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California GOP at convention: More energized than ever for Trump

July 14, 2024

The stage at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, the site of the Republican National Convention, on July 11, 2024. (Kenny Holston/The New York Times)

The stage at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, the site of the Republican National Convention, on July 11, 2024. (Kenny Holston/The New York Times) KENNY HOLSTON NYT

MILWAUKEE

Read more at: https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/election/presidential-election/article290064249.html#storylink=cpy

California’s Republican National Convention delegates Sunday got a new jolt of enthusiasm as they marveled at how former President Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt. “I feel a shift from excited to super-excited,” said Annie Marszal, a Sacramento gas station owner as she and dozens of other state GOP delegates and others met at a Milwaukee museum. the day before the party’s national convention begins.
He came out looking like a warrior,” said Annie Marszal, a Sacramento gas station owner. Many cited Democratic and liberal rhetoric as a possible reason for the incident. A firefighter in the crowd and the gunman were killed in the Saturday shooting. Trump was grazed and was said to be doing fine. “It makes everybody more determined than ever to win,” said Tom Montgomery, a San Rafael campaign treasurer.

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, who is reportedly on Trump’s short list as a vice presidential pick, visited with the crowd and set the tone. “After yesterday he’s gone from being historically great to iconic,” Burgum said of Trump As the shots rang out Saturday during a rally in Butler, Pa., Trump grabbed his ear, looked at his hand, saw blood and dropped to the ground before Secret Service agents surrounded him. They then ushered him off stage.

“Can we all just take a collective moment; a giant breath, and say, ‘Wow, we just witnessed, last night, something historic,’” Burgum said. “We were one millimeter away from chaos. One millimeter away from something historic and only by the grace of providence of God but are we here today with smiles on our faces.”

DEMOCRATIC RHETORIC

For all the excitement, there was an almost melancholy overtone when the topic turned to Democrats and liberals. “Most of the hatred comes from the Democratic Party. The Democratic Party was the party of slavery,” said Richard Hugues, an Upland insurance broker. “The Republican Party was founded in the mid-19th century as an anti-slavery party.

Shawn Steel, a California Republican National Committee member, named names from a lengthy list of liberals he compiled who have supposedly threatened Trump. The list, which he pulled out of his pocket at the reception, included some familiar names and their comments about the former president, including Madonna who in 2017 said she thought about “blowing up the White House,” and Snoop Dogg, who in 2017 released a music video showing a clown dressed as Trump being shot with a toy gun. The rapper has since said he has “nothing but love and respect” for Trump after the former president pardoned Michael Harris, a co-founder of Death Row Records, in 2021.

The most cited comment by Republicans in the aftermath of the shooting involved Biden, who reportedly told donors in a private conversation last week that “We’re ’re done talking about the debate. It’s time to put Trump in a bullseye.” Biden has forcefully condemned the attack on Trump. “There’s so much evidence” that the rhetoric may have inspired the violence against Trump, said Steel. It’s become a big talking point with a fired-up California Republican crowd in Milwaukee.

“It’s something that happened and we’ll move past it,” said Sayrs Morris, chairwoman of the Imperial County Republican Party. “I still think everyone’s here for a good time.”




Order Assuming Jurisdiction of Winding Up of Peoples Temple (Text)

July 11, 2024

CHARLES R. GARRY, ESQ.
GARRY, DREYFUS, MCTERNAN, BROTSKY, HERNDON & PESONEN, INC.
1256 Market Street at Civic Center
San Francisco, California 94102
Telephone: 864 3131
Attorneys for Petitioner

[Stamped notation] Filed
San Francisco County Superior Court
Jan 26 1979
Carl M. Olsen, Clerk


IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
IN AND FOR THE CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO


Peoples Temple of the Disciples of Christ,
Petitioner,
v.
The Attorney General of California,
Respondent.

