California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) was served this week with a notice of intent to recall him from office — and that could cause a few headaches for the Republican consulting firm McNally Temple Associates.

[IMGCAP(1)]The Sacramento, Calif.-based firm is a top adviser to former state Assemblyman Dean Andal (R), who is running to unseat freshman Rep. Jerry McNerney (D) in California’s 11th district. The Republican-leaning, Central Valley seat is a top Republican target this cycle.

But McNally Temple also consults for the powerful and well-funded California Correctional Peace Officers Association — the California prison guards union that is spearheading the recall of Schwarzenegger.

However, Richard Temple, who is the lead consultant on the Andal race, insisted in a telephone interview this week that the GOP firm, which he runs with partner Ray McNally, will not be advising the union in the effort to recall Schwarzenegger.

“We’re not going to be working on the recall,” Temple said.

McNally Temple has been providing the CCPOA with political and public relations consulting for 20 years, Temple said, explaining that although his firm values its relationship with the union, it will not get involved in the recall.

Earlier this cycle, McNally Temple consulted for ex-Rep. Doug Ose (R) in his bid to win the GOP nod in the 4th district. State Sen. Tom McClintock (R) won that race.

According to California law, the CCPOA must first submit to Schwarzenegger documented intent of its plan to initiate a recall. Next, it must collect enough valid signatures to place the recall before voters. Schwarzenegger first took office in 2003 after voters recalled then-Gov. Gray Davis (D).

As the Crow Flies. Allan Crow and Associates, a Decatur, Ga.-based Democratic media firm, has opened a Washington, D.C., office on K Street and is looking to staff it after Jan. 1.

“It’s basically so I have a place to come and use a phone and have meetings when I have to come up there,” said Allan Crow, the firm’s president. “We are planning to do more with it after the first of year.”

Crow’s clients include Congressmen and Democrats running for statewide office in Georgia. Crow has also done some independent expenditure work this cycle for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

Among Crow’s clients are Democratic Reps. Hank Johnson (Ga.), Ron Klein (Fla.) and John Salazar (Colo.).

The Buck Stops Here. Brendan Buck has joined the National Republican Congressional Committee for the duration of the campaign.

Buck has signed on with the NRCC’s communications team to fill in for spokeswoman Julie Shutley, who is on maternity leave. After the election, Buck plans to return to his job as communications director for Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.).

Palin’s Pack. Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, the Republican vice presidential nominee, has a lean but comprehensive campaign staff as she seeks to become the first woman to serve in the No. 2 position in the White House.

Handling press for Palin from campaign headquarters is Maria Comella, who earlier this cycle worked in former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s (R) presidential campaign press shop. Comella is serving as Palin’s communications director.

Palin’s traveling press secretary is Tracey Schmitt, a veteran of the Republican National Committee under Ken Mehlman and the Bush/Cheney ’04 campaign.

Also on Palin’s campaign team is Andrew Smith, who is serving the governor as chief of staff.

Tucker Eskew is serving as counselor to Palin. Eskew previously served as deputy assistant to President Bush in the White House Office of Communications, where he was responsible for strategic communications with global audiences.

Steve Biegun is Palin’s foreign policy adviser. Biegun previously served under Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

Joe Donoghue is traveling with the governor and advising her on other policy matters. Donoghue previously served in the Senate office of GOP presidential nominee John McCain (Ariz.).

They Hope to Give ’Em ’El. Former Minnesota Transportation Commissioner El Tinklenberg (D) has added campaign staff for the stretch run as he seeks to unseat freshman Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) in the 6th district.

Alana Peterson, Rep. James Oberstar’s (D-Minn.) longtime political director, officially joined Tinklenberg’s finance team Wednesday, the candidate said.

Marie McCarthy, a local political organizer, also joined the campaign and will focus on turning out the vote in Anoka County, Tinklenberg’s home county.

Benson Kan-Do. Adam Benson, a spokesman for Rep. John Dingell’s (D-Mich.) Congressional office, has taken a temporary leave of absence from his Capitol Hill gig to join Rep. Paul Kanjorski’s (D-Pa.) re-election campaign.

Kanjorski is facing a spirited challenge from Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta (R).

Thanks a Virilion. Lynn Thomlison has been hired as the new creative director at Virilion, a digital communications firm based in Washington, D.C.

Thomlison comes from CBS College Sports, where she was vice president and creative director. Before joining CBS, she was a managing director at Burson-Marsteller.

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