Cutting through the recall babble

S.J. Cahn

Of course, everyone knows Arnold. And Cruz. Maybe Tom and Peter and

Arianna.

But what about the other 130 candidates hoping to replace Gov.

Gray Davis in next month’s recall election? It makes for quite the

messy ballot, one pundits are saying could keep voters away from the

polls out of sheer confusion and anxiety.

There may be hope for those wanting to learn more about the

recall. A Web site, https://www.easyvoter.org/california/ index.html,

has been set up to cut through all the flotsam and jetsam.

The nonpartisan voter information site is sponsored by the

California State Library, with additional support from the California

secretary of State’s office and the James Irvine Foundation.

“The volume of media coverage about this election is

unprecedented, but many voters are still confused about the exact

questions they will face and the mechanics of casting a ballot that

will be counted,” Susan Clark, who directs the Easy Voter Guide

project, said in a press release.

Though nonpartisan, the guide is not without its judgments. Laguna

Beach’s Peter Ueberroth, whose campaign is based in Costa Mesa, is a

longtime Republican who is running as an independent. The site,

however, includes a link to Ueberroth’s Web page under the

“Candidates from the Republican Party” section.

Along with information about the recall, the site also focuses on

the two propositions on the ballot -- Proposition 53: State Spending

on Infrastructure and Proposition 54: Collection of Racial Data.

It even includes a link to a Spanish version.

Police throw support to Maddox

Assemblyman Ken Maddox picked up an endorsement this week that’s

fairly close to home.

Maddox, who is running against fellow Assemblyman John Campbell to

replace state Sen. Ross Johnson, received the support of the Tustin

Police Officer Assn. Maddox is a veteran and reserve officer of the

Tustin Police Department and a former deputy sheriff.

“Ken’s experiences as a law enforcement professional and state

Assemblyman are valuable assets that will benefit the citizens of the

35th District,” association President Mike Lamoureux said.

Quick to the criticism

Assembly candidate Cristi Cristich was quick to react to this

week’s vote by the state Assembly to allow illegal immigrants to get

California driver’s licenses.

“Unless something miraculous happens between now and [the bill’s

signing], California will become the first state in the nation to

give official government identification to illegal aliens -- a

precedent that is extremely dangerous in the post-Sept. 11 world,”

Cristich wrote in a press release.

Gov. Gray Davis is expected to get the bill on his desk next week

for his signature. Davis, who once said he opposed such legislation,

lately has been saying he will sign it.

That chance gave Cristich, who is running for the 70th Assembly

District, a chance to ask: “Why is Gov. Davis caving to the radical

left in the Legislature? The answer is simple -- he needs them to

survive a justified recall campaign.”

Cristich, who is the most moderate of the Republicans running in

the race, added that “I am not one to bash immigrants coming to this

country. After all, we are nearly all descendants of people from

foreign lands, but immigration must be done in accordance with the

law.”

Cristich is running against Chuck DeVore, former Newport Beach

City Council candidate Marianne Zippi and Irvine businessman Don

Wagner to replace Assemblyman John Campbell, who is running for state

Senate.