Jon Fleischman, a leading Republican and conservative in California, recently emailed to dispute and correct an earlier post of mine, which expressed skepticism about the pace of signature gathering for the effort to recall Assemblyman Anthony Adams.

From Fleischman's email to me:

"Being quite familiar with the political plan of the recall campaign, as well as its progress in gathering signatures of constituents of Adams, I think that your conclusion that the qualification effort is in any way 'running out of steam' is flawed.

"As recall proponents, who are quite political sophisticated, sat down and mapped out the 'path to qualification' - the plan has always included three-pronged approach - paid signature gathering, volunteer signature gathering, and collecting signatures through targeted mailing.

"Given the generous support of the public in making significant financial contributions to the effort, the recall could easily qualify with just a paid signature gathering effort on the streets.  Using volunteers to help gather signatures is important because these same volunteers become proponents during the recall election campaign after qualification, and mailing out petitions allows the qualification campaign to also educate voters in the 59^th District as to the existence of the recall effort, as well articulating to them the reasons for why Adams should be recalled.

"In closing, discussions about the qualification effort for the recall will soon be rendered moot as I would characterize the signature gathering efforts to be in the "home stretch" - so the question will shift from whether there should be a recall election, to whether or not, in the recall election, should Adams be replaced with a legislator who will not support higher taxes."