Chuck DeVore – Time Honored Tradition of Staffers Double-Dipping?

 Chuck DeVore  4 Responses »
Mar 282010
 

Those of you that have read my blogging know I have been after capitol staff who moonlight – my assertion is that there is no way the taxpayers are receiving the benefit of a complete day’s work while someone is also working another full-time job.

Chuck DeVore and his staff were profiled in an OC Watchdog post which is affiliated with and also profiled on the OC Register. Normally, the OC Register is cozy with the Meg County Blog and Chuck DeVore.

This story is interesting – a few items that caught my eye follow:

1. DeVore’s Communications Director, Josh Trevino wrote the following in response to an inquiry from the story-writer about his legislative pay:

“…Bottom line is that I’m not making meaningful money off DeVore —  especially not compared to what I’d make with a similar commitment to a TSM client. I do what I do because I sincerely believe in him and his chances.”

I’m Sorry – that is about as believable as the assertion that wussing out and abstaining is the same as voting against Abel Maldonado.

2. The story concludes with this gem from DeVore:

DeVore says he’s lucky to have supporters like this, he says a “grassroots” campaign like his would never succeed without talented volunteers because he could never afford their services on his budget. He says this is a shining example of democracy.

Because if you ask DeVore for pay – you’ll get accused of extortion.

If Trevino can pay his bills on half a check – I salute him and would like to seek his advice on money management… Or I could sell my soul and collect wads of cash from candidates I don’t believe in.

The point is – consultants don’t work for free… and this looks like the taxpayers are subsidizing DeVore’s campaign.

Why I stood for Andy Pugno at the CRA Endorsing Convention

 Andy Pugno, Craig DeLuz  12 Responses »
Mar 262010
 

I gave Craig DeLuz for Assembly $250. I gave Craig Money for his City Council Campaign, School Board Campaign and for the Support the Platform Central Committee campaign in the past.

I have been a friend of Craig DeLuz for 8 years.

I endorsed Craig early.

I believe in Craig DeLuz’ values, his story and what he has to offer.

I did not meet Andy Pugno until June of last year for the first time.

So why did I stand up for Andy Pugno at the CRA endorsing convention last night?

Is Andy more Conservative? No. Andy and Craig espouse the same stances on issues.

Does Andy have a superior record of service to the GOP? No. Both Andy and Craig can cite a laundry list of accomplishments and activism inside the GOP.

Did Andy have big Special Interest Money? Only one donation from a PAC.

While I sat at the CRA Convention I heard a recitation from the three Candidates that attended – Craig, Suzanne Jones and Andy Pugno.

Craig – who is a fantastic public speaker delivered a presentation about who he is and what he has done.

Suzanne – who is fairly new to being a candidate brought cue cards with her and implored us with the message of “What about me”?

Andy – who is not a fantastic public speaker started with some self-depricating humor (referencing veiled references by the previous two to him) and proceeded to spend a minute explaining why he was not going to take his whole five minutes.

So it was not even a question of who the best speaker was or the “Package” as it were.

Andy Pugno is a middle-aged white guy. He is a lawyer that has gone to battle for Conservative Causes for years – while DeLuz was in the trenches on the ground…

All across the board – similar.

Differences?

Race.
Public speaking ability.
Money.

Andy Pugno has out-raised everyone in the entire state. He has 10-12 times the cash that Craig DeLuz has.

This was not an easy decision – Craig has wanted this for at least 4 years that I know of. Craig is a dear friend – but he could not get the critical mass.

In the end, it became a matter of the CRA and the CRA supporting a proven Conservative with the critical mass to win.

If Andy Pugno, as conservative as he is, could get the “liberal establishment” to come kicking and screaming on to his endorsement list… it means he is a force to be reckoned with.

They tried to recruit someone else and Andy Pugno made them yield – Steve Miklos, Susan Peters, Sheriff McGuinness, none answered the bell.

And in a rare combination, the Establishment and the CRA almost endorsed the same candidate – and this time the establishment came to the right to meet us.

Andy Pugno is the only candidate I have ever seen pull that off.

