(Cross-posted at Trash Dirty Gary and The Liberal OC)

It’s been quite a wild week in the 42nd Congressional District. Ever since Ron Shepston announced that he’s running against Dirty Gary Miller, there have been quite some interesting developments that have occurred in the race to replace Dirty Gary. We’ve had the bloggers talk about going offline. We’ve had the California Democratic Party go online to announce its new website targeting Dirty Gary. We’ve heard rumors that a former Republican politician might reemerge to challenge Dirty Gary in the primary. Oh yes, and what did Ron say about John Kerry?

Follow me after the flip for all the latest dirt on Dirty Gary…

Part One: The Bloggers

The bloggers are coming out of the computer room. OK, so how do I know? The call has been made on Daily Kos. A few of my Kossack friends joined me at DFA Training last month, and they are ready to get the netroots involved in grassroots politics.

So what will come out of this? Hopefully, a whole lot of good work! I encourage our online friends, especially those of them in Southern California, to help us local activists in kicking some Dirty Gary arse and bringing some integrity back to the 42nd District!

Part Two: The Party

Nothing really prepared me for this. The California Democratic Party is actually doing something in the 42nd… And the 44th, as well as the 41st! It’s started the “Triangle of Corruption“, a web site that will keep track of all the dirty wrongdoings of Gary Miller, Ken Calvert, and Jerry Lewis. Way to go, CDP!

Part Three: The Other Challenger?

Oh my goodness, you just have to see this bit of salacious gossip that Art Pedroza included in this week’s “OC Political Chismes“! Apparently, there’s word out here that Lynn Daucher may run against Dirty Gary in the Republican Primary next June. Yes, you heard me right… Lynn Daucher!

So will Miss “Shopping for the Right District” end up running where she actually lives? I don’t know. Still, it would be nice to see Lynn run for office representing a place where she actually resides.

Part Four: The Candidate

Oh yes, and take a look at this, why dont you? No, Ron isn’t trying to take a jab at John Kerry. He’s just talking about how much the Daily Kos community contributes to Democratic victory. Go ahead and take another look at Ron’s latest Daily Kos diary… You might start thinking differently about “those crazy bloggers”.

Part Five: And Finally…

Here’s another rule that Dirty Gary broke! Cheese louise, he wore a hawaiian shirt inside the halls of Congress?! Not only does he have no respect for decorum, but he doesn’t even have any good taste! ; )

(Cross-posted at The Liberal OC and Daily Kos)

Something amazing is happening tomorrow. DFA Campaign Academy is coming to Southern California! Tomorrow, progressive activists from all over Southern California will be coming to Orange County to learn how to win next year and in future elections. And guess what? All of us activists will be learning from the experts who know a thing or two on how to win.

Oh, and here's some more good news. Even though registration for attendance is already at 160 people, DFA is still accepting sign-ups for tomorrow! That's right, even if you haven't signed up yet, you can still come to DFA Training! So what's happening at DFA Training? Follow me after the flip for more…

So what’s in store for this weekend? Well, why not look at the curriculum to find out?! Learn how to fundraise! Learn how to target voters in your neighborhood with new and imporved online tools ready for you to start using! Learn how to use communicate your message better in your local area! Take advantage of this opportunity to learn all this and more this weekend!

OK, so why exactly is this important? Why should we learn all these campaign stuff, especially if we’re not in an area where progressives can win? Actually, that’s why we need to all go to the training this weekend! For far too long, many Democrats have written off areas like Orange County and the Inland Empire as “hopelessly Republican”. But you know what? We can change this!

Ron Shepston may already be doing this as he’s getting his campaign started in the 42nd Congressional District. Now what could possibly be a better way for all of us in Southern California to help Ron out than to go to DFA Campaign Academy and learn how we can convince our neighbors in CA-42 to support Ron? Ron will need people to can take a progressive message, and communicate it in a way that catches the attention of people who may not know much about politics. Ron will need people to help him raise money. Ron will need plenty of help from us if we want to see him win next year, so let’s learn how we can make that happen this weekend!

