#YouToo, Cristina Garcia? (Yes, #HerToo!)

I had heard diverse reports about Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia (D-Bell Gardens).

She had run for the 58th Assembly District as a political outsider, with no machine or establishment Democratic backing. The district is overwhelming blue to begin with, but she beat out the party-backed candidate in 2012, and she ran unopposed in 2014. In 2016, a pastor in the Downey area, Ramiro Alvarado, challenged her, but was crushed 75%-25%.

Here's the current district:

Her first claim to fame in the state capital was pushing legislation that would get rid of the sales tax on feminine products. It was a very popular bill, and a number of Republicans voted for it.

Unfortunately, the governor vetoed the legislation, arguing that the state and county budgets could not afford to lose the tax revenue. In 2016, she offered the same legislation, but with an added tax on liquor to counterbalance the lost revenue.

That bill died in committee, because the liquor and vice lobbies fought harder to ensure that their prime product wouldn't face a higher levy and lower sales.

Garcia would be featured in an LA Weekly article, making her out to be some kind of anti-establishment liberal super heroine. The truth is that she has become another establishment figure all to herself. Those are the reporters I have heard from fellow activists in the Bell-Bell Gardens region.

She then positioned herself in the fight against sexual harassment and turned herself into the one of hte many faces of the #MeToo and #TimesUp Movement.

Assemblywoman Melissa Melendez (R-Lake Elisnore) had introduced a whistle-blower protection bill for legislative staffers every year for the last five years. The legislation never even received a hearing, in large part because of Kevin De Leon and Ricardo Lara (themselves without a doubt connected to sexual harassment and abuse, just like the other coterie of miscreants in Sacramento).

The uproar throughout the state of California against sexual harrassment in Sacramento has reached such a heated pitch, both houses passed the whistleblower legislation with minimal opposition, and Governor Brown signed it without hesitation.

Me Too -- Hypocrisy

And yet ... now she is under investigation for harassment against ... men! These allegations are serious and snowballing fast against her. I was really surprised about these allegations in large part because I had been informed that she was a lesbian. Perhaps she plays on both sides of the fence.

Here are some of the stories I have read.

Politco:

SAN FRANCISCO — California Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia — whose high-profile advocacy of the #MeToo movement earned her national media notice — is herself the subject of a state legislative investigation in the wake of a report that she sexually harassed and groped a former legislative staffer.

Ouch! Politico has often gone out of its way to promote liberal lawmakers while denigrating conservatives and Republicans.

Now what do they do, now that their star woman-power activist is just another selfish, sexist pervert?

In December, when Time magazine announced that “Silence Breakers” who spoke out against sexual harassment were its Persons of the Year, Garcia’s face was prominently included in the art accompanying the cover story.

She was part of the silence, too!

Daniel Fierro speaks out

  

But Daniel Fierro of Cerritos told POLITICO that in 2014, as a 25-year-old staffer to Assemblyman Ian Calderon, he was groped by Garcia, a powerful Democratic lawmaker who chairs the Legislative Women’s Caucus and the Natural Resources Committee.

This is really disgusting, but proves that men and women are both susceptible to committing crimes and engaging in sexual misconduct. It's time for men to step up against sexual harassment, as well as women. Sometimes it's even harder

"Me Too! ME TOO!"

Here are other stories about Garcia's storied harassment:

Fierro is not the only one claiming improper advances by Garcia. A prominent Sacramento lobbyist says she also accosted him in May 2017, when she cornered him, made a graphic sexual proposal, and tried to grab his crotch at a political fundraiser. He spoke to POLITICO on the condition of anonymity out of fear of reprisals.

Yes, ladies, men fear reprisals for speaking out against sexual harassment, too. Men and boys are also victims of sexual abuse, not just from older men, but women, too!

The lobbyist, who represents a major industry association, said that Garcia appeared to have been drinking heavily at a fundraiser hosted by Governor Jerry Brown for state Senator Josh Newman at the de Veres bar in Sacramento. He said he was heading out the door in part to avoid the assemblywoman — who had been increasingly “flirtatious” and had called him on a few occasions before for late night drinks which he repeatedly declined.

Because of the snowball effect against her perverse behavior, she has taken voluntary, unpaid leave:

A Los Angeles-area assemblywoman has voluntarily taken leave of her seat Friday after facing allegations of sexual harassment, an unusual twist of the gender dynamics shaping the misconduct controversies engulfing California's state Capitol.

It's interesting how the LA Times report tries to carry water for her, defending her, and even casting slight aspersions against the allegations.

