Drug war spillover at border "highly underreported," says GAO
Report to Congress by Government Accountability Office speculates on possibility drug war in Mexico may escalate and cross the Southwest border into U.S.
Heads are rolling and bullets flying in the United States-assisted drug war south of the border, but - so far at least - stateside collateral damage has been minimal, if "highly underreported." http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/mar/01/40938/ And getting drug war soldiers and victims …
Filner sets up ballot battle committee
New campaign fund of San Diego mayor could dramatically up ante in war with San Diego's big three hoteliers demanding cash payouts from city hall
The epic battle involving San Diego's big three hotel owners, their city council ally Todd Gloria, and Democratic mayor Bob Filner and his hotel union backers may soon be taking yet another new turn. http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/feb/28/40880/ As reported here Tuesday, a …
County supervisors quietly assign selves lucrative board gigs
Fight over stipend-laden planning and airport board seats at city eclipses low-key self-awards at county
It was an epic struggle last month between Bob Filner and fellow Democrat Todd Gloria - the politically ambitious, developer and hotelier-backed city councilman from the Third District - over who would get appointed to outside agency boards. http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/feb/27/40812/ As …
Yet another lawsuit being cooked up by hotelier-run district, notice reveals
Friday meeting agenda shows so-called tourism board run by C. Terry Brown is not yet done suing
Hotel workers are complaining they don't make enough scratch, and hotel owners say they are afraid for their own sizable meal tickets, but at least one well-paid attorney from Sacramento and his legal associates are apparently making out big in …
Hotel titan leading legal war against Democrat Filner had role in San Diego Nixon scandal
C. Terry Brown helped fund controversial effort to bring 1972 GOP convention to Richard Nixon's "lucky city"
The date was March 9, 1972, and San Diego's hopes to host that year's Republican convention were quickly unraveling. Lobbyist Dita Beard had spilled the beans to Washington columnist Jack Anderson about a deal by ITT Corporation, a giant conglomerate …
Advocacy group closely tied to big hotel owner backs legal attack on Filner
Executive board of business lobbying group includes Mike McDowell, vice president of corporate affairs for Atlas Hotels
As reported earlier this week by Dorian Hargove, city councilman Todd Gloria, who is not a particularly close ally of fellow Democrat Bob Filner, has called a city council meeting Monday to provide support to the hoteliers currently suing the …
Declining to take public questions, tax-backed tourism board votes to sue Filner
Four of nine marketing district board members skip controversial vote to sue San Diego mayor over disputed two-percent hotel levy
After an unexpectedly long meeting behind closed doors early this afternoon, five of the nine members of the San Diego Tourism Marketing District finally emerged to announce they had voted to approve suing Democratic San Diego mayor Bob Filner in …
Humphrey's owner voted to sue San Diego mayor
Wealthy hotelier who runs internationally famous Shelter Island concert venue is vice-chairman of hotel tax district at center of Filner storm
San Diego's famed Humphrey's Concerts by the Bay, where musical acts all the way from Tony Bennett to the Goo Goo Dolls have plied their trade for 31 seasons to sold-out crowds, has been getting some off-stage attention of late. …
Does San Diego's City Attorney have conflict of interest in hoteliers' legal attack on mayor?
GOP's Goldsmith heavily backed by big hotel interests and lobbyists threatening to sue Democrat Filner in cash dispute
With the looming threat of a lawsuit against the city of San Diego and mayor Bob Filner by the so-called San Diego Tourism Marketing District, insider eyes are turning to city attorney Jan Goldsmith and his long and cozy political …
Lawyer for hotel owners planning to sue city can't say who will pay his fee
Litigation targeting San Diego mayor yet to gain final approval and will be debated at February 22 meeting at the Bahia Hotel, attorney says
Who will pay the tab for that prospective lawsuit against the city of San Diego regarding Democratic mayor Bob Filner's refusal to release hotel tax money demanded by the hotelier-controlled San Diego Tourism Marketing District? http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/feb/19/40413/ The district is largely, …
DeMaio backers behind Tourism Marketing District attack Filner in U-T San Diego
U-T San Diego, run by GOP hotel magnate Douglas Manchester, not pleased with Democratic mayor's self-styled reform plan for city "tourism" subsidies
The San Diego Tourism Marketing District, TMD for short, has long been a fixture at city hall, funneling $30 million or so of hotel tax revenue through a hand-picked industry-controlled board of directors to an array of pet causes, including …
San Diego city council surrenders in costly Catholic school case
Closed session council vote approves $500,000 payment and authorizes permits for controversial Our Lady of Peace expansion
The Academy of Our Lady of Peace in Normal Heights [See update at bottom of item] will finally be allowed to proceed with its controversial expansion plans, and pick up $500,000 of taxpayers’ money for its trouble, according to a …
Did genes condemn O'Connor to gambling compulsion?
