Subject: U.S. Republican Party

• The Party's Over

  Our R. Scott Moxley reports that, by the end of the night at the Hyatt Regency Irvine, the older Republicans in the room showed on their faces exactly what they felt: worry, frustration, indignation. But the Young Republican types in their 20s and 30s were not missing a beat--or a drop of hooch--as they had a ball like it was any other chance to party. By the way, Moxley--who has been covering these GOP monster truck pulls since 1994--would like to readjust his crowd figures. In an earlier post

  November 8, 2006

• Less than an hour until the polls close...

  ... and I'm soooooo confused. I was out of town last Thursday through Sunday, and when I returned there were 17 messages on my phone from the likes of Pete Wilson, Dick Ackerman, Hillary Clinton, someone yammering about Jessica's Law, the Nguyen running for an OC school board seat and his partner in crime David Boyd, Wendy Leece (Costa Mesa City Council), Ben Stein, Alan Mansoor (Costa Mesa CC), sheriff's lieutenant Ron Cunningham (from which sheriff's agency, Lordy knows), "Don't Call Me" Shirl

  November 7, 2006

• Who Stole the Election from the Stealers?

  As Gustavo's recent post on Hugh Hewitt suggests, even Republican diehards are beginning to surrender. That raises an important question: how will conspiracy theorists explain the stolen election that wasn't? Many on the left had warned that the GOP had everything wired--from electronic voting machines run by Diebold to election-rigging legal changes--to steal this election. What happened?

  November 7, 2006

• The Natives are Getting Restless

  Remember how congenial the OC GOP gathering at the Hyatt Regency Irvine seemed a few minutes ago? Fuck that shit. Election-loss testiness reared its ugly head at 10:20 p.m., our R. Scott Moxley reports from the scene. As the giant TV screen showing CNN flashed pictures of presumed California winners Arnold Schwarzenegger (governor), Tom McClintock (lieutenant governor) and Steve Poizner (insurance commissioner), Young Republican types yelped with respectful cheers. But they filled the hall wi

  November 7, 2006

• Two Shades of Green

  Perhaps it's only logical that in a state which has a man still trading on his movie role as a killer cyborg from the future as governor, politics would grow closer to comic books. Or perhaps it isn't. Either way, it's California. At last weekend's state GOP convention, the San Francisco Chronicle's Carla Marinucci spotted TV's ex-Incredible Hulk, Lou Ferrigno. And guess what? [Ferrigno] says he's thinking about going into politics one day, too. "I have a feeling I'm going to get dragged into

  August 23, 2006

• The Short Shelf Life of Rev. Lou's Man

  What's a frothing-at-the-mouth preacher, who's been named one of the Top 10 Power Broker of the Religious Right and can squeeze more than $6 million a year out of the faithful (and/or gullible), got to do to get a public display of affection from the California Republican Party? If you know, you should contact OC Weekly favorite Rev. Lou Sheldon, the barking mad Moses of the Anaheim-based Traditional Values Coalition, because while the state GOP is willing to hug Rev. Lou and his flock/politica

  August 24, 2006

• Support Your Local Right-Wing Bloggers

  Enough, enough, I say, to those who are chastizing various local GOP bloggers and GOP blog responders over their inadequacies and mealy mouthedness when it comes to calling out the racists and racism swirling around doomed congressional candidate Tan Nguyen. First, you left fielders criticize Republifucks for going all Three Blind Mice to the racism right in front of them every day forever and ever in these United States. Then, when they join you in piling on Tan, you mock their lack of finesse,

  October 31, 2006

• Hughcifer Unhinged

  When it came to this election, Hugh Hewitt, our favorite unintentional radio comedian, fought a long, hard battle against reality. One expects no less from him. He took extraordinary measures to blind and deafen himself, even engaged in a little body-snatching from the Democratic political graveyard, in his attempt to hammer the world into the shape of his strange little fantasy-- a three seat gain for Republicans in the House of Representatives. And even though Hewitt couldn't make reality d

