News

Hunter to plead guilty to campaign fraud (Updated with plea details)

(Updated 1 p.m. PST, Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2019: “Rep. Duncan Hunter pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to misuse campaign funds on Tuesday and is expected to resign from Congress before facing a prison sentence. “Hunter will be sentenced on March 17. A federal prosecutor said he planned to seek a sentence of at least one year in prison, according to the Associated Press….


Fire up: Windy, getting windier through Friday

Look around and feel the wind. It’s a blowing, and along with it, raising local fire risk to what are called “extreme” levels — a first — by state fire officials. Strong Santa Ana winds are expected again in San Diego County beginning late Tuesday night, raising the threat of wildfires through Thursday evening. The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning that will be…


Carpetbagger Issa in, criminal Hunter doomed in 50th Congressional District

It’s a crappy day to be Republican Duncan Hunter. It’s bad enough that his wife has been flipped by federal prosecutors. Now it’s clear his own political party wants him gone. And there are more questions about his most recent campaign finance report. This morning former 49th District Congressman Darrell Issa held a news conference to announce his candidacy for 50th District seat held by…


Support for immigration is at record highs

Among Americans that is, but the government under the Trump Administration is out of sync with their views… Since its start, the Trump administration has implemented policies to step up immigration enforcement and reduce the number of immigrants admitted into the U.S. Many of these efforts – like the border wall, the travel ban, family separations, DACA termination and detention centers – have received wide…


One Hunter down, one to go in fraud scandal

Margaret Hunter, a co-defendant in a federal fraud case with her husband Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Vapeville), changed her plea to guilty Thursday at a change of plea hearing in front of U.S. District Court Judge Thomas J. Whelan, at the San Diego courthouse. The couple misused about $250,000 in campaign donations for personal expenses, according to Hunter. In one incident, Rep. Hunter planned on buying a pair of…


House ethics panel re-opens Hunter file

Disgraced Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Vapeville) got zapped Friday, May 3 when the House Ethics subcommittee voted unanimously to reopen investigations into his congressional shenanigans. The bipartisan committee, chaired by Rep. Grace Meng, D-New York, and including Reps. John Ratcliffe, R-Texas, Brian Higgins, D-New York, and David Rouzer, R-North Carolina voted to re-authorize investigation subcommittees to look into allegations against Reps. David Schweikert, Chris Collins, and…


Vigil held at mosque hit by hate arson (Video)

A Sunday night vigil attracted at least 100 Escondido residents to the downtown mosque that was hit by hate arson earlier that morning. For more on the attack, see story below. Benjamin Martinez posted video of the event held at Dar-ul-Arqam Mosque at 318 W. Sixth Ave. in downtown Escondido. The one-hour vigil featured support and prayers from the community on behalf of the mosque. ….


Escondido mosque scorched in ‘hate crime’

A ticking time bomb of hate went off around 3:15 a.m. Sunday as Escondido’s only mosque was torched by a suspect who left a note referring to the New Zealand mosque killings earlier this month. “During the early morning hours of March 24, 2019, the Escondido Police and Fire Communication Center received a 911 phone call from the Dar-ul-Arqam Mosque on (318 W. Sixth Ave)…


North County Congressional Town Hall killed

Much-ballyhooed and sold out within hours of announcement, the All North County Congressional Town Hall scheduled for March 19 at MiraCosta College Concert Hall, Oceanside was cancelled abruptly Friday afternoon. Rep. Duncan Hunter, (R-50th Congressional District) and Rep. Mike Levin (D-49th Congressional District) were scheduled to attend the 2-hour evening event primarily arranged by the San Diego North Economic  Development Council. Additional sponsors included the…


California Pacific Airlines says it will rise again

Like the Black Knight in “Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” who kept on fighting despite being torn apart limb by limb, California Pacific Airlines chief Ted Vallas said Tuesday his troubled 10-year airline project would fly again “within three months.” California Pacific Airlines flew for one month last year, incurred large debts, grounded its airplane, left employees without payments, got kicked out of the…