramento works and create a healthier California for all of us,” Pettis said.

Other unions endorsing Pettis include the Building Trades Union of California, Cathedral City Professional Firefighters, San Bernardino/Riverside Counties Central Labor Council, San Diego/Imperial Counties Central Labor Council, and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 440.

LGBT community electeds, organizations and activists endorsing Pettis thus far include U.S. Congressman Barney Frank, U.S. Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin, State Senator Carol Migden, State Assemblyman Mark Leno, Palm Springs City Councilwoman Ginny Foat, Palm Springs City Councilman Rick Hutcheson, Cathedral City City Councilman Paul Marchand, Desert Hot Springs City Councilman Karl Baker, the Desert Stonewall Democratic Club, the Inland Stonewall Democratic Club, the Victory Fund, and Bill and Brad Adams, Bill Cain-Gonzalez, Cynthia Davis, Desert Stonewall Democrats Public Relations Chair Donald W. Grimm, Ph.D., Bond Shands, Desert Stonewall Democrats Treasurer Robert Silverman, and Lynn Worley.

Latino and Latina community activists endorsing Pettis include Palm Springs Democratic Club co-founder Lisa Arbelaez, Christopher Arellano, Larry Baza, Bill Cain-Gonzalez, Tony & Sylvia Escobedo, Mayon Gonzalez, Rodolfo Martinez, Leticia Quezada, Nicole Ramirez, 41st Congressional District Candidate Rita Ramirez-Dean, Ph.D., Dan Ruiz, Ed Torres, and Joe Velasquez.

XPosted 4/7/2008 11:46 PM PDT on MyDesert.com by BluePalmSpringsBoyz

Overheard Saturday night at the Democrats of the Desert Awards Banquet at the Las Rancho Palmas Resort, the decision to seek to close the Cathedral City medical marijuana clinic was made by Mayor Kathy DeRosa (R), Mayor Pro Tem Charles England (R), and Councilmember Chuck Vasquez (R-Closet Case) who voted to close the clinic.

Councilmember Greg Pettis (D), Candidate for the CA 80th Assembly District, and Councilmember Paul Marchand (D), Candidate for Mayor of Cathedral City, voted to support the clinic but were overruled by the Republican majority on council.  In fact, Pettis was slated to appear at an event to support medical marijuana patients at Copy Kats last night, but the event was postponed.

More below the flip…

According to a Cathedral City source for background, Cathedral City council, under the auspices of DeRosa, has a policy to apparently vote on issues in private and to not announce the individual votes of the councilmembers.  This is really “Small Town in Mass Society” (Vidich) mentality.  Anyway, the Desert Sun never printed who voted what way as the specific vote was never announced as per usual.

Seems that DeRosa, England, and Vasquez are out of step with Californians overall and Cathedral City residents who favor keeping the clinic open to service patients diagnosed with cancer, chronic pain, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS, etc.  Isn’t this the same party that opposes stem cell research?  What kind of family values does the Republican party really have?

Seems that the electronic filing deadline for Election 2008 CA 80th Assembly District came and went without me making any comment on the results.  Well, whether you like it or not here comes my late bloomer blogging about the March 24, 2008, filing.

Greg Pettis, Mayor Pro-Tem of Cathedral City and Democratic candidate for the 80th AD lead all Democratic and Republican opponents in this filing.  Pettis raised $54,980.43 during this filing period, spent $52,371.86, and has $31,062.71 cash on hand.

Gary Jeandron, boardmember of the Palm Springs Unified School District and presumptive Republican candidate for the 80th AD raised $38,093, spent $39,754.34, and has $148,039.3 on hand campaign monies.

More below the flip…

Manuel Perez, Vice-President of the Coachella Valley Unified School District and Democratic candidate for the 80th AD raised $18,334, spent $22,788.90, and has $31,541.74 cash on hand.

Rick Gonzalez, Wells Fargo Community Development Corp. employee, raised $17,047.93, spent $16,317.41, and has $32,403.63 in available cash.

Richard Guttierrez, dentist, did not file.  Only candidates raising or spending $50,000 or more or who received a $5,000 donation are required to file electronically.  This means that Guttierrez raised less than $50,000, spent less than $50,000, and did not receive any donation in the amount of $5,000 or greater.

