Today's Fresh Meat

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

You don’t need me to remind you that Rep. John Doolittle has been in the news a lot lately. Since FBI officials raided his Virginia home yesterday, California Democratic Party Chair Art Torres upped the ante on efforts to unseat Doolitte in 2008. Last year’s challenger, Charlie Brown, came within four percentage points and is currently at a fundraising advantage.

Speaker Fabian Nunez’s plan to hand over redistricting power to the Little Hoover Commission received a cold reception yesterday from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who said through a spokesperson that she had “not read” the bill. Pelosi is concerned about preserving the fragile Democratic majority, but she must not be so cynical as to think Democrats are not capable of winning on ideas, even in marginal districts.

One of the lawsuits that became a part of the “partial-birth” abortion case decided by the Supreme Court yesterday was filed by a Bay Area Planned Parenthood, the Oakland Tribune reports. The decision has been denounced in themedical community for its vague language and seeming distrust ofdoctors to make good judgments.

Several editorials board entered the “partial birth” abortion debate today, questioning the political nature of the opinion (change in membership rather than a change in constitutional interpretation resulted in the shift) and the autonomy of doctors.

Hugh Heftner doesn’t just play favorites with Playboy Bunnies. He has some favorite politicians as well, recently slipping a $2300 check to Hillary Clinton’s campaign.He has sent over $13,000 to Los Angeles Rep. Loretta Sanchez, makingher his “favorite” member of Congress.

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