Jennifer Garrison Finally Found An Issue To Campaign On That Won't Offend Democrats: Franking

Steny Hoyer-- one of the biggest financial backers of anti-Choice/anti-gay fanatic Jemmifer Garrison

Yesterday, Steve Israel Blue Dog Jennifer Garrison made the case for why voters in OH-06 should replace sad-sack Republican backbencher, Bill Johnson, with her in an OpEd for the Ironton Tribune. Gone were the usual Garrison barrages against women's Choice, against equality for LGBT families and against environmental restrictions on fracking (her business). And there wasn't even any bragging about dislike of President Obama and for the Affordable Care Act from the failing candidate. She did manage to work in, though, that she's as much of a patsy for the NRA that Johnson is.

It's hard for Garrison to get to the right of Bill Johnson-- and that's the only song and dance she knows. So, in desperation, she's reduced to complaining that he spends too much money sending constituents mail. Whining about franking been tried before, hundreds of times; it never works. But, apparently, its all she's got.

One of the reasons why most Ohioans are fed up with Washington is that too many Members won’t listen to the public. Instead, they spend our money to help their own political campaigns.

Congressman Bill Johnson spends a lot of time talking about wasteful government spending. He even used that issue to justify his vote to shut down the government.

Johnson’s vote to shut down the government had a real impact on people in our area, particularly the federal prison guards at nearby Elkton Federal Correctional Institution, who were required to go to work unsure of when they would be paid.

At the same time prison guards and others were left hanging by the shutdown, congressman Bill Johnson spent $2,300 of our taxpayer dollars on a scripted telephone town hall meeting.

These aren’t real town hall meetings in which voters get to ask questions of the Congressman-- these telephone town halls allow Johnson’s staff to pick who gets to ask questions, shielding him from answering the tough questions.

He failed to walk the talk “that the government should spend less money,” as he spent our hard-earned tax dollars on his self-justifying town hall meeting. $2,300 may not seem like a lot of money in the scheme of the federal budget, but it says a lot about his priority to do anything to stay in office.

Tax dollars should be used to pay prison guards’ salaries, not to support Congressman Johnson’s political campaign. It’s no wonder Congress’s approval rating is so low.

Another example of Congressman Johnson refusing to walk his talk is the overuse of taxpayer funded glossy pieces of mail that look like campaign literature targeted to groups of constituents in the congressional district. We the taxpayer pay for his one-sided outreach.

One rule surrounding this self-serving outreach to constituents is, these mail pieces cannot go out within 90 days of an election, which is Aug. 6. Two pieces of mail were received from Congressman Bill Johnson after this date- one on Aug. 12 and the other on Aug. 13.

One on senior issues and one saying Congressman Johnson has an “A” from the NRA.

I cannot for the life me figure out why someone who claims to be a fiscal conservative would spend taxpayer money on campaign materials just because Congress allows it.

Congressman Johnsons’ campaigns response is “the franking committee in Washington approved it.” I am not sure I know anyone in eastern or southeastern Ohio has faith in congressional oversight of congress itself. I will bring a different standard, one I can justify to the people of this district based on our principles, not on Washington’s judgment.

What makes this self-promotional mailing particularly offensive is that Congressman Johnson continues to disrespect his constituents even further by refusing to accept my challenge to debate in front of them?

If Congressman Johnson wants to talk about the second amendment, that’s fine. I’ve always had an A rating by the NRA and the support of Buckeye Firearms. Let’s have that discussion.

At all times, but especially during a time of such distrust of congress, candidates should be open, available and transparent. That is why I challenged Congressman Bill Johnson to seven debates in the 18 county sixth congressional district.

In the Columbiana, Steubenville, St. Clairsville, Zanesville, Marietta, Ironton and Carrollton areas, representing all seven media markets, so the voters could witness the demeanor and responses of the candidates for congress in a manner that is not scripted or staged, but is real. But Congressman Johnson has refused to agree.

Congressman Johnson has a lot of explaining to do. The voters of this district deserve better. I am again calling on Congressman Johnson to stop hiding behind the taxpayer-funded mail pieces, and scripted town hall meetings and let’s have a real debate and let the voters make an informed decision about the candidate that will best represent their interests in Washington, D.C.

The R+8 district, where Romney beat Obama 165,602 (55%) to 136,518 (43%) isn't anywhere near throwing out the reprehensible Johnson for the equally reprehensible Garrison. Even with Steve Israel pressuring Members of Congress to contribute to her, she's only raised $571,064 to Johnson's $1,766,423. He has $1,206,292 cash on hand; she has $230,780. She's so right-wing that not even EMILY's List will get behind her-- and right-wing women candidates has become their mission in the last few years. Her boyfriend Steve Israel wasted $39,310 smearing Johnson with DCCC money but that didn't move the needle and there isn't another Democratic constituency group that is stepping up to the plate for her-- unless you count the Blue Dogs, who have endorsed her and given her $10,000, as a Democratic constituency group.

