Remainders
Tom Campbell has large events planned for Thursday and Friday, including a town hall in San Diego.
Jerry McNerney spoke to reporters about his late December trip to Afghanistan.
Robert Beadles filed a lawsuit against a competitor for politically motivated libel and slander after he accused him of stealing property. The claim prompted sheriffs and CHP officers to search his business and home then handcuffing him in front of his wife and kids.
Lodi News-Sentinel continued their series of profiles on the Republican candidates in the 11th Congressional District with Elizabeth Emken.
Comprehensive immigration reform supporters delivered postcards to McNerney's San Ramon office.
Keep up with the Proposition 8 trial with the Courage Campaign's Trial Tracker. Sites like the Trial Tracker are an immense resource as the Supreme Court blocked any television broadcast.
President Barack Obama offered full U.S. support to Haiti after the devastating 7.0 earthquake left "hundreds of thousands dead" and much of the country in shambles. Parliament collapsed. All hospitals in the nation were either destroyed or abandoned. American Red Cross reported that they are out of supplies in Haiti. Amid the crisis, Haitians are organizing relief and survival efforts online. Talking Points Memo set up the Haiti Quake Wire as a clearinghouse of information coming from the island.
Remainders
John Perez is the next Speaker of the Assembly and also the first openly gay official to hold the post.
Arnold Schwarzenegger delivered his final State of the State address this week with the help of a former Reagan speechwriter. Contra Costa Times reporter Josh Richman liveblogged the event. In the speech, the governor outlined a jobs plan estimated at roughly $500 million.
The state is moving closer towards resuming executions in California.
San Jose Mercury News and other Bay Area New Group papers seek copies of the four gubernatorial candidates' federal and state tax returns from the past decade.
Alberto Torrico, a candidate for state's top cop gig, takes on the role as the chair of the Assembly's prison reform committee. Chris Kelly, an executive officer at Facebook, donated $2 million to his campaign for attorney general. The pool of Democratic candidates tallies half a dozen, including Kamala Harris, district attorney for San Francisco.
It is not like billionaires Steve Poizner or Meg Whitman need his money, but major Republican donor Rick Caruso is backing Jerry Brown for governor.
Jeff Takada, a Republican seeking the nomination to challenge Jerry McNerney, says his fellow candidates "leave me with a lot of questions."
Marriage equality activists sought to have the proceedings of the Proposition 8 trial televised. It looks like they will have to settle for delayed video.
Several Bay Area educators were honored at an event held at the White House.
CA-11: Pegram’s Values Advocacy Council
Pegram speaks at a VAC event.
Larry Pegram, a former San Jose city councilman that plans to run for the Republican nomination to challenge Jerry McNerney next fall, co-founded and served as president of an organization called the Values Advocacy Council, which gets a passing mention on his campaign website.
Unfamiliar with the organization and Pegram as well, which his campaign website lacking much substance, it prompted me to browse around a bit.
The purpose of the VAC, below Pegram's photo, is described as such:
The Values Advocacy Council was formed in 2003 to be a voice for Christian values in public policy matters in Silicon Valley. We work to help elected and non-elected officials to make values based decisions and take values oriented actions.
The content "Our Real Roots" page is lifted from the Property Rights Research website.
Among the list of "Accomplishments," Pegram boasted about their efforts in last year's Yes on Proposition 8 campaign.
Among the list of issues is a letter signed by Larry Pegram outlining VAC's position on homosexuality, in addition to a position paper opposing children being raised by gay parents.
Larry Pegram, a far-right conservative of the tallest order, is Tony Perkins wannabe and he wants a seat in Congress.
Judge Refuses to Dismiss Marriage Equality Case
Legal defense lawyers for Proposition 8 supporters were handed a major defeat in court as a judge refused to dismiss efforts to overturn the voter-approved Proposition 8 ballot initiative. Prop. 8 supporters may want to ask for their money back as attorney Charles Cooper offered a ridiculous argument against marriage equality:
After two hours of legal sparring, Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker largely rejected the arguments of Proposition 8 supporters, who maintained that U.S. Supreme Court precedent and a lack of proof of constitutional violations should sidetrack a lawsuit designed to overturn the ballot measure.
The judge seemed particularly unpersuaded by Proposition 8 attorney Charles Cooper's argument that the state can outlaw same-sex marriage because of the traditional definition of marriage and its purpose of procreation.
"Procreation doesn't require marriage," Walker noted at one point.
Going a step further, this line of thought would exclude straight couples that may be unable to have children, or couples that simply do not wish to have children at all. To argue otherwise would only confirm critics of the marriage equality opponents that they are targeting gay couples on the basis of sexual orientation.
Schwarzenegger Signs Harvey Milk Day Bill
Milk's birthday, May 22, will be honored across the state of California.
Slain gay rights activist and former San Francisco Supervisor Harvey Milk was honored by the California legislature by making his birthday, May 22, "Harvey Milk Day" and the governor signed the bill. Milk, the first openly-gay elected official in the United States, is also the only such person to be bestowed such an honor in this country.
While the governor vetoed the bill honoring Milk last year, President Obama's awarding Milk the Presidential Medal of Freedom and an Academy Award-winning film about Milk's life moved Schwarzenegger to sign the bill, spokesman Aaron McLear said.
"The bill is symbolic of the importance of the gay community to California, which is why he signed it," McLear said, adding that Schwarzenegger wanted to "honor that community." It is the only such day of recognition for a gay or lesbian person in the United States. [...]
The measure mandates that the governor proclaim each May 22 as Harvey Milk Day in the state, to coincide with Milk's birthday. It will not be a state holiday. The bill signed by Schwarzenegger encourages public schools in the state to conduct lessons "remembering the life of Harvey Milk, recognizing his accomplishments and familiarizing pupils with the contributions he made to this state."
Milk was murdered, as was San Francisco Mayor George Moscone, by a conservative former supervisor, Dan White, in November 1978.