Mulling a Boxer rebellion

First thing’s first.

Not long after last week’s column came out, I received an e-mail

from Assemblyman Ken Maddox who informed me that his campaign Web

site can be found at kenmaddox.net.

He also notes that, so far, it hasn’t been updated yet for his

state Senate campaign. But it will be.

MONEY FOR NOTHING, AND YOUR COMMITTEES FOR FREE

An interesting version of how congressmen and senators get their

committee assignments can be gleaned via the Center for Responsive

Politics.

The nonpartisan group, which tracks political money, has focused

an article in its recent newsletter on the House Government Reform

Committee. Rep. Chris Cox was one of the names being mentioned as a

possible new chairman, along with Connecticut Rep. Christopher Shays.

Instead, the job went to Rep. Tom Davis, which was a surprise

because Shays is the committee’s senior Republican.

But, according to the center, money may have been more important

than seniority. That body raised $180 million in soft and hard money

during the 2002 election, while Davis was the chairman of the

National Republican Congressional Committee. And Davis contributed

$575,000 to the committee, plus $90,000 to other Republican House

candidates, along with putting together a political action committee,

the Federal Victory Fund, that contributed almost $250,000 to House

Republican candidates.

Shays, meanwhile, was authoring the main campaign finance reform

bill. He contributed just $50,000 to the National Republican

Congressional Committee and not even $7,000 of his own money to

fellow candidates.

The center’s article doesn’t exhibit too much surprise that Cox

didn’t nail down the reform committee, noting that he ended up as

chairman of the Homeland Security Committee.

Why that prime post? According to the center, Cox gave $275,000 to

the National Republican Congressional Committee, added more than

$100,000 to House and Senate hopefuls and “is such a party loyalist

that he gave more than $40,000 to California Republicans vying for

positions such as insurance commissioner and controller.”

The article also suggests that the now temporary committee is

likely to become permanent.

RUN, CHRIS, RUN

Last Friday, I met with Cox’s two presswomen, Washington-based

Kate Whitman and Newport-based Amy Inaba Freyder. Both are smart and

certainly seem to have plenty of political savvy.

Whitman just finished helping Craig Benson win the New Hampshire

governor’s seat and comes from a family that knows politics: her

mother is Christie Whitman, former New Jersey governor and current

head of the Environmental Protection Agency.

I’ve suggested that their hirings should quiet any rumor that Cox

will be leaving his office for a judgeship or similar appointed

position.

But he certainly seems to be positioning himself strongly for

something, especially when his chairmanship of the Homeland Security

Committee is added to his spot at the top of the House Policy

Committee.

But what?

But of course.

In 2004, a year President Bush will theoretically be drawing

Republicans on his coattails as he seeks reelection, California Sen.

Barbara Boxer is up for reelection.

The same Boxer helped quash Cox’s nomination to a federal bench

nearly two years ago.

Cox, of course, has almost run for Senate before. But one hurdle

always in his way was that being a congressman does not provide much

name recognition beyond (or sometimes within) one’s district. Cox, as

well as he might be known in Orange County, isn’t on everyone’s

tongues in Ventura, Humboldt, Kern, Napa or Yuba counties.

But, perhaps after leading the House’s hearing on anti-terrorism,

he will be. Or will be a lot closer.

And that little boost could be what it takes to move Cox to the

other side of Capitol Hill.

* S.J. CAHN is the managing editor. He can be reached at (949)

574-4233 or by e-mail at [email protected].