  November 8, 2006

• Rohrabacher v. Gonzales

  You know a political scandal has sailed past the point of no return when even Dana Rohrabacher (R-Surfin') sounds like a voice of reason. From CBS News: Pressure mounted on the White House Thursday to fire Attorney General Alberto Gonzales for the abrupt dismissal of U.S. attorneys. More Republicans called for his ouster, and one Republican strategist close to the White House told CBS News that Gonzales is "finished." Congressman Dana Rohrbacher became the latest Republican to say Gonzales sho

  March 16, 2007

• How Do You Spell Ethics? G-O-P

  Got the latest newsletter from my surfin' Congressman, Dana Rohrabacher (R-Huntington Beach). We only recall receiving these in the years ol' Dana's running for reelection (again and again and again -- and he's for term limits!). But this one is titled the Spring Newsletter, so maybe we've just tossed the previous seasons versions from non-campaign years out with the redundant Victoria's Secret catalogs. But this one does include one HEEEEE-LARIOUS page. On it, Rohrabacher essentially argues th

  March 12, 2006

• How 'Bout a Hummer?

  Oh, why or why can they not bring back the open primary? If allowed today, we would have strolled into our (provisional) polling place with our GOP registration, crossed party lines to pick one of dem battling Dems, and sung just loud enough for the old lady in the next booth to hear: Goin' down with Phil Angelides Dude could use a coupla keys Don't touch my girls if you please Mr. EBay maaa-aaannnnn HEY! That poll lady bogarted our "I Voted" sticker. For a provisional ballot, couldn't we hav

  June 6, 2006

• David Dreier: In and Out

  Kevin Naff raises an interesting observation in his New York Blade editorial "Gay Republicans in the Hot Seat": WITH THE MAINSTREAM media engaged in wall-to-wall Mark Foley scandal coverage for a solid week, attention turned awkwardly (and predictably) to the subject of gay Republicans. Who are these people? How can they work for a party that demonizes them? Is D.C. controlled by a Velvet Mafia? And, most importantly, what about "The List," a compendium of closeted Republicans that is rumored t

  October 16, 2006

• Muslim Bashers of Orange County Unite!

  Want to start a jihad against jihadis? You'll get your chance this October, when the David Horowitz Freedom Center plans to organize "the biggest conservative campus protest ever" with something called Islamo-Facism Awareness Week in college campuses across America. It didn't surprise us that UC Irvine is amongst the universities that will host the event, due to the campus' wacky Muslims (read Reut Cohen's fascinating blog for more details), but Cal State Fullerton and Santa Ana College? The onl

  August 24, 2007

• Monday's Headlines & Surprises: Laguna prefers goats on grass

  Mexicans are safe on this one: A report issued recently to the Laguna Beach City Council found that goats will clear vegetation from fire-sensitive slopes for a cost of $198,000 per year, while juveniles working off a crime in the county’s Probation Department would require $385,000. A consultant to the city noted that goats are “advantageous in their ability to work in all types of weather and terrain conditions.” So the goats win again. But tell me recidivism rates for probation punks w

  September 10, 2007

• Sunday's Headlines & Surprises: Target Practice on the 55?

  Dana’s Idea of Sacrifice: Ex-Dana Rohrabacher aide Erik Prince and other Blackwater USA corporate officials have been dodging congressional questions about their private army’s alleged corruption, including killing innocent, unarmed Iraqi citizens. Mainstream news accounts thoroughly detail the stories. But an excellent update this morning in the Detroit Free Press quotes Rohrabacher (R-Skipped Vietnam Combat Duty) claiming that Prince has sacrificed himself financially for the nation by ow

  October 7, 2007

• CA GOP Sure Knows How to Pick OCers

  The Republican Party of Orange County's Weekly Squeeze e-letter (guys: drop the cutesy orange metaphor, por favor) tells me today that longtime local GOP activist Kathy Tavoularis is now Executive Director of the California Delegation to the 2008 Republican National Convention. "A well organized delegation is extremely important for our candidates and delegates, and Kathy is uniquely qualified to take on this role," California GOP chairman Ron Nehring tells the Squeeze. Not only that, but Tavoul

  December 12, 2007

• Survey Says...Not Much

  We recently heard from a reader in Santa Ana who received a copy of the "Republican Party Census Document," along with an introductory letter from the RNC stating that "your answers will represent the views and opinions of ALL Republican voters living in your voting district...Unless we hear from YOU, we will not have an accurate BLUEPRINT -- a full legislative agenda and campaign plan -- and a unified Republican Party."" Problem is, our reader is not now nor has she ever been a registered Repu

  February 28, 2008

• The Media-O-Meter: Can a Balboa Bar save Orange Coast?

