Saturday, August 13, 2011
Friday, August 12, 2011
SDUT: MoveOn protests at congressional offices
“It's time we stand up to the very rich and large corporations, take our country back from them, re-establish our democracy -- all the while demanding jobs for our country, and not more cut-backs to the safety net,” Frank Gormlie, local council coordinator for MoveOn.org, said in an email.
Read the story here.
Read the story here.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
KPBS: Southern California Grocery Workers Plan Another Strike Vote
"Some of the things that they proposed, if they were willing to put the money up for those proposals, would definitely be a step in the right direction," said Kasparian. "And we'd certainly be interested in that. But again the money has to go with the proposals."
Read the story here.
Read the story here.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
SD CityBeat: County approves retroactive funding for Christian camp improvements
David Blair-Loy, legal director for the ACLU of San Diego and Imperial Counties, says the county’s decision to approve the funding violates the separation of church and state as articulated in the California Constitution.
Read the story here.
Read the story here.
Lorena Gonzalez's home was attacked last night
Petty acts of vandalism against political targets screams cowardice about the perpetrators. Such acts, unfortunately, are not uncommon as they should be they too often succeed in silencing their target.
This is not the case today. The attack on the Gonzalez household was wrong on so many levels. Attempting to intimidate an entire family for political reasons should be condemned by anyone who believes in honest debate in a civilized society.
And this incident will not silence her voice. It will only make it stronger.
The atmosphere surrounding Lorena has heated up considerably thanks to SD Republican Party Secretary (and private investigator) Derrick Roach attempting to post her IRS information on SD Rostra and blogging that she is living a life of luxury at the expense of the workers she represents.
It is a weak and utterly invalid argument. What is not in dispute is this cycle of personal intimidation that the SD Republican Party has engaged in attempting to destroy the political debate towards anything constructive. The stalking of Carlos Marquez and attacks on Midori Wong were vile and pointless in that the goal of restarting redistricting never happened and the public tide turned against the SD Republican Party especially at City Hall.
If the SD Republican Party Central Committee ever got their heads straight, they would do something about their “leadership” which fosters an environment of hatred and makes such events like last night possible.
The attack on the Gonzalez home last night was wrong wrong wrong and such acts should never, ever, be tolerated.
This is not the case today. The attack on the Gonzalez household was wrong on so many levels. Attempting to intimidate an entire family for political reasons should be condemned by anyone who believes in honest debate in a civilized society.
And this incident will not silence her voice. It will only make it stronger.
The atmosphere surrounding Lorena has heated up considerably thanks to SD Republican Party Secretary (and private investigator) Derrick Roach attempting to post her IRS information on SD Rostra and blogging that she is living a life of luxury at the expense of the workers she represents.
It is a weak and utterly invalid argument. What is not in dispute is this cycle of personal intimidation that the SD Republican Party has engaged in attempting to destroy the political debate towards anything constructive. The stalking of Carlos Marquez and attacks on Midori Wong were vile and pointless in that the goal of restarting redistricting never happened and the public tide turned against the SD Republican Party especially at City Hall.
If the SD Republican Party Central Committee ever got their heads straight, they would do something about their “leadership” which fosters an environment of hatred and makes such events like last night possible.
The attack on the Gonzalez home last night was wrong wrong wrong and such acts should never, ever, be tolerated.
Monday, August 8, 2011
SDUT: Redevelopment money bypassing capitol
So all that money’s going to Sacramento then, right?
Well, no.
The state isn’t actually “taking money” from local officials.
Read the story here.
Well, no.
The state isn’t actually “taking money” from local officials.
Read the story here.
VOSD: Confusion Grows Over 9th District Representation
Esterbrooks said Young's office has spoken with Kwiatkowski to understand the spirit and intent of the City Charter. But she said Young would go forward with the plan he outlined Thursday, based on a literal interpretation of the charter's language.
Read the story here.
Read the story here.
VOSD: Fletcher Accepts $ Into 'Closed' Account
Bob Stern, president of the Los Angeles-based Center for Governmental Studies watchdog group, said Fletcher's spending should concern the city's Ethics Commission, which enforces campaign finances rules.
"If I were at the Ethics Commission, I would be raising some questions," Stern said.
Read the story here.
"If I were at the Ethics Commission, I would be raising some questions," Stern said.
Read the story here.
Friday, August 5, 2011
DeMaio’s Real Jobs Plan? You Can Find It In The City’s Print Shop
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Evan McLaughlin, 619-850-2790
SAN DIEGO – Councilmember and mayoral candidate Carl DeMaio held a press conference to announce a plan he insists will create jobs at some point.