And if she does get that debate with Johnson about who the NRA likes better, she can wave around her website issues page, which doesn't even say a word about gun safety, which even most of Israel's other conservative candidates pau lip service to. Nope, all she has in the section about guns is this:

Second Amendment – There are too many politicians in Washington who don’t understand or respect the role of hunting in communities like ours. I have always supported the 2nd amendment and I was proud to have been endorsed by Buckeye Firearms and the NRA as a state legislator. As a Member of Congress, I will continue to support the 2nd Amendment and our values.

I know you're not going to give this right wing shill for the fracking industry and money, but do keep in mind that if any of your friends give even one dollar to the DCCC, they are putting money into Garrison's sinking and pointless campaign-- a total waste.

Ohio Progressive Greg Howard Takes On The Deranged GOP Response To President Obama's Weekly Address on Overtime Pay

This morning, President Obama gave the above weekly address about strengthening overtime pay protections. It isn't complicated and shouldn't be controversial. "What every American wants," he summed up, "is a paycheck that lets them support their families, know a little economic security, and pass down some hope and optimism to their kids." It's less than 3 minutes long-- and even a Republican congressman should be able to understand it. John Boehner tasked one of his dullest backbenchers, Ohio Republican Bill Johnson, to respond to the president. Johnson, who has voted to repeal or wreck the Affordable Care Act, couldn't help himself and instead of addressing the president's points about overtime pay, went straight for the Republican obsession: denying health insurance to working families.

Johnson: "I've heard from seniors across Eastern & Southeastern Ohio who are losing access to their doctors and seeing premiums increase because of Obamacare's cuts to Medicare Advantage," Rep. Johnson said. "President Obama promised us that if we liked our health plans, we could keep them. That has proven false, and each day more and more Americans are finding that out firsthand. I look forward to using this address as an opportunity to bring greater awareness to the very real problems of the president's health care law."

Yes, Johnson is a blathering imbecile who almost no one takes seriously. We asked the progressive Democrat running against him, Greg Howard, a civil construction engineer and organic farmer, to listen to Johnson's "rebuttal" and respond to the response. Howard is in total agreement with President Obama about protecting overtime pay for workers but he addressed Johnson's off the rails remarks.

"The Medicare Advantage program," he reminds us, "was set up under the Bush Administration. It was set up for low premiums and high out of pocket co-pays (up to $7,000). A reputable independent insurance agent will not sell it. It was set up for people who had means, who could afford the co-pays and were healthy. Per the Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare) the insurance companies are now limited to 15% overhead and profit in this program. The insurance company defines the network so limiting access is part of their profit plan. If you need to drive 100 miles to use an in network provider, you may not go (let alone the co-pay). Out of network visits are not compensated.

"It is the Medicare Advantage insurance companies that are interfering with or eliminating our seniors’ relationships with their doctors.

"The good news is that under the Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare), with preexisting conditions, seniors can change insurers and acquire a policy for Medicare Supplemental Insurance (Medigap). These policies allow for choice of doctors and hospitals so seniors can visit their doctors and local hospitals.

"The best and easiest solution is Medicare for all, with the premiums now being paid to insurance companies going directly to Medicare. The savings would pay for the improvements of coverage to all seniors.

"The Republican Weekly Address should not be used to spread misinformation."

Before Greg can go to the voters and take on Johnson directly, he has another conservative to beat first, Steve Israel's worst DCCC pick of the 2014 cycle, wretched Blue Dog Jennifer Garrison. Garrison got her ignominious start in politics by running to the right of a Republican state legislator! She's built a sleazy career in Ohio politics as an ardent opponent of women's Choice and as one of the worst and most vicious homophobes ever elected to the Ohio state legislature. If Greg can beat her in the May 6th primary, voters will have a choice in November between a progressive and a conservative, instead of between two conservatives. If you'd like to help Greg beat his two conservative opponents, here's the place.

Steve Israel Is Trying To Saddle Us With Jennifer Garrison, Ohio's Sarah Palin

Jennifer Garrison-- Steve Israel's kind of Democrat

Early in June we warned that DCCC Chair Steve Israel-- be sure to watch Bravo's Princesses: Long Island which is about his district to understand Israel's mentality-- was trying to recruit Ohio's Sarah Palin, Jennifer Garrison, to run against Bill Johnson. Johnson won his seat in 2010-- part of the Great Blue Dog Apocalypse-- because Democrats refused to turn out for conservative Blue Dog Charlie Wilson. Despite $2,086,390 from the DCCC and $397,242 from their House Majority PAC, Wilson lost again in a rematch last year, 53-47%. The district has 18 counties and Johnson won 14 of them, including biggies Mahong, Columbiana, Washington, and Lawrence and effectively tying in Jefferson, a must-win for Democrats.

