Rohrabacher to head new subcommittee

Alicia Robinson

Give ‘em hell, Dana.

Rep. Dana Rohrabacher was just named chairman of the House

Subcommittee on Investigations and International Oversight, and it

looks like there’ll be hell to pay.

Rohrabacher, a Republican who represents Costa Mesa, was picked

last week to head the new subcommittee that will explore volatile

issues such as State Department visa policies, nuclear proliferation

in China and the Afghan drug trade.

“I have a reputation around here, and it’s not just being someone

who goes along to get along,” Rohrabacher said.

“Apparently the [House] leadership wants someone to raise some

hell about some of these issues that have not been exploited by

Republicans enough [to get results].”

The first order of business will be probing the U.N. Oil for Food

program, which has been the target of allegations of mismanagement

and corruption.

Rohrabacher said he’ll also remain involved with the House Science

Committee, though he no longer chairs its Space and Aeronautics

subcommittee.

Dozens of Democrats descend upon Newport

A paying customer is a paying customer.

Business proprietors in heavily Republican Newport Beach may have

been muttering that to themselves this week as they catered to the

Assembly Democratic Caucus, which held a policy-making retreat Monday

through Wednesday at the Newport Beach Hyatt hotel.

Dozens of Democrats descended on Newport to talk about their

legislative agenda for this session and how to fix the state’s

projected deficit of $8 billion or more.

One activity was a computer simulation that showed how a budget

cut in one area would affect other sectors, said Nick Velasquez, a

spokesman for Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez.

The Assembly members may have been too busy to enjoy the local

sights, but there’s no sign of an ulterior motive for holding their

powwow in Republican country.

“I don’t know if there was any particular reason, other than I

understand it’s quite beautiful down there,” Velasquez said by phone

from Sacramento.

Bill would end violent felons’ overnight visits

If Newport Beach Assemblyman Chuck DeVore gets his legislative

way, some of the state’s violent felons will be pent up as well as

penned in.

DeVore on Tuesday introduced a bill that would end overnight

conjugal visits for inmates who are convicted of a violent felony

such as rape, murder or assault with a deadly weapon.

Under the bill, felons could still visit with family but not

overnight.

Existing state law bars overnight family visits when inmates are

convicted of a violent offense against a family member or a minor.

“This was an idea that came from a constituent when I had

solicited my district,” DeVore said.

“There would be more supervision, more protection, less likelihood

of pregnancy happening which might burden the taxpayers with an

enlarged inmate’s family.”

Since he introduced the bill, DeVore said, he’s marshaled 17

cosponsors and had a gush of positive feedback.

“Mostly what they say is, it’s about time,” he said.

“Do we really want the taxpayers funding conjugal visits for

violent felons?

“Is punishment one aspect of prison or not?”

Cox communication director is promoted

After eight months as communications director for Rep. Chris Cox,

Bailey Wood will move over to the staff of the House Homeland

Security Committee, which Cox chairs.

The change is a promotion for Wood, and it’s at Cox’s behest.

Replacing Wood as communications director will be James Freeman, who

has been the legislative director in Cox’s Washington, D.C., office

for several years.

Bidding for former air station will end Feb. 9

Bidding in the online auction of the closed El Toro Marine Corps

Air Station will be closed at 3 p.m. Feb. 9, the federal General

Services Administration announced Tuesday.

By late Wednesday afternoon, the only bids received were minimum

bids on two of the four parcels up for sale.

Officials have said they expect a burst of proposals to come in

closer to the bid closing date.

The current bidders have not been disclosed.

Anyone who wants to place a bid needs to have at least $60 million

lying around -- that’s the price of the cheapest parcel -- and it

will take more than $220 million to be the winning bidder for the

biggest chunk of land, which is 1,752 acres.

Local leaders invited to security seminar

Business and community leaders are invited to the day-long

“Leadership and Homeland Security Conference” in Costa Mesa Feb. 11.

Headlining the event will be Rohrabacher, who will discuss

government’s role in homeland security for businesses.

Other topics include workplace violence, crisis response planning

and increased enforcement of immigration laws.

The conference is sponsored by the American Society for Training

and Development in Anaheim and Costa Mesa’s National University.

Registration is $250, and the program includes lunch.

The event is from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 11 at National University,

3390 Harbor Blvd. For more information, visit https://www.astdoc.org

online or call (714) 527-4785.