Overall, Pettis far-and-away outraised his Democratic and presumptive Republican opposition.  In fact, Pettis seems to have raised more money than his three Democratic challengers combined.  Pettis also outspent his three Democratic rivals combined according to the electronic filing.  Regarding cash on hand, though, each of the three Democratic campaigns have approximately the same funds in current accounts, though Perez at this rate is spending more each month than he is collecting in donations.

Even more interesting is the fact the Pettis outraised Jeandron in this reporting cycle.  In fact, Pettis raised fifty percent more campaign funds than did Jeandron.  Jeandron still has a much better campaign war chest as we head towards November.  In fact, observers have noted that Jeandron has begun to spend advertising monies on AirAmerica, a progressive talk radio station, that airs in the Coachella Valley on a local station.

At least in this reporting period, the donations in the Coachella Valley are mimicking those on the National level where Democrats are outraising and outspending the Republicans.  The difference is that on the National level, Democrats also have a huge campaign war chest.

XPosted 4/6/2008 10:15 AM PDT on MyDesert.com

Yesterday, Democrats of the Desert had its annual awards banquet to honor Life-Time Achievement Awardee Sonja Marchand and Activist of the Year Rosalie Zwain at the Rancho Las Palmas Resort in Rancho Mirage.  Speakers included Stephanie Miller and Jim Ward, “Stars of Progressive Talk Radio” at AirAmerica.

Democratic officeholders in attendance included Greg Pettis, Mayor Pro-tem of Cathedral City and Candidate for the 80th Assembly District, Paul Marchand, Cathedral City City Councilman, Pat Hammers, Cathedral City Clerk, Ron Oden, former-Mayor of Palm Springs, Rick Hutcheson, Palm Springs City Council, Shari Stewart, Board President, and Justin Blake Board Member of the Palm Springs Unified School District, and Rob Simmons, Palm Springs Airport Commission.

Attending Democratic candidates included Julie Bornstein, Candidate for the 45th Congressional District, Pettis, Candidate for the CA 80th Assembly District, Rick Gonzalez, Candidate for the CA 80th Assembly District, Paul Marchand, Candidate for Mayor of Cathedral City, Greg Rodriguez, Candidate for the Board of the Palm Springs Unified School District, and Kira Klatchko, former-candidate for the Palm Springs Unified School District.  Amalia Deaztlan, campaign manager for the Victor Manuel Perez for the 80th Assembly, also attended.  

Union activists in attendance that I recognized included Chuck McDaniel, IBEW Local 440, Juan Carlos Sanchez, SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West, and others.

Many Coachella Valley Democratic Party activists were also in attendance, including Elle Kurpiewski, Chair, Beth Caskie, Vice President Programs and reknowned blogger, and Carole Sumner Krechman, Vice President & Chair Fund Raising, Chris Escobedo, Vice President – Political Action, each of the Democrats of the Desert, Chuck McDaniel, Co-Chair of the Desert Hot Springs Democrats, George Zander, Chair and blogger, Bob Silverman, Treasurer, James Reynolds, Esq., Secretary of the Desert Stonewall Democrats, Desert Stonewall Democrats Steering Committee members Donald W. Grimm, Ph.D., Richard Oberhaus, and Simmons, Sandy Eldridge and David Pye, Co-Chairs of the Palm Springs Democratic Club, and Jackie Atwood, President, Betty McMillan, 1st Vice President, Robert Atwood, Treasurer, each of the Pass Democratic Club.

Sonja Marchand was accompanied by her husband, Robert, and her son, Paul.  She rendered a stirring speech about Democratic activism, the failures of the Bush Administration over the past seven years including the ‘massive mess in Mesopotamia,’ and the need for Democratic Party unity this coming November (sorry for mangling the alliteration, but that was what I could recall early this a.m.).

Of local mydesert.com readership interest, it seems that the identity of the people behind the Pettis files will soon be known.  The blogger and/or his financial backing had taken out advertisements in the media which require campaign finance reporting.  As a result, the identities should be known shortly.  The noose tightens and scandal is abrewing!

