(Editor’s Note: In a RARE public opportunity, state Sen. Joel Anderson said this week he would hold an “Escondido Community Coffee Town Hall Meeting” hosted by Escondido Mayor Sam Abed and Escondido Councilman Ed Gallo, both Republicans like Anderson, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, March 9 at VFW Post 1513, 230 E. Park Ave. Escondido 92025. RSVP was specified at 619-596-3136, although an Anderson aide sotto voce said anybody could come regardless of RSVP’ing. However, it’s probably best to call ahead just in case.)
“To all the lobbyists who think they can buy our freedom — you’re fired…And to those who would make political pacts to undermine the voice of the people — you’re fired.”
— State Sen. Joel Anderson (R-38th District) at April 2016 California Republican convention where he endorsed and introduced Donald Trump.
As a two-term state assemblyman, Anderson admitted accepting five illegal campaign donations. He paid a $20,000 fine to the Fair Political Practices Commission. Those donations, all from large donors violating campaign finance laws, were channeled through the Fresno County GOP Central Committee. Anderson, 57, returned the money to the tune of $150,000. Followthemoney.org reported the Michigan-raised, Alpine resident “raised a total of $2,740,718” for his five races for state office. His many PACs with names like “Tax Fighters for Anderson” gave over $150,000 to nine candidates over eight years.
Anderson greets Al Sanchez, COO, Founder and President of ALECTRONICS Research Center International.
Just 18 months left in Joel Anderson’s tenure as the state senator from ALEC, as well as the 38th District that includes Escondido, San Marcos and Valley Center.
Fortunately term-limited out of office, at long last, Anderson began his last Sacramento hurrah Monday with his characteristic contrarian approach to representing his constituents.
The new two-year session was gaveled in recently with the predominately-democratic Senate proposing a torrent of bills opposing what are believed to be President-elect Donald Trump’s policies toward immigrants.
Legislation included measures that would provide attorneys to immigrants in the country illegally, refuse assistance to any proposed registry of Muslim immigrants and require any wall built along the Mexican border to first be approved by California voters.
These measures were intended to act as a check to Trump’s announced deportation policy affecting three million immigrants in the state contrary to federal law.
Both houses, according to the Los Angeles Times, approved a non-binding resolution, largely along party lines, urging Congress to adopt new immigration laws that provide a way for immigrants to gain citizenship and asking Trump to continue the Obama administration policy that has deferred the deportation of immigrants brought to this country as minors.
Anderson said the resolution was “racist” by favoring some immigrants over others who come to the country legally.
A second bill, according to The Times, would prohibit state agencies from providing information to the federal government on a person’s religious affiliation if it is to be used for the purposes of compiling a database of individuals based solely on religious affiliation. The measure would not affect the sharing of information among law enforcement officials for national security purposes.
Anderson said the wall legislation is political grandstanding and will not have any impact.
“We’re not in the business of dictating what the feds can do on federal land,” he said. “It’s a great publicity stunt. I’m not sure it has any potency behind it whatsoever.”
The late, great state senator from ALEC
Hypocrisy anyone, Anderson served that up in spades this spring when he introduced Donald Trump at the California Republican convention.
Anderson led wth “To all the lobbyists who think they can buy our freedom: You’re fired,” pointing his little finger to the sky for special emphasis.
“To all the political pundits and partisan media — you’re fired,” Anderson continued. “To the Washington know-it-alls who say they can speak down to us — you’re fired. And to those who would make political pacts to undermine the voice of the people — you’re fired.”
Americans want to work hard, “and we want to win again,” he said, echoing another Trump catch phrase.
“We all want to share the American dream,” Anderson said. “Please stand up and prepare to start winning as I welcome the next president of the United States — Donald J. Trump.”
Anderson, whose 38th District term ends in 2018, joined fellow East County lawmaker Congressman Duncan Hunter in backing Trump. The district is heavily Republican, and includes Escondido, San Marcos, Valley Center, Fairbanks Ranch, Poway, Fallbrook, Bonsall, Rancho Santa Fe, Ramona, Julian, Scripps Ranch, Lakeside, Descanso, Alpine, Santee, El Cajon, La Mesa, Rancho San Diego, Lemon Grove and Spring Valley.
Whadyaknow, like Bigfoot, a strange Joel Anderson sighting at the California Senate.
Where in the world was Joel Anderson
When the last Legislative session began, following several sub rosa Washington D.C. meetings with the chief Geico lobbyist, we asked the question: Where in the world is state Sen. Joel Anderson, R-38th District? Your state senator, in case you didn’t know, was about as far from Sacramento as possible.
Answering that question was easy the last week of July 2015.
Anderson was at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego hosting the annual American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) conference. It sold out with daily passes costing from $295 to $595.
The controversial ALEC group billed this event as “a three-day gathering of free market leaders,” attracting “more than 2,000 legislators, business leaders and public policy experts who participate in an exchange of ideas” about limiting government.
That ALEC conference was right up Anderson’s alley. That’s who he represents, special interests and large corporate donors. Bringing the 2,000 delegates to San Diego may be the first economic benefit Anderson actually has brought to anywhere near our state senate district. The rest of the time he is in it for himself.
