Border influence

San Diego Democrats don’t have much sway on the Southwest Border Task Force set up by Barack Obama's Justice Department. Only 3 members of the 21-member board hail from San Diego County, and 2 of those are Republicans: Mayor Jerry Sanders and San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce head Ruben Barrales, a deputy assistant to President George W. Bush for five years. The lone local Democratic-leaning backer, Jeffrey Davidow, who gave $1000 to Obama’s campaign last year and the same to John Kerry’s failed presidential quest in 2004, isn’t all that local, having been a 34-year career ambassador in the State Department before moving here to become president of the Institute of the Americas in 2003. Dr. Bob Ross, who now heads the Los Angeles–based California Endowment and was director of the Health and Human Services Agency for the County of San Diego from 1993 to 2000, is also on the board.