Politics

Long Beach Says Goodbye to Annual Celebrity-Studded Women's Conference

​The annual, superstar-studded women's conference that brought speakers like Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Diane Sawyer, Sandra Day O'Connor, Sarah McLachlan and Suze Orman to Long Beach, along with major tourism dollars, will not be back to the city this year.    It is uncerta ... More >>

Rep. John Campbell Skates in House Ethics Report

​This morning, an independent ethics office recommended the further investigation of Representative John Campbell (R-Newport Beach) and two other congressmen for possible wrongdoing because they raised funds from financial lobbyists around the time in December 2009 the House voted on a sweeping ov ... More >>

Scott Baugh: The Manchurian Party Chairman?

[Moxley Confidential] Are Republican insiders mad enough at Baugh to vote in an outsider to replace him?

Return to Sender

What would comprehensive immigration reform look like if the Feds got off their duffs?

WikiLeaks Expose Questionable Details From Dana Rohrabacher's Visit to Honduras

​R. Scott Moxley told you in October about Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Huntington Beach) having inserted himself in the violent 2009 coup that toppled the democratically elected president of Honduras, Manuel Zelaya. Was Dana Rohrabacher Playing Kingmaker in Central America?To refresh your memory, th ... More >>

Prop 8 Backers Want Their Rainbow Flags Back

It's mine!​When Dr. Jennifer Roback Morse, an anti-gay/pro-straight marriage proponent with the San Diego-based Ruth Institute made her way into a recent Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals hearing on Prop 8, she wore a rainbow-colored scarf around her neck.No, Morse was not switch-hitting. She wa ... More >>

Fantasy Voter Fraud

Retired Justice Sandra Day O'Connor was dissed by Russell Pearce over Arizona's Prop. 200 dismissal

Mexican Macroeconomics

Do undocumented migrants steal jobs from American workers?

FAIR-y Tales In the Immigration Debate

Anti-immigrant think tanks are aiming their dubious statistics at the 14th Amendment

Rep. Loretta Sanchez Blasts North Korea and Backs Vietnam Human Rights Sanctions Act

​Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Garden Grove) has issued a statement condemning North Korea for firing dozens of artillery shells at South Korea's Yeonpyeong Island, killing two South Korean soldiers and wounding 15.The freshly reelected congresswoman, who is the ranking female member on the House Armed ... More >>

Meg Whitman, Chuck DeVore's Choice for Governor, is Now a "Self-Funded Dilettante"

​Chuck DeVore, who is leaving his Irvine-based state Assembly seat for private life after losing the U.S. Senate GOP primary to eventual general election loser Carly Fiorina, posted this on his Facebook page Oct. 4:"If we are to win and provide an opportunity to enact our ideas, we need to vote fo ... More >>

Election Monitor Named for People's Republic of Orange County

​An election monitor has been appointed for the People's Republic of Orange County. No, Jimmy Carter isn't coming Tuesday.  Assistant United States Attorney Dennis Mitchell, as he has done before, will serve as the District Election Officer for the Central District of California, which includ ... More >>

$100 Million Orange County Fairgrounds Sale OK'd by State, But Fight is Just Beginning

​The state is moving forward with plans to the sell the Orange County Fairgrounds to Facilities Management West, a Newport Beach-based company formed solely to operate the 150-acre property, for $100 million, officials disclosed today.To say the sale, which is aimed at easing California's budget w ... More >>

The Super Rich Aren't Like You and Me ... They're Whinier

​A letter to the Wall Street Journal by a Newport Beach real estate executive who believes it would be unfair if the Bush tax cuts were not extended for those who make over $250,000-a-year certainly set off McSweeney's writer Edward Murray. "The Poor Top 2 Percent" on the Huffington Post is Murray ... More >>

Ho-Hum, a City Official Busted in Surf City

​A corruption probe resulted in the arrest of a city official in Huntington Beach this morning. Hell, that's not news, that's just another day in Surf City, you're probably saying to yourself. (Ah, ex-mayors Garofalo and Houchen, how we miss you so!) However, this time the busted city official ... More >>

Santa Ana Councilmembers Sal Tinajero and Michelle Martinez Admit to Thinking They Broke the Law, Use Same PR People?

Martinez: Once an outsider, now proudly a vendida​Two bizarre press releases sent late Friday to every reporter in Orange County that covers SanTana (except Moxley--interesting...) told the same story: that councilmembers Sal Tinajero and Michelle Martinez were taking action to retake a City Counc ... More >>

South County Cities Go to Pot

​Pot filled two South County city council chambers Tuesday night.That is, separate issues from modern life in the cannabis age were taken up by the city leaders in Laguna Niguel and Mission Viejo.