Late father of ex-San Diego mayor brought down by $1 billion in gambling debts was celebrated San Diego bookie
Jerome O'Connor was laid to rest in September 1992 at the age of 87, followed just thirteen days later by his wife Frances Shinnick O'Connor, 78. St. Vincent's Catholic Church in Mission Hills overflowed with mourners, including their daughter, Maureen, …
Foundation at heart of O'Connor scandal was big donor to San Diego police; John Burton Foundation
The R.P. Foundation, one-time funnel for the charitable giving and wheeling and dealing by late Jack-in-the-Box millionaire Robert O. Peterson, plays major role in ex-mayor’s case
At the center of today's breaking federal case against former San Diego mayor Maureen O'Connor is a foundation deeply rooted in her past relationship with her late husband Robert Oscar Peterson, the founder of the Oscar's hamburger chain, and later …
Capitol Hill's top two personal debtors hail from San Diego, analysis finds
North County mega-millionaire Republican and newly elected La Jolla Democrat not eager to talk about places on congressional debtor list
Two San Diego county congressman rank at the very top of the list of Congress's biggest debtors, but neither are eager to provide details about their personal high finances, according to a report posted online today by OpenSecrets.org, a Washington-based …
Ex-Sanders aide gets $6,000 a month for Balboa Park centennial role
Former mayoral staffer who played key role promoting city-funded Balboa Park centennial plans and failed parking makeover now working for project's non-profit sponsor, co-chairman says
An ex-Union-Tribune reporter who left the paper to become a top aide to GOP mayor Jerry Sanders is now working for the nonprofit group making plans for a megamillion-dollar corporate-sponsored 2015 celebration of Balboa Park's centennial. http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/feb/13/40105/ Gerry Braun, who …
Filner "Special Events" committee reports big special interest cash
SDG&E, Chargers, downtown lobbyists listed on disclosure of mayor's inaugural and state of the city events
San Diego's new Democratic mayor Bob Filner has become locally famous for frequently showing up around town for various community events, festivals, and parties. http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/feb/11/39905/ Now a disclosure report posted online Friday by the city clerk's office and filed February …
Doug Manchester's Texas lobbying team bankrolls Rick Perry
Lobbying and campaign disclosure records show wealthy La Jolla Republican retains Austin influence peddling firm closely linked to GOP governor
U-T San Diego says it is worried about California’s economic future in the wake of Texas governor Rick Perry's Pacific Coast job poaching swing. The GOP pol and one-time presidential candidate is touring the Golden State this week, traveling to …
Day after Jacobs speaks, Plaza de Panama lobbying deal with Shepard ends
Public Policy Strategies Plaza de Panama lobbying gig with Turner Construction is dropped the day after Qualcomm billionaire pulls out of controversial Balboa Park road and parking makeover
It didn't take long for the announcement by Qualcomm billionaire Irwin Jacobs that he was pulling out of his controversial big-money plan to remake Balboa Park with new roads and a huge parking garage to impact an influential player in …
Lobbyists use Twitter to rip Filner over downtown banquet speech
With transcript yet to surface, tweets provide unusually candid glimpse of how hardball special interest politics is played in San Diego
But how do they really feel? Prolific tweeters among the ranks of San Diego's real estate and development lobbyists and political consultants have been burning up the Internet over remarks reportedly made by new Democratic mayor Bob Filner at a …