Tag Archives: Gary Miller

We Have the Buzz… But Do We Have the Candidate in the 42nd?

(Cross-posted at Trash Dirty Gary)

There seemed to be plenty of buzz about taking down Dirty Gary Miller at the Democratic Convention in San Diego this past weekend. California Democratic Party Chairman Art Torres specifically mentioned Miller and the 42nd as one of the party’s targets for 2008. Activists from throughout Southern California seemed energized at the prospect of taking out one of the sleaziest members left in Congress. At this point, even the DCCC is noticing just how vulnerable Gary Miller has made himself. Everything seems to be falling in place for the perfect storm to rock Dirty Gary’s world…

Including a strong candidate to take him on next year? Follow me after the flip for more on what I’ve been hearing about one good candidate who may be ready to knock the socks off of Dirty Gary

Remember when Art Pedroza dropped this juicy tidbit in his “Chismes” column in Orange Juice about two weeks ago?

Last but not least, I hear that a very successful aerospace engineer is going to run against corrupt Reep Congressman Gary Miller. Talk about ending on a positive note!

Well, apparently there were sightings of this mysterious candidate at the convention over the weekend. And many folks were excited about possibly finding a good candidate to take on the not-so-good Congressman. Oh yes, people are really starting to take notice of what’s happening in the 42nd. And I guess now that this successful aerospace engineer from Orange County might be stepping in to take on Gary Miller, this race might finally be taken seriously.

Let’s face it: Dirty Gary doesn’t serve us anymore. He’s just serving himself at our expense. He’s using and abusing his position to enrich himself, and that doesn’t help us when we need someone who will work for practical solutions to end this failed war in Iraq, balance the federal budget, fix our traffic woes on our freeways, and protect the open space that makes living in the 42nd so darn enjoyable. We’re just thirsting for real change, and perhaps this “mystery candidate” might be the right person to serve us in Congress.

I guess before I jump to conclusions about this “mystery candidate”, there are some things that I need to know. Will this person reach out and work with local community activists to fight for what’s best for our neighborhoods? Will this person have what it takes to fight back against Dirty Gary and his very loaded campaign war chest? Will this person be able to truly connect with ALL THE VOTERS in the district, from La Habra Heights to Chino Hills to Rancho Santa Margarita? And finally, will this “mystery candidate” truly work for us, and not just a few special interests?

If this “mystery candidate” can answer these questions to our satisfaction, then maybe we should pay more attention to this individual. : )

Miller on Torres’ Radar Screen? Torres Coming to the Blue House?

I’m slightly skeptical, but pleased, at Art Torres’ answer to this question.

CMR: What is the 58-County Strategy and how is it going to help us be successful in 2008?

AT: Howard Dean and I worked together on the 50-State Strategy when he was running for Chair of the Democratic National Committee. I was part of an effort to make sure he was elected chair because I felt he would be the most progressive and effective chair, which has proven to be right. It’s taken a little time for us here in California to establish a 58-County Strategy, which I announced in December of 2006, and we’re going to be more incremental given the resources that we have available. But the most important priority for me is a Jerry McNerney seat, the Charlie Brown seat – which will be his seat once he defeats Doolittle – and Gary Miller in Southern California. We’re going to reach out to those communities where we can coordinate with counties with the resources we have available for voter registration and finally to make a mark on those counties that were up to this point considered red, that are now purple or turning blue.

I’m willing to give Torres a chance to live up to this.  Miller didn’t have an opponent in 2006, but if the CDP says they want to devote resources there, let’s see it.  Same with Brown in CA-04, and to be fair Torres has previously admitted mistakenly not making this a priority last year.  What bothers me is that this 58-county strategy is being discussed on the federal electoral level instead of about local and state legislative races; that’s where party-building really begins.  As a delegate, I want to work with those leaders in the party who talk about reaching out to all counties.  I also want to ensure that they actually go about doing it.  That’s why I’m supporting the creation of an Audit Committee and a resolution expressing support for a 58-county strategy.

Torres’ shout-out to us – US – on the flip…

CMR: How do you think the emergence of the netroots and the blogger community as a powerful voice has been helpful to the Democratic Party?

AT: I think it’s the healthiest result we could have imagined. That’s why I will be there honoring the bloggers on Friday night in their support of Charlie Brown and Jerry McNerney’s campaigns (at the “Blue House at the Brew House” fundraiser Friday night in San Diego co-hosted by CMR, California Progress Report, Calitics and fellow California bloggers) because the bloggers are important to our effort to get people moving. The bottom line is: whatever positive efforts other groups out there can do independent from us, I applaud.

I’ll be happy to see Art and other party leaders at the event, and I hope he’ll continue to show support to our efforts to grow the party.

