Free Republic

SAN FRANCISCO - Top deputies to Secretary of State Kevin Shelley were informed that consultants hired to do nonpartisan voter education work were attending Democratic events on his behalf and attempting to boost his public image, according to documents obtained by a newspaper. Memos titled "Week-Ahead Reports" show that top officials in Shelley's office were routinely informed of the contractors' upcoming schedules and plans, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. A "Democratic Club" luncheon and efforts to "get exposure for KS (Kevin Shelley) in Southern California" were among activities mentioned in the memos. The newspaper's report is the latest revelation in...

California Recall Race Produces Boom Times for Handlers By KATHARINE Q. SEELYE LOS ANGELES, Sept. 6 — Dan Schnur, Rob Stutzman and Mark Bogetich are partners in a Republican consulting firm in Sacramento. But the recall election has divided them, at least through the vote. Mr. Schnur is the campaign manager for Peter V. Ueberroth, an independent candidate for governor, while Mr. Stutzman and Mr. Bogetich have both signed on with Arnold Schwarzenegger, the actor-turned-Republican-candidate. "We've strung up some barbed wire down the middle of the office, so things are working just fine," Mr. Schnur said. The California recall election...

Landrieu, consultant part ways Foster mum on Terrell By MARSHA SHULER mshuler@theadvocate.com Capitol news bureau Democratic U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu parted ways with her longtime political consultant Thursday as she faces a bruising political fight against re-election opponent Republican Suzanne Terrell. Meanwhile, Republican Gov. Mike Foster shied away from an endorsement of Terrell, the state's elections commissioner, upset with what he called Terrell's "cesspool" campaign. Landrieu downplayed consultant Ray Strother's departure. "There was a difference. I wanted to strengthen our message, what we have done for Louisiana and want to bring to the state," Landrieu...

~ Carville Meets The Labor Party ~ By William A. Mayer - Editor & Publisher April 3, 2002 During the 1999 Israeli election cycle, Democrat Party plotters James Carville, Stanley Greenberg and Bob Shrum created the Labor Party candidacy of Ehud Barak. They did so at the behest of Bill Clinton who was in search of a legacy aside from Monica. The thinking was that if he could control the Israeli presidency they could also push Israel into the arms of Arafat, achieving a positive place in history - possibly even securing the Nobel Peace prize as icing on the...

<p>A state agency -- not the individuals working for it -- was fined $69,500 Thursday for filing late potential conflict-of-interest statements during last year's electricity crisis.</p> <p>In a decision Secretary of State Bill Jones called "an outrage and an affront to the taxpayers," the California Fair Political Practices Commission levied its first-ever fine against another state agency -- the Department of Water Resources -- for violating the state's Political Reform Act.</p>