The 40-year-old lawmaker now finds herself in a stark reversal of roles, from vanguard of California's political #MeToo movement who shared her own tales of being groped while in elected office to one of very few women to be publicly accused of sexual harassment. She was so prominent last fall that she appeared in a Time magazine photo collage portraying the "silence breakers" as part of its Person of the Year issue.

The 40-year-old lawmaker now finds herself in a stark reversal of roles, from vanguard of California's political #MeToo movement who shared her own tales of being groped while in elected office to one of very few women to be publicly accused of sexual harassment. She was so prominent last fall that she appeared in a Time magazine photo collage portraying the "silence breakers" as part of its Person of the Year issue.

Was the LA Times hoping to promote Garcia to higher office? If Tony Mendoza chose to resign from office, she would have no doubt jumped into the race. No question about it.

The real wonder is how did this woman
get away with sexual harassment for so long?

Fierro relates why he was reluctant to share about Garcia's shameful behavior:

Fierro told The Times he was initially wary of speaking out publicly due to the unusual nature of his complaint.

"I worried before [the story published] it would be treated or received differently because of the gender dynamics involved," Fierro said. "There is clearly a culture that affects both men and women in the Capitol that needs to be improved on and made stronger so the Capitol can do the good work that it has to do."

Isn't that terrible?! Men should not have to worry about pushback or man-shaming because he chose to blow the whistle on Garcia's piggish actions.

She needs to go! Sexual harassment cannot be tolerated ever, whether it's a man or a woman.

Here is her statement on the growing allegations against her:

(Sacramento) – Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia (D-Bell Gardens) today released the following statement in response to allegations of sexual misconduct:

“Upon reflection of the details alleged, I am certain I did not engage in the behavior I am accused of.  However, as I’ve said before, any claims about sexual harassment must be taken seriously, and I believe elected officials should be held to a higher standard of accountability.  Therefore, I am voluntarily taking an immediate unpaid leave from my position in the State Assembly, including any accompanying committee assignments, so as not to serve as a distraction or in any way influence the process of this investigation.  I implore the Assembly Rules Committee to conduct a thorough and expeditious investigation, and I look forward to getting back to work on behalf of my constituents and for the betterment of California.”

###

The 58th Assembly District includes the cities of Montebello, Pico Rivera, Commerce, Bell Gardens, Downey, Norwalk, Bellflower, Cerritos and Artesia.

CONTACT: Teala Schaff, Communications Director, 916-319-2058

I Love Melendez: Editorial to Mayes' Resignation, Melendez' Ascension

GOP leadership requires principles and winning elections

I am proud to pen this commentary from my new office space, referred to around the state Capitol as “the Dog House.” The Dog House is where you get sent as punishment when you draw the ire of the leaders for standing up to them on principle. I have heard of Republicans being punished for voting for a tax increase, but I have never heard of a Republican being punished for voting against one.

This is truly outrageous!

Who put her in the Dog House? Chad Mayes, with the help of his Democratic Bromance Boyfriend Anthony Rendon.

Shameful! What kind of a Republican does that to a fellow Republican?

Answer? A RINO, a total traitor!

How I found myself in this glorified closet space is sadly a story about how petty and unprincipled politics is in the statehouse these days.

I am fed up with unprincipled people.

Most Californians have heard about the cap-and-trade deal that went down in the Legislature. An increasing number are aware that the Assembly Republican Leader, Chad Mayes, broke from the policies he campaigned on and that were overwhelmingly supported by his caucus, when he joined Democrat leaders in voting for cap and trade. Even worse, he pressured other Republicans to fall on the sword so some Democrats in battleground districts wouldn’t have to make a tough vote. What many Californians do not know is that cap and trade significantly raised taxes and that much of those taxes will go toward another failed program, the now infamous high-speed rail project.

And that's what really, really irritates me! Sabrina Cervantes and Sharon Qurik-Silva did not want to vote for Cap and Trade. They knew that would have killed their re-election bid.

Then Mayes decided to go along with that corrupt program.

Just months ago, it appeared that finally the governor and his extreme leftist legislative leaders would be forced to moderate their policies. Fiscal conservatives watched with glee as one-by-one Democrats joined Republicans in publicly rebuking the latest cap and trade and funding of Jerry Brown’s boondoggle bullet train-to-nowhere. I sat there with great hope that both cap and trade and the ridiculous high-speed rail project would finally face market restrictions and Gov. Brown would be forced to do right by Californians.

I did too, Melissa. I did too!