(I also liked how Torres framed Perata’s “Out of Iraq” referendum as a way to back the Governor into a corner, and how he consistently weasels out on his actions regardless of his words.  We need more of that.  I don’t really support Perata’s bill because it concedes that we’ll still be in Iraq in February 2008.  But as a way to get Republicans and the governor on the record, I love it.  We don’t do enough of that in California; holding Republicans responsible for their votes.)

CA-42: The “Red County” GOP Machine Stands By Its Man

(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. ; )

CA-42: Gary Miller on the Past & Future Gary Miller

(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. ; )

CA-42: Guess Who’s Building Influence With Dirty Gary Miller Now!

( – 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.

Speeding Our Way to Pork and Slime on the 241

(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.)

Former Yorba Linda City Councilmember Ken Ryan was very close to developers… Perhaps too close. But why should we matter? Well, guess who one of those developers was?

{This is Part 8 of my special report on the proposed extension of the 241 Toll Road to San Onofre State Beach (aka Trestles). If you’d like, you can find the other stories in the “Speeding Our Way to Trestles” series here. As the debate heats up over Trestles and the 241, I’d like to go in depth and examine all the issues involved… And I’d love for you to come along for the ride as we explore what can be done to relieve traffic in South Orange County AND Save Trestles Beach. Enjoy! : ) }

(From OC Weekly)

As a principal for EDAW (Eckbo, Dean, Austin and Williams), Ryan is working on the Carrari Ranch Project in San Bernardino County, on land belonging to G. Miller Development Co., owned by Congressman Gary Miller (R-Diamond Bar). Miller is the same congressman whom Congressman Ken Calvert (R-Corona) thanked for his work on the 2006 Transportation Equity Act, which diverts $8 million in federal funds to the 241 project-despite the fact the toll road is supposed to be a private venture. It was classic pork: the act also included $2 million for sound walls in Yorba Linda and Anaheim; Ryan, Miller and Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle gathered on Feb. 17, 2004, in an Anaheim mobile-home park to commemorate the occasion.

In a 2002 Riverside Press-Enterprise article, Ryan is listed as a spokesman for Lytle Development. In the 2004 election, Lytle Development was Miller’s top donor.

In 2003, Congressman Miller requested more than $3 million to build a pedestrian bridge over the Imperial Highway in Yorba Linda, where his friend Ryan was known as “Mayor Ryan.” Miller was also one of five signatories to a Feb. 17 letter to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in support of the 241. The other four? Calvert, Dana Rohrabacher (R-Huntington Beach), Darrell Issa (R-Vista) and John Campbell (R-Irvine). Miller, Calvert and Rohrabacher all list real-estate firms as their top campaign contributors in 2004.

Ryan isn’t shy about his history with Miller. “I’m proud of our relationship,” he told the Weekly. “I’ve been an urban planner for 20 years.”

OK, so he asked Miller for some local pork… That happens to ALL MEMBERS OF CONGRESS. So why should we care? Well, this isn’t your typical pork project… This is a COMPLETE CONFLICT OF INTEREST! How is Gary Miller helping the people of the 42nd District by diverting their tax dollars to projects that help HIS DEVELOPMENTS and the interests of HIS DEVELOPER FRIENDS?

And oh yes, why the heck is Gary Miller diverting federal funds to build a toll road that’s supposed to be built “without taxpayer money”? Why is he pushing for a toll road that does nothing to ease traffic in South Orange County? Why would Miller agree to waste our tax dollars on a project that is destined to be turned down by state regulatory agencies? Why would Miller support a crazy boondoggle that would destroy our precious natural resources? Just why would Miller slack off on his responsibility to look out for the best interest of his own constituents?

Well, I guess that isn’t as important to Gary Miller as his “responsibility” to feed off the public trough for the benefit of himself and his developer friends.

CA-42: The Story So Far

I’m involved with Trash Dirty Gary, a netroots attempt to shine a light on the corrupt dealings of Inland Empire/Orange County Congressman Gary Miller, one of the biggest sleazebags on Capitol Hill.  I just distilled all my previous posts on Miller into one monster to get everyone up to date on what this guy’s been doing with his office.

This effort is along the lines of Say No To Pombo and Dump Doolittle, and hopefully by continuing an insistent focus on Miller and his actions we can energize support throughout the local community and spur a challenge.  Go check it out.

CA-42: A Blog is Born in Southern California

So what do you know about Gary Miller? What have you heard about his “ethically questionable land deals“? What have you seen about his shady tax breaks? What have you noticed about his earmarks? What do you think about his ethics? What do we really know about Rep. Gary Miller?