The Mexican Migra Blues

[¡Ask a Mexican!] Are you a vendido or a Manchurian Mexican?

White House Dribbles Out Obama's Iraq Speech Tonight, Anti-War ANSWER Coalition Answers

​The Washington Post is reporting that in his speech tonight to announce the end of major combat operations in Iraq, President Barack Obama will say it is time to "turn the page." "Ending this war is not only in Iraq's interest-it is in our own. The United States has paid a huge price to put t ... More >>

[UPDATED:] Irvine Does Shuffleboard Shuffle in Response to Grand Jury Report Blasting Great Park Funding

​UPDATE: As expected, the Irvine City Council approved its fuck-off response to an Orange County Grand Jury report critical of Great Park financing (see end of post) . . .The Orange County Register's Sean Emery gets great quote from Irvine City Councilwoman Christina Shea, who was reacting to the ... More >>

[UPDATED:] Prop 8 Overturned

​UPDATE: More details on tonight's celebratory rally (see end of post) . . .In a landmark case, Proposition 8, the 2008 California voter initiative that outlawed gay marriage, was overturned. Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker in San Francisco ruled that the voter initiative is unconstitution ... More >>

[UPDATED:] Saint Margaret Ranch, er, Rancho Santa Margarita Backs Arizona's SB 1070

​UPDATE: As expected, the Rancho Santa Margarita City Council passed a resolution last night supporting the controversial Arizona immigration-reform law SB 1070. In adopting the thing, one panelist revealed he does not believe in immigration reform (see end of post) . . .Aw hell, Rancho, go all t ... More >>

Has Loretta Sanchez Created a "Big Bugaboo" in Vietnam?

Protected worker?​A highly successful American businessman who lives in Hanoi says that Orange County Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez and Iowa Senator Tom Harkin have "overblown" the need for worker rights in Communist-run Vietnam, according to a July 13 Voice of American (VOA) article."From my ... More >>

Today's Best Quote

Goodbye guv​"He calls himself the green governor and I would agree with that. He's molding."--Irvine insurance broker Ira Forkish in today's Washington Post article, "Arnold Schwarzenegger on the outs in California's Republican Party." Among other points, Sandhya Somashekhar's story notes that Sch ... More >>

Grand Jury Report Blasts Great Park Financing, Accuses Irvine City Council of Lying, Conflicts

Hot air keeps it afloat.​A new grand jury report: questions whether the Irvine Redevelopment Agency created to usher in development of the Orange County Great Park can fully repay its initial $134 million loan from the city; faults the city of ignoring the poor business climate while churning ... More >>

The Humane Society and Big Agriculture Slug It Out Over Animal Rights

Loretta Sanchez to Obama: Slap Vietnam Now!

Sanchez is playing hardball with Vietnam​OC Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez has a personal message today for President Barack Obama: Confront the Vietnamese prime minister over human rights violations in Vietnam.

Tea Bagging With a Marine. This Could Get Ugly

Facebook/ArmedForcesTeaParty​Gary Stein, a 24-year-old active duty Marine Corps sergeant based at Camp Pendeton, created his own Tea Party group, then announced its arrival on the national Tea Party scene in a press release.Two days later, some of his "brothers" are calling for a court martial.

Meg Whitman: Spend It If You've Got It

Photo by Christopher VictorioMeg Whitman campaigns in Buena Park.​Money is not an issue for Meg Whitman as she seeks the governor's office. She has vowed to spend $150 million of her own money, if that is what it takes to win. With seven months until election day, she's well on her way.Chase Davis ... More >>

Rep. Loretta Sanchez Condemns Vietnam Cyberattacks, Assorted Douchebaggery

​Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez (D-Garden Grove) is "outraged" that Vietnam used malware to illicitly monitor the Internet activity of human rights and democracy activists.

Obama's Oil Drilling Pipe Dream Harshes Surfrider's Mellow

oceanswavesbeaches.blogspot.com​The Surfrider Foundation released a statement today, expressing their disapproval of Obama's proposal to open areas of the Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic coastline and Arctic coastline to oil drilling and exploration. They are not stoked.

Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido Voted To Aid a Vending-truck Business In Which His Father Was Involved

Today, Medical Marijuana. Tomorrow, Legalize It!

