Updating . .   

The case of the mysterious congressional donations -- In his first run for Congress two years ago, Justin Fareed, a relative newcomer to politics, relied mostly on his own money. He didn’t make it past the primary. This year, the 28-year-old Republican, a former UCLA Bruins running back, has significantly more money to work with — $1 million. Javier Panzar in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/2/16

Eyewitness account: UCLA professor's courageous act may have prevented greater tragedy -- A fast-thinking professor's actions may have prevented yesterday's shooting at UCLA from spilling into an even bigger tragedy. According to an eyewitness account professor Chris Lynch held the door to professor Klug’s office door shut after hearing two gunshots come from the office. Kevin Walker KPCC -- 6/2/16

Bill seeking to extend Obamacare to unauthorized immigrants sent to governor -- A bill that could let California extend health insurance under the Affordable Care Act to immigrants who are in the country illegally is on its way to the governor's office. Leslie Berestein Rojas KPCC -- 6/2/16

California lawmakers trade personal attacks during ride-for-hire debate -- Tempers flared on the Assembly floor Thursday as Democratic members from adjoining districts attacked one another in a rare show of open antagonism. The spectacle began when Assemblyman Adrin Nazarian, D-Sherman Oaks, brought up a bill allowing ride-for-hire companies like Uber and Lyft to request the criminal history of its drivers from the California Department of Justice. Jeremy B. White in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 6/2/16

PoliGRAPH: Loretta Sanchez plays to her strengths in TV spot -- Democrat Loretta Sanchez, a veteran congresswoman from Orange County, recently debuted four television ads for her U.S. Senate run in California. One of the ads, titled “Only,” highlights her being named as one of Congress’ most influential women, as well as her committee service, votes in Congress and distinction as the only candidate in the race with national security experience. Christopher Cadelago in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 6/2/16

Hollywood actor thinks political endorsement ‘worth nothing’ -- Days after Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders waded into this year’s state Senate election, so did the man who plays him on TV. Alexei Koseff in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 6/2/16

Decker: Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton in a tight race in California as the campaign batters her popularity -- Hillary Clinton’s popularity has slumped in California under an unrelenting challenge from Bernie Sanders, who has succeeded in breaching the demographic wall Clinton had counted on to protect her in the state’s presidential primary, a new USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times poll has found. Cathleen Decker in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/2/16

Tribune Publishing renames itself Tronc, faces shareholder lawsuit -- The owner of the Los Angeles Times has a new name and a newly elected board, but it’s still dealing with some old business: A shareholder has sued the company, while spurned suitor Gannett Co. said it might continue its push for a buyout. James Rufus Koren in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/2/16

Ryan endorses Trump -- "It’s no secret that he and I have our differences," Ryan wrote in the Janesville Gazette. John Bresnahan Politico -- 6/2/16

Clinton: Trump ‘temperamentally unfit’ for White House -- Hillary Clinton launched a ferocious attack on Donald Trump on Thursday, warning that he was fundamentally unsuited to server as the nation’s commander in chief. “Donald Trump’s ideas aren’t just different; they are dangerously incoherent,” the former secretary of State said in a speech in San Diego. “They aren’t even really ideas, just a series of bizarre rants, personal feuds and outright lies.” Julian Hattem The Hill -- 6/2/16

Jeffe & Jeffe: The Hard Road Of “The Unnatural” -- On paper, Hillary Clinton would seem to be, and probably is, the odds on favorite to be the next president. Why then is she having so much trouble putting Bernie Sanders away and raising eyebrows about her ability to beat Donald Trump in November? Sherry Bebitch Jeffe & Doug Jeffe Fox & Hounds -- 6/2/16

Senator Fighting Ransomware Hit with Cyberattack -- A day after the state Senate approved legislation outlawing ransomware, the bill author’s website was hit. In a tweet Thursday, Sen. Bob Hertzberg, D-Van Nuys, showed a screen shot of his hijacked Senate website. “All of our shared drive files have been encrypted with software typically used in ransomware attacks,” Hertzberg spokesman Andrew LaMar wrote in an e-mail to TechWire. “So we cannot access our shared files.” Samantha Young Techwire.net -- 6/2/16

UCLA gunman had 'kill list' and is linked to second slaying in Minnesota -- The gunman who killed a UCLA professor before committing suicide on campus Wednesday left behind a “kill list” and is suspected in the shooting death of a woman in Minnesota, authorities said. Kate Mather, Richard Winton, Veronica Rocha and Teresa Watanabe in the Los Angeles Times$ Susan Abram in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 6/2/16

Slain UCLA professor William Klug a devout Christian, beloved Little League coach and father of two -- A memorial fund for slain UCLA professor William Klug had raised more than $33,000 through this morning for his family in El Segundo, a small, close-knit town where residents are still reeling from his death. Larry Altman in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 6/2/16

California Democrats seize on Trump University to bolster Clinton -- Prominent California Democrats, including top Latino leaders, are bolstering Hillary Clinton’s latest campaign push before the June 7 primary and seizing on the allegations against Trump University to attack Republican nominee Donald Trump. Carla Marinucci Politico -- 6/2/16