OK, so you’re nowhere near Orange County? And you don’t live near the 42nd District? That’s fine. Please come anyways, as it’s also important that you learn how to get Democrats elected and promote the progressive agenda in your neighborhood! Perhaps if you sign up now, you can also still catch a hotel room available if you need one. It’s important that we build up Democratic infrastructure everywhere, so let’s get started this weekend! Let’s go to the training and learn what we need to know to gegin building that infrastructure we need to win!

So who’s with me on this? I’ve already signed up for the training. Have you? Well then, you can still sign up! The training’s only $70… That includes lunch for both days and all the workshops you want inside! Oh yes, and this is your chance to meet some of the finest progressive Democrats in the entire region. So what are you waiting for? Sign up to come tomorrow and join the fun!

(Cross-posted at The Liberal OC and Trash Dirty Gary)

Gary Miller is corrupt. We know that. But why should we be working to unseat him? Why should we invest our resources in a “safe red district” and try to turn it blue next year? Why should we think we have a chance to win in the 42nd Congressional District?

The best way to answer this question is to answer two other questions. Why should we allow such a corrupt individual to stay in office? And what has Gary Miller done for his constituents that has earned him the privilege of earning our votes for reelection? Once we figure out these answers, we can answer those other questions.

You may be surprised by these answers, so follow me after the flip for more…

Well, let's start by answering the corruption question. He'll skirt the law and evade paying his taxes in order to enrich himself on the taxpayers' dime. Now how's that for someone who's supposed to be such a better patriot than those “America-hating Defeatocrats”?

Oh, and who is Gary Miller really working for in Congress? Looking at all the earmarks he's put into legislation and where he's directing these federal funds, the answer is quite clear. He's bought and paid for by the Lewis Group, a real estate development company in Upland. Whatever the Lewis Group wants, Gary Miller delivers… Even if it calls for money spent in Victorville, which is nowhere near the district! Now why would Gary Miller direct federal funds to one interchange in Victorville? Oh yes, that's right… The Lewis Group had a new development right off the 15 in Victorville!

And oh my, look how rewarding all this work has been for Dirty Gary Miller! Look how the Lewis Group has paid him back for all his service. How precious. But you know what? Gary Miller may focus on what's best for his bottom line and the Lewis Group's bottom line, but he's not taking care of what's best for the voters of his own district.

So when did Dirty Gary Miller forget why he's supposed to be in Congress? Doesn't he remember that he's supposed to serve the voters who send him to Washington to represent their interests? Now is it in their interest that Gary Miller abuse “eminent domain land sales” in order to avoid paying the taxes that provide for our national security, our transportation infrastructure, our schools, our parks, and so much more? Is it in their interest that Gary Miller ignore the local needs of the district in order to deliver the desires of out-of-district developers?

What about traffic relief on our freeways? What about helping out our schools in a way that doesn't allow the federal government to take over our schools? What about doing something about the coming climate catastrophe that may not only hurt our businesses, but threaten our very lives? What about ending this failed war in Iraq that has claimed so many of our brave soldiers' lives, and all for our troops to be caught in the midst of someone else's civil war? These are issues that the people in the 42nd District care about, yet these are the issues that Gary Miller ignores as he misuses his power to enrich himself and his developer friends.

So what can be done about this? We can tell all our family, friends, and neighbors about how Gary Miller isn't serving us. I'm doing my part on Trash Dirty Gary, a local blog dedicated to exposing Gary Miller's dirty record AND letting local voters know that we have a better option. Oh yes, and I'll also be uncovering Gary Miller's dirt AND talking about this better option over at The Liberal OC.

OK, so what is this better option that voters have in the 42nd? We can replace Gary Miller with someone who actually wants to serve us! There's an election next year, and Dirty Gary thinks he'll get an easy ride, as he's in a “Safe Republican District”. But Gary Miller has offended Republicans, Democrats, AND Independents in the district by ignoring our local needs while he enriches himself at taxpayers' expense. And if the Democrats in Washington think that Dirty Gary can't get away with his high crimes against the voters of the 42nd Congressional District, why should we?

And guess what! That's where YOU come in. Yesterday, you found out that a blogger will be challenging Dirty Gary in the 42nd. Tomorrow, you'll meet the campaign manager for this special candidate. And on Wednesday, you'll meet this very candidate. And right now, all I can tell you is that this candidate lives in the district, and this candidate actually cares about what's best for the people in this district.