In a brilliant parliamentary maneuver, the Victor Manuel Perez for CA 80th Assembly District campaign to replace the termed out, thank God, Bonnie Garcia (R-CA), the Perez forces by one vote were able to keep Greg Pettis, Mayor Pro-Tem of Cathedral City, from retaining the California Democratic Party endorsement for Assembly.  (Perez is Vice-President of the failed school board in the Coachella Valley Unified School District.)  However, the short-term battle victory may possibly cost the Democrats not only the 80th in the November general election, but also cost them the majority that they need to ignore the demands of the recalictrant minority Republicans in the Assembly.

A major factor developing in the campaign and one of which I have been consistently blogging on mydesert.com, the online edition of The Desert Sun, is the fact that Gary Jeandron, presumptive Republican candidate for the 80th AD is a boardmember of the Palm Springs Unified School District (PSUSD).  Recently, the State of California Board of Education threatened actions and/or sanctions against 97 school boards across the state that failed to meet state academic goals and the requirements of the Federally unfunded ‘No Child Left Behind.’  As a result, California threatened sanctions against the PSUSD and the board for the academic failures in the District.  Jeandron, as boardmember, and running for the 80th cites his education background and experience as instrumental to his qualifications for the office.  However, the threatened sanctions are a major demerit and campaign issue.

This is relevant to Perez as he is Vice-President of the failed CVUSD board which according to the State, had more problems than any other school district in California this year.

More below the flip…

The state actions against the CVUSD and its board are much more severe as their failures were more significant.  The CVUSD District was threatened with state takeover but the state action only involved installation of a trustee to oversee and possibly veto any District and/or board action (State assigns trustee to CVUSD to improve test scores):

“Coachella Valley Unified School District will get a trustee and a state-approved team of independent experts to help improve student test scores, state board members decided this afternoon.

The state board named Riverside County Superintendent Kenneth Young as the district’s trustee, which will give him veto powers over superintendent and board decisions.

But Young said he will work collaboratively with the district.”

The CVUSD was the ONLY district to receive trustee oversight.  Perez as V-P and long-term boardmember bears major responsibility for the failures of the District, its teachers, and its students.  That the CVUSD is suffering such consequences for the academic failures not only raises the question of Perez’ qualifications for Assembly, especially in the area of education, but also blunts the criticism of Jeandron.

If Democrats in the 80th Assembly District choose Perez as the candidate, one of the major issues in the campaign against Jeandron is either removed from the table due to mutual assured destruction on this issue or becomes even more of an issue given the CVUSD is the only District in the state that was assigned a trustee.

Having a ‘well-spoken’ or ‘charismatic’ candidate will not soften the damage to the local Democratic campaign to re-take this seat in November 2008.  Style will not win where substance can win.  Greg Pettis, Mayor Pro-tem of Cathedral City, unlike Perez and Jeandron, is untainted by the failures of the CVUSD and PSUSD school boards and Districts.  In addition, Pettis has the endorsements of State Assemblyman Mike Eng (D-49), Member California State Assembly Committee on Education, El Centro School Board Trustee Diana Newton, and Palm Springs Unified School Board Trustee Meredy Schoenberger.

(re full disclosure, BlueBeaumontBoyz is a Pettis for 80th Assembly District supporter)

Just got this information alert in from the Desert Stonewall Democratic Club, George Zander, Chair, on behalf of the Pettis East Valley and Imperial County 80th Assembly District campaign.  The DSD club is devoted to advancing equal rights for all, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.  DSD supports the Democratic Party and Democratic candidates who support this mission.  DSD draws its strength from a nationwide network of individuals and clubs comprised of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Democrats who are working to realize the following goals:

To educate the LGBT community and its supporters about the vast differences that exist between the two major parties on the issues of concern to the LGBT community;

To lead the Democratic party to improve its record on issues of importance to the LGBT community, and to work for the nomination of Democratic candidates from the local to national level, including qualified openly LGBT candidates who will be fully supportive of the fight against bigotry and intolerance;

To encourage the LGBT community to support and vote for Democratic candidates who are committed to defeating homophobia and prejudice; and

To work with the other local LGBT Democratic clubs and individuals to encourage and foster the creation of new clubs.

