Politics, Government & Business in California's Inland Empire
By Jeff Horseman | jhorseman@scng.com | The Press-Enterprise
Published: May 22, 2018 at 3:28 pm | Updated: May 23, 2018 at 4:07 pm
The Inland Empire’s political past and present will clash in the June 5 primary for the 35th Congressional District.
By Jeff Horseman | jhorseman@scng.com | The Press-Enterprise
Published: May 21, 2018 at 4:41 pm | Updated: May 22, 2018 at 11:45 am
A congressman from Redlands serves for decades on Capitol Hill and rises to become chairman of the powerful House Appropriations Committee.
By Jordan Graham | jgraham@scng.com | Orange County Register
Published: May 18, 2018 at 5:38 pm | Updated: May 21, 2018 at 11:32 am
The tit-for-tat political attack ads between two Democratic congressional hopefuls suddenly disappeared from the web this week in the race to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Ed Royce. So did their intraparty mudslinging websites.
By Shea Johnson, Staff Writer
Posted Apr 29, 2018 at 8:16 AM
Congressional races throughout California promise to be particularly interesting this year as the state has positioned itself as a key bulwark against the Trump administration.
Joshua Stewart
March 15, 2018
After an extended deadline, 16 candidates have completed paperwork to run for an open seat in Congress, held by retiring Rep. Darrell Issa, making it the busiest race in the San Diego area.
By Jeff Horseman | jhorseman@scng.com | The Press-Enterprise
February 27, 2018 at 3:25 pm
Another election year, another comeback attempt for former Inland Rep. Joe Baca.
By Jim Erwin
Saturday, February 3, 2018 – 07:30 p.m.
Well the pot is boiling now that the U.S. House of Representatives Select Committee on Intelligence memo, drafted by the committee majority, commonly-referred to as the Nunes-Memo, has been declassified by President Donald Trump.
By Carolyn Lochhead
Published: January 27, 2018
Updated: January 27, 2018 8:36 p.m.
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration’s newly released plan to resolve the fate of young immigrants who arrived in the country illegally as children would constitute the biggest change to immigration policy in decades, putting Democrats and their allies in a painful vise.
A photo of Congressman Pete Aguilar is making the rounds on Facebook. Read the rest of this entry »
By Erica Werner and Alan Fram
May 4, 2017
WASHINGTON (AP) — Delivering at last, triumphant House Republicans voted Thursday to repeal and replace the “Obamacare” health plan they have reviled for so long, overcoming united Democratic opposition and their own deep divisions to hand a major win to President Donald Trump.
Sarah D. Wire
April 6, 2017 – 10:24 a.m.
Reporting from Washington—
Democrat Kia Hamadanchy announced he’ll run for the 45th Congressional District Thursday, becoming the third Democrat this week to announce plans to challenge Rep. Mimi Walters (R-Irvine) for the seat.
AP Top News
By Thomas Beaumont and Bill Barrow
Mar. 27, 2017
The Republican Party of “no” for Democrat Barack Obama’s eight years is having a hard time getting to “yes” in the early Donald Trump era.
By Jeff Horseman, The Press-Enterprise
Posted: 02/16/17 – 8:11 PM PST |
Rep. Norma Torres, D-Pomona, is among a group of Congressional Hispanic Caucus members who said Republicans kicked them out of a meeting with the acting head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Thursday, Feb. 16.
Christine Mai-Duc
Feb. 15, 2017 – 1:55 p.m.
The Republicans have named their top 10 most vulnerable incumbents in Congress, and three Californians are among them.
Capitol Alert
By Christopher Cadelago and Alexei Koseff
ccadelago@sacbee.com
January 24, 2017 – 10:44 AM
Gov. Jerry Brown, plunging into position as a Democratic bulwark against Donald Trump’s presidency, warned Tuesday of looming battles with Republican-controlled Washington, using his State of the State address to assuage fears that California would turn its back on progressive policies.
Sarah D. Wire
December 28, 2016
So far, none of California’s 55 senators and representatives have announced plans to retire ahead of the 2018 election. But after weeks at home with family during the holidays to talk about the future, such declarations could come soon.
Wednesday, November 16, 2016 – 09:15 p.m.
GOP Congressman Darrell Issa will retain his seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.
By Heather Caygle and John Bresnahan
Published: 11/15/16 – 09:03 AM EST
Updated: 11/15/16 – 06:52 PM EST
Nancy Pelosi’s hold on the House Democratic Caucus is being tested.