So until then, I rest my case. Gary Miller is guilty of being a corrupt crook who has failed the voters of the 42nd District. And I think we can all take care of his sentence by doing what we can to help this campaign to restore honor and integrity to our Congressional Office! : )

(Cross-posted at Trash Dirty Gary)

Were you able to listen to the premiere of “Red, White, & Burke” yesterday? Did you have a chance to call into the show? Did you get to listen to the person who may be challenging Dirty Gary Miller next year?

Well, you can still listen to the show! Yesterday’s show is now in the online archives. Go ahead and listen now, or download the podcast and play it in whatever you use to play mp3 files later.

So would you like a little sneak peek as to what we talked about on the air yesterday? And would you like to know who will be coming on to Ken Burke’s radio show soon? Well then, follow me after the flip for more…

So what did we talk about yesterday? Well, we talked about some of things that have been happening at Trash Dirty Gary. We talked about the infamous Monrovia land deal. We talked about Gary Miller’s rather special relationship with the Lewis Group.

Oh yes, and we talked with that special candidate who may be challenging Gary Miller next year. And what did he say? Well, you’ll have to listen to the program to find that out! ; )

But wait, it gets better! If you thought the premiere week was good, then you’ll just have to keep listening to the show! Next week, none other than Congressional Candidate Steve Young will be appearing on the program! Steve ran in Orange County’s 48th District last year, and he’ll likely be giving John Campbell another run for his money next year. He’ll be talking about our need to bring our troops home from Bush’s occupation of Iraq soon, and of our need to care for the troops once they’re home.

Oh yes, and I’m sure he’ll also be talking about that Victory Politics Institute.

And yes, I’m sure there will be plenty more good guests to come. Keep on listening to the show. Keep on calling, and telling Ken Burke what’s on your mind. And I’ll keep you in the know on who will be on the show soon. : )

(Cross-posted at Trash Dirty Gary)

“When your seat is so safe that you’re not concerned about perception, you become too wedded to Washington and you lose touch with your constituency, and you lose touch with your real purpose.”

Want to guess who said that? Believe it or not, that was Karen Hanretty, a Republican strategist and former California Republican Party spokeswoman. And she was talking to the AP (via
The Guardian [UK]) about the lovely Republican Congresscritters like John Doolittle and Gary Miller who
have been caught up in some naughty behavior lately. So what’s happening? Are even Republicans starting to desert these crooked cons?

Follow me after the flip for more…

So what’s happening? Are the Republicans finally waking up and smelling the strychnine? Is the culture of corruption finally too much for them?

The ethics cloud is discouraging the party faithful who’ve already watched the GOP shrink to minority status in California. And they add to the dilemmas of Republican strategists aiming to retake Congress next year following election losses blamed partly on GOP ethics problems.

“There is a sort of feeling among Republican activists who work hard to elect Republicans of, ‘What the heck is going on here?”’ said Los Angeles GOP analyst Allan Hoffenblum.

So I guess they’re finally asking the questions that we’ve been asking all along. What the heck is going on here?

Why has Gary Miller been mixing his personal real estate business with his duty as a member of Congress to serve his constituents? Why has he put the desires of a developer in Upland over the needs of the people in his own district? And why the heck did he lie about “eminent domain” regarding that Monrovia land deal?

But of course, Gary Miller isn’t the only crooked GOPer here. We also have Jerry Lewis. And John Doolittle. And Ken Calvert. Well, you get the picture. Thanks to all the sleazebags in Congress, California Republicans are in crisis mode.

No wonder why they’re such a liability. Even Mr. FlashReport has to admit it:

But their problems make them less valuable allies for Republican presidential candidates looking to compete in California’s primary, newly advanced to February. And the ethics clouds discourage a GOP base already chafing at moderate Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s constant compromises with Democrats.

“This is presenting a huge distraction from the debate over ideas that really needs to happen in terms of who’s going to control Congress,” said Jon Fleischman, a GOP activist in Orange County. “It creates a degree of cynicism that is certainly real.”

Well, I wouldn’t consider it a distraction, Mr. Fleischman. If anything, it shows the true colors of these so-called “conservatives”. They’re more interested in conserving and expanding their personal wealth and power than they are in serving the voters in their districts. That actually plays a huge part in the debate of ideas. It just so happens that all of their “ideas” are just business deals that benefit themselves and are a rip-off to the people they’re supposed to serve.

