Flap’s Links and Comments for March 9th on 11:53

These are my links for March 9th from 11:53 to 12:44:

• Todd Spitzer Set to Announce Run for Supervisor Seat – Will Chuck DeVore Run – Todd Spitzer, a former OC prosecutor, state assemblyman and county supervisor, will announce later today his intention to run for his former seat on the Orange County Board of Supervisors.
  That seat, now held by County Supervisor Bill Campbell, opens up next year.
  Spitzer has told supporters that he's running for the seat because he has the experience to hit the ground running and help the county manage it's way through one of the toughest economic conditions in history.
  Spitzer's run will be well-funded — he has more than $1 million in his state assembly campaign accounts that can be transferred for use in a local race.
  Spitzer made news last year when he was fired by as assistant district attorney by District Attorney Tony Rackauckas. The episode became a political firestorm after it was revealed that Spitzer was fired for looking into a case being handled by Orange County Public Administrator/Public Guardian John Williams.
  The Board of Supervisors has since hired an executive to take Williams' responsibilities as public administrator and stripped him of his public guardian job. Supervisors are currently in negotiations with Williams regarding his resignation.
  Spitzer's early endorsements include: Orange Mayor Carolyn Cavecche (who had been rumored as a front runner for the Third District seat), Sheriff Sandra Hutchens supervisors Pate Bates and Janet Nguyen and Orange County Business Council President and CEO Lucy Dunn.

  =======

  Todd Spitzer has some endorsements and $1 million in the bank. will DeVore want to buck Spitzer in a bruising campaign?

• MO-Sen: Claire McCaskill spent $76K in Public Funds on private plane flights – Sen. Claire McCaskill has been aggressive in promoting oversight and transparency for congressional travel, introducing a reform bill that cracks down on overseas travel for lawmakers.

  But when it comes to her own domestic flights, the Missouri Democrat has enjoyed friendly skies: She’s spent nearly $76,000 in public funds since 2007 to fly on a charter plane she co-owns with her husband and other investors, a POLITICO analysis of public records show.

  As a senator, McCaskill has flown at least 89 flights chartered by Sunset Cove Associates LLC — a company incorporated in 2002 by her husband, St. Louis businessman Joe Shepard, according to records kept by the Missouri Secretary of State’s Office. All of those flights were paid for from McCaskill’s Senate office budget, raising questions about whether the first-term senator and her husband are using public dollars to partially subsidize their aircraft.

  ===============

  Probably no Ethics hearings here and she reimbursed the funds, but there will be political blowback.

• President 2012: Newt Gingrich planning May presidential announcement – In a conference call Wednesday with former staffers and supporters former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said "we are leaning toward a yes" on a presidential run, CNN has learned.
  Leaning heavily.

  He revealed he hopes to announce a presidential bid in late May at noon in front of Philadelphia's Independence Hall. He asked the group for help building a national audience for that event on the internet and through local media.
  In response to a question, Gingrich told the group "corporate PACs can give $5,000 and obviously we'd be thrilled to have as many of them sign up as early as possible."
  In an apparent reference to the Contract with America that helped make him speaker in the 1990s he told the group "the campaign I want to build would have a contract in late September of 12" and help "build the party across the board."
  Several times Gingrich pointed out that "for legal reasons" he can't say too much – "we are still in the exploratory phase," but he has lined up the beginning of a campaign rollout. He expects former Georgia Senator Zell Miller to be a co-chair "once we put the campaign together." He says his campaign would be headquartered in Atlanta.
  He also said he is talking to and trying to recruit supporters in key states, such as he did in Iowa earlier this week. A Gingrich aide said he's planning direct mail solicitations starting next week and telemarketing efforts beginning this week.
  In addition to doing well in Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina, Gingrich said he hopes to "seal off Georgia as a favorite son." He added that given the way primary timing may shake out "Florida may suddenly loom very, very large.

  ===============

  No big surprise but an announcement after the May 2nd Presidential debate which may as well be postponed since there will be nobody participating.