I was a Member of the Placer County Tea Party for a Day

 Placer County Republican Party, Tea Party  1 Response »
Mar 212010
 

Congress just voted 219-212 to pass Obamacare. This would be the Senate bill that was purchased by buying Ben Nelson and Mary Landrieux and others.

This will set off a spate of lawsuits and chaos – all because of a President whose own ego transcends reason.

Obama has given birth to the Tea Party.

In 2006 and 2008 – those of us on the Placer County Republican Central Committee felt really lonely as the Republican Standard-Bearers were liberals like Bush/Arnold/Romney/McCain… and the failure of Republican leadership has given rise to a movement completely aside of either political party.

And here we sit in 2010 with Democrats in almost total control of Governments everywhere…

On Saturday – I visited a Tea Party Rally on Galleria Blvd in Roseville. I wasn’t wearing Red – I just came from the gym. I have gotten to know a few Tea Party folks in Placer County, but I decided to be a part of for a little while.

They got some 200 people to show up to waive flags on short notice. People brought home-made signs to show their displeasure with the tyranny in Washington D.C.

Other than a few who flipped them off – most everyone was honking or waiving in affirmation.

I have been invited to hundreds of rallies in my time in politics.  I am not sure if they affect anything other than the mood of those participating in them – and that may be worth it.

As far as the Tea Party is concerned – they are mad as hell. I hope they don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater and start targeting everyone good and bad.

I have seen the gamut from their leadership – from having people push me away when I approach them, seeing people talk about how the Republican Party should “get scared”, to arrogance.

The local group has some of the above – but, mostly they are disaffected Conservatives.

The Obamacare bill passed today – this will cause health insurance premiums to skyrocket, hospitals to close and will extend the recession as the tax increases start immediately.

Ultimately, I hope the Tea Party will help clean out Washington D.C., local government and everything in between.

I was part of the Tea Party for a few minutes on Saturday 3/20/2010 – while they are deciding if they can trust this long-time member of the Republican establishment – this long-time activist is deciding what the Tea Party is all about.

I am going to wait to pass judgement once I see where the anger leads them to – will the movement cause reform or will it flame out once the passion for the anger does as well?

Remember Yountville? Now, it’s getting dirty

 City Of Yountville, Robert Stryk, Robert Stryk for Mayor  10 Responses »
Mar 212010
 

A few weeks ago – your humble blogger blew the lid off of an absurd conundrum going on in the “sleepy” little town of Yountville.

Remember how the local congressman hired a Private Investigator? The local paper is an illegal business with a expired corporation?

Well, the local hotel owners are sparing no expense to stop Robert Stryk from getting elected. They flew someone across country to stay in their resort for free because they thought they were going to get some dirt on Mr. Stryk.

Problem – the “informant” was still a friend of Stryk’s. Problem 2 – the Congressman, Mike Thompson (who voted for socialized medicine tonight) hired a new PI and got embarrassed again.

Stryk is a rookie at a political campaign – but I will credit him for being one tough cookie. The powers that be are fighting like hell to keep their power…

This is Robert’s latest campaign email (unedited)-

Dear Friends,

Less then 48 hours ago, a secret meeting was adjourned in the offices of David Shipman, the G.M. of the Villagio Properties. The participants in the meeting were Kerry Egan, Owner Representative of the Villagio, David Shipman, Dawn King (Private Investigator hired by Kerry Egan) Sharon Stennas of the Yountville Sun and Jillian Jones of the Napa Valley Register.

They were all coming together for what they thought was a Confidential Informant from Washington D.C. that Dawn King the Private Investigator had contacted weeks prior and communicated to the group that this Informant would be able to provide “Dirt” on myself.

This alone was enough to entice Kerry Egan and David Shipman to pay for him a Suite at the Villagio, provide him a bottle of free wine in the room and leave him a welcome note containing the hand-written signature of David Shipman.

Email records will show that these individuals (minus Jillian Jones of the Napa Valley Register) as well as many others, most notably a member of the Napa Valley Sheriff’s Department are part of a massive effort to discredit and spread lies about myself.