However, our embattled Assembly GOP Leader Mayes could not resist the temptation, and negotiated quite possibly the worst deal in legislative history. Believe it or not, Mayes is proud to report that in return for Republican votes to pass cap and trade, he received a non-binding assurance that Jerry Brown and Democrats would support a ballot measure requiring a two-thirds majority to spend cap-and-trade funds on high-speed rail. Then, if, and only if, the ballot measure passes, a super-majority would be required to spend those funds — sound familiar? Here’s the rub: if all of these things go exactly as planned, the new law requiring a two-thirds majority would not take effect until 2024, leaving Democrats with seven years to freely spend cap-and-trade funds on high-speed rail before facing a financial “speed bump” for its ballooning costs.

Terrible deal. It was a fraud and scam from day one. I sense that Chad Mayes is waiting for some lobbyist job when he gets thrown out of office.

In light of this deal, I chose to resign from my role as assistant GOP leader under Mayes because I knew that one of two things had happened: either Mayes just saved the Democrats’ failed policies that were starting to face bipartisan opposition or he had sold out his caucus and the citizens of Californian for political expediency. Neither is acceptable to me.

Mayes did both--add to that the fact that he also cheated on his wife, and we have a perfect traitor!

Subsequently, Mayes’ retaliated. He proposed canceling a critical agreement with our party that unites Republicans for winning elections, stripped me of my committee assignments, and banished me to “the Dog House.”

Mayes wants to burn the Republican Party down. Why? What is his gripe or his grief?

Assembly Republicans in the Capitol must turn the corner and set a long-term course for making gains in the Legislature that will bring balance to the public policy-making process. One-party rule is demoralizing Californians and it all rests on the GOP’s ability to win elections.

It's destroying the state!

If given the distinct honor to serve as Assembly GOP leader, I will work to unite our caucus behind one common goal: breaking the Democrat’s supermajority in the November 2018 election. To do this, it is not enough to just rail on the gas tax or cap and trade, we must make impassioned cases for our principles and policies by abandoning the worn-out messaging of the past, connecting with voters in their local communities, and understanding what is most important to them.

How about "Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness"? Those are eternal values.

Together, Republicans must unite and prove to the voters of California that we are not ones to kowtow to the 11th-hour dealing of the legislative process by the Democrat majority — let the Democrats own their policies and pay the price for them.

Very likely the Democratic program would have collapsed completely.

Let them own their failed policies that have led California to the highest poverty rate in the nation; half of our kids are on government subsidized health care and one-third of the entire nation’s welfare recipients reside in California.

That is beyond criminal.

The voters of California must know for certain that when we say we are going to hold the line and fight for better economic policies, that we will do it, no matter what pet projects or pork spending is thrown our way. Simply put, we must get our house in order.

Anthony Cannella was bought at a very low price. Pork spending into his district, which he can then run on for a possible Board of Supervisors bid. Maybe we should pass a law which will prevent retired assemblymembers and state senators from seeking office in other non-partisan positions throughout the state.

Republican ideals can put California back on the right course by ending the spikes in violent crime, spurring a vibrant economy, and creating more good paying jobs. Doing so requires a new era of Republican leadership that will offer Californians the opportunity to rid their state house of a culture of corruption that has persisted for too long. As Assembly GOP leader, I will welcome and foster healthy debate on differing opinions, but last-minute capitulations to special interest handouts will be met — must be met — with consequence.

Yes! I support Melissa Melendez for Assembly Minority Leader!

Steve Frank: What Makes a Good CAGOP Caucus Leader? (Melissa Melendez!)

Replacement for Assembly GOP Leader Chad Mayes to be Decided Monday—Criteria for NEW Leader

August 17, 2017 By Stephen Frank 2 Comments

What do we expect from a leader of the Assembly Republicans?   First and foremost leadership. During the recent cap and trade vote, Guv Brown and the Democrats told GOP Assembly Leader that if you do not support and vote for the 63 cent gas tax increase, agree that revenues go to the boondoggle choo choo to nowhere, agree that business will be taxed to stay open (Brown calls it a “credit”, bought from other companies) we have a rogue agency that will do worse.  This was not a binary decision—it was a bully.  Yet Brown allowed Democrats like the endangered Quirk-Silva of Orange County to vote no—because he had Republicans to push it over the top.

Mayes leadership caused six other Assembly GOP’ers to vote for this disastrous policy—to be fair, Assemblywoman Catherine Baker did say during her 2016 election she supported this policy.  But, the others, led by a weak Mayes, kowtowed to the bullying of Jerry Brown.  Republicans need a strong leader, not one that wilts in the face of a bully.

