Science in his sights

While most of the national news touching Costa Mesa lately has been about the city’s immigration plan, its congressman has been relegated to the inside pages. But Rep. Dana Rohrabacher may claim headlines in early 2007, if, as he’s hoping, he’s named chairman of the House science committee.

Rohrabacher led the subcommittee on space and aeronautics for eight years, and he’s been a member of the science committee since he was elected to Congress nearly 18 years ago.

“That was my first committee assignment. It was my first choice,” he said in a phone interview this week.

“I have always believed that the two things that change humankind are freedom and technology, and I believed that being involved in the science committee was a way to achieve my ends.”

What are his ends? Well, in 2003 he proposed the Commercial Space Launch Amendments Act, which encourages private sector companies to develop passenger travel to space. He has also supported a scholarship program for students in math, science and engineering.

Whether he gets the chairmanship depends on his being reelected in November ? a virtual certainty to many ? and on which of the three possible candidates GOP leaders prefer. The majority party names committee chairs at the beginning of each Congress. Also coveting the seat are Michigan Rep. Vernon J. Ehlers, who doesn’t have Rohrabacher’s seniority but does have a doctorate in physics; and Texas Rep. Ralph Hall, who at 83 has served about eight more years than Rohrabacher in the House.

If he doesn’t get the nod, Rohrabacher said, he won’t be heartbroken ? he’ll still have plenty to do as head of the subcommittee on oversight and investigations. Lately that committee has been looking into abuses of the U.N. oil-for-food program.

Mansoor, Monahan part ways

Costa Mesa Mayor Allan Mansoor and veteran Councilman Gary Monahan have stuck together lately on key issues ? they make up two of the three-member majority that approved the city’s controversial immigration enforcement policy, for example ? but they don’t agree on everything. Last fall Mansoor, who has worked as an Orange County sheriff’s deputy for more than a decade, announced he would endorse Orange County Sheriff’s Lt. Bill Hunt for the sheriff’s job. This week sitting Orange County Sheriff Mike Carona put out a list that named Monahan among supporters of his reelection campaign.

“I’ve worked with and watched Sheriff Carona over the years, and I just think he’s done a good job,” Monahan said Wednesday of the endorsement.

Mansoor’s explanation was also boilerplate. “I believe that Bill Hunt has the leadership and integrity to lead and unite our Orange County law enforcement, and that’s something that’s desperately needed,” he said in a recent interview.

Recent news articles have alleged Carona violated campaign spending rules, and an indicted former assistant sheriff has claimed Carona is guilty of corruption. Asked if he’s dissatisfied with Carona’s performance, Mansoor said, “Certainly as a member of law enforcement I do have concerns about the things that are in the paper on a repeated basis?. I’m going to leave it at that.”

An uninformative ballot

Newport-Mesa voters who only look at their ballot to decide who they’ll vote for won’t get much information in the special election for the 35th District state Senate seat. Only one candidate, Republican Tom Harman ? a Huntington Beach assemblyman ? paid to include a statement about himself in the ballot.

That’s partly because of spending limits. State law allows candidates for the Senate to buy a ballot statement only if they agree to spend less than $669,000 on the primary election, and Diane Harkey ? a Dana Point City Councilwoman and Harman’s GOP opponent ? didn’t want to be constrained that way. Harkey consultant Scott Hart said this week that his client has probably spent about $600,000 to become a household name to district voters.

Democratic candidate Larry Caballero said he also opted not to buy a ballot statement, because it cost too much. He expects to spend nothing on the primary ? he’s banking on Harkey and Harman savaging each other and neither taking the required votes ? 50% plus one ? to avoid a general election, when Caballero would be guaranteed a spot on the ballot.

According to the Orange County Registrar of Voters, it’s about $4,800 for up to 250 words, and more than $9,500 for a 400-word statement.

Harman’s ballot statement, one of the last things voters will see before checking a box by one of the three candidates’ names, describes him as an experienced candidate who wants to “protect our quality of life and family values.” But it’s probably not giving Harkey any sleepless nights ? she’s already sent out 25 mailers and aired three TV commercials, and the election is still a little less than two weeks away.dpt.30-pol-landscape-CPhotoInfoV41PEQR320060330iwx014knDAILY PILOT(LA)Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, shown here on the Huntington Beach Pier in 2004, is angling for the top position on the U.S. House science committee.