Just got back from the movies, finally something I can enthusiastically support. This true story uses lots of genuine news reels to set the mood. Great story, very enjoyable. Two Thumbs Up.
Doolittle Campaigns Against Prop 77 and Governor
I thought it would come to something like this...
Let's just call this what it is, "Kingdom Insurance". Republicans should NOT be supporting gerrymandered districts, nor should they be working against the governor's reform initiatives.
The Federal Election Commission voted Thursday to let members of Congress raise unlimited "soft money" donations to fight Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's redistricting initiative.
The 6-0 decision by the commission came in response to a request from U.S. Reps. Howard Berman, D-North Hollywood, and John Doolittle, R-Rocklin, both of whom oppose the redistricting plan.
The decision will allow federal officeholders to raise unlimited sums from unions, corporations and other donors to support or oppose any measure on the Nov. 8 special election ballot.
In general, federal campaign finance law limits federal officeholders to raising $5,000 each from donors for nonfederal elections. Commissioners decided those limits should not apply in the case of the special election, in part because there are no federal officials on the ballot
California Congressmen John Doolittle [for whom I used to work in the State Senate] and Henry Waxman are going before the FEC to try and get 'permission' to raise unlimited sums to battle Proposition 77.
CAMPAIGN FINANCE FEC: Calif. Lawmakers Can Exceed Limits In Remap Fight The
FEC ruled unanimously today that Reps. John Doolittle, R-Calif., and Howard
Berman, D-Calif., do not have to comply with federal campaign contribution
limits when raising money for ballot measures in November's special
election, including a measure that would change the way the state draws
congressional districts. But commissioners rejected, on a party-line 3-3
vote, a motion by Republican Michael Toner that would have exempted
campaigns connected with ballot initiatives from federal election law in all
cases. Toner argued that Congress never intended the law to extend to ballot
measures. He said in examining the legislative history of the Bipartisan
Campaign Reform Act of 2002, "I'm not aware of any floor discussion where
initiatives and referendums were mentioned." Commissioner Ellen Weintraub, a
Democrat, said she agreed in this case that federal officeholders would not
further their re-election efforts by raising money for the ballot
initiatives. But she noted, "I don't know if I'd be willing to say that
there are never any circumstances where [ballot initiatives] are connected
to a federal election." Commissioners compromised by issuing a narrowly
tailored opinion that would allow Doolittle and Berman to disregard federal
limits. In doing so, the panel rejected a draft staff recommendation to deny
Berman and Doolittle's request. The commissioners, including Toner,
indicated they might reconsider a sweeping exception for ballot initiatives
at a later date. A commission spokesman said several lawmakers, including
House Minority Leader Pelosi of California, called to urge the FEC to allow
Berman and Doolittle to raise funds without having to comply with federal
limits. In an interview, Toner explained that the FEC has always assumed
that redistricting is "so far removed from voting" that it would not be
covered by the law. But he also noted that as a state officeholder,
Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, could raise unlimited soft money to
support initiatives he sponsored, including the redistricting measure, while
his congressional opponents would be restricted to hard money. The FEC also
ruled unanimously that Andy Mayberry, a Republican running in the 2nd
District in Arkansas, can continue publishing two newspapers he co-owns
while running for office. The commissioners said Mayberry can print opinion
pieces on election issues, as long as he does not include his own name or
picture -- or his opponent's -- 120 days before the election. Although the
commissioners agreed that the decision was consistent with regulations, some
expressed misgivings about the rules governing candidates who also are media
owners. Weintraub noted the opinion pieces could "look like they're coming
from some neutral source who is in complete agreement with the candidate."
The FEC also voted unanimously to allow Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., to
use campaign funds for his children's travel expenses, as long as it is for
events connected with his status as a federal officeholder. -- by Alyson
Klein
What the people needTickets are on sale now for the 19th Annual B.R. Cohn Charity Fall Music Festival will be held Saturday, October 1st at the B.R. Cohn Winery Amphitheater featuring the Doobie Brothers, Little Feat, the Turtles, Lisa Loeb and other special surprise guests. This year, the annual B.R. Cohn Winery charity event is dedicated to the late Doobie Brother drummer Keith Knudsen, who passed away in February. The concert and golf tournament has raised nearly a million dollars over the years for youth related charities!