By John Bresnahan and Rachael Bade
Published: 10/27/16 – 11:55 PM EDT
Updated: 10/27/16 – 11:55 PM EDT
Speaker Paul Ryan’s suddenly shaky future as House speaker is already prompting closed-door talk among House Republicans about who’d take over if he steps aside or is spurned by archconservatives.
Phil Willon
Oct. 17, 2016, 1:18 p.m.
A super PAC backing Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Orange) for U.S. Senate launched a radio ad targeting Republican voters and attacking her rival, California Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris, as “another Barbara Boxer — a Bay Area liberal backed by the Democratic Party establishment.”
By Ryan Hagen, The Sun
Posted: 10/12/16 – 11:29 PM PDT |
As Election Day approaches, some candidates have been skipping the debates that give voters the chance to hear directly from them.
By Jeff Horseman / Staff Writer
Published: Oct. 4, 2016 – Updated: 4:13 p.m.
The acrimony continues in California’s 31st Congressional District, with the campaign of Democratic incumbent Pete Aguilar trying to link Republican Paul Chabot to Donald Trump and Chabot accusing Aguilar of using Chabot’s children in a smear attempt.
By Jeff Horseman, The Press-Enterprise
Posted: 09/09/16 – 10:34 PM PDT |
Election Day is almost two months away, but there’s already a front-runner for the ugliest Inland political contest of 2016.
By Jeff McDonald |
Sept. 8, 2016 – 5 p.m. |
Sept. 9, 2016 – Updated 7:37 a.m.
Congresswoman and U.S. Senate candidate Loretta Sanchez called Thursday for a federal takeover of the criminal investigation into the California Public Utilities Commission from her political rival, Attorney General Kamala Harris.
By Sarah D. Wire
September 5, 2016
With just over a month left before California starts sending out vote by mail ballots, congressional races are starting to heat up.
By Jeff Horseman / Staff Writer
Published: Aug. 26, 2016 – Updated: 6:06 p.m.
Inland Rep. Pete Aguilar’s campaign took aim at his GOP opponent’s recordkeeping as the first-term Democratic incumbent went on the attack in the race for a San Bernardino County congressional seat.
By JEFF HORSEMAN / STAFF WRITER
Published: Aug. 17, 2016 Updated: 4:05 p.m.
Unless it’s an ultra-competitive toss-up race, there’s typically not a lot of publicly available polling for congressional elections.
Friday, August 5, 2016 – 09:00 a.m.
The race between incumbent democrat Pete Aguilar and republican challenger Paul Chabot in the 31st Congressional District has taken on a little bit of a sharp tone.
A new campaign sign has surfaced that is humorous to say the least.
Hopefully the Chabot campaign, or someone, has some untruth to attribute to the first-term congressman.
Phil Willon
July 27, 2016 – 9:00.P.M.
Half of California’s likely Republican voters and a third of independents said they wouldn’t vote for either candidate in the state’s U.S. Senate race this November, according to a new poll by the Public Policy Institute of California.
Capitol Alert
By Christopher Cadelago
ccadelago@sacbee.com
June 22, 2016 – 2:20 PM
Democrat Loretta Sanchez’s gambit to attract dissident Republicans to her U.S. Senate campaign received a shot of encouragement Wednesday with the endorsement of former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan.
By Shea Johnson
Staff Writer
Posted: Jun. 13, 2016 at 5:39 PM
Updated: Jun 13, 2016 at 5:40 PM
Former Republican Assemblyman Tim Donnelly carved ever so slightly into Democrat Dr. Rita Ramirez’ second-place edge Monday in the 8th Congressional District race, but the window to catch up continued to tighten.
Capitol Alert
By Christopher Cadelago
ccadelago@sacbee.com
June 8, 2016 – 5:51 PM
State Attorney General Kamala Harris carried at least 50 of 58 California counties in the U.S. Senate primary Tuesday, collecting twice the percentage of votes that went to fellow Democrat Loretta Sanchez.
By Beau Yarbrough, The Sun
Posted: 05/15/16 – 7:34 PM PDT |
HESPERIA >> On a recent Saturday morning, former Assemblyman Tim Donnelly rallied the troops — in this case, seven volunteers — just off the 15 Freeway.
By Joe Garofoli
May 13, 2016
Updated: May 13, 2016 – 2:57pm
California’s U.S. Senate race has been overshadowed by the high-profile presidential campaign but that might change a bit Friday when Democrats Kamala Harris and Loretta Sanchez launched TV commercials.
