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California’s Capitol

Watch out Californians, the California Legislature is back in session this morning after a month’s long summer hiatus.

The Legislature returns from a month-long summer recess this week with hundreds of bills, many of them highly controversial, still awaiting action before the Sept. 9 adjournment.

The recess itself was unusual, since in recent years the Legislature has remained in session through the summer due to budget stalemates. This year, with a budget – albeit a very shaky one – in place, the Capitol’s denizens can concentrate on bills.

That means renewing traditional end-of-session follies. Hundreds of lobbyists will battle over high- dollar issues, and legislators will cash in with fundraising events – an average of at least five every working day.

Fittingly, perhaps, the Legislature’s return coincides with the supposedly final vote of the new Citizens Redistricting Commission on legislative and congressional maps for the 2012 elections and beyond.

New maps mean some incumbents will be fighting for their political lives next year while others will be maneuvering to ascend the political food chain, thus making late-session campaign fundraising even more frantic than usual.

Late-session bills tend to be controversial and/or involve taking money from someone and giving it to someone else, which is fertile ground for political fundraising.

Plus, an added bonus today, with the above referenced California Citizen’s Redistricting Commission approving final legislative and congressional maps. The meeting starts at 9 AM.

OK, on to the links…..

For Some, Redistricting is Splitsville

Even with testimony from the public and formal guidelines written into law, California’s first-ever citizens redistricting effort has found no easy answers to the question, “What is a community?”

And so, in the statewide maps being certified Monday morning, some will see their communities split between political districts. Others will be lumped together with communities with which they think they have nothing in common.

The complexity and controversy of shaping political maps based, when possible, on community boundaries has been a dominant theme of the dozens of meetings and decisions made by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission.

On Monday morning’s edition of The California Report, we take a look at how some of those decisions have left some grumbling in different parts of the state, while commissioners believe the new maps reflect a thoughtful and careful deference to the needs of the public.

Mike Ward: Redistricting Panel Broke Law

A member of the California Citizens Redistricting Commission believes that the commission broke the law, failed to uphold an open and transparent decision-making process and used political motives in drawing California’s new state and federal legislative districts, according to an exclusive, in-depth interview with CalWatchDog.com.

“This commission simply traded the partisan, backroom gerrymandering by the Legislature for partisan, backroom gerrymandering by average citizens,” Commissioner Mike Ward said in an interview with CalWatchDog.com on Sunday night. “This commission became the Citizens Smoke-Filled Room, where average citizen commissioners engaged in dinner-table deals and partisan gerrymandering — the very problems that this commission was supposed to prevent.”

Ward, who was the lone member of the commission to oppose all of the commission’s proposed maps at its July 29 meeting, will outline his opposition in a detailed statement to be delivered at the commission’s press conference later today. An advance copy of the commissioner’s remarks was obtained exclusively by CalWatchDog.com and is reprinted below.

Life after politics for O’Connell

Former state superintendent of public instruction and longtime Ventura County lawmaker Jack O’Connell seems to be settling into life after politics. I visited him yesterday in his Sacramento office at School Innovations & Advocacy, the national education consulting firm where he serves as “chief education officer.”

Interesting for Jack saying he didn’t miss the zoo. For someone who taught continuation high school, for what less than two years, before sitting at a card table in a gerrymandered Democratic districts to win the first of many political jobs, he should not be so dismissive. Wouldn’t you think?

Have a wonderful morning!

The Yes on California Proposition 8 – Protect Traditional Marriage Committee has challenged California Superintendent of Schools Jack O’Connell to a “LIVE” and “TELEVISED”debate this weekend.

The Protectmarriage.com – Yes on 8 campaign today challenged Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell and the No on 8 campaign to a live, televised debate this weekend so voters can learn the truth about the issue of gay marriage being taught in California public schools.  The Yes on 8 Campaign, in a letter from Campaign Manager Frank Schubert to No on 8 Campaign Manager Steve Smith, said the more substantive forum will settle the issue once and for all and prove that gay marriage will be taught in public schools if Proposition 8 fails.

“The No on Proposition 8 campaign has been airing television and radio ads featuring Jack O’Connell accusing us of running a ‘shameful’ campaign,” said Ron Prentice, chairman of Protectmarriage.com – Yes on 8. “There is nothing shameful about telling the truth. This is the most critical issue of the campaign. Voters deserve an opportunity to hear for themselves what will happen, and indeed what is already happening, if we do not restore traditional marriage in California on Election Day. Given his strong statements, I’m sure O’Connell will have no problem accepting.”

The deadline for acceptance by O’Connell is within the hour.

Don’t hold your breath.

The ONLY reason Jack cut those television commercials is because he is termed out and wants to run for Governor in 2010. The Mayor of San Francisco, Gavin Newsom started the gay marriage push in California a few years ago and owns the San Francisco gay community support for his race for California Governor.

But, Newsom was ridiculed with an earlier television commercial and Jack thought he could obtain some collateral support from the gay community.