Aside from having a Democratic voter registration, there is nothing about Jennifer Garrison that is remotely Democratic. She's actually worse than a mainstream Republican. Perfect for Steve Israel! The Plain Dealer scoped out the situation... more politely than I would. They do start, though, but acknowledging that Democrats drove Garrison out of her last statewide race because she is seen as way too conservative for Ohio Democrats. Last week she announced she's running against Johnson.

"Both political parties have not focused enough on jobs, job security, and the kitchen-table issues that our neighbors and families face everyday," Garrison said in a statement first reported by the Youngstown Vindicator, which covers the northern portion of the district. "Whether it's been improving education funding for rural Ohio, keeping utility rates low for consumers and manufacturers, or demanding transparency from the legislature, I have a track record of getting results and look forward to this campaign."

The district is one of the state's most competitive-- and one that until recently was reliably Democratic. Johnson unseated the late Charlie Wilson by 5 percentage points in 2010. Wilson lost a rematch last year by a slightly larger margin.

And though Garrison boasts support from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, she could draw a formidable primary challenger. State Sen. Lou Gentile, who represents 10 of the 18 counties in the 6th District, is exploring a run.

"I'm still sort of recovering from the budget," Gentile told the Plain Dealer this morning. "I'm talking to the people in my district about whether I should run."

Gentile, from Steubenville, outperformed President Barack Obama in parts of his district last fall. A former state representative, he worked as an aide to former U.S. Rep. Ted Strickland in Congress and was a driver and top assistant-- or "body man"-- during Strickland's successful run for governor in 2006. Gentile later went to work for the Strickland administration as assistant director in the Office of Appalachia.

Garrison also has ties to Strickland. He encouraged her to run for Ohio secretary of state in 2010. But her right-of-center views on core Democratic issues-- including abortion and guns -- upset the party's base, and Garrison withdrew from the race. (The candidate ultimately fielded by Democrats was routed by Jon Husted.)

Given the increasingly Republican lean of eastern and southeastern Ohio, Garrison's conservative history might play better in a congressional race there. Gentile, though, has appeared more recently on a local ballot. He also could appeal more to state party activists enraged over recent GOP restrictions on abortion.

While he described himself as a defender of the Second Amendment, Gentle also said he supports abortion rights in most cases. He voted in favor of a ban on late-term abortions while a member of the Ohio House. But, much like Garrison focused on economics in her announcement, Gentile said he doesn't emphasize social issues.

David Skolnick, writing in The Vindicator also acknowledges that "national Democratic leaders" recruited Garrison-- despite her hateful and bigoted Republican record. And he also acknowledges that Gentile is likely to run. I called his office and was told he's "still making up his mind (wink, wink)."

“I’m interested in talking to the constituents in my district and getting a good read on whether I should run,” he said. “My decision will be largely made by those in [elected] leadership roles and my constituents in the district.”

Gentile’s district includes 10 counties in the 6th. Gentile was the Republican’s No. 1 target last year in the state Senate. Republicans gave nearly $1 million to the campaign of his opponent. Gentile won the race in the Republican-leaning district by about 5 percentage points.

Whoever emerges as the Democratic primary winner would face two-term U.S. Rep. Bill Johnson, a Republican from Marietta, in the general election. The district is a Republican area. In 2012, Johnson beat Democrat Charlie Wilson, who has since died, by about 7 percentage points, and failed GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney beat President Barack Obama by 12 percentage points in the 6th.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee recruited Garrison, a three-term state House member who didn’t seek re-election in 2010, to run for the position.

The DCCC, which recruits and raises money for Democrats seeking U.S. House seats, invited Garrison in May to Washington, D.C., to meet with national Democratic officials to discuss the district and ways to win the race. She was among only six potential House candidates nationwide invited to that event.

While in the Ohio House, Garrison represented all or part of five counties in the 6th, and served in leadership as majority floor leader.

Since leaving politics, Garrison, an attorney, founded the Southeastern Ohio Landowners’ Association, which represents landowners who lease oil and gas rights with her clients receiving over $250 million.

“I’m proud of the association’s efforts to help working people, and I want to take that attitude to Washington,” she said.

When you contribute to the DCCC, you don't get to say, "Oh, by the way, don't give my money to any anti-Choice, anti-immigrant, anti-union, anti-LGBT wingnuts. That's exactly where your money will go. If you don't want to see someone like Jennifer Garrison in Congress, don't donate to the DCCC. That simple! Help real Democrats here instead... pick the ones you want and give them the contributions directly.