Tickets for the concert are $60.00 in advance (special VIP seats at $200 are only available through the winery tasting room) and $65.00 day of show. They are on-sale now at the winery and all Ticketmaster outlets. The winery ticket number is (707) 938-4064 ext. 24.
Cohn's annual celebrity golf tournament will be held this year on Friday, September 30 at the beautiful Chardonnay Club in Napa. This year's golf price is $275.00 and includes dinner. This is the tournament's third year at the popular course. Tee-off is at 10:00 am. >> CLICK HERE TO PRINT YOUR GOLF REGISTRATION FORM <<, fill it out and fax it to B.R. Cohn Winery at (707) 938-4585. You may also contact the Winery Tasting Room regarding invitations to the tournament and auction at (800) 330-4064 ext. 24 or email charityevents@brcohn.com.
The charity auction and dinner will be held following the golf tournament and will feature an auction of collectables, exciting trips, and hard-to-get wine. This year's main beneficiaries are the Valley of the Moon Children's Home, Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance and new beneficiary for 2005, the Sonoma Valley Education Foundation.
"With VH1 Classic on board again this year as a sponsor, and very worthy charities in place and we are hoping to raise even more money than last year," commented Bruce Cohn. "This is an incredible line-up and promises to be a great day and it’s all in memory of Keith Knudsen."
Parking for this year's show will again be off-site at the Sonoma Developmental Center soccer field, with shuttles moving crowds in and out. The show will start at 12:00 noon with doors opening at 11:00 am. Please watch for and follow parking signs at the approach to the B.R. Cohn Winery on Highway 12. Parking and shuttle are included in the price of the ticket. No beverages, food, or lawn furniture will be allowed onto the grounds. Concessions and lawn seating are available.
The B.R. Cohn Winery is located at 15000 Sonoma Highway 12 in Glen Ellen. Founded in 1984 by Bruce Cohn, the estate winery is known for its critically acclaimed, world-class, ultra-premium Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay. For more concert information please call 1-800-330-4064 ext. 24 or other information www.brcohn.com.
President Bush was wearing “a huge smile,” but his eyes were red and he looked drained by the time he got to the last widow, Crystal Owen, a third-grade schoolteacher who had lost her husband in Iraq. “Tell me about Mike,” he said immediately. “I don’t want my husband’s death to be in vain,” she told him. The president apologized repeatedly for her husband’s death. When Owen began to cry, Bush grabbed her hands. “Don’t worry, don’t worry,” he said, though his choking voice suggested that he had worries of his own. The president and the widow hugged. “It felt like he could have been my dad,” Owen recalled to NEWSWEEK. “It was like we were old friends. It almost makes me sad. In a way, I wish he weren’t the president, just so I could talk to him all the time.”
Bush routinely asks to see the families of the fallen when he visits military bases, which he does about 10 times a year. It does not appear that the White House or the military makes any effort to screen out dissenters or embittered families, though some families decline the invitation to meet with Bush. Most families encourage the president to stay the course in Iraq. “To oppose something my husband lost his life for would be a betrayal,” says Inge Colton, whose husband, Shane, died in April 2004 when his Apache helicopter was shot down over Baghdad. Bush does, however, hear plenty of complaints. He has been asked about missng medals on the returned uniform of a loved one, about financial assistance for a child going to college and about how soldiers really died when the Pentagon claimed the details were classified.
At her meeting with the president at Fort Hood, Texas, last spring, Colton says she lit into Bush for “stingy” military benefits. Her complaints caught Bush “a little off guard,” she recalls. “He tried to argue with me a little bit, but he promised he would have someone look into it.” The next day she got a call from White House chief of staff Andrew Card, who said the White House would follow up. “My main goal was to have him look at my son, look him in the eyes and apologize,” says Colton. “I wanted him to know, to really understand who he has hurt.” She says Bush was “attentive, though not in a fake way,” and sometimes at a loss for words. “He didn’t try to overcompensate,” she says.
Supreme Court allows redistricting initiative on November ballot
- By DAVID KRAVETS, AP Legal Affairs Writer
Friday, August 12, 2005
(08-12) 18:25 PDT San Francisco (AP) --
The California Supreme Court ruled Friday that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's attempt to change the way legislative districts are drawn should be placed back on November's special election ballot.
