Tim Anaya – Senior Director of Communications and PRI’s Sacramento Office
Winner: John Boehner, the Author – Former House Speaker John Boehner has apparently released quite the entertaining new memoir of his time as Speaker, with the publication of On The House. While I would love someday to have a glass of wine and talk shop with the former Speaker, in the meantime I’ll settle for reading his new book – which reached No.7 this week on the Amazon.com bestseller charts.
Loser: Hunter Biden, the Author – In contrast – despite a slew of major media interviews – Showbiz 411 reports that Hunter Biden’s new book is a flop. Even though pre-sales propelled the book to number 4 on the New York Times bestseller list, the book “has sold just 10,000 copies in its first week.” It concludes, “for a celebrity book with so much PR, TV appearances, etc, that’s not a lot.”
Rowena Itchon – Senior Vice President
Winner: The Left Coast Criminal Community – In Seattle, there have been 57 murders from 2020 till now, compared to 31 in 2019. In Portland, there were 25 murders over the first three months of 2021 compared to 3 over the same period in 2020. In San Francisco, murders were up 75% in the first two months of this year compared to the same period last year. In Los Angeles, murders are up 185% over the same period. And advocates want to defund the police?
Loser: White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki – Jen Psaki has had to play communications gymnastics over these first 100 days. As a former spokesperson, it is painful to watch her all tied up in knots trying to explain Administration policy. I hope she’s asking for a big raise, more staff, a bigger office at the West Wing.
McKenzie Richards – Development Associate
Winners: California Home-Based Worshipers – Many California churches resumed worship services in church buildings after a Supreme Court decision in February ruled Governor Newsom’s measures unconstitutional. Despite the decision, the Governor still attempted to limit first amendment rights by restricting home-based worship services like Bible study groups or prayer groups. Last week, in a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court shot down the unconstitutional California regulation, resulting in yet another win for California churches.
Loser: California Senate Bill 467 – An ambitious bill aiming to entirely ban oil and gas production in the state of California failed on Tuesday. Before it could move to the Senate floor for a vote, the progressive bill failed to even receive the necessary five votes in Natural Resources and Water Committee.