Not Jennifer Garrison Again! The DCCC Is Trying To Recruit Ohio's Sarah Palin To Run Against Bill Johnson

Steve and Jennifer-- a match made in hell

Clearly, the DCCC should be going after powerful Republican policy makers in vulnerable seats like Paul Ryan (where Obama scored 47%), John Mica (where Obama scored 47%), Ileana Ros Lehtinen (where Obama scored 53%), Peter King (where Obama scored 52%), Fred Upton (where Obama scored 49%), Mike Rogers (where Obama scored 48%), Buck McKeon (where Obama scored 48%), John Kline (where Obama scored 49%), and Darrell Issa (where Obama scored 46%). Instead Steve Israel is all about targeting pointless GOP backbenchers no one's ever heard of and wasting all the DCCC's resources on them even if they're in tough red districts. The Republicans above-- all powers for evil within Congress who Israel won't seriously pursue-- are in MUCH easier districts for Democrats than, say, ridiculous Republican nonentity Bill Johnson. His district has a PVI of R+8 and Romney beat Obama there 55-43%. But that's the kind of place Israel is trolling for conservative Democrats to shower money on. By way of comparison, here are the PVIs of districts who's Reps the DCCC hasn't-- so far-- been allowed to target because of Israel and Wasserman Schultz:

• Ryan- PVI-R+3
• Mica- PVI-R+4
• Ros-Lehtinen- PVI-R+2
• Peter King- PVI-R+1
• Upton- PVI-R+1
• Mike Rogers- PVI-R+2
• McKeon- PVI-R+3
• Kline- PVI-R+2
• Issa- PVI-R+4

A Midwest congressman with as much contempt for Steve Israel as I have alerted me to the fact that the DCCC has been trying to recruit former state Rep. Jennifer Garrison to run against Johnson, who won the seat against Blue Dog Charlie Wilson in the Great Blue Dog Apocalypse of 2010. Garrison, as we'll see in a moment, is far to the right of Wilson, who was defeated because the Democratic base couldn't bring themselves to vote for someone who had disappointed them by voting against the progressive agenda so consistently. His initial 135,628 votes (62%) in the 2006 midterms when he first won, shrunk down to a dismal 92,823 votes (45%) in the 2010 midterms-- while the GOP candidate grew from 82,848 (38%) in 2006 to Johnson's win in 2010 with 103,170 (50%). Last year the DCCC encouraged a rematch and Wilson was defeated by Johnson again-- 144,444 (47%) to 164,536 (53%). The DCCC, looking to restock the caucus with Blue Dogs, wasted just under $2.5 million on that race.

So what did the DCCC learn? Not to find a mainstream progressive Democrat to run against a colorless, dull Republican obstructionist-- but to find someone even further right-wing than Wilson (who died in April). Enter Jennifer Garrison, Ohio's Sarah Palin. Garrison can be best described as a vicious, homophobic, anti-union, anti-choice, pro-coal, anti-minimum wage, reactionary stooge. In other words, the perfect candidate for Ohio political boss, Chris Redfern, and DCCC chairman Steve Israel.

Garrison beat a Republican incumbent in 2004 to win a state house seat from Southeast Ohio, by ATTACKING HER GOP OPPONENT FOR BEING TOO PRO-GAY. Yes, you read that right. From the Gay People's Chronicle: Garrison already has a rocky relationship with the LGBT community. She won her House seat by gay-baiting her predecessor, Nancy Hollister, in 2004.

Earlier that year, Hollister was the only Republican to vote against the so-called “defense of marriage act.” It was considered a courageous vote.

Garrison sent out mailings that read, “If you believe marriage is between one man and one woman, there’s something you should know about Nancy Hollister.”

The other side of the card said, “DOMA was enacted precisely to protect Ohioans from having to accept ‘marriages’ or ‘unions’ entered into in other states. Despite the value of DOMA, Nancy Hollister voted against it. Jennifer Garrison believes marriage is between one man and one woman and will fight to protect our values.”

In 2006, as a member of the House Education Committee, Garrison helped to kill an amendment that would have required Ohio schools to protect students from bullying for their sexual orientation or gender identity.

The anti-bullying bill passed without the LGBT protections.

An attorney, Garrison opposed EHEA last year, saying it is wrong to single out classes of people for protection. This is a common talking point that anti-gays use against equality laws, and is legally flawed.

From the Akron Beacon Journal (November 11, 2004):

Garrison turned the Hollister vote [against the Ohio Defense of Marriage Act] into something seemingly sinister. She told the Parkersburg (W.Va.) newspapers that "the big difference between Nancy and I is the gay marriage issue. I am against it. She is for it."Garrison sent mailings into homes that read: "If you believe marriage is between one man and one woman, there is something you should know about Nancy Hollister." The mailing then all but declares that Hollister embraces gay marriage, concluding Garrison will "fight to protect our values." Karl Rove would be proud. Clearly, Garrison rode the wave of state Issue 1. She and her pals should be ashamed.