Well, there is a place where we can now find answers
And I’d like to tell you all about it after the flip…

I’d like to introduce you to the new blog on the block, Trash Dirty Gary. This blog is here to raise questions about Gary Miller, his land deals, his voting record, and just how well (or poorly) he’s serving the people of the 42nd District. And of course, this blog is also here to answer any and all of YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR MEMBER OF CONGRESS. What exactly is Gary Miller doing (or NOT DOING) for you and for your neighborhood? Go ahead and feel free to tell us about it.

Basically, this blog is for the voters of the 42nd District. This is our chance to examine Gary Miller’s real record. This is our chance to hold Gary Miller responsible for his actions. This is our chance to make some change. So where do you want to start?

Please head on over this weekend to check out Trash Dirty Gary. I promise that there will be plenty of good stuff for us to share with you. And PLEASE feel free to head on over ANY TIME to tell us what you think about Gary Miller and what’s he’s doing (or NOT DOING) for Orange County, the Inland Empire, and East LA County. We’re all looking forward to getting to know you. : )

{And thanks to Mike’s Daily Lockup for the great photo on top! : ) }

CA-42: Gary Miller Video Surfaces

The infamous Gary Miller video has surfaced…in a DCCC online ad.

Brian: As you may know, Gary Miller, who went unchallenged in 2006, has seen some heat for this real estate transaction where he was supposedly “forced to sell” his property.  He is forced to do land deals (for land that he can increase the value of by pushing for legislation in Congress) because he’s poor:

Miller, a fifth-term Republican representing conservative inland Southern California, said in an interview that he had put his real estate investment activities on hold upon entering politics, only to find that “I was worth less money every year.”(AP 2/23/07)

Poor, poor Miller only makes $165K/year. How does he survive on that? Of course, he should be doing land deals that are affected by his position in Congress!

Blog Roundup for February 26, 2007

OK, Blog Roundup for today is on the flip. No teasers — sorry to those who enjoy them (both of you).

Consider this an open thread, yada yada.

National News

  • Duncan Hunter (R-CA-52) is running for President, apparently on a platform endorsing Screw the Buddhists and kill the Muslims and creationism.
    http://www.theliberaloc.com/2007/02/24/pot-or-kettle-rep-hunter/
    http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/02/24/will-malkin-et-al-denounce-duncan-hunter-too/
  • It’s funny (in a doesn’t-make-you-laugh kind of way) because it’s true:  California is one big ATM for national Dems
    http://couragecampaign.org/entries/atm-watch-the-courage-campaign-2008-presidential-candidate-track/
  • janinsanfran (and Code Pink) were at Sen. HRC’s San Francisco fundraiser on Friday.  Lotsa pictures of the donor class.
    http://happening-here.blogspot.com/2007/02/hillary-breezes-through-in-gusty.html

State Politicians

  • At California Progress Report, Cathy Calfo argues that California Republicans’ ongoing support for the continued occupation of Iraq may eventually harm them politically.  Ah, the Green Lantern theory of geopolitics — if wishes were ponies…
    http://www.californiaprogressreport.com/2007/02/wake-up_call_fo.html
  • American River Canyon at DailyKos went to both of 15% Doolittle’s “listening” sessions over the weekend:  Grass Valley and Auburn.  Doolittle is a wingnut robot.  Seriously.
    http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/2/24/152346/501
    http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/2/25/2141/53754
  • Joe Scott on Schwarzenegger on Politico.com
    http://www.joescott3.com/index.php/js/permalink/arnold_goes_national/
  • Howie Klein has a short piece on the search for a Dem challenger to Gary “Gordon Gecko” Miller (R-CA-42).
    http://downwithtyranny.blogspot.com/2007/02/gary-miller-may-have-real-problems-even.html
    https://calitics.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=1948

Health Care

Environment

Everything Else

  • SF Bay immigrant communities are sponsoring a week of events in response to the recent ICE raids and detentions.
    http://edjustice.blogspot.com/2007/02/sf-bay-immigrant-communities-fight-back.html
  • There’s a strike brewing in the running CSU faculty labor dispute.
    http://speakoutca.org/archives/2007/02/cal_state_unive.php
  • The CA Majority Report reports on Y.A.RD.I. (Yet Another Redistricting Initiative).  Whooptie-dooo!  Yeee-aw, nevermind.
    http://camajorityreport.com/index.php?module=articles&func=display&ptid=9&aid=1509
  • So, it appears that the Los Angeles business community is hoping for some “judicial activism”, as they prepare to sue to stop the new living wage ordinance.  The important lesson for those on the side of working people:  it’s not about consistency or principle — it’s about money and power.  When the money party talks about “principle”, it’s a weapon, not a value.
    http://workingcalifornians.com/blog/julia_rosen/2007/02/22/living_wage_lawsuit_coming

Locals Only

Calitics