By The Southern California News Group, San Bernardino County Sun
Posted: 05/06/16 – 4:50 PM PDT |
California in November will elect a new U.S. senator for the first time in 24 years. To replace four-term Sen. Barbara Boxer, who decided not to seek re-election, we endorse Rep. Loretta Sanchez, D-Orange, because she has demonstrated incredible judgment on the most crucial issues of our generation, taking tough stands in the face of tremendous opposition.
By Joshua Stewart |
May 5, 2016 – 3:16 p.m.
SAN DIEGO — A little over two months after he said that Donald Trump would be disastrous for the Republican Party, Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Vista, on Thursday said the business tycoon is the best candidate for president.
Sarah D. Wire
May 5, 2016
U.S. Rep. Tony Cardenas (D-Los Angeles) has poured more than $300,000 from his reelection campaign fund into legal services with five Los Angeles law firms in the last year, but his attorney says there is no indication the congressman is the subject of a rumored federal investigation.
By Beau Yarbrough, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
Posted: 05/03/16 – 6:42 PM PDT |
San Bernardino County conservative organizations like Paul Chabot, the once and future challenger to Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-San Bernardino but are split on whether they should endorse Rep. Paul Cook, R-Yucca Valley or former assemblyman Tim Donnelly.
Phil Willon
May 3, 3016 – 7:51 P.M.
A competitive California presidential primary had all sorts of potential to scramble the other races on June 7. One possible outcome: A surge in Republican turnout could have dashed Senate candidate Rep. Loretta Sanchez’s hopes of making it past the primary and to the general election.
By Jeff Horseman, The Press-Enterprise
Posted: 04/27/16 – 5:54 PM PDT |
Redlands police are investigating a report from Republican congressional candidate Paul Chabot that one of his campaign signs was stolen and replaced with a rival’s sign.
By Morgan Cook |
April 28, 2016 – 7 a.m.
An ethics advocacy group has filed complaints with two federal oversight agencies, asking officials to investigate what the group describes as a pattern of questionable campaign spending by Rep. Duncan D. Hunter, R-Alpine.
By Martin Wisckol
April 15, 2016
Updated April 16, 2016 – 3:20 p.m.
Rep. Dana Rohrabacher has lashed out at former county GOP chief Scott Baugh for raising money to campaign for his congressional seat, expressing concern Friday that his longtime friend would run against him.
Phil Willon
April 13, 2016
The calls to Encino attorney Janice Kamenir-Reznik came every few weeks, pleading for her to run for the California state Senate seat being vacated by Democrat Fran Pavley.
Published: April 12, 2016 – Updated: 11:02 p.m.
Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin on Tuesday, April 12, said he would return donations made to his campaign by Certified Tire & Service Centers and its owner, Jeffrey Alan Darrow, after news surfaced of past penalties for defrauding customers that cost the company at least $750,000.
To read article by Jeff Horseman in The Press-Enterprise, click here.
Sarah D. Wire
April 7, 2016
Rep. Mimi Walters’ chief of staff, David Bowser, has resigned following news of federal corruption charges related to his work in another congressional office.
Published: April 1, 2016
Updated: April 3, 2016 – 10:52 p.m.
Four years ago, Republicans and Democrats at the national level used California’s 41st Congressional District to fight the ongoing war for control of the the House of Representatives.
To read article by Jeff Horseman in The Press-Enterprise, click here.
By Shea Johnson, Staff Writer
Posted Apr. 3, 2016 at 3:21 PM
The California Secretary of State and San Bernardino County Election’s office released their lists of certified candidates Friday, detailing the make-up of six pivotal local races. The lists show not much changed in recent weeks with the exception of some fringe candidates not qualifying for the ballot.
Published: March 25, 2016 – 6:03 p.m.
California’s 36th Congressional District reflects how much Riverside County’s political landscape has changed.
To read article by Jeff Horseman in The Press-Enterprise, click here.
By Sean Cockerham
scockerham@mcclatchydc.com
March 22, 2016 – 10:50 AM
WASHINGTON —
Whether she’s sending out cat Christmas cards, mimicking a Native American war whoop, or suggesting that up to 20 percent of Muslims might resort to violence to overthrow the Western way of life, U.S. Rep. Loretta Sanchez of California is known as much for her personality as her policy.
Calls for presidential primary debates and strong candidates add interest to 31st District battle
Published: March 20, 2016 – Updated: 9:54 p.m.
Two years ago, an open San Bernardino County congressional seat drew seven candidates, national attention and millions of dollars in spending by out-of-town groups.
The 31st Congressional District race is heating up this year.
To read article by Jeff Horseman in The Press-Enterprise, click here.
By Beau Yarbrough, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
Posted: 03/14/16 – 2:33 PM PDT |
SAN BERNARDINO >> The last Democratic presidential debate before California’s June 7 primary might be held in San Bernardino.