More below the flip…

The following is the alert from DSD:

Mr. Pettis’ campaign has continually taken the high road and has informed everyone connected with it to not say anything against the other Democratic candidates.  However, Victor ‘Manuel’ Perez has begun to get personal, and he has done it with the gay-card. Whispering to interviewing (Democratic) clubs that he is not part of an “alternative lifestyle…”

…(Pettis’) record in Imperial County and the Eastern Coachella Valley far exceeds any of his opponents, including Perez.  Greg Pettis worked as part of Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC) and the Coachella Valley Association of Governments (CVAG) on improving all grade crossings in Coachella and on improving Jefferson Road in Indio and La Quinta.

He chaired the Saving Immigrant Lives project in Imperial for two years and received an award from Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) and other groups for his work.

Pettis led the effort in assisting in technical writing and lobbying the California Transportation Commission (CTC) on behalf of the Brawley bypass.  He also helped get money for Hobson Way in Brawley.

Pettis served as the East Valley’s representative on SCAG for six years and appointed East Valley councilmembers to all subcommittees.  He also served as ex-officio on the Salton Sea Authority.

XPosted 4/4/2008 7:45 AM PDT on MyDesert.com on BluePalmSpringsBoyz blog (re full disclosure, BluePalmSpringsBoyz and BlueBeaumontBoyz are Greg Pettis for 80th Assembly District supporters)

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

First, someone who has endorsed Perez for Assembly, apparently has been 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 use her office computer to produce mass emailings for the Perez campaign, but she works for the County of Riverside!  Not only is her job in jeapardy, but she violated State of California campaign law in her endeavors.

More below the flip…

My source contacted Roy Wilson, Supervisor in the County of Riverside and a newsreporter at The Desert Sun.  According to my source, Wilson has conducted an investigation and found that two, count them, two Perez campaign workers have been using County of Riverside computers to do campaign work for Perez.

Wilson has instructed their supervisor(s) to conduct an investigation and to act accordingly.  In addition, thousands of County employees will receive or have now 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 has produced and distributed campaign materials that omit the required by law disclaimers that are required on each piece of material.  Soyinkafan, blogger on Calitics.com and local activist with the Perez campaign was observed handing out hundreds of these particular fliers at last weeks California Democratic Party convention in San Jose.  Complaints about the illegal campaign materials were filed on Monday, March 31, 2008, with the FPPC.

Seems that the Perez campaign is in disarray without adequate leadership and direction.  An organized and well-directed campaign would not make these kinds of mistakes, first not instructing its 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.

What is going on over at the Perez campaign?

PALM SPRINGS, Ca. – Coachella Valley residents were recently treated to an anti-Democratic lead story on the front page of The Desert Sun’s LOCAL section. An anonymous website designer posted a ten-year old story trashing a local Democratic candidate and used it as the basis for his/her web creation. The designer sent an email message advertising the site to the local newspaper staff. A reporter from Gannett’s The Desert Sun newspaper critiqued the new, partially completed website, emailed the designer a note listing some errors and suggested corrections, and then published a story announcing the new website’s debut. The reporter also gave the greatest gift of all by printing the new website’s Internet email address. The reporter subsequently enhanced the gift by posting that website email address online in various areas of the newspaper’s MyDesert.com news and blogging service.  

The Desert Sun newspaper’s participation in the creation and advertising of the new Internet offering was the most important factor in the anti-Democratic website’s success in achieving visibility and recognition. If budding designers wish to achieve similar results, here’s a handy recipe that may prove useful in their pursuit of an active and vibrant new website creation.

1. Register your new website name in the Internet registration database on Tuesday. Select an alias name for yourself so you can remain anonymous. Use that alias in all your correspondence about the new website.

2. Upload a skeleton design to your website and then fill a few pages with out-dated, anti-Democratic political garbage.

3. Send anonymous email announcements advertising your new creation to local politicos and, of course, to lots of staff members at The Desert Sun newspaper in Palm Springs.

4. Wait while The Desert Sun newspaper reporter logs on and critiques your new website content.

5. Review email from The Desert Sun newspaper reporter advising of errors and suggested corrections.

6. Make newspaper reporter’s suggested error corrections to website content and thus enhance its credibility.

7. Wait for reporter’s Monday morning Political Insider column to appear in The Desert Sun newspaper.

8. Read lead story announcing the debut of the new website and yourself as its anonymous author – written under the oversight/supervision of the reporter who so helpfully critiqued your new creation.

9. Your anti-Democratic smear campaign is on the road to success for the reporter has printed the Internet address of your new website. The free exposure provided in The Desert Sun has provided the high visibility you sought and need in order to attract viewers to your website.