No. 746571

ORDER
[Handwritten notation]
Assuming Jurisdiction of Winding Up of Peoples Temple


The petition of Peoples Temple of the Disciples of Christ, a California non-profit corporation (“petitioner”) for supervision by this Court of the voluntary winding up and dissolution of Peoples Temple of the Disciples of Christ came on regularly for hearing by this Court on this date. The Attorney General appeared by Yeoryios Apallas, Esq., Deputy Attorney General, and Peoples Temple appeared by counsel, Charles R. Garry and Benjamin Dreyfus. Claimants against Peoples Temple appeared by Marvin Lewis, Esq., Shawn Steel, Esq., Kent A. Davidson, Esq., Alan Cilman, Esq., and Craig Needham, Esq. Emergency Relief Committee, Amicus Curiae, appeared by John Wahl, Esq., and George H. Cabannis, Esq.

Upon proof made to the satisfaction of the Court that the petition should be granted, the Court hereby takes jurisdiction of the winding up and dissolution of Peoples Temple of the Disciples of Christ, a California non-profit corporation, pursuant to §§ 1904 and 9801 of the Corporations Code and

IT IS ORDERED:

1. Notice to creditors shall be published not less than once a week for three consecutive weeks in the Recorder, a newspaper of general circulation printed and published in the City and County of San Francisco, California, and one time each in the San Francisco Chronicle, the San Francisco Examiner, the Los Angeles Times, and the Ukiah Daily Journal, and a copy of such notice shall be mailed to each person shown as a creditor or claimant by the records of Peoples Temple, or as appear from the records of this Court, at his or her last known address. Such notice may be made forthwith and shall be sufficient if it is substantially in the form attached as Exhibit A hereto. A suggested sample claim form may accompany each notice to be served or mailed, but the form need not be published.

2. All persons having or making claims or demands against Peoples Temple, whether such claims or demands be due or not yet due, contingent or unliquidated, or sounding only in damages, file their claims with the proof thereof with Robert H. Fabian, Esq., 220 Bush Street, San Francisco, California 94104, within four months after the first publication of the notice herein specified, or be barred from participation in any distribution of the general assets of Peoples Temple if they fail to make and present claims and proofs within the time herein specified.

3. Any withdrawal or expenditure of any funds of Peoples Temple, whether for payment of claims, demands, debts, or other purposes, shall require the prior express written authorization of this Court.

4. Pending further order of this Court, the following actions, and all other legal actions by or against petitioner, are stayed as to petitioner:

(a) Cobb v. Peoples Temple, et al.,
San Francisco Superior Court No. 739907


(b) Medlock v. Jones, et al.,
Los Angeles Superior Court No. C243292


(c) Katsaris v. Jones, et al.,
Mendocino Superior Court No. 39911


(d) Peoples Temple, et al. v. Stoen,
San Francisco Superior Court No. 740531


(e) Snyder, et al. v. Peoples Temple,
Mendocino Superior Court No. 40049


(f) Lewis v. Peoples Temple, et al.,
San Francisco Superior Court No. 747250


(g) Norwood, et al. v. Peoples Temple,
San Francisco Superior Court No. 747251


(h) Ryan v. Peoples Temple,
San Francisco Superior Court No. 748417


(i) Bordenave v. Peoples Temple,
Los Angeles Superior Court No. C269968


(j) Holmes v. Peoples Temple,
San Francisco Superior Court No. 748470


(k) United States v. Peoples Temple,
U.S. District Court, and Northern District of California, No. C790126 LHB


(l) Hall v. Peoples Temple,
Los Angeles Superior Court No. C268099


(m) Robinson v. Peoples Temple,
Los Angeles Superior Court


The parties to these actions are hereby ordered to present their claims in the manner required of creditors, but not later than four months after the first publication of the notice to creditors and prove their claims in the manner required of other creditors. Petitioner is hereby ordered to serve a copy of this order on all parties or their attorneys of record in the above referenced actions forthwith and to file a copy of this order in each of the actions stayed.

