Council’s Bever is named mayor pro tem

Costa Mesa City Councilman Eric Bever on Tuesday became the city’s new mayor pro tem, after the council was unable to pick someone for the post Oct. 18. If the council follows tradition when it chooses a new mayor in 2007, that mayor would be Bever.

Councilman Gary Monahan had been mayor pro tem since January, but he told his colleagues Oct. 4 he was stepping down because of the time commitment. At the following meeting, Monahan was absent and neither Bever nor Councilwoman Linda Dixon, who was also nominated for the post, could get enough votes.

On Tuesday Dixon said she had hoped if she became mayor pro tem, Bever could take over as head of the city’s redevelopment agency, where he would have “an opportunity to actually lead a meeting.” But Monahan voted for Bever, which gave him a majority.

The council decided earlier this year to lengthen the mayor’s term from one to two years, so Mayor Allan Mansoor will serve through 2006. Traditionally, the council has often groomed new mayors by starting them as mayors pro tem, so don’t be surprised to see Mansoor nominate Bever to replace him in 2007 -- if Mansoor runs successfully for reelection next year.

John, Dick, Denny and Roy

In his bid for the 48th District Congressional seat, state Sen. John Campbell already has the endorsement of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. But now he’s really name-dropping -- Vice President Dick Cheney will lend his clout to a Nov. 14 Campbell fundraiser in Washington, D.C., according to a campaign announcement Wednesday. Also attending the event will be House Speaker Denny Hastert, House Majority Whip Roy Blunt and the political arm of the National Assn. of Homebuilders.

Faithful Republicans, or those who just want their picture taken with Cheney, can help sponsor the event by donating $2,500 per political action committee or $2,100 per person. Those with shallower pockets can still get in for $1,000. But if you can’t make the trip to the capital, don’t worry -- Campbell will still accept your contributions. He faces four other candidates in a Dec. 6 general election.

Hot enough for nomination?

If you read OC Metro magazine, former representative and current Securities and Exchange Chairman Chris Cox is hot. In fact, the magazine’s Oct. 27 issue called Newport Beach’s former congressman one of Orange County’s 25 hottest people.

Late last week a column by Newsday columnist James P. Pinkerton said the “hot rumor” inside the beltway was that President Bush was considering Cox for the vacant Supreme Court seat, and in National Review Online, writer Quin Hillyer suggested Cox would be the best choice for the seat. But by Monday, rumors of Cox as a Supreme Court contender were debunked when President Bush picked Samuel A. Alito Jr., a federal appeals court judge.

If Alito bombs, as did previous nominee Harriet Miers, there could still be hope for a Justice Cox -- and better yet, there’s precedent. Hillyer’s column pointed out that William O. Douglas headed the SEC when he was appointed to the Supreme Court in 1939.

48th District candidate

scores some online ‘ink’

While the 48th District congressional campaign has been quiet since the Oct. 6 primary winnowed the field down to five candidates, Democratic nominee Steve Young has been chugging along, firing up the next generation at Newport Harbor High School on Tuesday and getting “ink” in a Nov. 1 online article in the progressive rag “In These Times.”

He’ll bring further publicity to his candidacy today with an radio appearance on “The Al Franken Show,” broadcasting live at 10:45 a.m. from Universal City Walk. The show can be heard on KTLK-AM (1150). From there, Young will head to Newport Beach to address a likely smaller audience, the Newport-Irvine Rotary club.

Mansoor props up Prop. 75

Costa Mesa Mayor Allan Mansoor is getting his face out there in a new TV commercial supporting Proposition 75, one of four initiatives on the Nov. 8 ballot that’s backed by the governor. Proposition 75 would require public employee unions to get written permission from members before spending dues for political purposes.

“The commercial is to let people know that there’s a lot of union support for Prop. 75 and that it’s about rights and fairness,” said Mansoor, who has been an Orange County sheriff’s deputy for 12 years.

The opposition has argued that union members already can opt out of political spending, but Mansoor said it’s not that simple because they can lose union membership, liability insurance and other privileges.

“It’s extremely difficult for them to opt out. It’s not as easy as checking a box,” he said.

Besides his TV commercial, Mansoor also did a five-city press tour last weekend to support the ballot measure. But all the media exposure hasn’t gone to his head.

“I’m still just Allan and I’m calling it like I see it,” he said. “I believe it’s the right thing to do.”20051103i6mvrmkf(LA)