Melanie Morgan

Reporters covering the White House don’t seem to have many questions about  Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen  Sebelius, who was last week found in violation of federal law against engaging  in political activity while on the job.

A review of transcripts by The Daily Caller  indicate that no questions have been asked by the reporters who cover the  president about Sebelius during official White House briefings or gaggles since  Sept. 12, when the U.S. Office of Special Counsel said in a report that the  cabinet secretary violated the Hatch Act earlier this year.

It’s still up to President Obama whether Sebelius should keep her job or face  some sort of punishment after being found in violation of the Hatch Act. (WATCHDOG:  Obama must punish Sebelius or Congress can impeach her)

The ethics office said Sebelius violated the law on Feb. 25 while delivering  a speech to Human Rights Campaign while serving in her official capacity as  cabinet secretary. In her speech, she called for Obama’s re-election, and the  election of the Democratic candidate for governor in North Carolina.

The Hatch Act prohibits certain civil servants in the federal government from  engaging in political activity on the job.

“While a violation of the Hatch Act occurred, Secretary Sebelius’ statements  would have been permissible if they had been made in her personal capacity,” the report said.

Even though reporters haven’t inquired during press conferences and gaggles,  White House spokesman Eric Schultz told The Associated Press that, “These were  extemporaneous remarks … the U.S. Treasury has been reimbursed, and Secretary  Sebelius has met with ethics experts to ensure this never happens again.”

Read more:  http://dailycaller.com/2012/09/18/reporters-havent-asked-about-sebelius-breaking-law-in-w-h-briefings/#ixzz26vM1X6XQ

Over one thousand proud, patriotic Americans from the San Francisco Bay Area turned out today in Pacifica to celebrate our 2nd Amendment Freedoms. It was a rally for our country and I thank-you and bless you. This event proved to me that even dispirited conservatives are beginning to coalesce again and fight the insanity coming from the Obama administration!

Go here for the link to the day's great photos!

Please join Brian Sussman, Melanie Morgan and Katie Green from KSFO's Morning Show in Pacifica today. We are holding a Second Amendment Freedom Celebration at City Arms, 90 Eureka Plaza, at High Noon! Bring your pride, your patriotism and your copy of the 2nd amendment!

See you soon!

As their Florida brethren vow to dump the Tea Party label for a  more-effective "brand" after Democrats  made gains in the 2012 elections, the leaders of grassroots conservatives in  California say their movement is strong and is being revived by the controversy  over gun control.

"When someone says the Tea Party's dead, I don't think so," said Sal  Russo, the Sacramento GOP political consultant who founded Tea  Party Express, a network that since it began in early 2009 has connected  millions of conservative activists, raised millions of dollars, and used its  clout to back once-unknown political figures such as Sarah  Palin.

"Of course, the brand has been hammered," Russo said this week. "But the  ideas haven't been hammered - and that's why they will always  come back."

Conservative pundits who have long been active in the Tea Party say that  while many people in the movement were disheartened by President Obama's  re-election, more of them have been re-energized by his announcement this week  of his plans to curb gun violence.

"This going after and trying to mess with the Second Amendment really angers  a lot of Tea Party members and folks who support them," said Brian  Sussman, a KSFO radio talk show host.

To drive home that point, Sussman and talk show host Melanie  Morgan - also a Tea Party favorite - have invited hundreds of people from  California to a "Save Our Second Amendment" rally at the City Arms gun store in  Pacifica on Saturday. It's one of several such gun-rights rallies being held  around the state that day, Sussman said.

Tea Party members, many of whom are libertarian-leaning, care about issues  such as taxes and less government intervention in their lives, Sussman said, and  "they're saying the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be  infringed. They take the Constitution very seriously."

Last year's losses

The rallies in California come as the Tea Party movement faces questions  about its potency in the wake of the November election, when Obama handily beat  Republican Mitt Romney, and Tea Party candidates lost to Democrats in states  including Indiana and Missouri.

This week, the South  Florida Tea Party said it is dropping the Tea Party label, saying it has a  "negative" brand.

In a recent analysis on the Fox & Hounds website, which examines California business and  politics, GOP strategist Tony  Quinn received sharp criticism from Tea Party members after he suggested  that the group, with its support of fringe candidates such as U.S.  Senate hopeful Todd  Akin of Missouri - who went down after he used the term "legitimate rape"  during his campaign - helped prevent the GOP from taking control of the Senate  in 2012.

Stances that angered women, Latinos, independents and youth voters, Quinn  said, contributed to the movement's losses. This week, an NBC/Wall  Street Journal national poll found the Tea Party's popularity at its lowest  ever, with 47 percent of respondents giving it an unfavorable rating, while 23  percent gave it a favorable mark.

Tea Party vs. GOP

But California Tea Party leader Russo said that despite Romney's loss, the  Tea Party "again exhibited electoral strength while the GOP establishment  stumbled." He pointed to 27 new Tea Party conservatives in the House and three  new Tea Party conservatives in the Senate.

"Despite the wishful thinking of liberal Democrats and many in the Republican  establishment, the Tea Party is stronger than ever in Congress,"  Russo said.

Sally Zelikovsky of San Rafael, founder of the Tea Party group known as the Bay  Area Patriots, scoffed at the idea that the movement is dead - and is even  more passionate about the suggestion that the name should be dropped.

"Heck, no," she said. "Democrats did a really good job of misbranding us as  the extreme-radical, homophobic, racist group."

But efforts such as the one in Florida to rebrand the movement are  "misdirected energy," she said. "You don't see Occupy  Wall Street changing their name because of some people being called  tree huggers."

Carla  Marinucci is The San Francisco Chronicle's senior political writer. E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. @cmarinucci

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/politics/article/California-Tea-Party-sticks-with-brand-4207354.php#ixzz2IRUhkc9u

Are you feeling frustrated and afraid about the coming vortex of gun control legislation? You are not alone.

We are organizing a pushback against the Obama admininstration and other gun control advocates who will strip us of our 2nd Amendment rights.

If you live in the San Francisco Bay Area, Please join us, Brian Sussman, myself, and Katie Green this Saturday at City Arms in Pacifica (90 Eureka Square) at High Noon! While Obama is being inugurated, we while be celebrating our Second Amendment rights.

Please join us with your pride, your patriotism and a copy of your constitution!

WANT TO CONTACT YOUR CONGRESSMEMBERS ABOUT GUN CONTROL?  Ruger Makes It Easy.