  Maybe—or at least help steer OC’s 34-year-old glossy monthly magazine away from what had been a frothy, puff-piece-packed publication that featured interviews and profiles with former owner Ruth Ko’s friends, and B- (sometimes C)-grade celebrities adorning its covers who often had nothing whatsoever to do with Orange County. So by putting a close-up photo of a sweet, delicious Balboa Bar on the cover of their July “Best of Orange County” issue—the debut of a newly re-launched and

  June 28, 2008

• Dick's Out

  That's right, folks. Dick Cheney is in town today to attend a high-dollar fundraiser for fellow Republican Ken Calvert. You may remember Ken from his 1993 arrest for soliciting a prostitute in Corona. Or maybe it's from his 2006 designation by the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics as one of the "20 Most Corrupt Members of Congress" because of his use of earmarks for personal gain and his connections to lobbying firm, Copeland, Lowery, Jacquez, Denton and White, currently under federal inve

  August 13, 2008

• Landslide 2002

  November 14, 2002

• OC GOP Goes Back to Its Mexican-Bashing Roots in Fullerton City Council Race

  In my latest book, I devote a chapter to the many sins of the Orange County Republican Party but also hinted that they were finally evolving from the slimeball campaigns of the past when it came to scoring easy points off of demonizing Mexicans. Specifically, I pointed to the 2006 Tan Nguyen affair, where GOP chair Scott Baugh fully repudiated Nguyen and only the farthest extremes of party activists (i.e., the CCIR crowd) stood by their Tan. So much for that goodwill. As noted by OC Blog, the

  October 24, 2008

• The Party's Over

  State GOP chairman Ron Nehring: "Lease, don't buy..." The state GOP's "Victory Night Party" (hah!) was over before it started. Driving over to the Hyatt Regency Irvine to make the 8:30 p.m. start time, I was talking on my Bluetooth to my brother in San Francisco when he informed me John McCain was already making his concession speech. "Holy shit!" I said as I steered into the Hyatt driveway. "I'm going to miss the Republicans crying in their beers." The mood was definitely somber inside the

  November 4, 2008

• Presidency by Numbers: Orange County Edition

  Gramps is just gonna rest his eyes some... Orange County Democrats are justifiably happy today as their presidential candidate will be sworn in on Inauguration Day Jan. 20, 2009. And they can take some pride in the Barack Obama-Joe Biden Democratic ticket's 401,605 votes being only 28,755 votes shy of the John McCain-Sarah Palin Republican ticket's 430,360 votes in decidedly red Orange County. Democrats secured a higher percentage of the Orange County vote in 2008 than in any national electio

  November 5, 2008

• This Week in the OC Weekly

  In "The Reformer" Matt Coker educates us about longtime OC GOP legislator Ross Johnson finding a new life as a campaign-finance watchdog in Sacramento. R. Scott Moxley explains the reason behind Mike Carona's smile in "The Crooked Sheriff Chuckled". And Matt Coker dictates departing OC Register columnist, Gordon Dillow's final screed in "Dillow Unbound".

  November 14, 2008

• Read Curt Pringle's Lips: He'll Take New Taxpayer Dollars

  Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle has long been the golden boy among Orange County Republicans. He got elected to the party's Central Committee in 1986, and two years later became the GOP nominee for the Garden Grove area state Assembly seat. The party, under the leadership of then-Chairman Tom Fuentes, hired uniformed security goons to stand outside Latino-heavy polling places in Santa Ana and demand identification from the mostly Democratic voters while carrying signs in English and Spanish that

  March 3, 2009

• See Dick Wakesurf

  Being cold below ground in Yorba Linda does not stop our favorite disgraced son Richard Nixon from finding himself in the news. The hits just keep coming, don't they? But far more fascinating than Dick being blamed for the Cambodian genocide, joined in the hereafter by Watergate-era foe Jerome Waldie and better liked by Democrats than Barack Obama is by Republicans at this point in their respective presidencies is the footage above from Slaysh!blog ("a pla

  April 7, 2009

• A Bluer Shade of Orange

  The raw vote totals in OC tell the real—and really amazing—story of Super Tuesday

  February 7, 2008

• Bush's New Year Devolution

  January 23, 2003

• Commie Girl

  Madam Chairwoman: Rock on!

