By Miriam Raftery

January 3, 2017 (Washington D.C) –The first action of the 115th Congress was a closed-door vote by House Republicans to gut the Office of Congressional Ethics’  (OCE) independence and oversight powers.  But hours later,  after media reported on the action and members received a flood of calls from angry constituents, a new vote was held to scrap that plan and keep the OCE intact, for now.

The OCE was created in 2008 by then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in response to the corruption scandal involving lobbyist Jack Abramoff, who was later convicted of multiple felonies.  The House Ethics Committee did nothing about that scandal. Nor did it take any action against Randy “Duke” Cunningham, a San Diego Congressman sentenced to a decade in prison for bribery and corruption charges. It also took no action against Congressman Bob Filner when he was charged with trespass after pushing past a TSA agent at an airport.

In light of the House Ethics Committee’s impotence, the OCE  was created to conduct independent investigations, including probes based on tips from staffers, the public and anonymous sources.  

By Miriam Raftery

December 28, 2016 (San Diego) - San Diego Republican Party Chairman Tony Krvaric has named a new acting executive director, Sage Naumann.  But there’s controversy surrounding the appointment due to photos of Naumann making Nazi jokes while wearing a German military uniform for Halloween seven years ago in 2009, when he was 18 years old. 

Photo credit:  The Moderate Voice and David Donar http://themoderatevoice.com/he-knows/

East County News Service

December 20, 2016 (San Diego) — Legislators in New York and California have introduced bills that would require presidential candidates to make their tax returns public in order to have their names on the state’s ballots.

By Jonathan Goetz

December 16, 2016 (El Cajon) – East County Magazine sat down with new Councilman Steve Goble, who share his views on the most important issues facing El Cajon,  his budget priorities,  background, and thoughts on pressing problems such as homelessness, the refugee crisis, the East County Performing Arts Center and marijuana regulation.

By Miriam Raftery

December 15, 2016 (Washington D.C.) — Environmental leaders are bracing for an assault on environmental protections if several key appointees of President-Elect Donald Trump are confirmed by Congress.  The appointees include an ExxonMobil CEO, Governors and legislators who have all denied climate change and lobbied for fossil fuel interests.

By Miriam Raftery

December 14, 2016 (San Diego) — San Diego Supervisors voted 4-1 to raise their pay 12.5%, or $19,000, over the next nine months, with no public discussion.  The item will come up for a second reading on January 10^th and if passed, will take effect March 17^th. 

Bipartisan legislation includes provisions to increase protections for military whistleblowers and end clawback of National Guard bonuses

Source: Boxer Press Office

December 12, 2016 (Washington D.C.) -- U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) praised Senate passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which includes two key provisions she authored to strengthen protections for military whistleblowers and permanently halt efforts to claw back reenlistment bonuses and benefits paid to California National Guard soldiers.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo by Gage Skidmore

December 11, 2016 (Washington D.C.) – Continuing his string of maverick cabinet appointments, President-Elect Donald Trump has announced he will appoint retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, also a former presidential candidate, to serve as Director of Housing and Urban Development. 

By Miriam Raftery

December 8, 2016 (San Diego) — Today, San Diego Registrar of Voters Michael Vu certified results in all races countywide. 

East County saw flips in several key races from election night to the final tally.  Here are the outcomes in some of East County’s closest races:

By Miriam Raftery

December 7, 2016 (La Mesa) – On the eve before tomorrow’s certification deadline of the Helix Water Board Division 1 race won by Louis Tejeda, a formal complaint has been lodged challenging his residency in the district.

East County News Service

December 6, 2016 (San Diego) -- Shortly after being sworn in as the senator representing California’s 39^th District on Monday, Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego) introduced legislation, SB 2, to create a permanent source of funding for affordable housing.

East County News Service

December 5, 2016 (El Cajon) – California Sen. Joel Anderson (R-Alpine) will host his annual Legislative Open House from 6 to 8 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 7, at Toyota of El Cajon, 965 Arnele Ave., El Cajon. The free event is an opportunity for Anderson and his staff to meet with constituents and hear ideas on new legislation for 2017. All attendees will receive a 2016 legislative update and an opportunity to submit ideas to improve state government. Anderson says several of the bills he has introduced in the past originated from suggestions by attendees to this annual event. Donated hors d’oeuvres and refreshments will be provided by local businesses and community partners. To RSVP, contact Anderson’s El Cajon district office at (619) 596-3136, or visit www.senate.ca.gov/anderson.

By Miriam Raftery

December 5, 2016 (Sacramento) – While Republicans scored sweeping victories in the national election, Democrats have scored a major win in California. On Monday, a close race in the 29^th State Senate District was called in favor of Democrat Josh Newman over Republican Assemblywoman Ling Ling Chang.  That gives Democrats a supermajority in both houses of the California state Legislature.

Update December 8, 2016: Adams has won by 124 votes.  The election was certified today.

By Miriam Raftery

December 4, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) - In the race to fill an open seat on the Grossmont Cuyamaca Community College District Board, Elena Adams has pulled ahead of Timothy Caruthers by a razor-thin margin of 69 votes.  Adams, a teacher backed by the American Federation of Teachers, has 50.1% with 18,136 votes, while Caruthers, who currently serves on the Alpine Union School District board, has 49.9% and 18,067 votes.