Politifact CA: No, Donald Trump. You haven't broken the GOP voting record ‘by millions’ ... yet -- During a campaign speech in Sacramento on Wednesday, Donald Trump repeated claims about how many votes he’s received in the Republican presidential primary. Chris Nichols Politifact CA -- 6/2/16

Calbuzz: Field Poll: Clinton v Sanders Down to the Wire in CA -- With overwhelming support among younger voters and independents, Bernie Sanders has drawn within two percentage points of Hillary Clinton in California’s Democratic presidential primary race, according to the Field Poll released today, which found sharp demographic differences in the potential electorate. Jerry Roberts and Phil Trounstine CalBuzz -- 6/2/16

Easing Drought Boosts California Hydropower, For Now -- The easing of California’s drought has boosted the state’s early spring hydropower generation to its highest level since 2011, helping it to recover from a 15-year low reached last year. But hydroelectricity production is not expected to improve much overall this year, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Bobby Magill KQED -- 6/2/16

Immigrants here illegally could have chance to buy health coverage if Brown signs legislation -- The state Senate on Thursday sent Gov. Jerry Brown a measure that would ask for federal approval to allow immigrants in the country illegally to purchase their own health insurance through the Covered California Health Insurance Exchange. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/2/16

Berkeley Physician Opens Practice Focusing on Aid-in-Dying -- Few people have the unusual set of professional experiences that Lonny Shavelson does. He worked as an emergency room physician in Berkeley for years — while also working as a journalist. He has written several books and takes hauntingly beautiful photographs. Lisa Aliferis KQED -- 6/2/16

Lawmakers, labor chief seek reviews of California workers’ comp fraud -- A California lawmaker says “something needs to be done” about widespread medical fraud in the state’s workers’ compensation system and called on a state commission Tuesday to launch an in-depth review of the matter. Christina Jewett Center for Investigative Reporting -- 6/2/16

How Much is Enough? San Jose Votes on Pot Club Regulations -- On June 7th, San Jose voters will be deciding on a ballot measure that would allow medical marijuana collectives in parts of the city where they’re currently banned. But organized support for Measure C is in disarray. Peter Jon Shuler KQED -- 6/2/16

These California mega-donors haven't given a penny in the U.S. Senate race -- The top two Democrats in California’s U.S. Senate race have raised more than a combined $12 million for their campaigns, but many of the state’s most generous and loyal campaign donors have yet to crack open their wallets. Phil Willon and Maloy Moore in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/2/16

Gov. Jerry Brown's housing plan could wipe away development rules in Los Angeles and San Francisco -- Robert Tillman owns a coin-operated laundromat in San Francisco’s Mission District, a neighborhood at the epicenter of California’s housing crisis. Over the last 2½ years, he’s spent nearly $500,000 on plans to tear down the business to build apartments. But although the city has zoned the property for apartments, Tillman hasn’t gotten very far. Liam Dillon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/2/16

Elon Musk’s predictions: Apple car in four years, people on Mars by 2025 -- Mark this on your calendar: 2025 and 2020. Those are Elon Musk’s predictions/forecasts/educated guesses for when people will arrive on Mars, and when Apple will start making cars, respectively. Levi Sumagaysay in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 6/2/16

Horsey: Donald Trump campaigns in his own weird 'Wonderland' -- Donald Trump is like a character from “Alice in Wonderland.” He has his own unusual look, his own surreal life and, most of all, his own curious logic. David Horsey in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/2/16

Shareholder sues Tribune Publishing board over spurned Gannett bid -- The battle between Los Angeles Times owner Tribune Publishing and its spurned suitor continued Thursday as a Gannett executive made an in-person appeal at the Tribune’s annual meeting and as a shareholder sued the company’s board. James Rufus Koren in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/2/16

 

California Policy & Politics This Morning   

Oil money flows for black and Latino Democrats -- It’s not often that interest groups call out public officials by their race, but as environmentalists evaluated state lawmakers’ voting records last year, that is just what they did. Laurel Rosenhall Calmatters.org -- 6/2/16

Millions sit idle in California's U.S. Senate race as big donors wait for end of the primary -- The top two Democrats in California’s U.S. Senate race have raised more than a combined $12 million for their campaigns, but many of the state’s most generous and loyal campaign donors have yet to crack open their wallets. Phil Willon and Maloy Moore in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/2/16

Bernie Sanders links ‘rise of Trumpism’ to racism -- Sen. Bernie Sanders kept up his seemingly nonstop tour of the state Wednesday, drawing distinctions with Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, but saving his toughest attacks for presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 6/2/16

Bernie Sanders takes on Trump over drought and climate change -- Bernie Sanders, traipsing across far-flung regions of California as he seeks a comeback victory here next week, swatted at likely Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump for minimizing the state’s water shortage and the effects of climate change. Christopher Cadelago in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 6/2/16

