By now, most Californians are aware that the U.S.-made anti-Islam film that has roiled the Middle East is rooted in Southern California.
Perhaps less well known is that a decade ago, script adviser Steven A. Klein waged a statewide campaign for California insurance commissioner.
Klein's 2011 voter registration lists him as a Republican, but in 2002 he challenged Democrat John Garamendi and four others as the nominee of the conservative American Independent Party.
He finished last, with 148,893 votes – well behind Garamendi's 3.3 million.
The party's website in 2002 said Klein had lost a bid for the San Diego County Board of Education before turning his sights on statewide office.
And the website said Klein, who owns an insurance agency, was running because he believes "all regulatory agencies must be operated in accordance with our American Constitution, especially our Bill of Rights. All citizens no matter how rich or poor are entitled to civil rights in accordance with due process."
Interviewed by a reporter from the (Riverside) Press-Enterprise last week, Klein waved a gun and said he was standing up for his First Amendment rights in helping with the film, and that he was prepared to die for those rights.
– Dan Smith
BILL WATCH
Gov. Jerry Brown has signed a bill designed to limit disability-access lawsuits. Senate Bill 1186 will reduce potential damages for access violations from a minimum of $4,000 to as little as $1,000 if the defendant corrects violations quickly. The bill would also bar lawyers from issuing pre-litigation "demands for money" and regulate complaints involving construction-related violations.
- David Siders
WORTH REPEATING
"I think California has to be careful with that type of legislation. It could be detrimental to the democratic process."
ASSEMBLYMAN DAN LOGUE, Marysville Republican, to the Associated Press, warning about the potential for fraud with California's online voter registration system, which went live Wednesday
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