Upon entering the lobby of the Villagio, Sharon Stennas introduced herself to the groups Informant whom she mistakenly indentified as a member of the Napa Valley Sheriff’s Department who she expected to also be in attendance and said, “I think we are going to the same meeting.”.

During this meeting, Kerry Egan confidently asked the reporters when he was going to see his articles.

After the meeting adjourned, Sharon Stennas of the Yountville Sun placed a an emergency call to David Shipman that there supposed Informant was actually a friend of mine. The individual was threatened over the phone by David Shipman in the middle of the night and then promptly escorted out of the hotel, again, in the dead of the night.

This action alone shows the Sharon Stennas, Kerry Egan and David Shipman have been colluding to use her “Suspended Corporation” the Yountville Sun as a tool to spread vicious lies about me. Mrs. Stennas has been corrupted and for the second time I ask her to quit printing this illegal newsletter.

Friends, for months I have been telling you that Yountville needs new leadership. I have been telling you that Yountville needs a leader who has the power and the vigor to stand up to these enemies of change.  Well my friends, I am that person.

This is an urgent plea. I am asking you to spread the word to all of your friends and family about what is going on. Over the next few weeks I am organizing an event where all of the citizens of Yountville can hear and see for themselves what is going on. The people of Yountville need to know and deserve to know what is going on in there community.

Please tell your friends that no matter the level of intimidation, lies and threats I will not give up. Come June 12th, my name, Robert Stryk will be on the ballot to earn your vote to be the next Mayor of Yountville.

Until then all of us must start asking the following questions.

What is Kerry Egan and others hiding?
What are they trying to protect?
Why are they spending all this money and time?
Why are they having “Secret Meetings” about my candidacy?
Why are they spreading lies?

Folks, this stinks.

Martin Garrick and the GOP Leadership Need to Be Called Out for Supporting Serial Tax-Raiser Abel Maldonado

 2010 Lt. Governor Race, Abel Maldonado, Chuck DeVore, Martin Garrick, Sam Aanestad  Comments Off on Martin Garrick and the GOP Leadership Need to Be Called Out for Supporting Serial Tax-Raiser Abel Maldonado
Mar 182010
 

Why Do I seem annoyed?

Someone explain this to me – you have someone in your midst that votes for horrific budgets year in and year out. He votes for nanny state laws, extreme environmental regulations and expansions of government that the mind strains to quantify.

Yet his fellow Republicans want to promote him to the second highest office in the State. It is especially absurd when you realize that his appointment to Lt Governor was itself a payoff for rolling over for King Arnold time and again.

And Martin Garrick – the Assembly Republican Permanent Minority Leader has basically told the CRA, Conservatives and the Tea Party to go pound sand.

WHY?

There’s a State Senate seat in the balance, don’t you know. That’s right – the former Assembly Permanent Minority Leader – Sam Blakeslee wants to become a State Senator in Abel’s District.

The Play?

They claim to have polling showing that Blakeslee can win in this majority Democrat District. So get Maldo out of the Senate and Blakeslee can become the Senator denying the Dems a vote on the budget.

How many voters do you think will see it that way?

Only the 29 Republicans in the Assembly. Self-Styled Maverick Republican Chuck Devore cowered to Assembly Permanent Minority Leader Martin Garrick and reneged on his promise to oppose Abel Maldonado.

… and the rest of the Republicans who refused to stand up to Garrick subjugated Republican Values in the name of Strategy.

We need leadership Martin Garrick – not strategy.

What has happened is that the voters are now going to see Maldonado as a victim of the Democrats. And the second confirmation hearing will occur in May – right as people are getting their absentee ballots.

Meantime the Assembly Republican strategy will come at the expense of one of the Republican Party’s finest. Sam Aanestad.

So – there you have it… Martin Garrick has picked Ultra-Liberal Republican, gun grabber, eco-nazi, Serial tax-raiser and nanny government potentate Abel Maldonado over Sam Aanestad.

Man, do I feel violated…

DeVore? Anyone?

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