Flap's Blog – FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog

The election is finally over and it sends both Audra and Tony Strickland back to Sacramento.

Less than an eyelash short of an upset marathon victory. Hannah-Beth Jackson reluctantly conceded defeat in the race for the 19th state senate district seat, more than three weeks after Election Day.

“We really thought we could win this,” Jackson told me as she took a break from fixing Thanksgiving dinner for 10. “But I’m going to try to stay involved. I really feel like I have something to offer.”

The Democrat’s loss means that Republican Tony Strickland will be on hand in Sacramento next week to take the oath of office with other newly elected state lawmakers. In the Legislature, Strickland will join his wife, Audra, who represents Ventura County in the 37th Assembly district, in forming one of the Capitol’s new power couples.

Flap watched  the Strickland campaign first hand and they left little to chance. Strickland was relentless in walking precincts, working the phones, burma-shaving the street corners, and running absentee ballot/GOTV operations.

Congrats to Team Strickland for a hard fought campaign in a dramatically Democrat year.

Previous:

Tony Strickland Wins California State Senate Race Over Hannah-Beth Jackson

Two term California Republican Assemblywoman Audra Strickland or Moorpark should be re-elected Tuesday.

From the left-wing leaning Ventura County Star newspaper:

Twice now in four years, The Star Editorial Board has endorsed Democrat Ferial Masry, a remarkable woman who has run unsuccessfully against incumbent Republican Assemblywoman Audra Strickland in the 37th Assembly District.

This year — the last for which Ms. Strickland can run for the Assembly before she is termed out in 2010 — The Star Editorial Board is endorsing Ms. Strickland….

…However, voters have twice chosen Ms. Strickland over Ms. Masry to represent them in the 37th Assembly District, which includes Camarillo, Ojai, Fillmore, Santa Paula, Moorpark, Thousand Oaks and Simi Valley. This year, the Republican registration lead in the 37th Assembly District has been whittled down to 7 percentage points from 11 four years ago — still relatively safe for a Republican.

Audra Strickland has taken the lead in fighting a California state prison in Camarillo and has voted to keep the tax and spend Democrats in the California Legislature in check.

Audra deserves the 37th district’s support for a third term.

The Ventura County District Attorney’s office has referred a potential criminal case resulting from a protest flap against Joel Angeles, California Assemblywoman Audra Strickland’s chief of staff, to the California Attorney General’s office.

The request was made because county prosecutors felt there was a potential conflict. District Attorney Greg Totten has endorsed Strickland in the Senate campaign and is working alongside his wife, Assemblywoman Audra Strickland, in efforts to oppose a proposed prison healthcare facility in Camarillo.

“Certainly someone could say there is an appearance of a conflict,” said Chief Assistant District Attorney Jim Ellison.

So, what does this mean politically for Audra and Tony Strickland who are both running for office this November?

Not much.

The flap was politically generated/motivated in the first place to embarass Tony Strickland who is running for California State Senate and Flap doubts the California Attorney General would waste state resources to prosecute a he said, she said, he said minor physical altercation. But, you never know, the partisan Democrat Jerry Brown COULD be out to embarass the Republican Stricklands.

However, Angeles, undoubtedly, would ask for a jury trial and litigation would drag on way into 2009 without any political effect on the 2008 elections or the Stricklands.

Stay tuned….

Previous:

Audra Strickland Watch: Three Protesters File Criminal Complaints Against Chief of Staff Joel Angeles

Audra Strickland Watch: Chief of Staff Joel Angeles Placed on Leave

Hannah-Beth Jackson Watch: Blows More Smoke Over Tobacco Company Protest

Tony Strickland Watch: Taking it to the Streets – Politics That Is

Remember the Flap, Protest and Aftermath? This is what Flap said at the time – over thirty days ago.

Flap was there and wrote this post after the altercation/protests and the fundraising event for Assemblywoman Audra Strickland’s husband, Tony.

The entire Flap was and continues to be a “He Said, They Said” argument. Flap did not see the supposed “smack down” but did interview one of the female alleged victims. She did have scratches on her right arm which she said she received by being pushed into an adjoining hedge.

But, the hedge had sharp prongs, the sidewalk was filled with people and Flap was easily pushed into it and scratched his own arm.

Ventura County Sheriff officers interviewed all parties and since none of the parties would pursue prosecution or a citizen’s arrest, no arrests were made.

Today, three of the protesters, all of a sudden, marched right down to the Ventura County Sheriff’s station and filed complaints.

Three people who were allegedly “body checked” by a local politician’s top aide at a protest last month say sheriff’s deputies are investigating the incident and criminal charges may be filed.

Thursday afternoon, Sandy Quiring, John Phillips and Louis Pandolfi filed complaints with sheriffs at the East Valley Station in Thousand Oaks against Joel Angeles, chief-of-staff to Assemblymember Audra Strickland.

They maintain that on June 17, Angeles attempted to prevent a peaceful protest against the tobacco industry, using both verbal and physical threats, during a fundraising event for Strickland’s husband, state Senate candidate Tony Strickland.

Audra Strickland (RMoorpark) placed Angeles on an unpaid one-month leave for showing “poor judgement,” according to a written statement from her office. He is to return to work Aug. 3.

Yada Yada Yada

This smells of hardball politics and an attempt to smear California State Senate candidate and former Assemblyman Tony Strickland via his wife’s Chief of Staff, Joel Angeles. As if, either of the Stricklands have control over a grown-up, California State employee on his day off, right?

Who knows if the Ventura County District Attorney will take the case? And, who knows why this trio of protesters waited over 30 days to get their asses down to the Sheriff’s office and file a complaint in the first place.

Maybe it is better timing for the Fall election season?

Ya think?

Previous:

Hannah-Beth Jackson Watch: Blows More Smoke Over Tobacco Company Protest

Hannah-Beth Jackson Watch: Blowing Smoke Over Tobacco Company Contributions

Audra Strickland Watch: Chief of Staff Joel Angeles Placed on Leave

Tony Strickland Watch: Taking it to the Streets – Politics That Is

Receiving Campaign Contributions from Tobacco Companies a Campaign Issue? Part 3

Receiving Campaign Contributions from Tobacco Companies a Campaign Issue? Part 2

Receiving Campaign Contributions from Tobacco Companies a Campaign Issue?

---

Technorati Tags: Hannah-Beth Jackson, Joe Angeles, Audra Strickland, Tony Strickland