5. The Court takes judicial notice of extraordinary and unprecedented circumstances requiring the filing of the said petition, which included multiple deaths in Jonestown, Guyana. Many of the decedents left relatives resident within the jurisdiction of the Court. By reason thereof, Emergency Relief Committee, an unincorporated non-profit association composed of representatives of the San Francisco Council of Churches, the Northern California Board of Rabbis, and the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Francisco, which Committee appears herein as amicus curiae by prior order of the Court, is hereby authorized and directed as follows:

To submit to the Court, as soon as Committee may reasonably do so but not later than 30 days from this order, a plan for the transport and interment, or other suitable disposition, of the bodies of those who died at Jonestown, Guyana including the unidentified bodies, the said plan to include an estimate of the costs and expenses thereof and to recommend whether, and if so in what proportion, the said costs and expenses should be reimbursed from assets of Peoples Temple, upon proper proof of indebtness for the payment of the said costs and expenses. The said plan may be brought on for consideration, hearing and possible approval by the Court, if the plan be deemed reasonable by the Court, upon 10 days notice in writing to the parties to the proceeding, and to all attorneys who have entered appearance in this proceeding, and by posting notice in the manner required of ordinary notices by the Probate Code.

6. Any and all charitable organizations, exempt from taxation under § 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code, which desire to be named as the distributee of the assets of Peoples Temple, pursuant to the winding up and dissolution of Peoples Temple under Corporations Code § 9801, shall file with the Court and with the Office of the California Attorney General – Charitable Trust Unit, on or before September 30, 1979, a written proposal for maintenance, operation and utilization of the Peoples Temple assets in a manner consistent with the terms of the trust. All said organizations shall, in addition, file a current statement, signed and verified by an officer, director, or trustee of the organization under penalty of perjury, demonstrating the financial ability of said organization to carry out its proposed plan of operation. Failure of any organization to hold a 501(c) (3) exemption and/or to file the above-required proposal and financial statement shall preclude any distribution of Peoples Temple assets to said organization.

7. The Office of the California Attorney General is instructed to investigate and audit, to the full extent deemed necessary by the Office of the California Attorney General, all organizations, including the directors, officers and members thereof, applying for distribution of any Peoples Temple assets attendant to this proceeding. The Office of the California Attorney General shall submit to the Court, on or before December 31, 1979, its recommendations for distribution of the Peoples Temple assets in a manner consistent with the terms of the trust. Nothing herein shall preclude the Attorney General from adding to, deleting from or modifying the list of potential distributees of Peoples Temple assets until five (5) days prior to the Court’s order designating such distributees.

8. This Court shall, upon motion by petitioner or its duly authorized representative, and after receipt of the afore-mentioned proposals, reports, statements, and recommendations, set for final hearing this petition for dissolution of petitioner and for distribution of the charitable assets of Peoples Temple, pursuant to Corporations Code § 9801, and shall order the said dissolution and distribution of said assets of Peoples Temple in a manner consistent with the terms of the trust thereon.

9. The surviving directors of Peoples Temple shall file with this Court within ten days of the filing of this order, a complete inventory of the assets and liabilities of Peoples Temple. Thereafter the directors are ordered to file intermediate accounts as the Court or the Attorney General may require.

10. Subject to Court approval, all of the assets of the corporation shall be sold at public or private sale, for cash or upon terms satisfactory to the Court.

Done in open court the 23d of January, 1979, and signed the [handwritten date] 26th day of January, 1979.

[Signed] Ira A. Brown
JUDGE OF THE SUPERIOR COURT
[Stamped] Ira A. Brown, Jr.


 

 





California GOP gears up for 2024 presidential election

May 23, 2024

California GOP 2024

ABS-CBN News, Rommel Conclara | TFC News Burlingame
Published May 23, 2024 05:43 PM PHT
“Make America Great Again” hats were worn at the recent California GOP convention in Burlingame.

