‘Secret’ talks aired in public flap

Paul Clinton

Calling Rep. Dana Rohrabacher a “rogue congressman,” Democratic

opponent Gerrie Schipske is calling out her November election foe for

an April 2001 meeting with the Taliban.

Schipske, bidding to unseat Rohrabacher in the newly constituted

46th District, which includes Costa Mesa, blasted the sitting

congressman for “conducting secret and illegal negotiations with the

Taliban.”

The claim couldn’t be further from the truth, Rohrabacher press

deputy Aaron Lewis said.

Yes, Rohrabacher did meet with members of the Taliban in Doha,

Qatar, at the time, but only to lambaste them for their oppressive

tactics, Lewis said.

Rohrabacher met with Taliban Foreign Minister Walid Ahmad

Mutawakel, among others.

“The object of his meeting with the Taliban was to chastise them

for destroying ancient artifacts, oppressing women and violating

human rights,” Lewis said. “Congressman Rohrabacher has been

recognized as the foremost opponent to the Taliban in the U.S. He was

complaining about the Taliban when no one knew what the Taliban even

was.”

On March 8, 2001, Rohrabacher attended an anti-Taliban protest in

front of the State Department. Also, Rohrabacher has delivered

several speeches on the House denouncing the group.

Rohrabacher has taken many trips to the country, reaching as far

back as 1988, when he first met with moujahedeen rebels who were

financed and endorsed by the Reagan administration.

In a release denouncing Rohrabacher, Schipske included a 1988

photo of the congressman sitting with those rebels.

Take me out to the ballgame

Rep. Chris Cox and his 9-year-old son played a game of catch

Tuesday night. It just happened that 19,964 people were looking on.

Charles Cox, who plays Little League baseball in Newport Beach,

tossed out the opening pitch at Edison Field before the Angels’

12th-inning victory over the Detroit Tigers.

His father, who happens to be the fifth-highest-ranking member of

the House of Representatives, crouched behind the plate wearing a

personalized uniform emblazoned with No. 1 that was provided by the

team.

Charles’ pitch sailed wide right, rolling under his father’s glove

and hitting the backstop.

“Good thing there weren’t runners on base,” Cox said after the

pitch.

There was a runner on base for the Angels, in the bottom of the

12th, when Troy Glaus singled in the game-winning run during the real

game.

Cox’s other two children also participated in the opening-pitch

ceremony. His 8-year-old daughter, Katie, stood in as the umpire and

3-year-old son, Kevin, stepped into the batter’s box.

Before the pitch, Cox said he hoped ballplayers and team owners

could avert a possible strike next month.

“I hope baseball doesn’t do that to itself,” Cox said. “Their

goodwill [with the public] has never been higher.”

An energetic loss

State Sen. Ross Johnson’s assault on one of Gov. Gray Davis’

nominees ended Tuesday after the man was confirmed.

Johnson, during the course of a two-hour confirmation session,

blasted David Freeman, saying he adamantly opposed installing him as

the state’s energy chief.

Freeman was confirmed on a 25-13 vote, despite Republican

opposition. Johnson represents Costa Mesa and Newport Beach.

Johnson has lobbied against Freeman, who served as the head of the

Los Angeles Department of Water and Power during the state’s power

crisis, because he has been implicated in the “ricochet” trading

scandal.

On Tuesday, Johnson said Freeman’s agency “gouged customers and

ripped off taxpayers far more than Enron.”

“One of two things is true,” Johnson said during the hearing.

“Either he is a deliberate gouger, as I maintain, or he’s a totally

incompetent manager, and either one is a reason for a ‘no’ vote.”

Campbell plays rough

Inspired by the words of Teddy Roosevelt, Assemblyman John

Campbell has launched a political Web site to express his views on

issues, motivate constituents with a “call to action” and post news

from Sacramento.

Launched on Aug. 6, the site is called “John Campbell’s Rough

Riders,” named in honor of Roosevelt’s 1899 personal memoir

chronicling his adventures in the Spanish-American War. It’s at

www.jcroughriders.com.

The Rough Riders was a band of cowboys, scholars, land

speculators, Native Americans and African Americans led by the former

president.

A message on the opening page of the site announces its purpose:

“In the spirit of Teddy Roosevelt, Rough Riders are not afraid to

‘enter the arena’ of debate and conflict on matters of public policy

and to promote strong capable candidates. In fact, we are organized

to do exactly that.”