But not only content to have the LGBT community exist as second-class citizens, Jennifer Garrison also wants her own gender to subist that way. From a NARAL email yesterday:

Last week, Jennifer Garrison, a Democrat from Marietta, officially entered the race for Ohio’s Secretary of State. Jennifer Garrison currently serves in the Ohio House of Representatives and has a 0% rating from NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio.

Rep. Garrison showed just how extreme her anti-choice position is when she filled out the 2008 candidate questionnaire for Ohio Right to Life, saying she would:

• support legislation in Ohio to outlaw abortion (with only an exception to save a woman’s life),

• support legislation that would allow pharmacists to refuse to dispense emergency contraception, and

• support state funding for so-called “crisis pregnancy centers” that lie to women about the risks of abortion and never refer patients for abortion or birth control services.

Representative Garrison does not share our values.

She has also voted against the minimum wage, has counted coal interests as a top-ten funder and would like to protect the rights of criminals to get their hands on guns.

Ohio Progressives finally drove Garrison out of politics in 2010. We may have finally found a conservative Democratic woman who is actually too conservative even for EMILY's List, but Steve Israel wants to get her back in again. Why doesn't he go do something vaguely useful instead-- like finding someone to run against Darrell Issa?

YESTERDAY'S PRIMARIES

Turnout was strong in South Dakota and Montana today. But these last two presidential primaries are by no means the end of the primary season, not when there are hot races from New York to Alaska. I think the last one is Massachusetts, where the Republicans have redder faces than usual, on September 16. From the progressive point of view, we have important campaigns culminating in Georgia on July 15 (pitting "Voice of the Voiceless" state Senator Regina Thomas against corporate shill and Bush Dog John Barrow), Alaska on August 26 (where progressive grassroots candidate Diane Benson is contending with 2 establishment insiders, Ethan Berkowitz and Jake Metcalfe for the seat the voters will be taking away from Republicrook Don Young), and Virginia (where a week from today Leslie Byrne is battling corrupt war profiteer associate Gerry Connolly).

Early today South Dakota's Secretary of State was estimating a 40-45% turnout among Democrats (normal is 15-40%) and a 25% turnout among dishearted and discouraged Republicans. In Montana they were expecting close to half of the state's Democrats to vote, a 10% increase over 2004. Obama had already clinched the nomination before today's voting was halfway over.

As for Blue America we had some wins and some losses today. Although reactionary Dem Leonard Boswell had a close call, he managed to retain his seat; big disappointment! Our other candidates won today: Martin Heinrich in New Mexico, Dennis Shulman in New Jersey. We'll update on California later, although I was delighted to see L.A.absentee voters decisively turned down racist loon Bill Johnson despite concentrated support from the Paulista camp in an abysmally low turnout election. We were also happy to see NJ Senator Frank Lautenberg, one of the most progressive members of the Senate, win decisively against right-leaning, Bush-supporting Democratic Congressman Robert Andrews. All the New Jersey primary votes are here.


UPDATE: MORE RESULTS

James Bianco beat racist maniac Bill Johnson 346,510 (73.87%) to 122,548 (26.13%). Hard to imagine that many people could have voted for someone with Johnson's views, although it's likely they didn't know what he was all about.

Also in California, Russ Warner took 70% of the vote in CA-26 and will face ultimaqte Republican rubber stamp David Dreier. On the right, California Republicans in the extreme north of the state had to pick between a mainstream conservative, Doug Ose, and off-the-cliff extremist, Tom McClintock. They picked the fanatic loon (of course) giving him 54% of the vote-- and making it easier for Charlie Brown to win in November.

RFK Memorial Primary In California Tuesday

The local primary the has me most worked up for tomorrow is an obscure judicial race that features a virulent racist clown attempting a stealth campaign to slip into office on a lot of misplaced Ron Paul energy. Be sure to vote for James Bianco. But for people concerned about other down ballot races, we asked local political pundit Zack Webber to give us a California run-down for tomorrow. His report:

Even though we voted in the Super Tuesday presidential primary back in February we haven't had the regular primary for other offices. This year they were split up so we would have more of a say in the selection of the President. The regular primary returns to its traditional first Tuesday in June.

