The political action committee that won't die comes to life once more with Sempra work done by familiar sounding political outfit

When last we checked in on the Independent Voter PAC, the political fund run by David Takashima was helping to the advance the agenda of Proposition 30, the successful November 2012 tax hike by Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_K9chLGt49Q&feature=player_embedded#t=0 It …

Owner of uniform store and police museum commissioner faces sentencing in federal court here next month on kickback conspiracy count

San Diego being the kind of rough-and-tumble law enforcement, military and border intelligence town that many say it is, it may not be too surprising to find lots of interesting characters on the board of commissioners of its non-profit police …

Newly arrived U-T San Diego editorialist worked for non-profit news outfit linked to conservative oil and chemical magnates by Columbia Journalism Review

The billionaire Koch brothers, David and Charles of Wichita, Kansas, don't enjoy much obvious clout in San Diego politics, but that could soon change, depending in part on the fate of Republican spearheaded recall efforts to oust Democratic mayor Bob …

No limits on amount of recall donations and lack of reporting make for big money mystery and uniquely San Diego-style media and political intrigue

Who is funding the big money recall effort to oust embattled San Diego mayor Bob Filner? So far, no one is saying, and - unless someone steps forward to sue the city to force greater disclosure - that seems to …

Big downtown developer law and lobbying firm long linked to U-T San Diego owner Doug Manchester does epic legal battle with allegedly underpaid and ill-treated young waitresses

Hooters, the big national franchisee of bars and eateries whose business model is based on a young female wait staff dressed in distinctively revealing outfits, has been making some big headlines in San Diego news media and among rightward leaning …

Big cash means big difference for two high-profile politicos accused of sexual harassment

Before Bob Filner there was Arnold Schwarzenegger, but besides their obvious physical differences, their crisis management skills and abilities also appear to be widely divergent While the GOP’s Schwarzenegger skated past a host of sexual harassment allegations - handily batting …

New front in partisan war of alleged sexual behavior opened by top California political advisor, recalling "sexual gratification" charges leveled against U-T owner

Embattled Democratic San Diego mayor Bob Filner, his offices reportedly swarmed by federal agents; investigators reporting to GOP Sheriff Bill Gore; and a sizable percentage of the town's numerically dissipated version of the Fourth Estate, continues to make national headlines. …

Fabled "Sheriff of Baghdad" and Marine reserve Lieutenant Colonel gets conditional go-ahead to cash in on links to anti-terrorism intelligence

The assistant chief of the Port of San Diego's Harbor Police, an expert in Islamic counter-intelligence, has received conditional approval from the state's Fair Political Practices Commission to go freelance with his legendary anti-terrorism and criminal intelligence experience. But a …

Head of Filner take-down war accused in 2011 of illegal road building and grading by late GOP publisher regarding environmental damage allegedly done to mother's Fox Hill estate

These days La Jolla surveyor Michael Pallamary, leader of the recall against Bob Filner, is a stand-up guy, at least according to U-T San Diego, the mini media empire of Douglas Manchester, a laissez faire land developer and hotel magnate …

City ethics chief says check back next week regarding when and whether special interests will have to disclose cash stake in ousting mayor

Two high-profile voter signature drives in California, one aimed at putting the issue of a new basketball arena on the ballot in Sacramento, the other to recall embattled San Diego Democratic mayor Bob Filner, are casting new light on the …

San Diego marine park one of five U.S. facilities that sought to obtain rare beluga whales from Russia

The U.S. National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service has turned down an application by the Georgia Aquarium and four associated marine exhibit facilities, including SeaWorld of Florida, SeaWorld of Texas, SeaWorld of California and Shedd Aquarium in …

Republican Bonnie Dumanis personally gets $25,755 in partial payback for $50,000 invested in failed mayoral campaign

In hindsight, District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis didn't have much of a chance in last year's mayoral derby against congressman Bob Filner, city councilman Carl DeMaio, and Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher. But Dumanis jumped into the race anyway, bagging the support of …

L.A. Times relates plan by GOP's Gore and state attorney general's office seeking to short-cut recall by putting mayor on trial for "egregious misconduct in office."

The effort to depose embattled San Diego mayor Bob Filner, accused of sexual harassment by a growing cast of alleged victims, appears to have gotten a bit more Machiavellian. According to a Los Angeles Times report today, San Diego sheriff …

Law enforcement money looms large as Filner foe Dumanis and challenger Brewer battle it out in fight for special influence funding

What would Eliot Ness make of it all? As G-men, G-women and other gumshoes from an alphabet soup of federal agencies swarm city hall trying to get the goods on embattled San Diego Democratic mayor Bob Filner, his erstwhile Republican …

The FBI, Obama's U.S. Attorney, media, government informants, drug war, the mob, and cold cash all have mentions in "Day of the Locust"-style San Diego recall spectacle

When it comes to the mob, media, and law enforcement, San Diego has long been a town of dirty little secrets. Throughout the city's history, the three have often been linked in a murky alliance of cops, bad guys, informants, …

With personal millions at stake, hotel mogul Douglas Manchester's financial holding company leaps into Filner fray with political cash the day after paper reports recall effort

It's not exactly a big surprise to locals who read and tune into U-T San Diego, the mini media empire run by La Jolla hotel magnate Doug Manchester, that the long-time Republican is not a big fan of embattled Democratic …

San Diego Republican, famous locally for MTV party house fundraiser, makes Sacramento headlines by dating lobbyist for California Medical Association

Rack up another sex and politics case for San Diego's voluminous record books. While a horde of San Diego reporters has been chasing harassment allegation-plagued Democrat Bob Filner, one local Republican has been caught making his own hay, and headlines, …

Embattled mayor collects $39,400 from variety of those with business at city hall; money pays for ex-Hedgecock aide Tom Shepard and San Francisco political law firm

As previously reported here, San Diego mayor Bob Filner, now under fire in a sexual harassment scandal, has since February been accumulating money in a fund called the Mayor Bob Filner for San Diego Committee. http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/jul/30/50305/ At the time, speculation …

California Democrat and Filner critic tops list of General Atomics giving; only Democrat in Predator-maker's big five, she outranks GOP members by far, accounting reveals

Will one of America’s deadliest weapon makers put huge money behind a recall of San Diego mayor Bob Filner? That could be the message telegraphed over the weekend on CNN by Democratic U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein. As previously reported , …

Retired rear admiral and longtime companion and employee of CIA's Predator drone maker and national conservative GOP kingpin Linden Blue jumps into Filner fray

San Diego's already dizzying Filner follies just got even more interesting. Among four local women bigwigs who stepped forward on the set of San Diego State University's KPBS yesterday to say they'd been molested by Democratic mayor Bob Filner was …