Death to the ‘death tax’

Paul Clinton

Rep. Chris Cox’s dogged effort to eliminate the estate tax bore fruit

Wednesday, as the House passed a proposal he has been carrying since

1993.

In a 264-163 vote, the House approved a full repeal of the tax on

inheritances, which would go into effect in 2010.

In 2001, Congress passed a partial repeal of the “death tax,” as

it has been dubbed by opponents. The tax was first implemented after

the Civil War as a way to pay off the country’s war debts.

“The death tax is the opposite of a ‘sin’ tax, it is a ‘virtue’

tax,” Cox said in a statement. “Hard-working American men and women

who spend a lifetime providing for their children and grandchildren

should be encouraged to save, invest and continue to work if they

choose. But the death tax punishes such virtuous behavior.”

Saluting the flag, GOP style

A who’s who list of Orange County Republicans attended a rally in

Costa Mesa on Saturday at the Westin South Coast Plaza hotel.

The $150-per-plate dinner, which kicked off at 6 p.m., was billed

as a Flag Day Salute to Freedom.

Reps. Cox, Dana Rohrabacher, Darrell Issa (R-Vista), Ed Royce

(R-Fullerton), Gary Miller (R-Diamond Bar) and Ken Calvert

(R-Riverside) attended. They were joined by a host of other elected

officials that included state Sen. Ross Johnson, Assemblymen John

Campbell and Ken Maddox, Supervisors Jim Silva and Tom Wilson and

Republican Party of Orange County Chairman Tom Fuentes.

Former gubernatorial candidate Bill Simon, conservative radio

personality Hugh Hewitt and GOP fund-raiser Buck Johns also attended.

Cox meets with Iraqi dissident

Cox, the House Policy Committee chairman, met with Iraqi dissident

Ahmed Chalabi on Thursday in Washington, D.C.

Chalabi, the chairman of the Iraqi National Congress and the

world’s most recognized opponent of the now-deposed regime of Saddam

Hussein, made his third appearance before the committee since 1998.

Cox and then-International Relations Chairman Rep. Ben Gilman

(R-New York) wrote the Iraq Liberation Act after testimony from

Chalabi and other exiles of that country.

Chalabi spoke about the effort to rebuild his shattered homeland

and the creation of a democratic government in Iraq.

The meeting came at a time when U.S. troops are working to restore

basic functional elements in Iraq, such as hospitals, roads and other

infrastructure. President George W. Bush has appointed L. Paul Bremer

as the country’s provisional governor.

Face off at the Newport Beach Golf Course

Two gun-issue watchers slugged it out June 11 during a debate held

in Costa Mesa.

The California Republican Assembly hosted the “no holds barred

exchange,” as the group described the event. It was held at the

Newport Beach Golf Course.

In the gun-rights corner was Jeff Greene, a legislative aide to

Assemblyman Ray Haynes (R-Temecula) and publisher of the Senate

Republican Caucus’ newsletter “Gun Control Watch List.”

In the gun-control corner was Charles Blek, the Orange County

chairman of the Million Mom March with the Brady Campaign. Blek is

also a member of the Lincoln Club of Orange County, a GOP

fund-raising group.

DeVore makes it official

Even though he has been informally running for a seat for at least

a month, Assembly candidate Chuck DeVore formally kicked off his

campaign last week at a fund-raiser.

DeVore held his event at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the Chinatown

restaurant in Irvine.

About 60 supporters attended the two-hour event. DeVore would not

say how much he raised for his run for the 70th Assembly District

seat.

Supervisor Chris Norby showed up to rally the crowd, DeVore said.

“It exceeded expectations, largely due to Norby,” DeVore said

Monday about the event. “He was able to raise several thousand more

dollars on the spot.”

DeVore, a Republican Party activist and aerospace executive, is

running against Anaheim businesswoman and Corona del Mar resident

Cristi Cristich, former Newport Beach City Councilwoman Marianne

Zippi and Irvine businessman Don Wagner.