By Monica Rodriguez, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
Posted: 03/12/16 – 7:48 PM PST |
After meeting Friday’s deadline for submitting nomination papers to county Registrar of Voters offices, scores of candidates seeking seats at the local, state and federal level are gearing up for the June 7 primary election.
David Zahniser and Sarah D. Wire
March 11, 2016
Former Los Angeles City Councilman Richard Alarcon, who saw his convictions for perjury and voter fraud thrown out two months ago, has another curve ball in store for the San Fernando Valley: He’s running for Congress.
Capitol Alert
By David Siders
dsiders@sacbee.com
March 11, 2016 2:59 PM
Former Assemblyman Tim Donnelly, a tea party favorite and unsuccessful candidate for governor, said Friday he is running for Congress, bidding to unseat fellow Republican Paul Cook in Southern California’s desert region.
By Beau Yarbrough, The Sun
Posted: 03/09/16 – 10:24 PM PST |
“Working Joe” Baca wants his job back.
Capitol Alert
By Christopher Cadelago
ccadelago@sacbee.com
March 10, 2016 – 3:09 PM
House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy on Thursday rejected the possible calamitous effects a Donald Trump nomination could have on the Republican Party, arguing instead that the businessman and political newcomer may improve the chances of GOP House challengers in November.
By Sandra Emerson, Redlands Daily Facts
Posted: 03/08/16 – 9:01 PM PST |
The race to represent the 31st District in Congress is officially under way.
Javier Panzar
February 2, 2016
Another Republican has entered the race to challenge Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-Redlands), a first-term congressman whose Inland Empire seat is considered vulnerable this fall by both national Democrats and Republicans.
By Teri Sforza
Feb. 1, 2016
Updated Feb. 2, 2016 – 12:07 a.m.
The battle for the congressional seat being vacated by Loretta Sanchez is firming up as a faceoff between two longtime O.C. Democrats: Lou Correa and Joe Dunn.
Capitol Alert
By Christopher Cadelago
ccadelago@sacbee.com
January 20, 2016 – 5:43 PM
Democratic Rep. Loretta Sanchez, campaigning Wednesday in Sacramento, again put aside conventional political subtleties and cut right to the point: “I think we need a Latina in the U.S. Senate.”
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By Jake Sherman
01/20/16 – 05:18 AM EST
House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy raised more than $11 million last year, a sum that places him near the top of the Republican fundraising pyramid on Capitol Hill, according to sources familiar with his operation.
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By Lauren French
01/20/16 – 05:14 AM EST
A group of senior House Democrats is pushing for Nancy Pelosi to stay on as minority leader until 2018 — a nod to the California Democrat’s leadership and fundraising prowess, despite growing tension in the party around the need to elevate younger members.
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By California Water News Daily
January 15, 2016
Before leaving Washington for Christmas break, nine Members of Congress sent a letter to Neil Kornze, the Director of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM), encouraging him to reconsider the agency’s recent guidance regarding the Cadiz Water Project.
Published: Jan. 11, 2016 – Updated: 3:11 p.m.
The National Republican Congressional Committee is calling on Rep. Raul Ruiz, D-Palm Desert, to donating $17,600 in campaign donations he received from actor Sean Penn to heroin treatment clinics in Ruiz’s district.
To read post by Jeff Horseman in The P-E Political Empire Blog, click here.
By Jake Sherman
01/10/16 – 03:50 PM EST
Updated: 01/10/16 – 05:30 PM EST
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Paul Ryan talked about the ills of the criminal-justice system. He quizzed GOP presidential hopefuls at a forum here about what they’ve done to help the impoverished and vowed that Republicans, if they put their minds to it, could “make breakthroughs” in the war on poverty.
Published: Jan. 9, 2016 – Updated: 9:41 p.m.
Republican state Sen. Jeff Stone announced his candidacy for Congress on Saturday, Jan. 9, setting up a heavyweight contest between a veteran Inland lawmaker and a well-financed Democratic incumbent.
To read article by Jeff Horseman in The Press-Enterprise, click here.
By Beau Yarbrough, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
Posted: 01/09/16 – 8:21 PM PST |
REDLANDS >> There’s political experience, and then there’s political experience.
Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-San Bernardino, spent eight years on the Redlands City Council, including six years as mayor, but his first year on Capitol Hill was a brand-new experience, starting with his swearing-in one year ago.
Published: Jan. 7, 2016 – Updated: 10:24 p.m.
Most if not all of the elected offices on the 2016 Inland ballot will have a choice between two or more candidates.