Yet the only jobs DeMaio has supported in his time seeking the media spotlight have been at the city’s print shop, where he’s used city-funded resources to increase his name identification in a never-ending campaign for higher officer. It has been a consistent theme of DeMaio’s tenure on the Council.
The Union-Tribune has addressed DeMaio’s regular use of taxpayer funding to feed his appetite for public attention. The paper published an article entitled “Spending on Mailers Cost City Large Sum.” The article states that DeMaio “sent 45 times as many taxpayer-funded invitations last year as all the city’s other elected officials combined, according to records obtained by The San Diego Union-Tribune under the California Public Records Act.
In a Union-Tribune editorial, “Officials’ Clumsy Actions,” the U-T noted that DeMaio spent $32,000 in public money for the mailers, which prominently featured Carl DeMaio. The mailers included headlines such as “Carl DeMaio wants to keep your home and family safe,” and “Carl DeMaio fixing the city’s financial crisis.”
Kyle Haverback, spokesman for the Carl DeMaio’s Too Extreme for San Diego campaign, said, “It is disappointing but not surprising that Carl DeMaio poses as a taxpayer watchdog but has used more public resources that any other city official, all to further his personal political ambitions.”
DeMaio spent $32,000 in taxpayer-funded mailers during his first year in office
In February 2010, the Union-Tribune reported that Carl DeMaio spent $32,000 on taxpayer-funded mailers during his first year in office. DeMaio’s mailers were sent to constituents, inviting them to town-hall meetings.
“As Union-Tribune reporter Craig Gustafson revealed, DeMaio spent that sum in his first year in office on sending mailers to his constituents’ homes inviting them to town hall meetings he held on pressing issues facing the city.”
The Union-Tribune continued, “His name was prominently featured on the mailings in headlines such as ‘Carl DeMaio wants to keep your home and family safe’ and ‘Carl DeMaio fixing the city’s financial crisis.’”
(San Diego Union-Tribune, “Officials’ Clumsy Actions,” February 2, 2010)
DeMaio Sent 45 Times as Many Mailers as All Other Elected Officials Combined; Amount of Mailers Surpassed Regulatory Threshold that Restricted Mailer Content
“He sent 45 times as many taxpayer-funded invitations last year as all the city’s other elected officials combined, according to records obtained by The San Diego Union-Tribune under the California Public Records Act. The newspaper requested information on any mailing paid for by taxpayers that was sent to 200 or more people – the threshold under state law that triggers content restrictions for mailers, such as limiting mailers to one mention of a politician’s name.”
(San Diego Union Tribune, “Spending on Mailers Cost City Large Sum,” January 31, 2010)
Money on Mailers Could Have Paid A Fire Recruit’s Annual Salary
“Frank De Clercq, head of the city’s firefighters union, said the money DeMaio spent could have paid the $31,000 annual salary for a fire recruit.”
(San Diego Union Tribune, “Spending on Mailers Cost City Large Sum,” January 31, 2010)
The “Carl DeMaio’s Too Extreme For San Diego” campaign is a project of the San Diego Labor Council, AFL-CIO, which represents more than 192,000 union workers in the region while advocating for more jobs, better jobs and better lives for all local workers, union and non-union. To learn more, visit www.unionyes.org.
Contact: Evan McLaughlin, 619-850-2790
DeMaio’s Real Jobs Plan? You Can Find It In The City’s Print Shop
SAN DIEGO – Councilmember and mayoral candidate Carl DeMaio held a press conference to announce a plan he insists will create jobs at some point.
Yet the only jobs DeMaio has supported in his time seeking the media spotlight have been at the city’s print shop, where he’s used city-funded resources to increase his name identification in a never-ending campaign for higher officer. It has been a consistent theme of DeMaio’s tenure on the Council.
The Union-Tribune has addressed DeMaio’s regular use of taxpayer funding to feed his appetite for public attention. The paper published an article entitled “Spending on Mailers Cost City Large Sum.” The article states that DeMaio “sent 45 times as many taxpayer-funded invitations last year as all the city’s other elected officials combined, according to records obtained by The San Diego Union-Tribune under the California Public Records Act.
In a Union-Tribune editorial, “Officials’ Clumsy Actions,” the U-T noted that DeMaio spent $32,000 in public money for the mailers, which prominently featured Carl DeMaio. The mailers included headlines such as “Carl DeMaio wants to keep your home and family safe,” and “Carl DeMaio fixing the city’s financial crisis.”