No wonder why even Republicans are starting to have enough of these crooks.

(Cross-posted at Trash Dirty Gary)

Hey, have you heard the big news? We have a new progressive radio show in Southern California! The Liberal OC reported yesterday that longtime Orange County Democratic activist Ken Burke now has his own radio show on Sundays at a local radio station in the Inland Empire.

Now today, I have some more good news for all of you. One of our very own local bloggers at Calitics and Trash Dirty Gary will be among the guests on the very first “Red, White, and Burke” show. Yes, I will be on the radio to talk about Orange County/Inland Empire Congressman Gary Miller (R-Culture of Corruption), his many scandals, and why we need new representation in the 42nd Congressional District.

But wait, that’s not all! I hear that there will be another special guest on Ken’s radio show at noon on Sunday. I’ve heard that someone who’d like to challenge Gary Miller next year will also be on the air on Sunday. This might be a chance for all of us to learn more about just how serious of a challenge Dirty Gary might get next year. I know I’m looking forward to it!

But wait, there’s more! Follow me after the flip to find out how YOU can participate in this very special radio show on Sunday…

So would you like to be a part of Ken Burke’s first radio show? Do you have a question that you’d like to ask this candidate looking to challenge Gary Miller should this candidate come on the air? Would you just like to say hi to me, and tell us that you just love reading the blog? Well, call into the radio show, and let Ken know that you’re listening!

Call (909) 888-5222 to talk to us on the show!

And oh yes, if you’re in the Inland Empire, you can listen to the show on KCAA at 1050 on the AM dial. The show is now on every Sunday from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM. Perhaps you can even get the signal from Los Angeles or Orange County if you try.

But if you don’t live in the signal area, then don’t worry. You can listen to the radio show online! And if you can’t listen on Sunday, then get the podcast later. This just might be a program that you won’t want to miss! : )

(Cross-posted at Trash Dirty Gary)

How many of you get the “Capitol Connection”? It’s Gary Miller’s weekly newsletter. You can sign up to have it delivered in your email inbox every Friday at Gary Miller’s official Congressional web site.

But anyways, in his latest newsletter Miller tries to explain his latest vote to continue George W. Bush’s failed war in Iraq through the summer:

After more than a hundred days of delay, the House on Thursday finally passed a responsible troop funding bill to meet the needs of our men and women in uniform. The measure funds ongoing combat operations in the War on Terror and protects members of our military from harm by providing added funds for body armor and mine resistant vehicles. Congressman Miller was proud to support this bill because, unlike previous legislation, it does not tie the hands of our commanders on the ground or set a date for surrender. Following passage by the Senate, the bill now heads to the President’s desk where it is expected to be signed into law shortly.

Follow me after the flip to see why Gary Miller is wrong…

Meet the needs of our men and women in uniform? Added funds for body armor and mine resistant vehicles? Tie the hands of commanders on the ground? Bush didn’t provide for ANY of that until the Democrats in Congress offered legislation that fully supported the troops. But of course, Bush could not sign that legislation because that legislation also included provisions that would redeploy our troops out of Bush’s failed war in Iraq and refocus our resources on actually combating terrorism.

Bush’s stubbornness, which was enabled by members of Congress like Gary Miller who sustained Bush’s veto of this important legislation, has resulted in this final legislation. And while it does provide for better equipment for our troops than Bush initially wanted, it still keeps them stuck in the midst of a civil war that our troops shouldn’t be involved in. Thanks to Miller and all his colleagues who sustained Bush’s veto, more of our brave soldiers will be dying for a failed state that George Bush created.

So why doesn’t Gary Miller want to end this war? Why does he want to waste more of our tax dollars on George Bush’s misguided attempt to promote “democracy” on the Middle East by gunpoint? Why does he want any more of our brave troops to die for a cause that we can’t even determine any more? Why doesn’t Gary Miller want to end this war?

(Cross-posted at Trash Dirty Gary, Southern California’s resource for revealing Gary Miller’s true record of disservice to his constituents… AND a place for action in restoring honor and integrity to the 42nd Congressional District – promoted by atdleft)

I hope the Dems spend huge sums of money trying to defeat Congressman Miller.