Forty years ago in June was when Senator Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated here in Los Angeles after winning the California primary. This was one of the tragic events in our local history which is sometimes forgotten and is worthy of being memorialized. (Go to the TX Book Depository in Dallas and there is a museum; go to the Ambassador Hotel and there is... no Ambassador Hotel.) RFK died running for office trying to continue his service to society. You don't have to run for President, but should at least honor his memory by voting this time. Also it would be good to pray or think positive thoughts for his brother, Senator Edward Kennedy, who is now fighting brain cancer. Make the democracy work by voting for and against whichever candidates or ballot measures you choose, even if you don't follow all my recommendations (but please vote NO on 98; more later...)

You get to vote in party primaries if you are registered as a member of the party. If you are a "decline to state" (nonpartisan or independent) voter you can ask for a Democratic Party ballot at the polls and vote for all offices except party county committees. I am only picking in Democratic races because I'm a Democrat and because we have more contested primaries than the smaller parties.

President: Kennedy, McCarthy or Humphrey? No, that was in February. If you need some presidential excitement you can follow the returns from Montana and South Dakota, the last two primaries of this year.

U.S. Congress: There are very few contested primaries for House seats (and neither Senator is up for election this time.) The most interesting primary is a Republican race in northeastern CA for the open seat of the disgraced, corrupt GOP Rep. Doolittle (CA-04). Two candidates have emerged from outside the district. One of them is from Ventura County (!!!) and the other from Sacramento. It is a nasty race and will leave the winner vulnerable to the local Democrat, "Good Old" Charlie Brown (who almost beat Doo last time even though it is one of the most Republican districts in CA). A new poll just out shows Charlie beating either of these extremist kook carpetbaggers.

In Southern CA contested primaries I like Mary Pallant in CA-24 (Ventura) and Russ Warner in CA-26 (Cucamonga, Monrovia and other parts of the IE).

[A little update from Howie recommending Debbie Cook to rid Orange County of Dana Taleban Rohrabacher, Ron Shepston as the Democrat to beat Gary Miller and Rita Ramirez-Dean to end Jerry Lewis' disgraceful tenure.]

California Legislature: In some cases there are more than one good candidate for each office.

CA State Senate: SD-03 (Marin, S.F.) Mark Leno is clearly the best of the three.
SD-15  Dennis Morris (write-in)
SD-19 (Ventura, Santa Barbara) Hannah-Beth Jackson
SD-21 (parts of L.A. County including Pasadena, Glendale and Burbank)  Carol Liu
SD-23 (more of L.A. including Santa Monica and the SFV) Lloyd Levine is my choice. Fran Pavley is also excellent. I know Lloyd better, but you can't go too far wrong here with either one.
SD-25 (more of L.A.) No endorsement
SD-33 (Orange County) Gary Pritchard 

CA Assembly: AD-27 (Santa Cruz, Monterey) Bill Monning.                  
AD-38 (Santa Clarita, Simi, SFV) Carole Lutness
AD-39 Felipe Fuentes  AD-41 Julia Brownley  AD-42  Mike Feuer  AD-43 Paul Krekorian
AD-40 (mid-SFV) Dan McCrory or Stuart Waldman. I like Dan McCrory, who is a communications worker and writer, as well as a Union and Native American activist. He doesn't have as much money as the frontrunners but is thoughtful and progressive. Stuart Waldman has the most experience in Sacramento, as a former staffer to Assemblymembers Bob Hertzberg and Lloyd Levine. The other candidates are Bob Blumenfield, who works for Representative Howard Berman, and Laurette Healey, who used to be an assistant to Steve Westly when he was Controller. Any of these people would be at least acceptable but Stuart and Dan are the better ones. This is another one of the races (along with SD-23) where I feel sorry for the postal workers who have to sort and deliver all the mailers. The candidates are better than all the crap they are sending out.
AD-80 (Imperial, Coachella)  Manuel Perez

Judicial Elections:  L.A. Superior Court   Office #4  Ralph Dau   #69  Harvey Silberman
#72  Hilleri Grossman Merritt   #82  Cynthia Loo   #84  Lori-Ann Jones  #94 C. Edward Mack
#95  Patricia Nieto  #119  Jared Moses   #123 Kathleen Blanchard   #125 James Bianco
#154  Rocky Crabb    Santa Cruz Superior Court  Ari Symons

L.A. District Attorney:  No Endorsement

County Supervisors:  L.A. Second District   Mark Ridley-Thomas
Santa Cruz  First District  John Leopold   Fifth District  Mark Stone

Statewide Ballot Measures:  only two this time

NO on 98 and Yes on 99:  Both attempt to correct the problematic U.S. Supreme Court "Kelo v New London" decision that allows local governments to condemn properties to be used for private purposes. 98 goes way too far in that it also would eliminate rent control and most land use and environmental regulations. This is a rerun of Prop 90 which was the worst thing on the 11/06 ballot. Prop 99 is limited to the problem of eminent domain abuse. It would protect owner-occupied residences from being taken by the government for private development projects. While it could be argued that it should also apply to business and rental properties, this is a reasonable measure that should be supported.