10. Sit back, have a martini and congratulate yourself on your exemplary accomplishment. You, an unknown entity, acting anonymously, have created a new anti-Democratic political website and managed to have its debut the subject of a newspaper story – AND they’ve even printed the Internet address of your creation. Your identity is secret and nobody knows whether or not you’re an employee of The Desert Sun newspaper. They took your offering, hook, line and sinker – just like fish bait – and didn’t bother to learn the identity of their source. You did it all in less than a week and they can’t even prove you exist! They’ve left no doubt about you for it’s clear you’re a genuine professional – and possibly the only one of that caliber sitting at their table.

Lest anyone question whether this report represents fantasy, it’s all based on fact. The numbered steps above represent a fairly descriptive recitation of events leading up to The Desert Sun’s March 24th publication of  “Mystery ‘Scoop’ slings Pettis dirt” story in its weekly Political Insider column. One word of warning to other new website designer wannabees. Don’t expect similar red carpet treatment from the newspaper if you’re planning on an anti-Republican political website. Your effort has to be directed against Democrats in order for you to merit their support and the free publicity.

At The Desert Sun newspaper, “They don’t just report the news, they create it!“

Well, it has come to this.  Local progressive Democratic activists have for years attempted to work with The Desert Sun, aka The Pro Bono Sun, and, more recently, mydesert.com, to have more accurate and fair reporting on local politics.  But, the Pro Bono Sun and mydesert.com has been oblivious to the changing demographics in the Coachella Valley and continues to inaccurately and unfairly represent local Democrats.

Case in point, the recent article which listed the four Democratic candidates for the CA 80th Assembly District that listed only three of the candidates and omitted the name of Greg Pettis, Mayor Pro-tem of Cathdral City and Candidate for the 80th AD.  Inaccuracy at its worst, or prejudice at its best.

More below the flip…

Last week, the Pro Bono Sun and mydesert.com corrupted an article on the ineffectual representation of Rep. Mary Bono Baxely Mack (R-CA) in the 45th Congressional District.  The Gannett news empire, of which TDS is apparently a not-so-integral part, posted an amazing story about Mack ranking 309 out of 425 Congressmen and Congresswomen in the current Congress re power and legislative skill.  Scathing journalism, truth to power.  TDS however watered down the article, incorporating the two powerful U.S. Senators in CA, Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-CA), and reworded the title of the article and the text to mask Bono’s ineptitude.

Must be nice to be a friend of TDS (was that the picture of the TDS hierarchy at Mack’s wedding?  Talk about conflict of interest).

The Pro Bono Sun is oblivious to the fact that the Coachella Valley is changing and the progression is probably irreversible.  During Election 2004, Palm Springs, Desert Hot Springs, Cathedral City, Coachella, and Indio all voted a majority for Kerry/Edwards over Bush/Cheney.  In 2000, when the CA 80th Assembly District was formed, Republicans held an advantage over Dems.  Now, as of February 2008, Democrats outnumber Republicans by almost 15,500!  Together, Democrats and Decline to State voters amount to 51% of the voters in the 45th Congressional District where Rep. Mary Bono Baxely Mack holds onto the district by the tips of her French nails.

Last Saturday, representatives from the Desert Stonewall Democratic Club, the Palm Springs Democratic Club, the Democrats of the Desert, and the Palm Springs Democratic Women have launched a media watch group for the most egregious news media venture in the Coachella Valley: The Desert Sun (aka, The Pro Bono Sun).  These clubs plan to also include the other Democratic clubs and our allies in the Coachella Valley in our efforts to track the inaccuracies and bias of The Pro Bono Sun and mydesert.com.

(Remember the Democratic Unity Rally for the New Hampshire primary where 75-100 activists gathered at the Look Patio Bar & Restaurant and where the Republicans had nothing scheduled?  The Pro Bono Sun took quotes from Democratic Rally organizers Greg Rodriguez and Rob Simmons for sure.  But, even without any event, The Pro Bono Sun tracked down three, count them, three Republicans to counter.  No Republican party, three quotes.  Democratic Unity Rally, two quotes.  Interesting.)

The Times, er, The Sun, it will be achanging.  Otherwise, the media watch wars begin.