Bilbray's Congressional leadership PAC lags, Issa's parties, and Filner's is semi-dormant
So-called Leadership PACS, by which members of Congress can collect sizable contributions from special interests and their lobbyists, and then spend the cash on political gifts to other politicos, as well as on office expenses, fundraising bashes, travel, and meals, …
Safety tests of long-haul Mexican truckers in U.S. criticized by federal audit
A pilot program to test the safety of allowing Mexican truckers to carry cargo long-haul across the United States has major faults and is seriously behind schedule, having enlisted only four out of the 46 carriers needed for an accurate …
La Jolla billionaire homeowner's unreported six-figure gift comes back to haunt "No on 8" forces
A campaign contribution of $142,000 to a committee battling 2008's Proposition 8 - the state's same sex marriage ban - by La Jolla billionaire homeowner Ron Burkle plays a featured role in a stipulated agreement made public today between the …
Future of Scripps Institution of Oceanography’s director may be up for grabs at UC Regents meeting
Two potentially costly and controversial decisions about the University of California San Diego's future may be decided by UC Regents next week, according to an agenda posted online this morning by U.C.’s Office of the President. First up on the …
Qualcomm-backed bill would be "cataclysmic" for cost and quality of California Internet service, critics claim
It's one of the most controversial bills passed this year by the California legislature, Senate Bill 1161, a measure that would prohibit the state's Public Utilities Commission from regulating key aspects of the Internet. Now it's up to Democratic Gov. …
Firefighters PAC and anti-Filner group both shopping for TV time in mayor's race
In yet another sign that local airwaves will soon be saturated with TV commercials about the candidates for San Diego mayor, two more big-money political committees have put down markers for time on local NBC affiliate KNSD. As previously reported, …
More MEK money fallout: Watergate journalist Carl Bernstein paid $12,000 for speech
The Mujahadin-e Khalq - an Iranian exile group opposed to the current regime there and backed by Democratic congressman and San Diego mayoral candidate Bob Filner - has returned to the news, this time with a report that ex-Washington Post …
State Sends "Warning Letter" to Conservative Judicial Candidate After Audit
Craig Candelore, who was part of a failed conservative charge against San Diego's judicial establishment two years ago, has been sent a "warning letter" by the California Fair Political Practices Commission regarding the results of a state enforcement audit of …
Mitt Romney's brother-in-law, a GOP convention delegate, named in San Diego medical malpractice case
Carlsbad eye surgeon James A. Davies, the younger brother of Ann Romney, tonight's main speaker at the Republican convention that is set to nominate her husband Mitt for the presidency, has been sued for medical malpractice in San Diego Superior …
Four San Diego lawyers give $40,000 to anti-death penalty measure
The big San Diego cash just keeps on coming for Proposition 34, the measure on November's ballot to overturn California's death penalty and replace it with life in prison without parole. Patrick Coughlin, an attorney with downtown's Robbins Geller Rudman …
Another San Diegan jumps on anti union political withholding bandwagon
La Jolla financier R. B. "Buzz" Woolley is not the only well-heeled San Diego county resident to give big bucks to the measure on November's ballot that would ban withholding of union political dues from employees' paychecks. As previously reported, …
House Democrat Susan Davis runs up big free travel tab
It's semi-official: San Diego Democratic Congresswoman Susan Davis is number 17 on the list of the House and Senate's biggest-spending free travelers, running up a total tab of $200,652 on 28 trips taken courtesy of private sponsors. That's according to …
San Diego Wants to Extend Red Light Camera Ticketing, Bid Document Reveals
The city of San Diego intends to continue its controversial red light photo traffic ticketing system, but a decision on whether to expand the number of camera-covered intersections beyond the installations already in place seems likely to be left up …
DeMaio Already Out Buying TV Advertising Spots for Campaign
San Diego may still be in the dog days of summer, but GOP mayoral candidate Carl DeMaio is quietly ramping up an all-out fall television blitz against his rival, Democratic congressman Bob Filner. Commercial time sales contracts kept by local …
Among Late Filers, Issa Discloses Huge Loans, Filner Reveals Mortgages and Free Trips
The deadline for annual personal financial disclosure statements filed each year by members of Congress is May 15, but extensions of up to 90 days may be obtained through mid-August. Among this year's dawdlers were San Diego county's Darrell Issa, …
Assembly Committee Vice-Chaired by Diane Harkey Shelves Bill to Ban Special Interest Gifts to Legislators
Once again, a bill by GOP state Sen. Sam Blakeslee to ban gifts to California legislators by the state's special interests, known as "lobbyist employers," has died in committee without a hearing or public vote. As reported yesterday on the …
El Cajon Electrical Engineer Financed Son's Failed Judicial Bid with $141,230
Teenagers looking to borrow the car from good old dad can probably relate to Sacramento attorney Keven Star, who got his father, Jack Star of El Cajon, to lend him $140,000 in cash and pay for a $1230 website touting …
Planning Commissioner and U-T San Diego Columnist Admits Income Disclosure Violations
Yet another member of the San Diego city planning commission has admitted that he failed to fully disclose his personal sources of income and has agreed to pay a fine to the city's ethics commission. According to a stipulated agreement …
San Diego Mayor's Wife, Top Aide, and Irwin Jacobs Give Big to Barack Obama
Presumptive GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney may have a nice house on the beach in La Jolla, but a few of his wealthy and influential neighbors are backing Barack Obama. Lawyer Julie Dubick, currently chief of staff to Republican mayor …
Bridgepoint's PAC Keeps up Political Pace, Contributes to Paul Ryan
Bridgepoint Education, Inc., the controversial San Diego-based for-profit education conglomerate, is one of the city's biggest donors of political cash and event freebies, spreading the campaign wealth to everyone from Republican-turned-independent Nathan Fletcher's mayoral bid to Democratic Assemblyman Marty Block, …