From our October 2005 Meeting: Activist and 41st Assembly District Candidate, Kelly Hayes-Raitt. Kelly's longtime leadership for environmental protection has shaped our state's future. As executive director of the Coalition for Clean Air and as Lt. Gov. Leo McCarthy's environmental representative, Kelly fought to protect our coast from offshore oil drilling. She helped found Heal the Bay, and helped pass important bills to set health standards for toxic mold and to phase out dirty diesel school buses. For more information about Kelly, please visit her website here.

Stephanie Miller



From our September 2005 Garden Party Fundraiser: Nationally-syndicated talk show host Stephanie Miller is a rising star in progressive radio. Her fresh and funny morning show is on dozens of affiliates, including major markets like Los Angeles, Boston, and Washington, D.C.

Stephanie has hosted local radio shows on KABC and KFI in Los Angeles and is a former co-host of CNBC’s “Equal Time” as the liberal counterweight to Bay Buchanan. Most recently, she hosted “I’ve Got a Secret” on the Oxygen network.
Please click HERE to read more about her, or to listen to her show.

From our September 2005 Garden Party Fundraiser: Senator Art Torres. Chairman of the California Democratic Party since 1996. He was appointed to finish the term vacated by Bill Press in 1995. He ran unopposed in 2001 and was elected by unanimous approval of the body. Senator Torres is widely credited for helping return the CDP to a position of national prominence and power.

Senator Torres served twenty years in the California State Legislature, eight as an Assembly member and twelve as a State Senator. As Chairman of the Insurance Committee, he fostered a balance between industry and consumer concerns. During his legislative tenure he was also Chairman of the Assembly Health Committee, Senate Joint Committee on Science and Technology and Senate Committee on the Entertainment Industry. For more information about Sen. Torres, please click HERE.

John Garamendi

From our September 2005 Garden Party Fundraiser: 2006 Lt. Gubernatorial candidate John Garamendi is currently serving his second term as State Insurance Commissioner. He has become one of the most aggressive protectors of consumers in the nation, and he is well on his way to fulfilling his promise to make the California Department of Insurance the best consumer protection agency in America.

Elected to the California State Assembly in 1974 and the State Senate in 1976. In 1991, Garamendi was elected as California’s Insurance Commissioner. He successfully accomplished the monumental task of implementing Proposition 103, which put into place a major reform of the auto and homeowner insurance industry in California. For more information about Commissioner Garamendi, please click HERE.e as the liberal counterweigt to Bay B

Phil Angelides



From our June 2005 meeting: State Treasurer and 2006 Gubernatorial candidate Phil Angelides.

From 1975 to 1983, Phil worked in California state government, developing a reputation as a leader in the fields of affordable housing and sustainable development. In 1984, Phil moved into the private sector and in 1986 formed his own successful business.

11991, Phil became the Chair of the California Democratic Party, leading an aggressive grassroots campaign that registered over 1 million new Democrats and helped elect two women senators – Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein - and President Bill Clinton. Phil remained a leader with the Democratic Party throughout the 1990s and most recently served as California Co-Chair for the Kerry-Edwards 2004 campaign.

Phil was elected California's State Treasurer in 1998 and has honored the taxpayers’ trust by earning solid financial returns even in the toughest economic times. While in office Phil has made investments in California companies and communities, working to create jobs and opportunity for all Californians. And, he has fought for a budget that is balanced, fair, and protects investments in the future.

Please click HERE to visit his website and learn more about him.aughter of former Republican U.S. Representative running mate in the 1964 Presidential electi
Andrew Gumbel

From our May 2005 meeting: To order Steal This Vote: Dirty Elections and the Rotten History of Democracy in America by Andrew Gumble please click on the link below!

Amazon Books

Pam Smith

From our May 2005 meeting: you can read more about her efforts here: VerifiedVoting

Joe Howry

From our March 2005 meeting: Joe Howry, Managing Editor, Ventura County Star. To learn more about him, click HERE.

Dr. Bennett Ramberg

From our July 2005 meeting: Dr. Bennett Ramberg, nationally recognized expert on Nuclear weapons proliferation. To learn more, read our July newsletter, click HERE.

To review a list of publications written by Dr. Ramberg, click here for Amazon Books.