THE POLITICAL LANDSCAPE: Rohrabacher busy at 60

Huntington Beach Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, who turns 60 today, celebrated his birthday over the weekend in characteristic fashion: He rallied for one of his pet causes, then held a fundraiser for his 2008 reelection.

At a Saturday rally staged by anti-illegal immigration activists, Rohrabacher spoke about jailed border patrol agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Alonso Compean, who were convicted of not following procedures when they shot a drug smuggler near the U.S.-Mexico border. Rohrabacher has pushed for a presidential pardon for months.

About 50 people with signs lined the corner of Main Street and Pacific Coast Highway in Huntington Beach for the event, the congressman said this week.

“When I got there, I committed to them that I wasn’t going to give up” on the agents’ cause, he said. “I also pledged that I wasn’t going to back any candidate for president that wasn’t going to commit to pardoning Ramos and Compean.”

Since Rohrabacher also wants to support someone with a reasonable chance of winning, he might have a tough time finding a candidate. Mitt Romney is taking a stand on immigration now, but he may have waited too long to have any credibility.

“The one who I think has the most chance of becoming a legitimate leader on the issue of illegal immigration who also has a very reasonable chance of becoming president would be Fred Thompson,” Rohrabacher said. Thompson has yet to formally announce his candidacy.

After the rally, Rohrabacher capped his day with his annual birthday party and fundraiser, this year at a Newport Beach home. A surf band, Skunk Baxter from the Doobie Brothers and venison chili were among the highlights.

Democrats’ job opening

Republicans bill Orange County as “America’s most Republican county,” but that may not be what hampers local Democrats’ search for a new executive director. O.C. Democratic Party Chairman Frank Barbaro said this week he’s looking for a list of qualifications not many people can boast — knowing how to run an organization, handle fundraising and help building up party membership.

The last executive director, Mike Levin, won high praise from Barbaro in his eight months on the job, but he left in May to join a firm that makes renewable-energy products.

“It is a very demanding job that requires a lot of knowledge,” Barbaro said. “It requires someone that can think very rapidly on their feet.”

And most importantly, the party needs someone to increase registration. “That’s the key to all of this, to put somebody in that position that will enable us to do that,” Barbaro said.

For information on the Orange County Democratic party job opening, visit www.ocdemocrats.net .

Church to break ground

Officials at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Newport Beach will break ground for the reconstruction of two buildings Sunday, formally bringing closure to their contentious two-year quest to expand church facilities. Neighbors opposed enlargement of the church on 15th Street, saying it would worsen parking, traffic and noise problems.

The church won City Council approval in 2005 for a limited expansion, but church leaders later decided to rebuild within their current footprint and try to heal wounds with the surrounding communities of Cliffhaven and Newport Heights.

Current plans are to rebuild the education building and fellowship hall, and close off the Clay Street entrance. The public is welcome at the groundbreaking, which will be held at 11:30 Sunday at the church, 600 St. Andrews Road, Newport Beach.