Jonathan Coors

Followers of politics in California and Colorado should take a look at this piece in the Denver Post how Molson Coors, the brewing company, is keeping its distance from the right-to-work ballot initiative being championed by Jonathan Coors, nephew of Pete Coors and known to many California politcos as a well-liked aide and the tallest advance man to Gov. Schwarzenegger. The family dynamics are explored, and there's this money quote from Dan Baum, author of a book on the Coors dynasty, about how a Coors championing right-to-work is bad news for Coors: "I'm surprised they're not locking Jonathan in the trunk of a car and leaving him at long-term parking out at (Denver International Airport)." Isn't that precisely what former Schwarzenegger advisor Fred Beteta, who was Jonathan's boss in advance, used to do to the young man after a poor event?

CONNERLY SURRENDER: Connerly gives up in Oklahoma. It was one of five states where he had sponsored measures opposing affirmative action. They didn't collect enough signatures, they tell the Tulsa World. This is a major logistical screw-up by Connerly and his backers; signatures had been turned in in December. The backers had more time to gather signatures, but appear to have done a poor job in collecting valid signatures and in calculating how many they needed.

WILL THE SUNSHINE IN? Margot Roosevelt of the LA Times takes a thorough look at an alternative energy ballot initiative in California, sponsored by the University of Phoenix founder. The solar energy industry is skeptical.

COORS SIGHTING: The Rocky Mountain News reports on Monday's meeting between backers of a "right-to-work" initiative in California and Gov. Bill Ritter. No news from the meetings--lips were tight afterward, and no agreements have been reached. Ritter clearly would like labor and business groups to slow down their move towards a multi-initiative war. The News piece focuses on former Schwarzenegger aide, Jonathan Coors. And yes, he is one of those Coors.