  November 16, 2006

• Not a 'Stiff,' Nor a 'Loser'

  WEB EXCLUSIVE! The OC Weeklys Statewide picks

  November 2, 2006

• Commie Girl

  May 11, 2006

• Commie Girl

  April 27, 2006

• Tom Fuentes,

  March 31, 2005

• Northern Exposure

  March 3, 2005

• Letters

  November 11, 2004

• Blame the Democrats

  October 16, 2003

• Queer Eye for the GOP Guy

  October 2, 2003

• We Live in Paradise!

  September 18, 2003

• Primary Madness

  March 14, 2002

• Dick of Honor

  November 30, 2000

• Generation Next

  August 10, 2000

• You Are Surrounded by Idjits, Mostly

  March 16, 2000

• Letters

  February 25, 1999

• The Weekly's Week in Review

  November 19, 1998

• El Vez has left the building

  August 27, 1998

• Greenhut Praises Moxley, Blasts Carona's Disappeared Defenders

  While wondering where all the defenders of convicted and soon-to-be imprisoned ex-sheriff Mike Carona are now, Register editorial writer Steven Greenhut drops a couple shout outs to the coverage by the Weekly's R. Scott Moxley, the lone reporter uncovering the former top Orange County lawman's misdeeds from the beginning. Greenhut begins his post on his Orange Punch "liberty blog" (all the emphasises are his): I was reading theLiberalOC and found this interesting post in which the writer points

  May 1, 2009

• Mike Duvall Nickname Time!

  Already, some in the local blogosphere have taken to call disgraced ex-Assemblymember Mike Duvall "Spanky," because the perv likes to get his spank on. I vigorously disagree--I prefer "The Dripper," not just because of the grossest part of his shared sexual exploits ("And
 so, we had made love Wednesday--a lot! And so she'll, she's all, 'I am going 
up and down the stairs, and you're dripping out of me!' So messy!") but because of the play on the nickname of that GOP saint, Ronald Reagan. Bu

  September 10, 2009

• What Are Birthers Doing Hanging With Top Repubs In Newport?

  ​Matt Coker already did a nice job previewing the Western Conservative Political Action Conference taking place today and tomorrow at the Radisson in Newport Beach. But the Washington Independent's David Weigel -- who loves Orly Taitz as much as we do -- points out that  this conference isn't just for the best and brightest stars of mainstream GOP like Chuck DeVore, Meg Whitman, Steve Poizner, Tim Pawlenty and Andrew Breitbart.There'll also be birthers!

  October 16, 2009

• More Republi-Drama at OC GOP Meeting

  Chris Norby, in the fray​After a not-so-harmonious Western Conservative Political Action Conference last weekend and amidst a downright ugly state assembly race in north county, Red County's Alan Bartlett reports that last night's OC GOP Central Committee contained a few moments of strife and hand-wringing as well.First up: AD 72 candidate Linda Ackerman reportedly has filed an ethics complaint with the GOP against primary challenger and current county supervisor Chris Norby over one of his ca

  October 20, 2009

• Next 72nd District Assemblyman Norby Gets Fit for Cakewalk Shoes

  Your next 72nd District assemblyman (after an unnecessary run-off election), Chris Norby!​Like standing for the national anthem before the game starts, nodding at the uniformed officer before zooming through the border checkpoint or throwing toast at a movie screen flashing a sweet transvestite from Transylvania, the formality of a Jan. 12 special election is all that stands between Chris Norby and California's 72nd Assembly District seat.Though outgoing county Supervisor Norby belongs to the

  November 18, 2009