Politics, Government & Business in California's Inland Empire
Ramos
As previously written about on local political blogs including this one, San Bernardino County District Attorney Michael Ramos is no stranger to using his official office to apply pressure for political advantage.
This year is no exception.
Looking back, Ramos’ prior conduct was sending a message that many quietly picked up on.
10:00 PM PST on Saturday, March 13, 2010
By IMRAN GHORI
The Press-Enterprise
San Bernardino County could have up to three civil grand juries impaneled under state legislation being considered that one supervisor says could serve as a meaningful reform.
The bill, introduced last month by Assemblyman Paul Cook, R-Yucca Valley at the request of the county, would allow two more panels with the ability to investigate local government.
10:00 PM PST on Saturday, March 13, 2010
The Press-Enterprise
Two of the three candidates for Riverside County district attorney confirmed Wednesday they have filed their final candidacy papers to run in the June primary election.
Mike Cruz, Staff Writer
Posted: 03/13/2010 04:41:01 PM PST
After getting off to a slow start at its inception in 2003, the District Attorney’s Public Integrity Unit has garnered attention over the past year with major cases against high level former officials of San Bernardino County.
From blowing open an alleged massive county corruption scandal to targeting conflicts of interest at the municipal level, the unit appears to be gaining momentum in its effort to ferret out alleged misdeeds by government officials.
James Rufus Koren, Staff Writer
Created: 03/13/2010 06:07:29 AM PST
Pledges by Washington lawmakers to limit or ban earmarks have been praised by critics of the controversial practice, but local beneficiaries of the millions in federal dollars worry the move could hurt the Inland Empire economy.
House Democratic leaders announced last week they would ban all earmarks – funding secured by members of Congress for projects in their districts – directed toward for-profit companies. The next day, House Republicans went a step further, pledging a one-year moratorium on all earmarks.
Andrew Edwards, Staff Writer
Posted: 03/13/2010 04:54:04 PM PST
SAN BERNARDINO – Local government employees may join an effort to create a new law intended to break Sacramento’s habit of borrowing from municipal treasuries.
“We need to stop California from robbing local governments,” Colton Mayor Kelly Chastain said.
Darius Anderson
The Swarm
Mix it up with The Bee’s editorial board.
March 12, 2010
Markstone Capital, an investment house whose founder pleaded guilty in an ongoing pension fund scandal, hired a well-connected Sacramento placement agent to help win a $25 million investment from the California Public Employee Retirement System, newly disclosed documents show.
In disclosures released by CalPERS, Markstone acknowledged hiring Sacramento lobbyist Darius Anderson, and paying him $250,000 after he helped Markstone secure a CalPERS’ commitment to invest $25 million with Markstone in 2005.
PolitiCal
March 13, 2010 | 9:56 pm
The Republican candidates for governor will test their mettle head to head in their first debate Monday night. But one of the candidates, Steve Poizner, was already trying to prove his oratorical superiority at the party’s convention Saturday evening.
“As you can see here, I’m not going to use a teleprompter,” Poizner, the state’s insurance commissioner, told delegates as they ate dinner. “I’m not going to read a speech. I don’t have a written speech. I’m going to speak to you tonight form my head, from my heart.”
At their weekend convention in Santa Clara, they pummel Democrats Brown and Boxer but also make conservatism an electoral litmus test.
Carly Fiorina
By Michael Finnegan and Seema Mehta
March 14, 2010
Reporting from Santa Clara
Republicans running for their party’s nomination for California governor and the U.S. Senate brawled over conservative purity Saturday as they vied to inspire the party’s wary rank and file.
A national climate that portends trouble for Democrats lent a hopeful mood to a weekend convention of nearly 1,000 Republicans at a Silicon Valley hotel.
By Kevin Yamamura
kyamamura@sacbee.com
Published: Sunday, Mar. 14, 2010 – 2:00 am | Page 3A
Last Modified: Sunday, Mar. 14, 2010 – 9:48 am
SANTA CLARA – Carly Fiorina avoided gay marriage and merely hinted at her anti-abortion stance in a 30-minute speech at the California Republican Party convention Saturday.
Assemblyman Chuck DeVore said he is only discussing his social beliefs this weekend when asked. And former Rep. Tom Campbell said he felt little need to defend his support of abortion rights or gay marriage at the conservative-leaning convention.
By Dan Walters
dwalters@sacbee.com The Sacramento Bee
Published: Sunday, Mar. 14, 2010 – 2:00 am | Page 3A
The level of fundamental agreement among California’s three candidates for governor is truly remarkable.
Democrat Jerry Brown and Republicans Meg Whitman and Steve Poizner agree, for instance, that the state is vastly troubled – what Poizner calls “a complete meltdown.”
They agree that California has too much red tape and bureaucracy that inhibits job-creating investment.
