(blogswarm is live bloggin’ it – promoted by SFBrianCL)

Fourth District Congressional Candidate Charlie Brown will square off in his first debate with incumbent Rep. John Doolittle Wednesday night, at Starstream Communications studios in Rocklin (4120 Citrus Ave, Rocklin CA 95677).

The event will be moderated by Gerry Lyons, and will be aired live from 7:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. for Starstream’s cable subscribers in Placer County—which includes residents of Rocklin, Granite Bay, Penryn, Newcastle, Loomis, Lincoln, Auburn, Colfax, Pinebrook, and Lakeside.

For those who do not have Starstream Cable, News10.net will stream the debate live starting at 7:30 pm (pst).

David Whitney of McClatchy Newspapers, General Manager Deric Rothe of Gold Country Media, and Mike Raffety, Editor of the Mountain Democrat, will each serve as panelists.

The format for the debate will include candidates directly responding to questions from panelists followed by a moderated discussion, as well as a segment where candidates will respond to call-in questions from viewers watching at home.

Pombo and Doolittle Choose Dick Cheney and Special Interest Cash over Doing Their Jobs – Miss Vote on Veterans’ Benefits

(Washington, D.C.) – This week, missing votes because of special interest fundraisers with Vice President Cheney, Reps. John Doolittle and Richard Pombo proved that even less is possible when it comes to doing their jobs in Congress.  One of the measures they missed votes on was the Veterans’ Benefits Improvement Act, which improves benefits for veterans such as life insurance, housing loans, disability compensation and treatment of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.  Doolittle and Pombo have been facing questions for months about choosing special interest money over doing their jobs in Congress.

“Instead of voting for veterans’ benefits and against terrorism in the Middle East, Doolittle and Pombo chose to raise special interest money with Dick Cheney.  It’s time for a change in Washington,” said Bill Burton, communications director of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.  “A big part of being in Congress is making choices and Doolittle and Pombo’s choice to raise special interest money with Dick Cheney rather than show up to work is just one more reason why Californians are looking for new priorities this November.  California families will choose change because they deserve better than members of Congress who consistently favor their special interest friends over the families they represent.” S.1235, Vote #177 5/22/06

Seems Doolittle was busy giving Pombo personal training from his well practiced, unethical habit of how to rip off constituents for 15% of some pretty hefty campaign contributions that day. Doolittle put $40,000.00 into his personal bank account that day. Pombo has been following Doolittle’s lead on how to pocket campaign contributions by a loophole that allows them to funnel cash through their wives.

I’m sure the Veterans of America will have an easy decision this November during the mid-term congressional elections.