On Law’s 18th Anniversary, Peters Campaign Reminds Voters of Bilbray’s Vote to Undermine Violence Against Women Act

San Diego – Today, on the 18th anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act, the Scott Peters for Congress campaign called on Brian Bilbray to explain why he voted to roll back protections in the law earlier this year.

“The Violence Against Women Act was landmark legislation that dramatically increased our ability to combat domestic abuse,” said Peters Communications Director MaryAnne Pintar. “Scott believes all women deserve these protections.”

Originally enacted in 1994, the VAWA increased the ability of law enforcement agencies to protect victims of stalking, domestic violence and sexual assault. Since then, it has been reauthorized twice with bipartisan support.  On May 16, 2012, however, Bilbray voted to undermine core principles of the law by removing protections for Native American women, immigrants and members of the LGBT community.

Peters is a steadfast advocate of equal rights for all. He is endorsed by several women elected officials as well as the national Human Rights Campaign. Planned Parenthood has also endorsed him, with a 100 percent rating, for his record of standing up for women’s reproductive rights.

This is in stark contrast to Brian Bilbray who voted against equal pay protections for women, to limit women’s access to contraception and reproductive care, and to reduce the number of women protected under the Violence Against Women Act.

For more information about Scott Peters campaign to bring common-sense reform to Congress, please go to www.scottpeters.com.

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Calitics: Carl DeMaio, the next Scott Walker

By Lucas O'Conner

Cross posted from Calitics

Statewide, we're all gearing up to beat back Proposition 32, that tries to give full financial control of our elections to corporations and millionaires that have already been running amok since Citizens United came down. But down in San Diego, we're already fighting what comes next. Carl DeMaio is running for mayor with big designs on becoming a national sensation for the far right, and if he gets momentum now he just might pull it off.

Prominent state and national GOP figures are already putting on Orange County fundraisers billing DeMaio as "The Next Scott Walker," and his calling card has become the string of roadmaps and pathways that mirror Paul Ryan's Roadmap for America's Future. DeMaio knows how to become a champion for the far right, and he's executing the playbook from DC step by step.
Lucas O'Connor :: Carl DeMaio, the next Scott Walker

It's a record that should have a familiar ring to anyone who's been following the presidential race. Plucked out of college by Newt Gingrich, he worked on the Contract for America before moving on to the Reason Institute to have his work funded by the likes of the Koch Brothers and Scaife Family and fell in with the Abramoff crowd.

In a sadly familiar story, he made a personal fortune after starting companies to help the government cut jobs and outsource work, and help contractors to profit off the deals. Playing both sides of the street paid off handsomely for him.

The boldness of his hypocrisy and the things he outright makes up could almost be admirable if they weren't so damaging. Running as a fiscal conservative, he's orchestrated a new billion dollar tax payable directly to corporations. Even though voters rejected the same tax twice, he simply imposed it anyways.

He's roiled many in San Diego's LGBT community by accepting big campaign checks from some of Prop 8's biggest supporters despite being a gay candidate himself. Reportedly, the price of those donations was a promise that "he would not push the gay agenda issues" as mayor.

Now in the general election, his claims have gotten even wilder.

After posting the worst cumulative score on the League of Conservation Voters scorecard since joining the city council, he's declared himself an environmentalist based on nothing in particular.
He's attempting to reach out to San Diego's Latino community after announcing that local police should enforce federal immigration law and casting the only vote on city council defending Arizona's SB1070 racial profiling law.

And now he's announced he's pro-choice, which would be great... but big news to Planned Parenthood. Of the four leading candidates for mayor in the primary, DeMaio was the only one not rated pro-choice by Planned Parenthood.

DeMaio's gamble is that not enough people have been paying attention and the media won't push back enough for all these bizarre claims to backfire on him. He'll have millions in TV ads to make his case, and it remains to be seen whether the plan will work.

He's already spearheaded dramatic attacks on public workers, championed outsourcing, and promised that he owes favors to the developers and contractors who are bankrolling his campaign. Along the way, he hasn't hidden his plan to bring this agenda to the state level next.

If the state and national GOP is lining up to spend millions electing the next Scott Walker in San Diego, it's time to push back. You can learn much more about what's on the horizon at DirtyDeMaio, and stay up to date on Facebook and Twitter.

I'm proud to work for San Diegans for Bob Filner for Mayor 2012

A Desperate Bilbray Tries to Divert Attention from the 30,000 Military Jobs He Could Cost San Diego

San Diego, CA – Faced with what he admits is one of the biggest threats to re-election he’s ever faced, Brian Bilbray laid bare his desperation today by asking a question that was asked and answered repeatedly during the primary election.