Replacement for Assembly GOP Leader Chad Mayes to be Decided Monday—Criteria for NEW Leader

Editorial by Stephen Frank, California Political News and Views,  8/18/19

(Let me make it clear, I am not endorsing or supporting ANY candidate to replace Chad Mayes—that is up to the members of the Republican Assembly Caucus—I will not interfere in that decisions)

I am endorsing one person: her name is Melissa Melendez.

She has been the most conservative, the most outspoken member of the Assembly GOP Caucus.

She was not afraid to step down as assistant minority leader. She was not afraid to call out Chad Mayes for his serial selling out.

A friend of mine serves on the California Republican Party Board.  Last week in discussions with this person, they made a comment that had to be taken seriously, “Chad Mayes, dead man walking”.  This from a Board member that just after the cap and trade vote was a vociferous defender of Mayes and the other GOP Assembly members that thought you could afford an increase of 63 cents a gallon for gas.

Yes, Mayes is dead to the GOP. He is an arrogant sellout who wants to drag down as many people with himself in the midst of this massive failure of leadership. He purposely decided to put his corrupt friendship with Speaker Anthony Rendon ahead of the needs of Californians of all backgrounds. 

Shameful. Just plain shameful.

Then the San Bernardino Republican Central Committee (home county of Mayes) meet and voted on asking Mayes to resign as Caucus leader,  Mayes spoke in his own  defense.,.  The secret ballot vote was 23-16 asking him to resign.  So far more than a dozen counties and county chairs have asked him to resign.  Significant fund raising groups have asked him to resign.  To my knowledge not a single County chair or County Committee has come forward asking Mayes to stay.  Today the California Republican Party Board of Directors is holding a vote on Mayes.  It is expected to pass by a good number.  This vote will be recorded—so each Board member will be put on record.

I am somewhat alarmed that 16 people in the SB GOP Central Committee did not want Mayes to resign. That number is a little too close for comfort for me. Not sure what to think of that.

What does it take to be a good Assembly Caucus Leader?  Obviously the ability to raise money, a solid support of the Caucus, staff that understands political operations, honesty with donors and the grassroots.

What should the new Assembly Caucus Chair do?

1. Hire a new staff, the current staff, mostly holdovers from the Kristin Olsen term as Caucus leader—and she lost three Assembly seats, won none in 2016—and is now the Vice Chair of the California Republican Party.  These are the same folks that agreed it was a good idea to unilaterally end the Joint Fundraising Agreement with the CRP and the Senate Caucus.  How unilateral?  No discussion or vote from the GOP’ers in the Caucus.    This is not how major decisions are made.  And it appears no one on staff prepared Mayes or the six others of the firestorm that would occur. Our ability to win seats, and hold seats, in 2018 has been severely endangered.

Kristen Olsen is a cheater, just like Cheating Chad Mayes.

They are all so shamefully corrupt. When does this nonsense end? When will we find good people in Sacramento who will do what is best for those whom they have sworn to defend?

2. The leader must be philosophically in tune with the Caucus.  There are three candidates to replace Mayes—Jay Obernolte, Melissa Melendez and Vince Fong.  Jay is the only one I have met—and we have spoken on a few occasions, the last being last Saturday night via phone.

Here are a few votes to be aware of:

AB 847 (Bocanegra) requires the “senate” (student government) at each public institution (CSU, CCC, requests UC to comply) to post its membership roster on its web site and to make the race and ethnicity of the members available to the public. Assemblyman Mayes voted AYE, Assemblywoman Melissa Melendez voted NO.

Assemblyman Jay Obernolte voted to provide $4,000 for any illegal immigrant who wants to attend community college. (SB 85 (Budget)). Assemblyman Mayes voted AYE, Assemblywoman Melissa Melendez voted NO.

Tom McClintock voted against every single budget in Sacramento. It's time to find more Republicans who will not go along with the same seedy corruption.

Assemblyman Jay Obernolte voted to allocate funds from Prop 56 (tobacco tax) to fund abortions. (AB 120 (Ting)). Assemblyman Mayes voted AYE, Assemblywoman Melissa Melendez voted NO.

3. The Caucus chair should protect all members of the Caucus from the Speaker and defend for re-election. Recently Mayes allowed Democrat Speaker Rendon to punish Melendez for the “crime” of quitting the Mayes Leadership Team.  She was put into the smallest office the Assembly has, called in the Capitol the “Doghouse”.

