Is Haynes Receiving a Cristich Payback?

If you thought Chuck Devore’s huge margin of victory over Clinton Gore Supporter Cristi Cristich in 2004’s primary for the 70th Assembly District was the last you heard of her playing in Republican Politics, you were wrong. Last night, on the Secretary of State’s website a $4600 donation popped up from John Milazzo (Cristich’s husband) to the Ray Haynes for BOE Campaign (note, he had already given $1000 before). Many insiders who have watched the BOE race know that the Cristich endorsement during 2004 cost Haynes the YRFC Endorsement, as well as CRA. So the question is, does a Ray Haynes endorsement cost $5600? Ray Haynes conservative credentials were put into question when he endorsed Cristich, and now his ethics are put into question when he takes money from her husband. Maybe his poor fundraising has forced him to even stoop to this level.

Why was the 50th CD was different?

Chris Cox gets to be SEC Chairman. John Campbell scares everyone out of the race.

Bill Thomas retires. Kevin McCarthy scares everyone out of the race.

Duke Cunningham goes to jail. Bill Morrow who has run for Congress and represented the area for 14 years gets beat by a liberal former congressman, a rich guy know one knows and Howard Kaloogian.

What was the difference? My theory is the district wasn't worked very good during those 14 years. Sorry, Bill but the sun is not coming up Morrow.

2 Cookie Cutter Campaigns = 2 Loses?

1. Diane Harkey 35th State Senate


2. Brian Bilbray 50th Congressional

Am I jumping the gun?

RMR: The Gang That Can't Seem To Shoot Straight

What’s with the crew up at Russo, Marsh, and Rogers? Are they really this bad?

They’re running Howard Kaloogian’s campaign for the CD50 Special that has taken a lot of fire for photo mishaps.

Aren’t these the same guys that were running Bill Simon’s campaign that had similar… problems?

McCain-Feingold: The Sequel

Stallone’s original Rocky took Best Picture. Rocky 2, stunk.

The original Godfather was among the best greatest flicks ever. Godfather 2 didn’t measure up.

In other words, sequels in the movies aren’t nearly as good as their original takes.

Same goes for legislation.

This week, the House will take up HR513, the far more draconian sequel to the McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform bill.

McCain-Feingold was the legislative action that, among other things, created the silly 30 and 60 day restrictions to television ads before elections, thus making more prominent the usage of direct mail as the weapon of choice for PACs heading towards Election Day.

However, HR513 will further erode people’s rights to “petition the government for a redress of grievances.” It takes away the ability for almost any advertising heading towards elections.

The bill is a travesty, and I hope it dies. However, giving Congressmen the ability to regulate potential opponents’ abilities to criticize them going into an election year seems the height of conflicted interests.

We’ll see what happens.