“Brian Bilbray has voted for sequestration cuts that could cost San Diego 30,000 military-related jobs, and to charge seniors $6,400 more for Medicare so he could give tax cuts to the corporate special interests who have paid millions to support his campaigns,” said Peters’ Communications Director MaryAnne Pintar.

“Scott has made public every single source of his income for the past 12 years,” she said. “Of much greater concern to the voters is how incredibly beholden Mr. Bilbray is to the special interests that have paid millions towards his lobbying fees and to fund campaigns to support him over the past 18 years.”

During the debt ceiling debacle last summer, Brian Bilbray was part of the obstructionist Tea Party effort that caused the nation’s credit rating to be downgraded for the first time in America’s history. The resulting “sequestration cuts” he supported could cost San Diego as many as 30,000 military-related jobs.

“Rather than acting to fix this looming crisis that could devastate our economy, Mr. Bilbray’s acting like a career politician more concerned about saving his own job than about saving the jobs of 30,000 San Diegans,” said Pintar.

For the past 12 years, as a City Councilmember and Port Commissioner, Peters has filed financial disclosure statements that detail each and every source of his family’s income. His most current filing with the Federal Elections Commission is 16-pages long and was made available on line in March 2012. Peters is running to unseat Bilbray in the newly drawn 52nd Congressional District.

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Peters Campaign Launches First TV Ad of General Election

“Kids” Takes Aim at Dysfunctional Congress  

San Diego – The Scott Peters for Congress campaign launched its first television commercial of the General Election today. The 30-second spot, called “Kids” takes aim at the terrible dysfunction in Congress which has caused Congressional approval ratings to hit an all time low.

“The constant conflict and quarrelling we’re seeing from elected representatives in Washington, including Brian Bilbray, has never been worse,” said Peters. “We wouldn’t let our kids get away with behavior like this, why should we accept it in our leaders?” he said.

The ad opens with Peters saying: “Bickering. Fighting. We wouldn’t put up with this from our kids. It’s time Washington got something done.” Behind him are children dressed as House members in a mock Congressional committee room arguing and throwing paper at one another.

“It would be comical if it weren’t so sadly representative of the way our current Congress, and the incumbent, Brian Bilbray, have been conducting our nation’s business as of late,” said Peters' Communications Director MaryAnne Pintar.

“Brian Bilbray has worked in D.C. as a special interest lobbyist and congressman for decades, yet he's trying desperately to portray himself as an outsider,” she said. “He can't hide from the fact that he's part of the problem. To change Congress, we must change who we send.”

Several recent national polls show that public approval of Congress is at its lowest in history, due in large part to hyper partisanship and bickering that has caused unprecedented gridlock in Washington, D.C.

Peters is running to unseat Bilbray, a 12-year-incumbent, in the newly drawn 52nd Congressional District. To find out more, go to www.scottpeters.com.

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Statement from Scott Peters on the Anniversary of 9/11

San Diego -- On the 11th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on our nation on Sept. 11, 2001, Scott Peters, candidate for the newly drawn 52nd Congressional District, issued the following statement:

"In the midst of heated political campaigns, we tend to focus on our differences; it’s how we make our case for election and distinguish ourselves from our opponents. On this day, though, we focus not on what divides, but on what unites us as Americans, including our tremendous gratitude for the sacrifices others have made to protect our freedoms, and our heartfelt sympathy for those who lost loved one on this date eleven years ago.

"It's hard to believe it’s been that long since we all woke up to the tragedies that unfolded in Pennsylvania, at the Pentagon, and in my one-time home of NYC. But we remain vigilant and we remember still."

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Reigniting the American Dream: Building Ladders of Opportunity

Bernie Rhinerson for SD Community College Board

DCCC Releases “Not Working for You” TV Ad Targeting Congressman Bilbray for Accepting Pay Raises and Ending Medicare

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is launching an Independent Expenditure campaign TV ad hitting Congressman Brian Bilbray (CA-52) for his record of wheeling and dealing for special interests, rather than standing up for California’s middle class. As a lobbyist, Bilbray was paid $35,000 after he wrote a bill to help a company get a no-bid contract for a water sewage treatment plant. In Congress, Bilbray has voted to protect tax loopholes for his Big Oil and special interest donors while voting to raise health care costs for seniors by $6,400. The DCCC ad will begin running today.

Script of  DCCC IE Ad “Not Working for You” (CA-52)

Voiceover:      
For thirty-six years, Brian Bilbray has either been a politician, or a lobbyist.

Bilbray got paid thirty-five thousand dollars in lobbying fees, after he wrote a bill to help a company get a no-bid contract.