Hundreds of Republicans packed the Hyatt Regency for the three-day event.

Many were eager to hear from South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem – viewed by some as a potential running mate for former U.S. president Donald Trump.

Noem made a specific contrast between herself and California's Democratic governor Gavin Newsom on how they handled the COVID-19 pandemic in their respective states.

“South Dakota was the only state in the country that never once closed a single business," said Noem. "We never once mandated masks or vaccines. I didn't even define what an essential business was, because I don't believe that governors have the authority to tell you that your business is essential.”

Trump in a recent interview said he may announce his running mate in July at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Meanwhile, Conservatives at the convention said despite California being mostly a Democratic state, the tide may be turning with a seeming shift towards the Republican Party.

“We're seeing that the left has lost its mojo, its momentum," said Shawn Steel of the RNC. "The progressives are even disappointed in themselves. They're not going to vote. There's a tremendous amount of discouragement.”

The head of the San Francisco Republican Party, meanwhile, claimed voters now have more confidence in GOP candidates to run the state.

"People would be hard-pressed to find one single thing that the Democratic Party is doing in this state," said John Dennis. "People are finding that the Republicans are reasonable and have more confidence in us being able to run the state."

Republicans also believe that the U.S. and Southeast Asia, along with the Philippines, would be better off with Trump being reelected in November.

"We're not going to see Russia and China expand and be as reckless as they have," said Steel. "The entire Southeast Asia is under threat from China. I think we're going to see that turn around dramatically.”

California has not gone red in a presidential race since 1988, between then-Vice-President George Bush and then-Massachusetts Democratic Governor Michael Dukakis.




Trump's RNC reverses plans for some cuts after backlash

March 16, 2024



Red, white, and blue elephants

Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios

Donald Trump's new team at the Republican National Committee is reversing its plans to cut the party's community centers for minority voters — and a program to encourage early voting — after a backlash from RNC members.

Why it matters: It's a sign that some of the new RNC leadership's moves — which included firing dozens of staffers — did not go over well with many RNC members.

Zoom in: Some RNC members worry that the Trump team's plans to cut group's resources at the state level will direct more to his presidential campaign at the expense of the party's long-term future.


  • The firings and the Trump team's initial signals about the program cuts seemed to confirm many members' fears about the Trump takeover, which involved installing North Carolina GOP chair Michael Whatley and Lara Trump — the ex-president's daughter-in-law — as the RNC's new leaders.

  • "The Trump campaign should keep in mind, this ain't just about the White House. It's bigger than that, bigger than one candidate," one RNC member told Axios.

Driving the news: Late Thursday, Whatley sent a three-page memo to RNC members saying the programs were safe.


  • "Despite what you may have heard, we are not closing community centers," Whatley wrote.

  • He added that the early voting initiative was safe as well, and "will continue educating and empowering voters to feel confident in early voting and voting by mail."

That's a departure from what Trump's campaign had indicated for months as it prepared to take over the RNC.


  • In January, the RNC stopped signing new leases for community centers after the campaign privately told the party it no longer was interested in prioritizing the centers, two people familiar with the matter told Axios. The Daily Beast and the Messenger have since reported on plans to shutter community centers.

  • "Yeah, well, actually, we are keeping those all open," Lara Trump told Fox News on Thursday.

  • Since last fall, top Trump officials privately had played down the RNC's early voting initiative. The Washington Post reported just three days ago that it would be replaced by another program, citing top Trump officials.

  • Republicans — led by Trump — were highly skeptical of mail-in voting in 2020, as Trump falsely linked the practice to "millions" of fraudulent votes. Some Republicans remain skeptical, but many figure that not embracing early voting would give Democrats an advantage.

What they're saying: "It looks like the RNC is making an adjustment," RNC member Shawn Steel told Axios in an interview Friday. "I hope they will expand the community centers."


  • "I'm glad that [Trump senior adviser Chris] LaCivita and Whatley are tapping the brake and trying to think through some of these changes," another RNC member told Axios.