Given the demographics of the district as well as Mr. Miller’s ability to self fund any defensive campaign which might be required, I can’t think of a better way for them to waste their resources.

So why is “One Who Knows” getting all worked up on GOP insider hangout Red County/OC Blog about a challenge to Dirty Gary Miller in the 42nd Congressional District? Oh, only because the DCCC is actually turning up the heat on Dirty Gary. Oh my, real democracy is such a “waste of resources”… But wait! It gets better!

(And I’ll tell you all about it after the flip…)

Here’s what OC Blog’s sister “Red County” San Bernardino blog has to say about the DCCC online ad:

The YouTube or MySpace quality web ad is noticeable edited and nowhere near the professional standards of any relevant political media consultant or producer.  At this point we may be witnessing the cheep work of a DCCC or DNC college intern that barley knows how to use his Apple Final Cut Pro. See the web ad here.

OK, so this “Republican kewl kid” who can’t even use Spellcheck is criticizing the DCCC for the quality of the online ad? And again, why all the moaning and groaning over the possibility of a REAL EXERCISE IN DEMOCRACY TO HOLD A VERY CORRUPT CONGRESSMAN ACCOUNTABLE?

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again:

Neither Democrats, nor Republicans, nor Independents, appreciate a member of Congress who is being investigated by the FBI for his questionable land deals. Voters do not like someone who misuses his position of power to enrich himself while ignoring the best interest of the people in the district. Simply put, the more the people here find out about Gary Miller and his very dirty ways, the less they can tolerate it.

This is not political harassment. And it’s not wasting time. It’s democracy. And it’s about time that Gary Miller and his pals realize that.

Now when will people remember this? I really don’t like repeating myself. ; )

(Cross-posted at Trash Dirty Gary, Southern California’s resource for revealing Gary Miller’s true record of disservice to his constituents… AND a place for action in restoring honor and integrity to the 42nd Congressional District.)

“It’s beyond my comprehension why he’s running again… I’ve been hoping that Jay would take the moral high ground and move on with his life.”

So who said that about Jay Kim, the Republican Congressman who sought reelection in 1998 after being convicted of violating campaign finance law? Oh, only some guy named GARY MILLER who was running against Kim in the Republican primary. Yes, apparently back then Gary Miller was interested in taking “the moral high ground”. Back then, Gary Miller wanted to rid the Republicans of a “poster boy” of corruption that Democrats could use against the party.

OK, why am I sensing “deja-vu” here? Do you sense that, too? Well, why don’t we both go after the flip to get our questions answered…

So why exactly did Jay Kim get into all that trouble? From the CNN archives:

Kim, a three-term California Republican, was sentenced to one year of probation and two months of “home detention” after pleading guilty in August 1997 to 10 misdemeanor counts of accepting about $250,000 in illegal campaign contributions during his first campaign for the House in 1992. […]

Federal prosecutors had asked the judge to impose a jail sentence, contending that Kim’s case “represents the largest amount of criminal campaign violations ever committed by a member of Congress.” But Kim, the first Korean-American in Congress, asked for leniency, saying that, “In my enthusiasm of running for Congress, I neglected the very important mechanics of my campaign finances and broke the law.”

Kim has refused to resign and remains undeterred in seeking a fourth term. His spokesman said March 10 that the congressman considers the sentence passed by U.S. District Court Judge Richard A. Paez to be no bar to his continued service and no hindrance to his re-election campaign.

Now who does this sound like? Why does this nasty situation sound eerily familiar? Come on now, it’s not too hard to remember this gem from The San Bernardino Sun:

Of all the company’s political connections, its relationship with Miller – who declined to be interviewed for this story – has come under particular scrutiny over the past year.

The relationship dates back more than 30 years, to when Miller was a young developer. In recent years, he and Lewis have connected on a number of business deals:

The company entered into a business partnership with Miller in July 2004, with the congressman investing between $1million and $5million in a Lewis-owned, 70-acre housing and retail development in Diamond Bar that had just been approved by the City Council.

That same year, Lewis officials sold Miller several parcels in Fontana and Rancho Cucamonga, allowing him to shield millions in profits from an earlier land sale from potential capital-gains taxes. The company loaned him $7.5million for the sale.