He’s raised thousands from Big Oil and the special interests he lobbied for

…and protects their tax subsidies, while voting to gut Medicare.

Whoever Bilbray’s working for – he’s not working for you.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is responsible for the content of this advertising.

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Brian Bilbray: Not Working for You

CA League of Conservation Voters, National LCV Action Fund Endorse Scott Peters for Congress in California’s 52nd District

SAN DIEGO – Today, the national League of Conservation Voters (LCV) Action Fund and the California League of Conservation Voters (CLCV) together announced their endorsement of Scott Peters for the U.S. House of Representatives in California’s 52nd district.

In backing his congressional bid, LCV Action Fund and CLCV cited Peters’ long and accomplished record of public service in the San Diego community, leading initiatives to strengthen public health standards, protect the environment, and grow the economy by creating thousands of new local jobs.  Peters will face long-time incumbent Rep. Brian Bilbray in the general election.

“LCV Action Fund is proud to endorse Scott Peters for Congress because he has a remarkable track record as an environmental champion, he is a strong advocate for public health, and he is a proven community leader who knows how to create sustainable jobs that grow the economy,” said LCV Action Fund President Gene Karpinski. “Throughout his time as an environmental attorney, a City Councilman, and head of the San Diego Unified Port District, Scott Peters has embodied the values of sustainability and environmental protection that San Diegans cherish.”

The newly drawn 52nd Congressional District is rich in natural resources, including canyons, lagoons, open space and more than half of San Diego County’s coastline.

“As a Councilman, Scott Peters cut sewer spills to clean up the San Diego Bay and protected hundreds of acres of open space,” said Sarah Rose, CEO of CLCV. “And he accomplished these while staying focused on job creation. Particularly in resource-rich San Diego, we need leaders like Scott who can achieve this balance in order to improve our quality of life.”

Among other achievements as a Councilman, Peters banned smoking in public parks and beaches, and redeveloped local roads to protect sensitive and rare lagoon habitats.  His strong record of leadership continued as chair of the Port of San Diego – a major economic engine that produces tens of thousands of high-skill, high-wage jobs for San Diegans. Under Peters’ leadership, the Port shifted its emphasis to sustainability by reducing waste in water and energy consumption, thereby helping the environment and lowering costs. Prior to entering public service, Peters was an environmental attorney, successfully leading a Clean Water Act lawsuit against polluters that ultimately led to new water quality standards around these facilities.

In stark contrast, Rep. Bilbray has voted repeatedly to undermine the Clean Water and Clean Air Acts; against carbon pollution standards; and against wilderness and wildlife protections. He has also voted time and again to give billions of dollars in taxpayer subsidies every year to oil companies that, in turn, contribute generously to his campaigns. Bilbray earned a dismal 17% score on LCV’s 2011 National Environmental Scorecard.

The non-partisan LCV National Environmental Scorecard is a nationally accepted yardstick used to rate members of Congress on environmental and clean energy issues. Based on key environmental votes in the House and Senate, it is often used by the media to quickly describe a Member’s position. For more information, visit http://www.lcv.org/scorecard.

Scott Peters is featured on LCV Action Fund’s GiveGreen website, http://www.givegreen.com, the only bundling website devoted exclusively to raising money for environmental champions and candidates.

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Paid for by the League of Conservation Voters Action Fund and California League of Conservation Voters, and authorized by Scott Peters for Congress.

Assembly Candidate RJ Hernandez Hosts Obama Convention Speech Viewing Party

 Come watch President Obama Accept his Party's Nomination with friends & supporters of RJ Hernandez's Assembly Campaign at the Fish Boutique in Scripps Ranch (in the Trader Joe's shopping center) this coming Thursday night!

WHAT: 
A viewing party to watch President Obama’s convention speech

WHEN: 
5:30 to 7:30 pm on Thursday, September 6th

WHERE: 
Fish Boutique, 9842 Hibert Street Ste G-6, San Diego, California 92131

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San Diegans for Filner YouTube Ad - Leader

Sierra Club Endorses Scott Peters for Congress

San Diego – The Scott Peters for Congress campaign today proudly announced the endorsement of the Sierra Club, which has 1.4 million members across America. Peters is running in the newly drawn 52nd Congressional District against 12-year-incumbent Brian Bilbray who has voted repeatedly to undermine laws that protect our water, air and wildlife.

The endorsement means financial support from the club’s political action committee and outreach to its 12,000 members in San Diego County.

“In San Diego, where our quality of life and our economy are so tied to our natural resources, we reject the idea that we must choose between protecting our natural resources and our economic prosperity,” said Peters. “We must achieve both.”