Today, Mayor Newsom is sponsoring another fundraising event for the No on 8 Committee and is barnstorming the greater San Francisco Bay Area.

Too much risk and NO reward for Jack.

Update:

Timm Herdt of the Ventura County Star seems to think the invitation is because the TV ad featuring O’Connell may be scoring points.

Timm has it wrong.

The more publicity Yes on 8 receives the better the measure will do. And, what better theater than to watch two liberal Democrat politicians (O’Connell and Newsom) flaunt their gay marriage cred to the highest homosexual lobby bidder.

Do you really think there is ANY chance O’Connell will debate?

Flap knows California superintendent of Schools Jack O’Connell well. Jack taught in the Conejo Valley Unified School District for about two years before he became a left-wing Democrat career politician in the 1980′s. Today, a televison ad supporting gay marriage is released featuring Jack.

But, you see Jack O’Connell wants to run for California Governor in 2010 and needs the support of the homosexual lobby to beat San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Jerry Brown in a crowded Democrat primary election.

ProtectMarriage.com – Yes on 8 General Counsel Andrew P. Pugno has sent the following letter to the California State Board of Education and Superintendent Jack O’Connell:

Ah Jack, Flap knows you really don’t believe in this gay marriage crap but you will do what you have to do to get elected when you are facing being termed out of office.

But, please, stop the lying and deception. You are better than this.

California Superintendent of Public Instruction, Jack O’Connell

Jack O’Connell gets a mention in today’s Dan Walter’s column.

Of course, Jack will test the waters burning Reed Hasting’s money but others also will:

• Jerry Brown – current California Attorney General, former Mayor of Oakland and former California Governor.
• Steve Westly – former California Controller who lost to Phil Angelides last year in the Democrat primary for Governor.
• Phil Angelides – former California Treasurer and Democrat Party Chairman who lost to Arnold Schwarzenegger last year in the general election.
• Gavin Newsom – current Mayor of San Francisco who admits to sleeping with his campaign manager’s wife and carrying on a sordid affair.
• Antonio Villaraigosa – current Mayor of Los Angeles who admits to an affair with Mirthala Salinas, a Telemundo political reporter and who is in the middle of a nasty divorce.
• John Garramendi – current Lt. Governor of California who many Democrat activists describe as yesterday’s news.
• Bill Lockyer – current California Treasurer and former California Attorney General who flirted with the race against the Governator last year but was scared out by Angelides and Westly or was it Arnold’s poll numbers?.

So, who has the campaign resources to compete against high profile Jerry Brown?

Steve Westly

Stay tuned……

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Jack O’Connell Watch: California Governor in 2010? Part 2

Jack O’Connell Watch: California Governor in 2010?

Jerry Brown Watch: California Governor in 2010?

The Sacramento Bee has picked up on Anthony York’s scoop on California Superinendent of Public Instruction’s Jack O’ Connell’s foray into 2010 Gubernatorial politics.

The story:

Reed Hastings, the founder and CEO of Netflix has deposited almost $ 1 million into an independent expenditure account to propel O’Connell into the Governor’s race in 2010.

O’Connell is termed out in 2010 after serving eight years as California’s school chief.

The quotes:

“Jack and Reed have a long history together,” said Mollie Culver, a political adviser to O’Connell. “A lot of Jack’s supporters have encouraged him to look at all of his options, including running for governor.”

Culver said fundraising is “always a major challenge, and it is very nice to have such friends encouraging him.”

The probable opposition:

• Jerry Brown – current California Attorney General, former Mayor of Oakland and former California Governor.
• Steve Westly – former California Controller who lost to Phil Angelides last year in the Democrat primary for Governor.
• Phil Angelides – former California Treasuerer and Democrat Party Chairman who lost to Arnold Schwarzengger last year in the general election.
• Gavin Newsom – current Mayor of San Francisco who admits to sleeping with his campaign manager’s wife and carrying on a sordid affair.
• Antonio Villaraigosa – current Mayor of Los Angeles who admits to an affair with Mirthala Salinas, a Telemundo political reporter and who is in the middle of a divorce.
• John Garramendi – current Lt. Governor of California who many Democrat activists describe as yesterday’s news.

The $992,220 in stock from Hastings would have to be spent independently of any organized campaign to elect O’Connell governor. O’Connell presently has a little less than $1 million of cash on hand with no debt in his own campaign account.

Will this be a serious candidacy?

Yes, until Jerry Brown enters the race and dries up ALL of the union money.

Stay tuned…….

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Jack O’Connell Watch: California Governor in 2010?

Jerry Brown Watch: California Governor in 2010?

Reed Hastings the the founder and CEO of Netflix has donated $ one million to an independent expenditure committee established to boost the gubernatorial ambitions of Superintendent Jack O’Connell.

Very interesting since this story about former Governor Jerry Brown and the Villaraigosa – Salinas scandal are in the news.

Will Jack run?

You betcha……

Chances of winning?

Slim

But, it is early.

Remember Jack got his start in California politics in Ventura County.

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