North Korean public relations
Anderson doesn’t represent you or me. He’s not accountable to us. Despite repeated requests by us, and numerous other journalists and news outlets, Anderson never replies. After all, the public and the press are inconveniences, not big donors like Geico who, we all know, has a lot of special interest in Valley Center. D’uh. Not.
Anderson’s approach to PR is kind of like Kim Jong-un and North Korea’s. You can go to Anderson’s “official” website and get these sanitized photo ops of him pretending to meet with constituents or pretending to do something for the district. Actual truth and information? Not so much
Anderson has good reason to duck the press and public. His past is chock-full with campaign finance violations and huge corporate donations that are quite well documented.
Too bad it’s pointless to consider a recall. Career politician that he is, Anderson gets term-limited out of office, finally, at long last at the end of this term.
That doesn’t mean Anderson will be through with politics. No doubt he’ll return to his time-honored work as a lobbyist.
Flunking the political courage test
Anderson flunked the non-profit citizens political education group Project Vote Smart political courage test. This is not a politically biased group either, counting former presidents Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford along with Sen. Barry Goldwater and William Proxmire as founding board members in 1986.
Project Vote Smart conducts an annual political courage test measures lawmakers on “each candidate’s willingness to provide citizens with their position on key issues.”
Guess what. “Joel Anderson has refused to provide voters with positions on key issues covered by the 2014 political courage test, despite repeated requests,” Project Vote Smart said. “Joel Anderson is still welcome to submit the test at any time.”
Don’t hold your breath.
Anderson scored what the little boy shot at, nothing. Not only that, he went around bragging about not answering any questions. That’s business as usual for him. He’s only accountable to ALEC and corporate donors, not his so-called constituents who represent more of a hassle than a mission.
Representing ALEC
So, who does this guy from Alpine represent? Hello good buddy ALEC. He was their legislator of the year. The executive director of the group said Anderson was “instrumental” in bringing its annual convention to America’s Finest City.
ALEC, or the American Legislative Exchange Council, is completely financed by large corporations and private donors, especially representing the oil industry, pharmaceutical and tobacco companies and the billionaire Koch brothers.
ALEC has provided legislation boosting insurance companies at the expense of consumers, providing for tobacco company regulatory breaks and privatizing public education. It also has provided a forum for those denying climate change.
The group was founded by Paul Weyrich in 1973 to promote a conservative social agenda. Weyrich also co-founded the Heritage Foundation and coined the phrase “moral majority.” It evolved into an organization promoting pro-business, free market doctrines.
Google famously pulled out of ALEC last year with chairman Eric Schmidt criticizing the group’s anti-climate change stance. Other major corporations ending ALEC support in the last few years include Microsoft GM, Coke, Proctor & Gamble and Bank of America.
Campaign finance violations, anybody?
We’ve gone through Anderson’s laundry list of campaign finance violations before, but those who forget the past yada yada.
As a two-term state assemblyman, Anderson admitted accepting five illegal campaign donations, He paid a $20,000 fine to the Fair Political Practices Commission.
Those donations, all from large donors violating campaign finance laws, were channeled through the Fresno County GOP Central Committee. Anderson returned the money to the tune of $150,000.
The Fair Political Practices Commission said Anderson “at worst deliberately and at best negligently received contributions in excess of the contribution limits.”
When it comes to occupation, aside from career politician and lobbyist, on officials election forms Anderson in 2002 said “consultant.” For the 2004 election he put “executive” as occupation, In 2005, his occupation was “retired. In 2006, he came out of retirement to declare himself “businessman/board president.”
In 2011 Anderson was a “business owner” and in 2012 listed his occupation as state senator, finally something truthful.
Anderson consistently has refused even to answer the simplest questions about what business he owned and for whom he consulted.
Anderson political donation machine
Whatever Anderson does for money, aside from his political work, it’s got to have been successful. Followthemoney.org reported he had “raised a total of $2,740,718” for his five races for state office. That’s a lot of cheddar for someone who doesn’t make any cheese. His many groups with names like “Tax Fighters for Anderson” gave over $150,000 to nine candidates over eight years.
From his failed 1998 run for state assembly through his 2014 reelection as a state senator, just 18 percent of Anderson’s contributions has come from individuals, according to data from the National Institute on Money in State Politics. The vast majority was raised in the form of contributions from PACs, corporations and other non-individuals that are banned from contributing to supervisorial candidates in San Diego.
Meanwhile back at the swamp
Anderson was in Geico’s pocket.
Reportedly, Anderson met with Geico lobbyist Cinda Smith at the four-star Bistro Bis at 15 E Street NW on Capital Hill. Lobster Étouffée’ there begins at $36.50. Geico has been one of Anderson’s major donors in previous campaigns, according to non-partisan FollowTheMoney.org.
A “checklist” issued under official stationary for Senator Joel Anderson 36th Senate District (his old district before redistricting) showed the meeting scheduled for noon with Smith making the reservations.
