Another Capitol reporter gone
Steve Geissinger, a longtime Capitol reporter who most recently worked for Bay Area News Group, East Bay (which publishes the Oakland Tribune and Contra Costa Times, among other papers), has joined the ranks of laid off Sacramento scribes. California Majority Report.
Ma's new squeeze
The San Francisco Chronicle's Matier and Ross report Assemblywoman Fiona Ma, D-San Francisco, has a new "romantic connection" -- Washington lobbyist Patrick Koch, "whose brother is married to President Bush's sister."
There's a political connection, as well, the paper reports:
Whatever their personal relationship - and neither was returning calls to comment - Ma is apparently eager to promote Koch's business interests.
On Feb. 24, state Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Pacoima (Los Angeles County), introduced legislation on the company's behalf that would mandate that utilities use the kind of meter services offered by Koch's firm - and Ma's office was soon calling to monitor its progress.
When the Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee took up the bill in April, Ma was watching quietly from the back of the room.
And when the bill, SB1438, reached the Assembly, Ma was in the mix again - making the phone call to introduce Koch to Assemblyman Lloyd Levine, D-Van Nuys, chairman of the Utilities and Commerce Committee, which was hearing the legislation.
Ma also set up and attended a meeting with incoming Speaker Bass to introduce Koch and to explain his business - although we're told SB1438 was not discussed.
Consultant on both sides of gay marriage
Capitol Weekly has the short but strange story of Robert Kaplan, the Los Angeles political fundraiser who has registered eight political committees on both sides of the gay marriage debate.
Capitol Weekly reports:
(A)ll the of names he's registered come in pairs: Americans for Same-Sex Marriage, Americans Against Same-Sex Marriage, Californians For Same-Sex Marriage, Californians Against Same-Sex Marriage, Yes on Gay Marriage, No on Gay Marriage, Yes on Same-Sex Marriage, No on Same-Sex Marriage.
"I've been approached by interested parties on both sides because I raise money," Kaplan said. "There has been a lot of interest in the issue, as you can imagine. I thought I might decide to work for whichever side paid me more. But I just decided morally I just can't do that."
Morally, Kaplan said, he approves of marriage equality and opposes the constitutional ban, which California voters approved in 2000. He said that he has been in talks to work with an independent expenditure campaign in support of same-sex marriage, but nothing is yet official. But he'd already picked up several "easily identifiable names."
'Predator' politicians
First, there was Jesse Ventura. Then there was Arnold Schwarzenegger. Now a third star of the 1987 "Predator" film is trying to launch a political career: Sonny Landham.
Landam is running as a longshot Libertarian candidate against Kentucky senator and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. Associated Press.
Mrs. McCain's CA tax bill
As Newsweek reports "When you're poor, it can be hard to pay the bills. When you're rich, it's hard to keep track of all the bills that need paying."
Cindy McCain, the wife of GOP presidential nominee John McCain owed some back property taxes in San Diego County. Once the magazine contacted the campaign, Mrs. McCain, a beer heiress, paid up.
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