Tustin Councilwoman Deborah Gavello and Her Colleagues are Driving One Another Barking Mad

Proposition 8 Is Keeping Same-Sex Couples From Marrying, But It Has United OC's Gay Community

Agran Crony and Gore Campaigner Agrees to Guilty Pleas in Federal Wire Fraud Case

Irvine attorney Sandeep Baweja, the 39-year-old money man for that town's "progressive" political boss Larry Agran and a former official with Al Gore's 2000 presidential campaign, agreed in court papers to plead guilty to two felony charges related to a scheme where he ripped off nearly all of the $ ... More >>

The Other Side of the Health-Care Debate Strikes Back

The other side of the health-care debate (think opposite of Fox News' town hall criers) has come out swinging of late.California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee just issued a statement with the provocative title, "California's Real Death Panels: Insurers Deny 21% of Claims." ... More >>

Orange County Clergy Goes Hollywood for Obamacare

Yes, the people popping up everywhere to disrupt explanations of Obamacare by congress people and administration folk seldom get covered these days. A favorite was two days ago on CNN, when the anchorwoman cut to such a town hall where a U.S. senator was detailing the plan. Without ha ... More >>

"Press Conference" Against Iran Government Produces No News, Much Political Support in Irvine

Rep. Laura Richardson (inset), Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Rep. Ed Royce, together at last.If the goal of a press conference is to produce a "big announcement" that makes news and warrants coverage--the usual reason one calls a press conference in the first place--then the Iran Sup ... More >>

Irvine Police Association Blasts Mayor Sukhee Kang, City Council Members Beth Krom and Larry Agran

Irvine Police Association has criticized Mayor Sukhee Kang (left) and City Council members Beth Krom and Larry Agran over stalled contract talks.​Anyone who has attended a city-run meeting in Irvine has heard elected officials, especially City Councilman and Orange County Great Park Corporation ch ... More >>

LGBT Groups Seek to Intervene in Prop. 8 Challenge

This just in from the ACLU, which believes the action taken today will help a judge hearing a challenge of Prop. 8 understand the unequal rights inherent in the ballot initiative . . . SAN FRANCISCO -- Lambda Legal, the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) and the American Civil Liberties Union ... More >>

New Free Iran Movement to Hold Teach-in at UCI's Aldrich Park

Courtesy of PersianoEvents.comIt begs the question.The Iranian government now says Neda Agha-Soltan--the 26-year-old martyr in the struggle for freedom in that tense country--may have been killed by a gunman who mistook her for the sister of an Iranian "terrorist," the Islamic Republic News Agency r ... More >>

Royce, Sanchez Blast North Korea's Harsh Sentencing of Journos

Two Orange County representatives in the U.S. Congress came out strongly today against North Korea's harsh sentencing of 12 years hard labor for two U.S. journalists charged with "hostile acts." The other four Members of Congress were silent.Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Garden Grove) emailed the Weekly t ... More >>

Royce, Sanchez Blast North Korea's Harsh Sentencing of Journos

Two Orange County representatives in the U.S. Congress came out strongly today against North Korea's harsh sentencing of 12 years hard labor for two U.S. journalists charged with "hostile acts." The other four Members of Congress were silent.Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Garden Grove) emailed the Weekly t ... More >>

Behold John Bolton and His Moustache at Balboa Bay Club

John Robert Bolton, the neocon's neocon, laps up the hosannas of fellow knuckle-draggers May 28 when he is the special guest of the World Affairs Council of Orange County. The nonprofit, 500-member council--which since its 1967 founding has hosted Prince Andrew, Vicente Fox, Hans Blix and several ot ... More >>

As Stephen Smith Leaves Town, Irvine's "Tattler" Calls on Others to Step Up

Stephen C. Smith calls on others to keep tabs on Irvine City Hall.CORRECTED!Lost in Santa Ana a few months ago, half paying attention to the street signs and half to Larry Mantle's KPCC interview show blaring out of the car speakers, I heard the host steer his Orange County "roundtable" guests--Oran ... More >>

Iowa Gay Marriage Ruling Means Everything or Nothing

The Iowa Supreme Court's overturning of the law banning same-sex marriage in that state either bolsters the arguments of those pushing for gay marriage in California or has nothing to do with the issue here. It depends on who you ask.National Center for Lesbian Rights legal director Shannon Minter:" ... More >>

[¡Ask a Mexican!] Sucio Harry

Lance MacLean Has Learned That Mission Viejo's Political Players Always Go for the Throat