  • "It's important in states where people can vote early that Republicans participate in that," the member said.

  • "There are probably 1,000,000 Asian American votes in the five battleground states. Community engagement would be fantastically effective. That would include of course legions of African American males and Latinos in general," Steel said.
The big picture: Trump's RNC team cut more than 60 positions last Monday, including nearly all of the state strategies team, which provided communications, digital and data support to state GOP groups.


  • "I don't think it's practical, that they're going to get rid of all those people," another RNC member told Axios. "There's too many things that they're doing — important programs that go beyond our top priority, which is winning the White House."

Trump campaign spokesperson Danielle Alvarez told Axios: "The RNC is undergoing change and is focused on winning in November."


  • "Never Trump Republicans and Democrats may complain as we move from the primary to general election, but our commitment remains the same: Deliver a victory for President Trump, Republicans on the ballot, and the American people."




Trump’s hand-picked RNC bosses abruptly cancel plans to gut minority outreach after pushback

March 16, 2024

Lara Trump speaking at a rally in South Carolina

Lara Trump speaking at a rally in South Carolina (Image: Screengrab via WJCL News / YouTube)

Written By:  March 16, 2024

The Republican National Committee (RNC) previously planned to slash its budget for engaging minority voters in battleground states. But after that plan caused an uproar from GOP activists, former President Donald Trump's new RNC leadership did a full one-eighty.

Because the 2024 election will be decided in states with large concentrations of Black and Hispanic voters — like Arizona and Georgia — the RNC originally planned to open community centers in those states aimed at engaging with voters of color. These centers would focus on increasing early vote turnout, conducting vote-by-mail educational sessions and giving the RNC an opportunity to cut into the leads Democrats traditionally have with minority demographics. Axios recently reported that when the RNC announced that it would no longer be funding that effort, many members loudly condemned the decision.

"The Trump campaign should keep in mind, this ain't just about the White House. It's bigger than that, bigger than one candidate," an unnamed RNC member told Axios.

New RNC chairman Michael Whatley — who was elected to his role earlier this month along with co-chair Lara Trump (the spouse of the former president's son, Eric) — reportedly reversed course on the proposed cuts after a discussion with Trump senior adviser Chris LaCivita.

"It looks like the RNC is making an adjustment," RNC member Shawn Steel told Axios. "I hope they will expand the community centers."

"There are probably 1,000,000 Asian American votes in the five battleground states," he added. "Community engagement would be fantastically effective. That would include of course legions of African American males and Latinos in general."

The RNC has had to keep a close eye on its budget as Republicans are at a significant financial advantage compared to their Democratic counterparts. Ballotpedia notes that as of January 31, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) had more than $24 million in cash on hand out of over $137 million raised, while the RNC had less than $9 million in cash currently available while raising $98.7 million. And given their presumptive nominee's sky-high legal bills, the GOP will need to juice its fundraising in order to stay competitive in several contentious down-ballot races.

Outside of the presidential election, the GOP also hopes to recapture the majority in the US Senate, where it needs a net gain of two seats to retake the upper chamber of Congress. However, the road to the majority goes through Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Jon Tester (D-Montana), both of whom are popular, well-known incumbents running for another six-year term in reliably red states. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Rick Scott (R-Florida) are also going to need financial assistance from their party in order to win their own expensive statewide reelection races.

If the RNC hopes to maintain its paper-thin majority in the House of Representatives, it will also need to bring in significant amounts of campaign cash. The National Republican Campaign Committee (NRCC) has raised $100 million in the 2023-2024 campaign cycle as of January 31, but the Democratic National Campaign Committee (DCCC) has out-raised the GOP by more than $30 million.

Lara Trump previously stated that she "absolutely" believes the RNC could help pay down Trump's legal bills, despite the ex-president owing more than half a billion dollars in civil judgments and having to fund a criminal defense in three separate jurisdictions this year. In 2023 alone, Trump's allied PACs spent more than $55 million paying his lawyers.




