Núñez kicks in for Hueso senate bid
Cash stash controlled by controversial Democratic ex-Assembly Speaker, now employed by national lobbying firm, drops serious campaign change for current member's step up the ladder
A multi-million dollar campaign fund run by former state Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez has contributed $4,100 to the 40th district state senate campaign of fellow Democrat Ben Hueso, re-elected to the Assembly in November. http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/jan/14/38348/ The contribution was made on …
U.S. Geological Survey chief quits, may head Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Departure of popular Obama appointee coincides with formation of UCSD search committee to replace departing Tony Haymet
Marcia McNutt, director of the United States Geological Survey and science advisor to Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, today announced her resignation. Word circulating at UCSD is that she may soon be heading back to San Diego to join …
Filner ends pot dispensary crackdown; U.S. Attorney Duffy yet to respond
Today’s move may position new Democratic San Diego mayor for head-on collision with Obama’s U.S. Attorney here
San Diego mayor Bob Filner, whose election was opposed last year by U.S. Attorney Laura Duffy, today told the city's development department to stop its crackdown on medical marijuana dispensaries. A day after a contretemps yesterday, in which Democrat Filner …
Balboa Park controversy's Jacobs backs lavish Edwardian-themed KPBS funder
Corporations buy their way on to state-owned non-profit's air via "Downtown Abbey" event offering 44 TV spots, 60 radio spots, and 30,000 Internet ads, “sponsorship kit” says
KPBS, the public broadcasting operation owned and run by taxpayer-funded San Diego State University, is planning to stage a lavish downtown fundraising bash for well-heeled backers, allowing advertisers to "Reach KPBS' Most Loyal and Affluent Audience,” according to a “sponsorship …
Mayor's protocol officer is daughter of Gregory Canyon solid waste magnate
Filner contributor is deeply rooted in San Diego lobbying, real estate development, and political fundraising, both Democratic and Republican
When Democratic mayor Bob Filner unveiled his new executive staff on Monday, one of the most intriguing names on the list was that of Molly Chase, daughter of Filner campaign contributor and Gregory Canyon solid waste disposal site promoter Nancy …
Democrats rule in lucrative Filner committee appointments
New mayor fills extra-pay association of governments committees with himself and fellow partisans, disclosure shows
It's official. Democratic Mayor Bob Filner wants to appoint himself to the board of directors and the executive committee of the San Diego Association of Governments, otherwise known as SANDAG. And Filner, a former member of Congress and veteran of …
Guaderrama out as Paso Robles police chief
Veteran San Diego police captain withdraws candidacy for $160,000 job in wake of son's preferential treatment controversy
Manny Guaderrama, the longtime San Diego police captain who was set to become police chief of the Central California wine country town of Paso Robles, has bowed out in the wake of controversy over alleged preferential treatment of his son …
New York hits Qualcomm with political money disclosure suit
Comptroller alleges San Diego cell phone giant obscures its political spending
New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli, a Democrat, has announced that he is suing Qualcomm, the San Diego-based technology company founded by La Jolla billionaire Irwin Jacobs, in an effort to "to inspect the company’s books and records to …
New Years Eve, same old politics
California's political money-shifting machine never takes a break, not even for year's end
There was no rest for fundraising San Diego politicos as 2013 approached. http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/jan/02/37788/ On December 31, according to a filing posted online today by the California Secretary of State's office, Democratic Assemblyman Ben Hueso picked up a total of $7800 …
Best of the worst: bad news San Diego audits of 2012
Largely overlooked audits described waste, danger and overcharges caused by city and federal agencies and UCSD hospital
Audit reports are often the only way for the citizenry to find out about the foibles of their government. But the green eye shade types typically bury their gloomy findings deep inside voluminous reports loaded with legalese and accounting jargon, …
Filner's frank talk and Doug Manchester's Navy Complex lobbying plan
Will having outspoken ex-congressman as mayor throw a monkey wrench into city's well-oiled contract lobbying operation in Washington?
Yesterday's blast by San Diego Democratic mayor Bob Filner at president Barack Obama and his former Democratic colleagues in congress has been burning up the Internet, and could make life more interesting than usual for the city's D.C. lobbyist in …
San Diego mayor takes to L.A. public radio to blast Obama and Congress
Newly ensconced in city hall, former congressman takes apart the Tea Party, Democrats, and the president, saying half of Congress doesn't believe in science
San Diego mayor Bob Filner - who came in for some tough treatment of his own from San Diego State University-owned public broadcaster KPBS during this year's campaign - has given an interview to Los Angeles public radio station KPCC …
San Diego super-lobbyists battle behind the scenes for video billboards
New mayor expected to make the final call as big money campaign quietly ramps up for giant animated signs
San Diego, which once pioneered the way for tough sign regulations across the country, can get ready for some really big billboards if some of the nation's largest outdoor advertising companies manage to have their way with city council and …
Teachers' union favorite from San Diego gets a top senate education post
Marty Block raked in $4,694,412 in campaign contributions during four year period, independent tally shows
Democrat Marty Block, who bested his GOP rival George Plescia in this fall's battle for the 39th district state senate seat, was named today by senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg to chair the education subcommittee of the Budget and …
Report says downtown bias colors debate over costly new San Diego city hall
San Diego auditors say they can't substantiate claim that most downtown city workers use public transportation
San Diego city auditor Eduardo Luna is out with a report challenging the prevailing wisdom of basing so many city workers downtown and building an expensive new city hall to hold them all, long a pet project of ex-mayor Jerry …
Gun seizures, assaults, and rapes escalating at SDSU
Latest monthly San Diego State University police report sheds new light on school's chronic crime problems
As Don Bauder noted here last month, San Diego State University was high on the list of "The 25 Most Dangerous Colleges in America," as compiled by Business Insider magazine, with 27 violent and 575 property crimes per year. The …
San Diego city council to appeal $1.1 million religious school verdict
Costly battle with Catholic high school over its controversial North Park development plans to continue
The San Diego city council has quietly voted to appeal a federal jury's $1.1 million verdict in favor of North Park's Academy of Our Lady of Peace, virtually guaranteeing that the long-running development and religious controversy will remain on the …
Cox's everlasting political money machine gears up for 2016
First district county supervisor starts fundraising for 2016, less than seven months after winning easy re-election bid
As noted here back in February of this year, GOP county supervisor Greg Cox has long proved to be a dedicated fundraiser for himself, even if his electoral competition is virtually nonexistent. http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2012/dec/17/37054/ By this time last year, Cox had …
UC logo "suspended," UCSD chancellor makes big outside bucks
The University of California, beset by controversies all around, still manages to award its executives huge salaries
Besieged on all sides, the University of California decided today to suspend its new logo, a weird wormlike blue and gold graphic. "The controversy has been fueled in large part by an unfortunate and false narrative, which framed the matter …
Ex-Solyndra lobbyist gave last minute money to Vargas
Former advocate for bankrupt recipient of $535 million federal loan guarantee antes up in South Bay congressional race
Democrat Juan Vargas had an easy time of it in this year's general election bid to replace Bob Filner in congress. Having knocked off fellow Democrat Denise Ducheny in June, the former state legislator and insurance company influence peddler handily …