Assembly leader weighs in on the issues

Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins spent an hour with U-T San Diego editorial board on Wednesday, offering her take on a an array of state and local issues. Highlights from the session will appear in Sunday’s SD In Depth section.

Among local issues the San Diego Democrat addressed is the orca program at SeaWorld, and whether it was proper for Republican Assemblyman Rocky Chávez of Oceanside to get rebuffed in his recent attempt to join the Legislature’s Latino Caucus, which remains an all-Democrat group.

“I do support SeaWorld,” she said. “I think they are integral part of our community. I think they do incredible educational work, not just for Californians, but for the millions of visitors who come. I think they have a (orca) program that is effective and reasonable.”

On Chávez, she said she believes the caucuses need to address bipartisan membership.

“You’re beginning to see a change. It’s a new thing in the Legislature that we’re seeing this diversity,” she said, referring to more Latino Republicans in Sacramento. “A tide is turning, and we’re going to have more discussions about that.”

She also opined on the proposal to split California into six separate states: “I love being a Californian and being able to say that San Francisco is part of the California I know, San Diego is part of the California I know. I don’t support it, but we have an incredible democratic process in the state so we get to have these discussions.”

Parole fight

San Diego political consultant John Dadian was spending much of Thursday — his 56th birthday — driving home from Chowchilla where he pleaded with a parole panel to keep the woman who shot his father to death in 1975 behind bars.

But Dadian’s appearance Wednesday afternoon at Brandy Giggey’s 18th parole hearing since she pleaded guilty to first-degree murder didn’t go as he hoped. A two-member panel that heard her request at the Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla is recommending she be released.

Dadian’s dad, also named John, was driving a cab on a night shift in San Francisco when Giggey and a gang member boyfriend robbed him and she shot him. She also was involved in several robberies after the killing, culminating when she was caught in Lake Tahoe and confessed to the murder.

“His last words were ‘The girl shot me,’” said Dadian, who was just 16 years old when it happened.

The panel’s recommendation now goes to the full parole board, but it’s likely that Giggey will be released because she was also 16 when the crime occurred. A recent change in state law mandates that extra consideration be given to inmates who were under age 18 when their crime was committed. If the full parole board concurs with the panel’s recommendation, the last stop before Giggey is paroled is Gov. Jerry Brown, who can reject a parole recommendation.

Dadian will ask family members and friends urge the governor to keep Giggey incarcerated because he believes she remains a threat.

“She clearly is not remorseful and there is no doubt in my mind that she will again offend in some way,” he said.

Joe time

Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio is scheduled to speak to the Ramona Tea’d tea party group at noon Saturday at the Ramona Mainstage.

Protesters on both sides of the immigration issue are also expected to appear out in front of the speech venue at 626 Main St.

Arpaio is the six-term sheriff of Maricopa County who questions whether President Barack Obama is truly a U.S. citizen and has long generated controvery over his strident anti-immigration policies and tough handling of jail inmates, including a “Tent City.”

Regarding the current immigration crisis surrounding Central American migrants flooding the border in Texas, Arpaio contends it is “all part of Obama’s plan to force amnesty upon us.”

Picnic time

Democrats in North County have set their annual fundraising barbecue — the Big Blue BBQ — for Sunday, July 27, at Escondido’s Felicita Park. The event features Democratic candidates and elected officials, a silent auction and several prize drawings.

A folkloric dance group is scheduled to perform, and a special play area for kids is available.

Festivities start at 3 p.m. with tickets $30 per person or $50 for families of four and another $10 for each additional member. Proceeds will be funneled to North County Democrats candidates.

See www.sddemocrats.org/north for more information.

Tweet of the Week

Goes to former Assemblyman and San Diego mayoral candidate Nathan Fletcher, who shot this out after the Padres traded Chase Headley to the Yankees: “hey @Padres. I would be willing to fill in at 3rd base for a couple days if needed. rested and ready #justsaying”