RNC members see Lara Trump as a sharp message maker, answer to their fundraising struggles

March 10, 2024

Former President Donald Trump, right, listens as his daughter-in-law Lara Trump speaks at the North Carolina Republican Convention, June 5, 2021, in Greenville, N.C. Donald Trump is calling for a shakeup at the highest levels of the Republican National Committee...

Former President Donald Trump, right, listens as his daughter-in-law Lara Trump speaks at the North Carolina Republican Convention, June 5, 2021, in Greenville, N.C. Donald Trump is calling for a shakeup at the highest levels of the Republican National Committee. And party leaders are taking it very seriously. (AP Photo/Chris Seward, Fike)

- The Washington Times - Sunday, March 10, 2024




HOUSTON — Party leaders gathered here over the weekend for the Republican National Committee‘s spring meeting are hopeful new co-chair Lara Trump, with her famous last name and media presence, can fix the organization’s fundraising struggles.

Ms. Trump, a former news anchor who is GOP presidential front-runner Donald Trump‘s daughter-in-law, and Trump loyalist Michael Whatley were elected Friday to replace longtime RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel, completing the former president’s takeover of the group.

RNC members who lined up to meet her for the first time at a reception one day before Friday’s election were optimistic the former Fox News contributor and producer can attract the big-dollar donors needed to fuel her father-in-law’s presidential bid.

 

“We all wanted to meet her,” GOP California Committeeman Shawn Steel told The Washington Times. It’s exciting and she’s proven herself. She’s been a loyal, steadfast Trump spokesman.”

Mr. Steel described her as level-headed and making a good impression whenever she speaks.

He added that impression is “going to make the RNC probably a billion-dollar organization this year alone. That’s phenomenal.”

After her election, Ms. Trump waved a $100,000 donor check made out to the RNC as she stressed that Republicans have to play the game a “little differently” against Democrats and encourage early voting. She later told reporters the RNC must raise a half-billion dollars this year for Mr. Trump and other Republicans to win.

 

Tennessee GOP Committeeman Oscar Brock told The Times he did not know Ms. Trump well and only met her on a couple of occasions but that she seemed to command a “great presence.”

“I think she’ll be great doing media and fundraising and taking advantage of her celebrity status and getting people to return her phone calls, when she’s calling around asking for money,” he said.

The RNC leadership pairing of Ms. Trump and Mr. Whatley, who is chair of the North Carolina GOP and is known for backing voter integrity initiatives, will put the RNC on a new footing compared to recent years. 

The RNC, which is known to usually elect its top leaders from among its 168 members, decided to make an exception this time with Ms. Trump

The organization has been struggling to fundraise over the past few months and needed to take a credit line to better compete with the Democrats’ machine in the upcoming presidential election.

Mr. Whatley, who is well known among the 168 members as the organization’s previous general counsel, was picked by Mr. Trump for his election integrity strategies that he incorporated in North Carolina.

He’ll be charged with incorporating some of those strategies nationwide, as confirmed by Ms. Trump, who announced the RNC’s first-ever election integrity division that will be based on the North Carolina GOP blueprint.

The RNC has plans for an expanded nationwide network of volunteers with trained poll watchers and workers.

 

Ms. Trump called on her father-in-law’s supporters who are attorneys, among others who want to help, to volunteer to work and observe Election Day practices at the polls. She described the Trump network of volunteers as people who can physically go in and count ballots.

“We can never allow what happened in 2020 and the question surrounding that election to ever happen again,” she said during an appearance on “Fox News Sunday Morning Futures.” She said the RNC currently has 78 lawsuits out right now in 23 states.



“And here’s what I want to say to anyone out there who is thinking about cheating in an election, we will go after you,” Ms. Trump said. “You will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. It is not worth it.”

• Kerry Picket can be reached at kpicket@washingtontimes.com.





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