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.
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