WASHINGTON, April 12 (UPI) -- Capital Comment -- Daily news notes, political rumors, and important events that shape politics and public policy in Washington and the world from United Press International.
The bare facts -- Barely more than a week after voters turned her out of office in a recall election, former Georgetown, Colo., Mayor Koleen Brooks has a surprise for them. On Wednesday, she was in Chicago to pose "au natural" for photos that will soon appear on the Playboy magazine Web site. Brooks told Capital Comment that posing for Playboy "Was one of my life's dreams and I am very happy about it."
Voters recalled her by a substantial margin but she is nevertheless considering a run for mayor in the next election. Asked if the photos will be a plus or minus in her future political efforts, she told Capital Comment, "I am simply continuing on with my promotions of Georgetown and if (the photos) hurts next year when I run again, then so be it." In the mid-80s, Brooks worked as a stripper in a Denver-area nightspot, so the idea of public nudity is not new to her.
More naked news -- Rep. Mark Foley, R-Fla., offered this observation about the bipartisan effort to protect worker pensions currently being discussed on Capitol Hill, "If this legislation was in place a year ago, Enron's hard-working employees would not have to shed their skivvies in Playboy to supplement their retirements." The magazine is reportedly putting together a pictorial devoted to women who once worked for the failed energy company.
Are you packing? -- An Ohio appeals court has affirmed a lower court's ruling that the state ban on carrying concealed weapons is unconstitutional. The 1st Ohio District Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday that the state's prohibition on the carrying of a concealed weapon and of having a loaded weapon in a vehicle violates the right to self-defense guaranteed in the constitution.
The Ohio attorney general's office asked the state Supreme Court to issue an immediate delay of the ruling pending an appeal but Second Amendment advocates are nonetheless cheering the win.
Nice work if you can get it -- The Yucaipa American Fund and the Yucaipa Corporate Initiatives Fund -- which specialize in investments in lower-income and rural areas -- have brought on a new senior adviser -- former President Bill Clinton. Ron Burkle, the managing partner of the two investment funds, made his fortune in the grocery business and is a friend of Clinton. The level of compensation the former chief executive would receive for his work, which is expected to include meeting with elected officials and community activists in places where the funds would like to put their money, was not disclosed.
Radio-active politicians -- Political activists in Utah are asking whether the continued presence on the airwaves of two congressional candidates is a violation of FCC and FEC rules. Former U.S. Rep. Merrill Cook, R-Utah, and Tom Draschil, who is challenging 3rd Congressional District GOP Rep. Chris Cannon in the party primary, both have regular slots on Salt Lake City's radio station KTKK. According to listeners, both Cook and Draschil use their programs to promote their candidacies -- with Draschil repeatedly asking listeners to visit his Web site and make contributions to his campaign. GOP supporters of Cannon and opponents of Cook are reportedly considering making a formal complaint to both the FEC and FCC, alleging that the rules prohibiting corporate contributions to federal political campaigns are being violated each time the two men take to the air.
Maybe they objected to the script -- The planned Turner Network Television project to turn Ayn Rand's landmark novel "Atlas Shrugged" into a miniseries has reportedly been shelved according to MissLiberty.com, a libertarian Web site. The company that owns the film rights to the book says they now hope to turn the book into a major motion picture and have rewritten the script with that in mind. It is reportedly being circulated in Hollywood with the hopes of attracting major financial and creative interest. Of course, casting still remains a problem -- can anyone really see Sharon Stone as Dagny Taggart?
Poll vaulting -- The Democracy Corps, a group founded in 1999 by Democrat solons James Carville, Stanley Greenberg and Bob Shrum, has released the results of a poll of 1,000 likely voters, conducted April 2-4. According to Michael Meehan, the message and polling director for the Democratic National Committee, "The poll reveals a dramatic shift in the generic congressional vote where the Democrats now enjoy a 46-42 edge over the Republicans."
Meehan calls the results an important development that places the political ball in the Democrats' court. "With a 15-point advantage on Social Security, and 23-point advantages on health care, prescription drugs and energy and the environment, Democrats have an immense opportunity to offer bold proposals and be heard by the public on the serious challenges facing America," Meehan says.
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