Smith didn’t return calls seeking comments about the meetings. Anderson didn’t respond to questions about the meeting submitted to his office, either. Or any questions posed for this article.
So sad
“It’s sad that in the first week of the 2015 legislative session, Senator Anderson is already off partying with lobbyists at fine restaurants in Washington, D.C. while his constituents back in California are struggling to make ends meet,” said Eddie Kurtz, executive director of the muckraking 900,000-member Courage Campaign.
“Senator Anderson should explain what was talked about during that lunch and what promises were made to those lobbyists,” Kurtz said.
ALEC, the American Legislative Exchange Council writes “model bills” that are submitted word-for-word to different legislatures by conservative state legislators belonging to the group.
Not only is Anderson California state chair of ALEC. He sits on the ALEC Board of Directors. He also is a member of one of ALEC’s eight task forces, the Communications and Technology Task Force.
His official state Senate page’s only mention of ALEC is a link to a story titled “Senator Joel Anderson honored as ‘Legislator of the Year’ by ALEC.
The story digest under the link says “recipient of the American Legislative Exchange Council’s (ALEC) ‘Legislator of the Year” Award at the organizations’s annual meeting…for his outstanding dedication to our organization,” said ALEC National Chairman Noble Ellington (LA). “Joel Anderson is to be…”
However, the ALEC Legislator of the Year link led to a “can’t open the page” message.
Guilty of campaign finance violations
Joel (ALE)c Anderson.
As a two-term state assemblyman, Anderson admitted accepting five illegal campaign donations, He paid a $20,000 fine to the Fair Political Practices Commission.
Those donations, all from large donors violating campaign finance laws, were channeled through the Fresno County GOP Central Committee. Anderson returned the money to the tune of $150,000.
The Fair Political Practices Commission said Anderson “at worst deliberately and at best negligently received contributions in excess of the contribution limits. Additionally, receiving the contributions through the Fresno County Republican Central Committee indicates the potential of intent to conceal the violation and the true source, amount and the contribution.”
Term-limited out of the state House, Anderson went for the 36th District state Senate seat in 2010 armed with a reported $450,000 war chest. As fate would have it, Anderson accused his main Republican opponent, Riverside County Supervisor Jeff Stone, of illegal fundraising. In turn, Stone said “If Joel Anderson was in Riverside, our D.A. would have filed five felony charges…It’s clear as day it was felony money laundering.”
Perhaps nobody has more fervor than the converted. Or make of it what one will. When three Democratic state senators faced similar campaign finance violation charges in March 2014, the Senate voted 28-1 to suspended them with pay. The only vote against? You guessed it, Anderson.
However, Anderson voted against the suspension for a very interesting reason. He wanted the legislators expelled instead. “What we’re doing is incentivizing bad behavior with this resolution,” he said.
Andersonian vitae
Born Feb. 11, 1960 at Detroit, Anderson lists his residence as Alpine. He is married with three children. Following time at Grossmont Community College, he attended Cal Poly at Pomona. His non-political office occupation is listed as small business owner. His senate salary is $90,526 annually.
After losing a 1998 state Assembly run, Anderson served three terms in the Assembly beginning in 2006 before being term-limited out of office. Then, he ran for the state Senate, winning in 2010, 2012 and 2014. Proposition 28 passed in June 2012 changed the limits to a total of 12 years in either or both house, meaning this is Anderson’s last hurrah at Sacramento. His term ends in 2018.
Anderson is vice-chair of the Senate Public Safety Committee and vice-chair of the Elections and Constitutional Amendments Committee. He also serves on the Budget and Fiscal Review and Judiciary committees. He has proposed four bills this year, all classified as making technical, non-substantive changes, according to the official state Legislative Counsel’s Digest.
The good news
Thankfully, we’re sooner rather than later rid of this scoundrel who is the poster child for the need for political campaign reform. He’s been an embarrassment to every honest and respectful citizen in the 38th District and we’re well rid of them.
However, those who put this guy squarely in the middle of the public trough and voted for this scoundrel need to look themselves in the mirror and ask themselves what on Earth was the point?
For the life us, we don’t know. And Joel Anderson doesn’t care.
sell outs plain and simple
Joel Anderson threw me out of his recent town meeting in Lakeside because I asked him why he refused to represent me. A couple years ago, I had asked him to submit a bill requiring the Medical Board to notify police when it receives complaints of sexual misconduct by a doctor. When I was told Anderson was not interested in such a bill, I casually commented to his aide that he did get donations from the California Medical Association, the doctor lobby group that only represents 1/3 of state doctors. The aide flipped out, and accused me of saying Anderson gets bribed. I didn’t say that; I merely said it is public record that he received donations form the CMA. After that, I received a terse letter from his office, saying he would never communicate with me again, nor would anyone form his office. I went to the town meeting, hoping that was a mistake; i expected him to say he represents all his constituents. As soon as I mentioned the CMA, Anderson had me thrown out of the hall, with his bouncer, Frank Hilliker of Hilliker’s Egg Ranch, making sure I left the property. My being tossed out came after Anderson spoke about listening to both sides and transparency. Obviously, he does not practice what he preaches.