Mayes is a dog, a total back-stabbing fraud who would rather be the lapdog for the Speaker rather than the attack dog which every Californian needs.

4. Making no major decisions without agreement in the Caucus.  The next Leader needs to reinstate the Joint Fundraising Agreement and not act unilaterally when it affects all the members.

Yes! We need to win elections, and we can't begin to win again if we are not working with men and women around the country to do so.

5. Rebuild the credibility of the Caucus with the grassroots, the volunteers as well as the donors of the Party.

Most importantly, the Leader has to be the toughest one of the bunch.  Sacramento eats weakness.  If you can not stand up to a bully, you can not be Leader.  We will know Monday if Mayes is voted out by a motion to vacant the chair—and if so, who replaces him.  My intelligence says that no candidates has double digit support.  I will be watching the votes of the seven that voted for cap and trade and the tax increase.  I believe that at least five will vote for the same candidate.  When you see their vote, you will know who the Establishment wants to replace Mayes.  If that candidate wins do not expect staff changes, policy or a unified Caucus.

This is not only a vote for Leader, it is a vote to see if the GOP candidates for Assembly in 2018 can be competitive.

Sources all over have informed me that California is going to turn into Venezuela. There is nothing much that we can do. I do not like that narrative. I simply cannot abide standing by and doing nothing while California goes to hell in a handbasket.

Can't we at least find a few people willing to put up a fight?

Then again, is this state even worth fighting for at this point?

For now, who is my choice for Assembly minority leader?

Melissa Melendez!

I Heart Melissa Melendez, Resigns Leadership Post To Protest Corrupt Cap and Trade Vote

Assembly Permanent Minority Leader Chad Mayes survived the first leadership vote in the Republican Caucus last week.

Chad Mayes, Cap-n-Traitor

But his second in command resigned as Assistant last week, too.

From Assemblywoman Melissa Melendez (R-Lake Elisnore):

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 20, 2017

SACRAMENTO – Assemblywoman Melissa A. Melendez (R-Lake Elsinore) announced today, she resigned her position as Assistant Republican Leader following the aftermath of today’s Republican Caucus meeting.

“Californians are struggling to make ends meet and unfortunately, what I have witnessed by the Assembly Republican Leader is a dereliction of duty to preserve and promote the American Dream for every single Californian. Assemblyman Mayes’ actions on Cap-and-Trade demonstrate we no longer share the same leadership principles. I was elected by the people of my district to fight for a more affordable and decent California, a place where every Californian knows their child will have a better life than their own. Regrettably, I can no longer, in good conscience, serve as the Assistant Republican Leader.”

Melissa Melendez

Assemblywoman Melissa Melendez represents the 67th Assembly District, which includes the communities of Lake Elsinore, Canyon Lake, Murrieta, Menifee, Wildomar and a portion of Hemet. It also includes the Riverside County unincorporated areas of Lake Mathews, Good Hope, Nuevo, and Winchester. Follow her on Twitter: @asmMelendez

We need more leaders like Melendez.

Some people have called her vain, or dismissed her because he has a "big mouth."

You know what I say? I think she's awesome! We need someone who will give a voice to the angry, frustrated, outraged taxpaying citizenry of California. I am tired of paying more money to fund crazy pet projects while paying for illegal aliens to reside in our state, take up space in our jails, an overwhelm our schools.

Melendez has a big mouth? Because she speaks for the many angry mouths of California residents who are tired of the Golden State getting tarnished by lawless, corrupt politicians.

I don't want nice. I want real. I do not want legislators who will tell me what I want to hear, but then do the exact opposite of what I want.

I heart Melissa Melendez. She fights for us!