Peters practiced environmental law before entering his career in public service. While in private practice, he successfully represented several environmental organizations in a lawsuit against a polluting shipyard, which ultimately led to new Clean Water Act standards for these facilities.

His long record of environmental accomplishments earned him the local club’s backing during previous campaigns, and if elected, he hopes to help shape national policy related to renewable energy, climate change, and clean wate. National clean water advocates Ocean Champions also endorsed Peters last month.

In stark contrast, Brian Bilbray has voted repeatedly to undermine the Clean Water and Clean Air Acts; against regulating greenhouse gas emissions; against regulating pollutants to drinking water sources; and against wilderness and wildlife protections. He’s voted for lowering offshore oil drilling safety standards, while supporting billions in subsidies to profitable oil and gas companies who have contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to his election campaigns.

For more information, go to www.scottpeters.com.

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Asian Community 2012 Candidate Forum

A nonpartisan, educational Candidates Forum will be held on Saturday, September 8th, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.  The venue is the Wesley United Methodist Church, the oldest Vietnamese church in San Diego, which is located in a multi-ethnic neighborhood at 54th Street and El Cajon Boulevard, San Diego 92115.  The doors to the Parish Hall open at 10:30 a.m.  This event is free and open to the public.

Five political races are included in this Candidates Forum which cover the cities of San Diego, Poway in the north down to National City and Chula Vista in the south.  Congressional District 52 candidates Brian Bilbray and Scott Peters, Congressional District 53 candidates Susan Davis and Nick Popaditch, State Assembly District 77 candidates Ruben (“R J”) Hernandez and Brian Maienschein, State Assembly District 79 candidates Mary England and Shirley Weber,  and San Diego Mayoral  candidates Carl De Maio and Bob Filner have been invited.

The program will start at 11:00 a.m. for the Congressional candidates, noon for the State Assembly candidates, and 1:00 pm for the San Diego Mayoral candidates.   Each hour will have the following format: In the first half hour the candidates will give formal opening and closing statements and answer pre-selected written questions submitted by community members.  In the second half hour the candidates will meet and greet the audience in an informal setting.  Light lunch and refreshments will be served during the half hour meet and greet time periods.

ADVISORY - Candidate Dr. Shirley Weber Hosts Obama Convention Speech Viewing Party

Assembly Candidate Dr. Shirley Weber Hosts Obama Convention Speech Viewing Party

WHAT: 
A viewing party to watch President Obama’s convention speech

WHEN: 
5:30 to 7:30 pm on Thursday, September 6th

WHERE: 
Felix’s BBQ with Soul Restaurant, 342 Euclid Ave. San Diego, 92114

WHO: 
Dr. Shirley Weber, candidate for the 79th Assembly District, friends, neighbors and supporters

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ADVISORY: Nomination Watch Party in San Diego

San Diegans to Rally As Obama Accepts Nomination 

 

The County Democratic Party is organizing a "watch party" in Kearny Mesa Thursday night as Barack Obama formally accepts the Democratic presidential nomination. Before and after the event, attendees will be signing up for volunteer shifts to walk precincts and make phone calls to local voters. News media representatives are welcome.

WHEN:
Thursday, Sept. 6 -- doors open at 5:30 p.m., Obama's speech expected at approx. 7:00 p.m.

WHERE: 
Democratic Unity Campaign Center, 8322 Clairemont Mesa Blvd., Suite 202, San Diego (92111)

WHO:
Democratic activists, volunteers, and supporters from throughout San Diego County. As San Diego's senior Democratic Member of Congress, Bob Filner will be on hand to welcome guests and will be available for media interviews as a representative of the Democratic Party.

For more information, please contact Meg Mandy at (619) 288-3823 or meg@sddemocrats.org.

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San Diegans Ready to Rally at DNC Convention

 

Local "Watch Party" Planned at Democratic Campaign Office

San Diego County's sole representative on the Democratic National Committee, Jess Durfee, has left for Charlotte, N.C., for a week of DNC business meetings and speeches culminating in President Barack Obama's formal acceptance of the Democratic Party's presidential nomination next Thursday night.

Finishing his last term this year as Chair of the San Diego County Democratic Party, Durfee was reelected last month to another four-year stint on the DNC.

"I'm excited to be joining Democratic Party officials and activists as we rally to support and reelect President Obama," said Durfee. "The Republican convention this week was full of what we've come to expect from them -- falsehoods, Tea Party extremism, and rhetoric more focused on tearing down our President than lifting up our country. By contrast, I think the Democratic convention will offer a message of opportunity, inclusivity, and enthusiasm to keep America moving forward with Democratic leadership."