Meanwhile, the company’s top executives have donated $22,150 to the congressman’s campaigns since 1999. (In that time, Miller has received a total of more than $2.3 million in contributions from individuals and political committees.)

Oh yeah, that’s why. Look who’s the “poster boy” of Republican corruption now. Look who’s lost the “moral high ground” now… Oh wait, did this guy ever have the moral high ground?!

Maybe Gary Miller needs to remember his own advice… And take it! It’s beyond all our comprehension why he’s running again. And yes, we’ve all been hoping that Gary would take the moral high ground and move on with his life. And perhaps Gary should talk with dday about some great ideas for Gary to move on with his life. ; )

( – promoted by atdleft)

(Cross-posted at Trash Dirty Gary, Southern California’s resource for revealing Gary Miller’s true record of disservice to his constituents… AND a place for action in restoring honor and integrity to the 42nd Congressional District.)

What is it about Gary Miller doing all these troublesome land deals? The San Bernardino Sun has now unearthed yet another troublesome deal involving land, money, and sweet favors:

The Lewis Group of Companies has built thousands of homes and dozens of shopping centers, office buildings and industrial parks from the San Gabriel Valley to the High Desert.

But the Upland-based company has helped shape more than the region’s physical landscape: It’s emerged as both a major philanthropic force and a significant political player as well.

Over the years, Lewis has given millions to charitable causes and – in the past six years alone – nearly $2.3 million to political campaigns.

In recent months, it’s the politics that have made headlines, focusing on the company’s long and close relationship with Rep. Gary Miller, R-Brea, who also represents Diamond Bar, Chino and Chino Hills.

Oh, great! Here we go again! Developers are buying off Gary Miller, so what else is new? Well, get a load of what I’m about to tell you after the flip…

Again, The San Bernardino Sun:

Of all the company’s political connections, its relationship with Miller – who declined to be interviewed for this story – has come under particular scrutiny over the past year.

The relationship dates back more than 30 years, to when Miller was a young developer. In recent years, he and Lewis have connected on a number of business deals:

The company entered into a business partnership with Miller in July 2004, with the congressman investing between $1 million and $5 million in a Lewis-owned, 70-acre housing and retail development in Diamond Bar that had just been approved by the City Council.

That same year, Lewis officials sold Miller several parcels in Fontana and Rancho Cucamonga, allowing him to shield millions in profits from an earlier land sale from potential capital-gains taxes. The company loaned him $7.5 million for the sale.

Meanwhile, the company’s top executives have donated $22,150 to the congressman’s campaigns since 1999. (In that time, Miller has received a total of more than $2.3 million in contributions from individuals and political committees.)

Wow! It looks like Lewis did Gary Miller quite a few huge favors. So why did they do these favors for Miller? Why would Lewis loan Gary Miller money to buy Lewis land, all so that Miller could avoid paying capital-gains taxes?

Oh, wait! I see the reason now. Gary Miller soon returned the favor.

In August 2005, Miller secured $1.2 million in federal funding for improvements to Grand Avenue, a major artery through Diamond Bar that passes in front of the development he co-owned with Lewis. Miller sold his stake in the development in October 2005.

In the same legislation, he secured $6.8 million to help extend Pine Avenue to Highway 71 in Chino. City leaders touted the project as an important transportation link to The Preserve, a major Lewis master-planned community.

Miller also pushed for a provision to close Rialto Municipal Airport, which cleared the way for the Lewis Group to purchase the site. It has plans with a business partner, Hillwood Development Corp., to develop Rialto Renaissance, a planned community of housing, shopping and recreation.

Doesn’t this just get sickening? I mean, the more I get to know Miller, the more I see why he’s been named as one of the twenty most corrupt members of Congress. He’s not in Congress to serve us the voters and us the taxpayers. He’s there to engage in a type of legislative racketeering operation, and he’s only there to line his own pockets at our expense.

Now yes, a member of Congress is supposed to work to bring home funds for one’s own district. Yes, a member of Congress is supposed to fight for the best interest of one’s constituents. However, neither of these is what Gary Miller is doing. No, he’s only (mis)using his position of power to enrich himself on the taxpayer’s dime. He’s selling his votes to the highest bidder. And this helps no one in the district save for a certain Gary Miller.