The 4-2 decision overturns a state appellate court ruling that removed the measure because of a wording dispute. It also settles the slate of initiatives voters will decide Nov. 8, unless the governor and the Democratically controlled Legislature agree to a compromise set of reforms in the days ahead.
In its ruling, the San Francisco-based court said it was unconvinced there were different meanings in two different versions of the redistricting measure. The version distributed to voters for the signatures required to place it on the ballot differed from the version submitted to the attorney general's office for review.
The measure's supporters characterized the differences as "stylistic" and said they did not substantively change the initiative's goals.
"We conclude that it would not be appropriate to deny the electorate the opportunity to vote on Proposition 77 at the special election to be held on November 8, 2005, on the basis of such discrepancies," the court's majority wrote.
The decision is a victory for the Republican governor, who has made the redistricting initiative a centerpiece of his so-called "year of reform."
The initiative seeks to strip lawmakers' power to draw congressional and legislative boundaries in California and instead shift that responsibility to a panel of retired judges.
In a statement, Schwarzenegger said he was "pleased that the people of California will have an opportunity to vote on Proposition 77. ... Close to one million Californians signed petitions demanding redistricting reform, and today their voices have been heard."
The governor also is supporting measures that would implement a state spending cap and require teachers to work longer to get off probation. The ballot also includes several other hot button measures, including proposals dealing with minors' abortion rights, prescription drug costs and whether union dues can be used for political purposes.
Supporters of the governor's redistricting measure submitted enough signatures to qualify it for the ballot, but Attorney General Bill Lockyer sued to remove it after its backers disclosed that they used a different version of the initiative during the certification process. The texts differed in 17 places, according to court documents.
A Sacramento County Superior Court judge ruled in Lockyer's favor, striking the measure from the ballot July 21. Earlier this week, the 3rd District Court of Appeal in Sacramento rejected, in a 2-1 vote, an attempt by its backers to restore it.
Lockyer said he was disappointed with the Supreme Court's decision and said he had brought the challenge to defend the integrity of the initiative process.
"The outcome in this case presents a serious danger of opening up the initiative process to bait-and-switch tactics that deceive voters and erode their trust," he said in a statement.
Voting to overturn the Sacramento appeals court were Chief Justice Ronald M. George, Justice Marvin Baxter, Justice Ming Chen and Richard Aldrich, a Los Angeles appellate justice sitting on assignment.
Dissenting were justices Carlos Moreno and Joyce Kennard. Justice Kathryn Werdegar was unavailable and did not participate. The court normally has seven members, but Schwarzenegger has not yet replaced Janice Rogers Brown, who left last month to sit on a federal appeals court.
It was the second time this summer the high court has overturned an appellate court decision and left an initiative on the Nov. 8 ballot.
Last month, the justices overturned the same appeals court and ordered election officials to place an initiative that would re-regulate the state's electricity market back on the ballot.
In a 6-0 decision, the court said the constitutionality of Proposition 80 could be decided after the election if it's approved by voters. They said it was "usually more appropriate to review constitutional and other challenges to ballot propositions or initiative measures after an election" unless there was "some clear showing of invalidity."
Proposition 80, a reaction to the state's 2001 energy crisis, is supported by consumer groups and would require electric service providers to be regulated by the California Public Utilities Commission.
Opponents of the redistricting measure still believe they will defeat it at the polls, said Lance Olson, an attorney representing Californians for Fair Representation-No on 77.
"The court still hasn't ruled on the merits," he said. "We still think the measure was qualified illegally, but we're not likely to find out because we're certain that this issue will be defeated at the polls. That's where we'll turn our focus now."
California voters have rejected four redistricting attempts since 1982.
Schwarzenegger has been an outspoken critic of the system, which he has called unrepresentative and undemocratic.
After the 2000 census, lawmakers of both parties approved a redistricting scheme that allowed districts to be drawn in a way that heavily favored candidates of only one party. Of the 153 congressional and state legislative races in November 2004, not a single seat changed parties.
The last time a redistricting measure came before the justices was 1999, when it removed from the ballot a measure placing redistricting in the hands of the judiciary.
The justices invalidated the measure before the election because it contained a separate and unrelated question — how much lawmakers could earn. The justices said ballot initiatives must deal with only one subject at a time, as the California Constitution demands.
The case is Costa v. Superior Court, S136294.
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Associated Press Political Writer Beth Fouhy contributed to this report.