Durfee is a "superdelegate" along with San Diego's Democratic members of Congress, Susan Davis and Bob Filner. Out of the local delegation of 38, an additional 25 were directly elected in local caucuses this spring, and another 10 are "at-large" or "party leader" delegates. San Diegans will be available for interviews in Charlotte throughout next week.

Jess Durfee can be reached at (619) 750-5377 and followed on Twitter @ChairJessDurfee.

OBAMA ACCEPTANCE SPEECH EVENT IN SAN DIEGO

The County Democratic Party will be holding an official convention "watch party" on Thursday, Sept. 6, at 5:30 p.m. at a new Democratic Coordinated Campaign Office located at 8322 Clairemont Mesa Blvd., Suite 202, in Kearny Mesa. This event is open to the media; for details, call Meg Mandy at (858) 277-3367 or meg@sddemocrats.org. 

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STATEMENT OF ASSEMBLYMEMBER TONI ATKINS ON STATE LEGISLATURE’S ADOPTION OF PENSION REFORM

Sacramento - Today I joined with my legislative colleagues to adopt AB 340, which implements a wide range of reforms designed to rein in the costs of employee pensions for state and local governments.  This balanced measure reduces pension benefits for new government employees and eliminates many of the pension-padding practices of the past, while still providing retirees with a stable, reliable standard of living in their senior years.

AB 340 represents a framework for responsible and fair pension reform.  The legislature will address additional proposed reforms in future legislative sessions. Local jurisdictions that desire to implement broader reforms have the authority to do so under AB 340.  In addition, charter cities such as San Diego are exempt from the bill, leaving Proposition B -- the pension measure recently adopted by San Diego voters -- intact.  This reform measure was supported by both the California League of Cities and the California State Association of Counties, both of which represent local governments.

A decade ago, the City of San Diego faced the consequences of having underfunded the city employee pension program since the 1980’s – unfunded liabilities that jeopardized funding for all city services.  I was a member of the City Council that ended that pattern.  As Chair of the City Budget Committee, I led the work to implement budget discipline that has resulted in fiscal stability for San Diego and a restoration of critical services for residents.

AB 340 will enable state and local governments to similarly bring pension costs under control and to demonstrate our commitment to responsibly managing the taxpayers’ money.

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ATKINS BILL PROTECTS CHILDREN FROM ONLINE PREDATORS

Sacramento -  The state legislature has adopted a bill by Assemblymember Toni Atkins to add computer technicians to the list of people mandated to report to law enforcement child pornography that they encounter in the course of their work.  On a unanimous bipartisan vote, AB 1817 was sent to the Governor, who has until the end of September to sign or veto the bill.

“We live in a digital age and it’s time to update our laws to reflect the world we live in by making computer technicians mandated reporters of child pornography,” says Atkins. “Online images last forever and each time child pornography is viewed that child is re-victimized.  My bill is about protecting those kids.”

Commercial film and photo processors are already mandated reporters under state law, but predators who sexually exploit children have evolved with the times, hiding most of the images which they create and exchange on personal computers and the Internet.  According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, 9.6 million images of child pornography had been identified by 2007.  Millions more are believed to be in circulation. And it is estimated that 200 new images of children being sexually abused are circulated each day to meet the insatiable demand of the child pornography market.  A study commissioned by the United States Department of Justice revealed that 96% of those images are in digital form.

In adopting this law, California would join ten other states in designating computer technicians as mandated reporters. The bill is supported by law enforcement and a broad coalition of groups working to end child pornography and sexual exploitation.

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Bilbray Challenges Peters to Debates Peters Agreed to Weeks Ago

San Diego -- Today, entrenched incumbent Brian Bilbray, who has refused several debate requests, challenged Scott Peters to debates Peters already agreed to several weeks ago. The Peters campaign responded with the following:

“Mr. Bilbray has issued a challenge to debates we agreed to weeks ago,” said Peters’ Communications Director MaryAnne Pintar. “We’re just pleased he’s finally stepped up.”

Other organizations including the North County Chamber of Commerce, several rotary clubs, the Ocean Beach Town Council, and Voice of San Diego, have also been trying to organize debates for weeks. Peters agreed to them immediately; Mr. Bilbray has not.  The Peters campaign intends to honor these requests and calls on Mr. Bilbray to do the same.

“We look forward to comparing Scott’s record of accomplishment to Mr. Bilbray’s tenure as a member of the most poorly-viewed, ineffective Congress in history,” she said.

Pintar reminded members of the media that his campaign issued the same challenge early in the primary, and then did not show at all of them.

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