But right now, a handful of races for assembly, state senate and congressional seats appear to be more competitive than others. Incumbents tend to have a big advantage because they can raise more money and enjoy greater name recognition than their opponents, and many legislative districts are drawn in a way that favors one party.
To read article by Jeff Horseman in The Press-Enterprise, click here.
Capitol Alert
By Christopher Cadelago
ccadelago@sacbee.com
January 6, 2016 4:01 PM
Attorney General Kamala Harris and Rep. Loretta Sanchez continue to lead the contest to succeed U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer, but the all-Democratic dynamic could change once more Republican voters begin engaging in the race, according to the new Field Poll.
By Dan Walters
dwalters@sacbee.com
December 31, 2015 – 2:26 PM
Since 2016 is a number divisible by 2, this is also an election year, and that biennial fact will dominate – and perhaps distort – California politics in the forthcoming months.
By Scott Wong
12/26/15 – 12:02 PM EST
Outside the Beltway, the right is livid with new Speaker Paul Ryan’s trillion-dollar spending deal with Democrats.
By Christine Mai-Duc
December 18, 2015
The sweeping budget deal — a $1.1 trillion omnibus spending bill — tackles a number of policy areas, including making some $650 billion in tax breaks permanent, adopting new cybersecurity rules and repealing a decades-old ban on crude oil exports.
Lisa Mascaro
December 17, 2015
By approving a massive package of tax breaks Thursday, House Republicans — who have made deficit-slashing the holy grail of their majority — just piled on nearly $650 billion in red ink.
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What’s really in the year-end tax and spending bill?
By Bernie Becker
12/16/15 – 04:24 PM EST
Congress released more than 2,200 pages of legislation in the dead of night — containing $1.1 trillion in spending, about $680 billion in tax cuts and a string of other policy changes.
By Roll Call Staff
Posted on Dec. 16 at 10:52 a.m.
Both Democrats and Republicans won a few and lost a few in the $1.1 trillion spending bill and package of tax extensions that congressional negotiators agreed on late Tuesday.
Michael Hiltzik
December 16, 2015
When Congress legislates at night and in haste, you can be sure mischief is being done. Sure enough, the budget deal announced late Tuesday by House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.), takes an ax to efforts to limit the torrent of big money into politics.
Phil Willon
December 11, 2015
Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez is trying to beat back criticism over a comment she made about the percentage of Muslims who support a caliphate — the establishment of a strict Islamic state — to defend and advance their religious ideology.
Capitol Alert
By Christopher Cadelago
ccadelago@sacbee.com
December 10, 2015
California Democratic Rep. Loretta Sanchez, a candidate for the U.S. Senate, said as many as 20 percent of Muslims desire to form an Islamic caliphate, “to institute that in any way possible,” and go after Western norms, “our way of life.”
By Brian Faler
12/02/15 – 05:37 PM EST
Congress is eyeing a year-end budget-busting tax cut blowout.
December 1, 2015 – 3:09 pm
An attorney and former Marine Corps intelligence officer has announced plans to run against Inland Rep. Raul Ruiz in 2016.
To read post by Jeff Horseman in The P-E Political Empire Blog, click here.
By Martin Wisckol / Staff Columnist
Nov. 29, 2015 – Updated 12:00 a.m.
Rep. Loretta Sanchez’s campaign for U.S. Senate is showing signs of expanding its base beyond Southern California, giving frontrunner Kamala Harris, the state’s attorney general, reason to keep an eye on the rear-view mirror.
By Alexander Bolton – 11/25/15 06:01 AM EST
Congressional leaders face several hurdles to getting a budget deal done by the Dec. 11 deadline, including a fight over health funding that is holding up the omnibus spending package.
Lisa Mascaro
November 19, 2015
Tapping into heightened security fears after the Paris terrorist attacks, House Republicans — joined by many Democrats — rebuffed President Obama on Thursday and overwhelmingly approved legislation that would in effect halt the resettlement of refugees from Syria and Iraq to the U.S.
Kasia Klimasinska
November 15, 2015 — 4:00 PM PST
House Speaker Paul Ryan said he supports allowing undocumented immigrants to remain in the U.S. without gaining citizenship, and that he doesn’t believe mass deportation, an idea promoted by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, is feasible.
By John Bresnahan
11/05/15 – 02:56 PM EST
Updated 11/05/15 04:16 PM EST
For the first time in his political career, Kevin McCarthy has tasted defeat. And for the first time, the House majority leader, who rocketed to No. 2 in leadership faster than many members land a committee chairmanship, is going to have to be content to stay where he is, possibly for years.