Mathew Littman has advised Barack Obama’s presidential campaign, written speeches for Joe Biden, contributed to Huffington Post and debated Ann Coulter and other conservatives on Fox. But he sat out during last week’s elections because punditry doesn’t fit with his new full-time job: senior director of government relations for Irvine chipmaker Broadcom Corp. It’s a newly created position. Littman says Broadcom decided it needs its own voice in Washington, D.C., on such issues as patent reform, taxation of repatriated profits and threatened penalties for shipping jobs overseas. Littman says money wasn’t a factor in giving up his L.A.-based consultancy, which included Broadcom as a client. Rather, he was drawn by Broadcom’s “entrepreneurial culture” and “freedom to do your work.” He says he knows how to be bipartisan. And he’s invited Irvine’s re-elected Republican Rep. John Campbell to a “town hall” meeting with Broadcom employees …
A series of motivational DVDs that Littman wrote featuring NFL coaches Sean Payton, Rex Ryan and Mike Ditka goes on sale this week …
Campbell, on Boxer and others who campaigned against jobs going to China: “California’s more immediate danger will be losing jobs and productive people to Texas and Tennessee” …
The Insider is hearing a number of people make this case for governor-elect Jerry Brown as the best hope to stop California’s fiscal train wreck: He is experienced, is a maverick, wants to burnish his legacy and at age 72 has nothing to lose from tough decisions that bite the union hands that fed his campaign. An Insider suggestion for Brown: Appoint and empower a blue-ribbon commission headed by Pete Wilson and Willie Brown …
Coast Highway restaurant watch: The Insider hears that Katsuya, the L.A. Japanese chain popular with Hollywood celebs, will be opening at the former Hush space in Laguna Beach; also, that Fletcher “Ted” Jones and wife Kimberly have purchased Billy’s in Newport Beach with plans for a makeover …
Laguna Beach’s Imax-film pioneer Greg MacGillivray recently became the first documentary maker to pass $1 billion in box office sales …
Bruce Brown “and other surf legends” will be on hand for a digitally remastered screening of “The Endless Summer” Nov. 16 at the Pacific Edge Hotel in Laguna Beach …
Have you noticed Pimco’s Bill Gross ripping the Fed’s easy-money policy? He’s called it a Ponzi scheme and warned the dollar’s value eventually could drop 20% …
Six generations of Herberts, from Gavin’s 98-year-old mom Ninetta to 6-week-old great-great grandson Greyson Franke, were on hand for the site dedication of UCI’s Gavin Herbert Eye Institute. The project is two-thirds of the way toward its $31 million fundraising goal and scheduled for a spring groundbreaking (see Healthcare column). Allergan founder Herbert, who recalled walking the then-barren campus with first Chancellor Dan Aldrich in the early ’60s, said the institute will underscore OC’s rise to “the world center of ophthalmology research.”
