iePolitics.com

I can’t help but feel a bit hopeful that today signaled a new era in San Bernardino County politics. Maybe I’m being a Pollyanna once again, but between seeing a 5-0 vote and an admission from Bill Postmus, I have to feel the stars are lined up, there’s about to be a full moon, or change really is on the horizon.

Some months ago I heard that Brad was going to challenge Josie for the vice-chairmanship. I had to keep quiet and did so until speaking with a reporter who had also heard the rumor. I gradually started to add the subject to the blog but still treaded lightly until recently after several female employees of the Fifth Floor expressed concern to me over what Brad was doing. From the few that I know, it seems safe to say Brad is not a ladies’ man and they were upset at the prospect. So was I as he has tried to have me fired, and although we have never met, to put it in one of his supporters’ words, I’m “Brad’s Anti-Christ.”
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Lauren McSherry, Staff Writer
Posted: 01/06/2009 04:58:58 PM PST

After months of attempting to evade public scrutiny, county Assessor Bill Postmus addressed the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday and admitted to allegations of substance abuse. He said he would not seek re-election.

The San Bernardino County supervisors had called upon Postmus numerous times to come before them and answer questions stemming from allegations of a methamphetamine addiction and using his elected office to conduct partisan politics.
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Well, what an event-filled day! It’s taken forever tonight for me to update the blog. And on that subject, if there is anyone out there who would like to volunteer to help with the blog, i.e., adding newspaper stories and/or writing original pieces, let me know and I’ll set up an account for you. Right now I especially need help perusing the newspapers for interesting stories and my schedule is such that I’m having a hard time keeping up. “From a blogger” or original posts are always welcome.

I received a very nice email today from Senator John Benoit’s Communications Director Darin Schemmer asking if I would like to be added to their press release list. Of course my answer was “yes.” I’m only just starting to add Riverside County politics to the blog and it would be nice to have a better relationship with their elected leaders than I have with San Bernardino County’s where I have to beg and use fake email addresses and names just to get a hold of their information for the blog. So thank you Darin and Senator Benoit.
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Here is the official press release announcing the election of Supervisor Gary Ovitt as chairman and Supervisor Josie Gonzales as vice chairman. I find it interesting that they included a rather unusual quote from Supervisor Paul Biane, outgoing chairman, but nothing from Supervisor Gonzales. Here it is: Chairman

Even Brad did the right thing today. Supervisors Gary Ovitt was elected as chairman of the BOS and Supervisor Josie Gonzales was elected as vice-chairman. Both were 5-0 votes. It almost makes me think there is hope for this county!

I’ve got to get off the computer but will write more about this subject tonight. Anyway, I’m glad to see several of our elected leaders chose to do the ethical thing today.

I don’t remember the story at the bottom although it must have appeared on my old blog. I can tell you that the claims made in that story by the county differ greatly from what my inside sources have told me including that Bill and Adam got into an argument over Eyler’s time cards because Adam denied the time Eyler was in school and Bill overruled him and paid him for that time.

By Lauren McSherry on January 2, 2009 4:26 PM

It’s looks like come Tuesday two top administrative staffers in the Assessor’s Office could be out of jobs.

The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to vote Tuesday on terminating the positions held by Greg Eyler and Ted Lehrer. Some of you may be familiar with Eyler. The Sun published a story about him after the grand jury report was released over the summer. (The story is pasted below.)
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I finally asked someone who would know and the vote will take place on January 6, 2009. One source tells me it’s a done deal that Mitzelfelt will kick Josie to the curb and get himself elected as vice chairman; another source tells me the fight is still going on with a third supervisor possibly taking the position.
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Jessica wrote an article about rebuilding the Republican Party. Things have been a bit funky over there for a while and the site no longer works like it used to. I put a comment on this article over there, but at least I cannot read comments on my Blackberry because of the new format. So I reprinted my comment below:

It is more than just getting back to principles; it’s finding local leaders with ethics, which I’m not sure is possible. How many of the current elected leaders are not accepting questionable campaign contributions, not using illegal drugs, not abusing alcohol, not cheating on their significant others, not lying to constituents and taxpayers, not cutting unethical backroom deals for their own benefit, and/or not using taxpayer money for their own interests? It’s hard to name more than a handful that are not participating in at least one of those activities, if you can name any. Even Neil Derry, who ran on a platform of ethics reform, has a huge lie on his county website if my sources are correct. This is no honor in this party.
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Tomorrow’s the big day. Neil Derry will be sworn in. Gary Ovitt will become chairman. None of my best sources will tell me if Vice Chairman is going to Brad or Josie. We’ll see if the wealthy white boys win out or not.
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Things will be changing on Monday in San Bernardino County. Supervisor-elect Neil Derry will be sworn in as Third District Supervisor. Gary Ovitt will become Chairman of the Board of Supervisors. I’ve heard various rumors about who will be Vice Chairman and I don’t know what has been decided, although I’m sure by now the backroom deal has been made.
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For those new to my blogs, I have been a Republican my entire life. The first election I was old enough to vote in was the 1980 Presidential Election and was very proud to vote for Ronald Reagan. Since 1980 I have only voted for a non-Republican for a significant office a time or two. It seems to me that there was a Democratic Attorney General and/or Lieutenant Governor I may have voted for at one time.

This year I swore I was going to vote for the Democratic nominees for all offices except president, which I planned to vote third party until Governor Sarah Palin was added to the ticket. In the end, I voted a straight Republican ticket, not necessarily because I supported the candidates, but because I fear where our party is headed, especially in San Bernardino County.
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10:00 PM PST on Saturday, November 8, 2008

By MICHELLE DeARMOND
The Press-Enterprise

After years of dominating Inland politics, the Republican Party here and elsewhere is disorganized, discouraged and faced with the daunting task of rebuilding following losses at all levels.

That’s the word last week from experts and politicos now that the GOP has lost the White House and a pivotal Inland legislative seat and is still watching returns in a surprisingly close Inland congressional race. Democrats control both houses in Sacramento and Washington, D.C., and have gained voters in both Riverside and San Bernardino counties this year.
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