L.A. County Democratic Central Committee:  some recommendations (not a complete list...)
AD-38  Lyn Shaw, Jim Hilfenhaus, Isaac Lieberman, Lysa Simon, Carole Lutness
AD-40  Miguel Santiago, Erin Prangley, Jeff Daar, Marilyn Grunwald,David Phelps, David Hyman
AD-41  Margie Murray, Leah Hertzberg, Dolores Press, Julie Lopez Dad
AD-42  Dante Atkins, Brad Parker, Elena Ong, Ken Silk, Paul Koretz, Joyce Rubin, Laurence Zakson
AD-43  Adrin Nazarian, Tom O'Shaugnessy, Bob Silver, Karo Torossian

OK, that is my ballot for the RFK Memorial Primary. Be sure to vote on Tuesday 6/3 between 7AM and 8PM or send in your absentee ballot now (no later than Saturday's mail) or walk it into any polling place in your county on election day.

-Zack Webber

BOB BARR DRAWS A LINE IN THE SAND FOR RON PAUL SUPPORTERS

Slightly different approach on the fascism thing

All over L.A. signs are appearing for racist psychopath Bill Johnson-- and the signs are being put up by the same people who are putting up Ron Paul signs. Although Paul officially withdrew his endorsement of Johnson once word of Johnson's egregious racism leaked out, the two campaigns were so completely intertwined that it is virtually impossible to separate them. Johnson' campaign manager, Holly Clearman, is also Ron Paul's state coordinator (as well as a Republican Party candidate for the GOP County Central Committee).

This is far from Paul's first tango with bizarre extremists beyond the pale. But Bob Barr, who is courting the more rational members of the Ron Paul Revolution, say he wants nothing to do with the lunatic fringe. The neo-Nazi fringe of the Republican Party base has been urging that people support Barr in order to "send a message to the Republican Party that conservatives and Whites won’t sit still as they are stuck with a liberal presidential candidate like McCain. Supporting Bob Barr might even pave the way for a Third Party to replace the increasingly repugnant Republican Party... If voting for McCain is a waste of time, since he’s never going to win (because conservatives hate him), then the best course of action may be a protest vote for the Libertarian candidate Bob Barr."

Unlike Paul's confused organization, Barr's campaign was very clear and direct in their response to the hate-mongers on the right of the GOP coalition:

The Barr campaign is not going to be a vehicle for every fringe and hate group to promote itself. We do not want and will not accept the support of haters. Anyone with love in their heart for our country and for every resident of our country regardless of race, religion, nationality or sexual orientation is welcome with open arms.

Tell the haters I said don't let the door hit you on the backside on your way out!

Tomorrow is the primary in L.A. in which even Ron Paul agrees that Bill Johnson is unworthy of support. His own words (in his crazy book, Amendment to the Constitution, beloved on the outer fringes of Republican-loonyland:

“No person shall be a citizen of the United States unless he is a non-Hispanic white of the European race, in whom there is no ascertainable trace of Negro blood, nor more than one-eighth Mongolian, Asian, Asia Minor, Middle Eastern, Semitic, Near Eastern, American Indian, Malay or other non-European or non-white blood, provided that Hispanic whites, defined as anyone with an Hispanic ancestor, may be citizens if, in addition to meeting the aforesaid ascertainable trace and percentage tests, they are in appearance indistinguishable from Americans whose ancestral home is in the British Isles or Northwestern Europe. Only citizens shall have the right and privilege to reside permanently in the United States.”

You want that sitting on the bench as a judge? And if he starts there, how much longer before rubber stamps like Susan Collins, James Inhofe, Norm Coleman, Gordon Smith, and John Sununu are voting to confirm him to the Supreme Court? Don't forget to vote on Bill Johnson tomorrow so these creeps never get a chance to.

Ron Paul Has To Be More Careful About Associating With Shady Racists And Bigots

Holly Clearman (left) and Ron Paul

After L.A. judicial candidate Bill Johnson was exposed as a virulent and obsessed racist this week, his strategy of running a low-key, stealth campaign in a low turn-out election and just counting on Ron Paul meet-ups for his campaigning was dealt a severe blow. Paul himself reiterated that his endorsement of Johnson was a "mistake" and that Johnson had just sort of slipped through the cracks (although Paul did host a sold out $2,000/ticket fundraiser for him at his house in September). He has since withdrawn the endorsement. Still, Ron Paul, Bill Johnson and the crazed Republican Party of Washington state are all campaigning to end birthright citizenship and Paul, Johnson and the Los Angeles Republican Party all share the services of Holly Clearman, a candidate for the Republican L.A. County Central Committee, the state coordinator for the Ron Paul for President campaign, and Bill Johnson's campaign manager. No wonder the Paulistas are confused.

