News Under the Radar
Talking Todd’s debacle Democratic San Diego mayor Todd Gloria’s first comic video turn on behalf of the Downtown San Diego Partnership, an economic development association that sometimes dabbles in partisan politics, went viral for all …
Faulconer’s leavings Mike Pompeo, who served as Secretary of State under President Donald Trump, is bringing his proto-presidential fundraising campaign to San Diego. “We invite you to an incredibly unique opportunity to join Secretary Mike …
Soon-Shiong’s hat-passing scheme San Diego Union-Tribune en Español, a free weekly broadsheet, has long struggled to gain traction after its predecessors, Hoy, and for years before that Enlace, were shot down by corporate economizers. The …
Hueso’s big officeholder binge With his tenure as a California state senator winding down, Democrat Ben Hueso has gone on a luxury dining spree with the dwindling cash in his Officeholder Account 2018. State filings …
Kevin’s big cash crash After a third-place finish as Gavin Newsom’s would-be replacement in last week’s recall contest, uncertain money-raising prospects loom ahead for ex-San Diego mayor Kevin Faulconer. Up to now, the Point Loma …
Incompetence, not hackers, to blame? It’s been a tough year for San Diego city clerk Elizabeth Maland on the computer front. As revealed here on June 14, a legal disagreement between the clerk’s office and …
The Ed and Peter show Though it went unmentioned in last week’s coverage of his passing by the latest incarnation of the Union-Tribune, Ed Asner played various roles in San Diego politics. The Los Angeles …
Gloria’s Colma casino cash When he was mayor of San Diego, Republican Kevin Faulconer was slapped with a $4000 fine by the city’s ethics commission (ultimately paid by his campaign committee) for failing to disclose …
Depending on whose ox is vaxxed It’s Democrat versus Democrat in Sacramento’s latest battle over whether to mandate vaccinations for employees, at least in the state capitol. After state Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon ordered lower …
UCSD’s moonlighting abuse It’s an open secret that some already richly paid UCSD academic staffers have been taking advantage of lax enforcement of the school’s limits on overtime, moonlighting, and other off-the-job activity to make …
Adela’s changing of the guard When San Diego State president Adela de la Torre took charge back in August of 2018, some questioned her $441,504 salary, while others wondered how much change the campus’s first …
Seven-figure overrun San Diego city officials have gotten a splash of cold water over their handling of last year’s showers-for-the-homeless program, called Operation Shelter to Home, in a July 21 report by City Auditor Andy …
Papa Doug’s benefactor Tom Barrack, a top Donald Trump’s presidential money-raiser indicted last week for failing to register as a foreign agent, has many ties to San Diego, not the least of which is his …
Political roller coaster The San Diego Coaster Company, which runs the city-owned Giant Dipper roller coaster and related Belmont Park amusements, paid $12,000 to Sacramento-based Axiom Advisors in the first three months of 2021. The …
Faulconer’s China connection Some well-heeled members of the made-in-China clothing crowd are coming out for Republican ex-San Diego mayor Kevin Faulconer’s bid to become governor. Among them is Gerard Guez, chairman of the board at …
Tale of two mayors In the tainted annals of the Jason Hughes city hall real estate scandal, before Kevin Faulconer there was Bob Filner. Hughes, a wealthy Rancho Santa Fe resident, spread his campaign cash …