Kyle Haverback, spokesman for the Carl DeMaio’s Too Extreme for San Diego campaign, said, “It is disappointing but not surprising that Carl DeMaio poses as a taxpayer watchdog but has used more public resources that any other city official, all to further his personal political ambitions.”
DeMaio’s Never-Ending Taxpayer-Funded Campaign
DeMaio spent $32,000 in taxpayer-funded mailers during his first year in office
In February 2010, the Union-Tribune reported that Carl DeMaio spent $32,000 on taxpayer-funded mailers during his first year in office. DeMaio’s mailers were sent to constituents, inviting them to town-hall meetings.
“As Union-Tribune reporter Craig Gustafson revealed, DeMaio spent that sum in his first year in office on sending mailers to his constituents’ homes inviting them to town hall meetings he held on pressing issues facing the city.”
The Union-Tribune continued, “His name was prominently featured on the mailings in headlines such as ‘Carl DeMaio wants to keep your home and family safe’ and ‘Carl DeMaio fixing the city’s financial crisis.’”
(San Diego Union-Tribune, “Officials’ Clumsy Actions,” February 2, 2010)
DeMaio Sent 45 Times as Many Mailers as All Other Elected Officials Combined; Amount of Mailers Surpassed Regulatory Threshold that Restricted Mailer Content
“He sent 45 times as many taxpayer-funded invitations last year as all the city’s other elected officials combined, according to records obtained by The San Diego Union-Tribune under the California Public Records Act. The newspaper requested information on any mailing paid for by taxpayers that was sent to 200 or more people – the threshold under state law that triggers content restrictions for mailers, such as limiting mailers to one mention of a politician’s name.”
(San Diego Union Tribune, “Spending on Mailers Cost City Large Sum,” January 31, 2010)
Money on Mailers Could Have Paid A Fire Recruit’s Annual Salary
“Frank De Clercq, head of the city’s firefighters union, said the money DeMaio spent could have paid the $31,000 annual salary for a fire recruit.”
(San Diego Union Tribune, “Spending on Mailers Cost City Large Sum,” January 31, 2010)
The “Carl DeMaio’s Too Extreme For San Diego” campaign is a project of the San Diego Labor Council, AFL-CIO, which represents more than 192,000 union workers in the region while advocating for more jobs, better jobs and better lives for all local workers, union and non-union. To learn more, visit www.unionyes.org.
###
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
FPPC Complaint Filed Against Pension Campaign For “Bait And Switch” Petition Tactics
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SAN DIEGO – (August 3, 2011) – The Fair Political Practices Commission was notified of potentially fraudulent activity by the Comprehensive Pension Reform for San Diego campaign committee this afternoon, including the video documentation of paid-signature gatherers using a phony petition to supposedly “lower gas prices” as a bait-and-switch that resulted in voters signing petitions for ballot measures that eliminate a retirement safety net for city employees.
Similarly, video was taken at the San Diego Pride festival, a major LGBT event in San Diego’s Balboa Park, where signature gatherers for the pension initiative pitched festivalgoers to sign petitions to make gay marriage legal when in fact no such petition has been cleared for circulation by the Secretary of State.
“Even after the gas price petition switcheroo was brought to the public’s attention nearly one month ago, the pension campaign has continued to employ that dirty trick and others,” said Evan McLaughlin, treasurer of the Just Say No, San Diego committee. “Apparently a public shaming was not enough. It’s now time we turn to the authorities.”
More details on the use of gay marriage and gas prices by the pension campaign is included in the attached letter, which was sent to the FPPC earlier today.
For more information or for an interview, please contact Evan McLaughlin at 619-850-2790.
###
FPPC Complaint Filed Against Pension Campaign For “Bait And Switch” Petition Tactics
Dishonest Use of Gas Prices and Gay Marriage As Advertisement Should Spur An Investigation
Dishonest Use of Gas Prices and Gay Marriage As Advertisement Should Spur An Investigation
SAN DIEGO – (August 3, 2011) – The Fair Political Practices Commission was notified of potentially fraudulent activity by the Comprehensive Pension Reform for San Diego campaign committee this afternoon, including the video documentation of paid-signature gatherers using a phony petition to supposedly “lower gas prices” as a bait-and-switch that resulted in voters signing petitions for ballot measures that eliminate a retirement safety net for city employees.
Similarly, video was taken at the San Diego Pride festival, a major LGBT event in San Diego’s Balboa Park, where signature gatherers for the pension initiative pitched festivalgoers to sign petitions to make gay marriage legal when in fact no such petition has been cleared for circulation by the Secretary of State.