In Colorado it was just Republicans in general who are confused. They just had their state convention and they all love their lunatic fringe Senate candidate, Bob Schaffer, but they still can't seem to pick between John McCain and Ron Paul. One delegate indicated that unless McCain picks an extreme right wing fanatic as a running mate, he'll have trouble with the base: "As far as Colorado Republicans are concerned, we all will support McCain, but he's not our first choice." Another delegate went so far as to admit that McCain's has been an "ignoble legislative career."

Daniel Stone of Newsweek didn't bring up any of Paul's shady relationships with scary racists and neo-fascists in the puffy q&a he did this week. Paul was positive about Bob Barr, the Libertarian candidate who is expected to make McCain's chances even slimmer than they already are. And he was less positive about McCain, saying their relationship "pretty much doesn't exist. He has his beliefs and I have mine, and they just don't come together very well."

Will L.A. Elect A Ron Paul Judge To The Superior Court? Meet Bill Johnson

If you ever just pick a judicial candidate randomly at the polling place-- I mean who really knows one from the other, right-- I hope that after you read this, you'll never do it again. On page 7 of the Los Angeles "Official Sample Ballot" for next Tuesday's primary is a race for Judge of the Superior Court (Office number 125). The contest hasn't gotten any publicity. But I want you to read this:

“No person shall be a citizen of the United States unless he is a non-Hispanic white of the European race, in whom there is no ascertainable trace of Negro blood, nor more than one-eighth Mongolian, Asian, Asia Minor, Middle Eastern, Semitic, Near Eastern, American Indian, Malay or other non-European or non-white blood, provided that Hispanic whites, defined as anyone with an Hispanic ancestor, may be citizens if, in addition to meeting the aforesaid ascertainable trace and percentage tests, they are in appearance indistinguishable from Americans whose ancestral home is in the British Isles or Northwestern Europe. Only citizens shall have the right and privilege to reside permanently in the United States.”

The man who wrote that-- a proposed constitutional amendment-- is asking for our votes for the Superior Court. His name-- well he has many names-- is Bill Johnson. He also goes by the names William Daniel Johnson, Daniel Johnson and James O. Pace. He's an attorney, a Mormon, and, as you may have concluded, a white supremacist (and Ron Paulista). The paragraph comes from his 1985 book, Amendment to the Constitution-- Averting The Decline And Fall Of America in which he urges the repeal of the 14th (which defines citizenship as well as due process and equal protection under the law) and 15th (which guarantees voting rights for all citizens) Amendments. He advocates deporting tens of millions of Americans within one year. That would include... well, read his little amendment again. American Indians, Eskimos, Hawaiians won't be citizens but they'll have to live on reservations.

This isn't Johnson's first bid for elective office. When Dick Cheney resigned from Congress to become Secretary of Defense in 1989, Johnson ran for his House seat in Wyoming. He didn't win although a GOP front group publication, All the Way, strongly backed him.

“The strongest pro-majority campaign in the nation is mounting here with far-reaching implications. Congressional candidate Daniel Johnson is being blasted as a ‘white supremacist’ because he favors repatriating non-whites to Africa and scrapping affirmative action programs.

“Johnson, 34, seeking the post vacated by now-Secretary of Defense Richard Chaney [sic], is a smart Harvard-law grad who persuasively articulates the pro-gun, pro-family, pro-American position. He is a dedicated anti-communist with many youthful supporters.”

One of those "youthful supporters" was his 18 year old campaign manager/KKK organizer, John Abarr. Johnson kind of sounds like a typical, garden variety Republican child molester. In fact, he also ran for Congress in Arizona in 2006, trying to sneak into the Democratic primary. Like Joe Lieberman and Zell Miller, he claimed to be a "traditional Democrat" who was abandoned by the Democratic Party. Blue Dog Gabby Giffords won the primary with 54.1% of the vote. Johnson managed to get 3.0%. Giffords went on to beat Randy Graf, a Republican extremist with similar views to Johnson's.

Aside from being active in Ron Paul's campaign, he is also a Minuteman activist and exactly the kind of person made to feel empowered by CNN resident xenophobe Lou Dobbs. Johnson's campaign manager, Holly Clearman is also state coordinator for the Ron Paul for President campaign and is herself is a candidate for the Republican L.A. County Central Committee. They are counting on Paulistas to put him over the top. Fortunately, there are legal community newspapers that actually do the research on judicial candidates. In L.A. we have the Metropolitan News Enterprise, which dug up a lot of the facts on Johnson's multiple identities.

UPDATE: RON PAUL WITHDRAWS HIS ENDORSEMENT

I hope all the little zombies find out before Tuesday!