Peter Agui-LIAR with Offensive "F--- Word" Shirt: Call Office and Demand Apology

Rep Pete Aguilar Alert

REP PETE AGUILAR PHOTO DISRESPECTS AMERICAN FLAG:  Wears  F*ck GOP Shirt! Contact Rep Pete Aguilar https://aguilar.house.gov/ CALL HIM @ (202) 225-3201  https://twitter.com/reppeteaguilar https://www.facebook.com/reppeteaguilar   By JEFF HORSEMAN | jhorseman@scng.com | The Press-Enterprise Pete Aguilar’s shirt profanely slams the GOP health care bill — and riles an assemblywoman PUBLISHED: May 24, 2017 at 3:41 pm http://www.pe.com/2017/05/24/pete-aguilars-shirt-profanely-slams-the-gop-health-care-bill-and-riles-an-assemblywoman/ A Republican assemblywoman is calling out an Inland Democratic congressman for a photo of him wearing a T-shirt that uses an obscenity to criticize the GOP health care bill. The Twitter feed of Assemblywoman Melissa Melendez, R-Lake Elsinore, features a photo of what appears to be Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Redlands, in a bar. The undated photo shows a smiling Aguilar wearing a navy blue shirt with the phrase “‘Repeal and Go F— Yourself.’ – GOP,” a shot at the Republican-backed American Health Care Act that narrowly passed the House in a party-line vote. Reached via email about the photo, Aguilar’s spokeswoman, Sarah Weinstein, wrote: “Here are 23 million reasons,” and provided a link to a Congressional Budget Office report that found the House GOP health care plan would leave 23 million people without insurance. Asked if the photo was authentic, Weinstein wrote: “That was my response.” Reached via text, Melendez wrote she saw the pictures via two social media posts, including one from the Redlands Republican Women’s Club, Federated. “How disrespectful of the office he holds,” the club said. “Is this the way you want Congressman Pete Aguilar representing you? And to use the American flag this way?” The shirt worn by Aguilar has become popular on social media. A photo making the rounds features House Speaker Paul Ryan standing next to a man in that same shirt, with Ryan apparently unaware of what the man is wearing. The shirt’s slogan has been attributed to “Pod Save America,” a liberal podcast featuring former staffers for Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Prominent Democrats are using more profanity in public as they rail against President Donald Trump and the GOP agenda. During the California Democratic Party convention in Sacramento last weekend, outgoing party Chairman John Burton led a “(Expletive) Donald Trump!” chant and thrust two middle fingers in the air. Also, Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez has repeatedly dropped profanity in stump speeches when talking about Trump. Melissa Melendez ✔@asmMelendez This is how @RepPeteAguilar represents his constituents. #disgrace MM “This is how @RepPeteAguilar represents his constituents,” Melendez wrote on Twitter. She ended the tweet with “#disgrace.”   Assemblywoman Melissa Melendez, R-Lake Elsinore.

California State Rep. Melendez Shames Democrats for Immigration Hypocrisy

Melissa Melendez.

She is bold.

She is bright.

She's from the reddest section of Riverside County.

And she is just want the California Republican Party needs to get real, grow, and win again in the state of California.

The first day of the new legislative session began on December 5th.

Within ours, the legislative "leadership" filed resolutions and positions attacking Donald Trump and attacking his "Americans First" immigration policy.

Here are her recorded remarks to her colleagues--all of them.

She posted the following statement for her floor speech:

Monday marked the first day of session for the California State Legislature. It is a day where all California State representatives are sworn into office and commit to defending the Constitution. It has traditionally been a day of celebration, a renewed scene of bipartisanship and putting the people first.

Assemblywoman Melissa Melendez (R-Lake Elsinore)

Unfortunately, the Democrat majority decided to break from tradition by introducing a bitterly partisan and hypocritical Resolution that condemns President-elect Donald J. Trump and seeks to further divide our country along politically expedient lines.

Now more than ever, we must come together as a country rather than stooping to cheap tricks in an effort to grab headlines.

Some of the statements which stand out ...

She reminded her colleagues (not that they cared)

Obama ended up deporting more illegal aliens than any other president.

This metric is accurate, even if one considers that the Obama administration has engaged in magical statistic analysis.

Obama deported 3,000,000 illegals. Donald Trump has not even deported one--yet.

He is clear about deporting illegals.

Let's also remember that California has consistently refused to comply with federal law, has refused to deport illegal aliens and keep them out of the country, and has insisted on handing out benefits to illegal aliens instead of law-abiding citizens.

This is a brazen, perverse display of lawlessness, if there ever was one.

What was particularly refreshing about Melendez' floor speech, however, rested on shaming the Democratic majority for their begging for easy headlines.

They want to play up divisions and exploit partisan and racial divides.

The Democratic Party does not care about immigrants--and that means people who live in this country in compliance with our laws. They do not care about California. They only care about their careers, and even then, just their next bid for higher office.

This is wrong.

I agree with Assemblywoman Melendez ... in part.

I do not believe that California Democrats are serious about solving California's immigration problems, precisely because they are the ones creating the problems, making them worse!

Still, I appreciate that at least one lawmaker stood up to the Democratic bullies and told them to stop with the anti-Trump Hate.

Don't they want to Make America Great Again? I know that I do, and I want more Republicans to do the same, in California as well as across the country!