“Even after the gas price petition switcheroo was brought to the public’s attention nearly one month ago, the pension campaign has continued to employ that dirty trick and others,” said Evan McLaughlin, treasurer of the Just Say No, San Diego committee. “Apparently a public shaming was not enough. It’s now time we turn to the authorities.”
More details on the use of gay marriage and gas prices by the pension campaign is included in the attached letter, which was sent to the FPPC earlier today.
For more information or for an interview, please contact Evan McLaughlin at 619-850-2790.
###
Big Business Campaigns’ Ramped Up Efforts Underscore Petition Drive Struggles
From the Labor Council
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SAN DIEGO – The ballot measure campaigns sponsored by big business have increased their per-signature bounty to $5 on a supposed “slam dunk” pension initiative, five times higher than when the campaign started.
This finding and other recent news illustrate a growing sense of desperation from the campaigns.
- Petition gatherers have been caught baiting shoppers to sign their petitions under the false pretense that signing will help “lower gas prices.” No such initiative is on file with the Secretary of State.
- At the San Diego Pride parade and festival last month, petition gatherers for the corporate campaigns asked passersby to sign petitions to make gay marriage legal in California. No such petition is on file with the Secretary of State.
- In addition to the five-fold increase in the bounty for the pension ballot measure, petitions for the ban on project labor agreements have doubled to $1.50 per signature.
- Petition gatherers have made misstatements about exempting firefighters (false), whether city employees receive Social Security (false), whether non-union workers are banned from working on city projects (yet again, false), and other important considerations about these ballot measures.
- Republican Councilmembers and their surrogates have held publicity stunts like “drive-thru” signature gatherings at Wal-Mart and placed robo-calls to voters asking them to sign the petition.
- Media accounts show these City of San Diego ballot measure campaigns have been asking patrons from other cities like La Mesa to sign their petitions in order to drive up their signature count.
The Just Say No campaign has been compiling video and audio footage of examples of where the petition drives have employed the aforementioned desperation tactics.
For more information, or for an interview, please contact Evan McLaughlin at 619-850-2790.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Big Business Campaigns’ Ramped Up Efforts Underscore Petition Drive Struggles
More Expensive Signature Bounties, Robo-Calls, Deceptive Tactics Show Petition Drives Are Struggling To Make Progress
SAN DIEGO – The ballot measure campaigns sponsored by big business have increased their per-signature bounty to $5 on a supposed “slam dunk” pension initiative, five times higher than when the campaign started.
This finding and other recent news illustrate a growing sense of desperation from the campaigns.
- Petition gatherers have been caught baiting shoppers to sign their petitions under the false pretense that signing will help “lower gas prices.” No such initiative is on file with the Secretary of State.
- At the San Diego Pride parade and festival last month, petition gatherers for the corporate campaigns asked passersby to sign petitions to make gay marriage legal in California. No such petition is on file with the Secretary of State.
- In addition to the five-fold increase in the bounty for the pension ballot measure, petitions for the ban on project labor agreements have doubled to $1.50 per signature.
- Petition gatherers have made misstatements about exempting firefighters (false), whether city employees receive Social Security (false), whether non-union workers are banned from working on city projects (yet again, false), and other important considerations about these ballot measures.
- Republican Councilmembers and their surrogates have held publicity stunts like “drive-thru” signature gatherings at Wal-Mart and placed robo-calls to voters asking them to sign the petition.
- Media accounts show these City of San Diego ballot measure campaigns have been asking patrons from other cities like La Mesa to sign their petitions in order to drive up their signature count.
The Just Say No campaign has been compiling video and audio footage of examples of where the petition drives have employed the aforementioned desperation tactics.
For more information, or for an interview, please contact Evan McLaughlin at 619-850-2790.
###
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
SF Gate: Gov. Jerry Brown vetoes bill banning some paid signature gathering
From SF Gate:
Supporters of the measure slammed the veto.
"This is a setback for reform in California," said Justine Sarver, executive director of the Ballot Initiative Strategy Center. "The measure would have eliminated a powerful incentive for fraud while protecting Californians' ability to participate fully in direct democracy."
Maybe they shouldn't be surprised -- the governor may have given a hint at his position last week when he mused, in response to a question, that the bill could make initiatives such as the one he is planning on taxes, more expensive.
Supporters of the measure slammed the veto.
"This is a setback for reform in California," said Justine Sarver, executive director of the Ballot Initiative Strategy Center. "The measure would have eliminated a powerful incentive for fraud while protecting Californians' ability to participate fully in direct democracy."
Maybe they shouldn't be surprised -- the governor may have given a hint at his position last week when he mused, in response to a question, that the bill could make initiatives such as the one he is planning on taxes, more expensive.
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