Bernie Sanders supporters in Davis skeptical of Hillary Clinton -- Hillary Clinton appears on the verge of clinching the Democratic presidential nomination. But waiting in line for a rally at UC Davis Wednesday night, young supporters of challenger Bernie Sanders wavered as they considered voting for her in November’s general election. Alexei Koseff in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 6/2/16

Poll: Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders neck and neck in California -- The Field Poll, released Wednesday, is the third poll in a week to put Clinton ahead of Sanders by 2 percentage points, a finding within Field’s margin of error. David Siders in the Sacramento Bee$ Peter Fimrite in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 6/2/16-- 6/2/16

Skelton: Campaigning on legalizing marijuana: Is Bernie Sanders smoking something? -- Nits and lice from the California primary trail. No, I’m not calling politicians parasites. Not necessarily. George Skelton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/2/16

Donald Trump warns Barack Obama he will ‘hit him’ like Bill Clinton -- Donald Trump, lashing back at Barack Obama after the president waded forcefully into the presidential campaign, on Wednesday said Obama “doesn’t have a clue” and threatened to turn his attacks on him in retaliation. David Siders and Jeremy B. White in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 6/2/16

Donald Trump attacks both Clintons to applause in Sacramento -- Donald Trump suggested on Wednesday that he intended to wage a summer and fall campaign against both Hillary Clinton and former President Bill Clinton, a one-two attack that drew cheers from a boisterous crowd here. John Myers in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/2/16

Clinton to give national security speech in San Diego -- Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton plans to deliver a major national security speech in San Diego Thursday and make her first appearance in the city as a formal presidential candidate. Joshua Stewart in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 6/2/16

Clinton, Sanders look to mobilize complacent California voters -- With the presidency on the line, it's the well-documented tendency of many voters in a state filled with sunshine and distractions to shrug at election days. And Southern California, a base of support for Hillary Clinton, has a notoriously uneven record when it comes to voter turnout. Michael R. Blood and Ken Thomas Associated Press -- 6/2/16

Judge rejects lawsuit claiming denial of voting rights -- A lawsuit by supporters of Bernie Sanders that claimed election officials in California were depriving unaffiliated voters of their right to cast ballots in the June 7 Democratic presidential primary was filed too late and lacked evidence that federal laws were violated, a judge ruled Wednesday. Sudhin Thanawala Associated Press -- 6/2/16

New PAC created to combat Donald Trump’s ‘anti-immigrant policies’ -- Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa announced Wednesday the creation of a political action committee aimed at combating “anti-immigrant policies” being espoused by presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump The item is in the Los Angeles Daily News -- 6/2/16

Kamala Harris' two roles - state's top cop and Senate candidate - leave Dekraai case in limbo -- California Attorney General Kamala Harris is talking a lot these days in her bid to become a U.S. senator, but one subject she’s not mentioning is her complex role in Orange County’s highest-profile criminal case – the penalty phase in the trial of confessed mass murderer Scott Dekraai. Tony Saavedra in the Orange County Register -- 6/2/16

Ami Bera encouraged family to give to Democrats supporting him -- Democratic Rep. Ami Bera said Wednesday that a complex series of campaign donations involving his parents and the families of other Democrats often were arranged by the candidates themselves. Christopher Cadelago in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 6/2/16

Lopez: Will Sacramento lawmakers restore trust in the Coastal Commission? -- About six years ago, on a fabulously sunny day in Malibu, it became abundantly clear how in the dark I was about coastal development in California. Steve Lopez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/2/16

LA Archdiocese begins 9 days of prayer, fasting before ‘right-to-die’ bill takes effect -- The bishop’s message was simple: A new California law legalizing physician-assisted suicide evidenced a “moral failure” in society. Courtney Tompkins in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 6/2/16

Friend of San Bernardino shooters had ties to 'jihadists' planning to fight with Al Qaeda, prosecutors say -- Enrique Marquez Jr., who is awaiting trial on charges that he helped the San Bernardino shooters, was tied to a “group of jihadists” planning to move from California to Afghanistan to fight with Al Qaeda, federal prosecutors revealed in new court documents. Joseph Serna in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/2/16

Senate approves backup cash for L.A. Olympics bid -- The state Senate on Wednesday approved a bill that would have the state cover up to $250 million in liabilities if Los Angeles’ bid to host the Summer Olympics in 2024 is approved and the effort goes over budget. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/2/16

Professor killed in UCLA murder-suicide brilliant, kind, caring, colleagues say -- Several sources identified the victim as William S. Klug, 39, a father of two who studied the interaction between mechanics and biology. Sarah Parvini, Kate Mather and Hailey Branson-Potts in the Los Angeles Times$ Brenda Gazzar and Susan Abram in the Los Angeles Daily News$-- 6/2/16

UCLA students, staff struggled with unlocked doors during shooting -- Officials at UCLA said Wednesday afternoon that they were troubled by reports that people inside the campus in the aftermath of a shooting on campus were unable to lock doors inside the building. Amanda Lee Myers and Alina Hartounian Associated Press -- 6/2/16

Garcetti endorses Janice Hahn in race for county supervisor -- With less than a week to go before the election, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced his endorsement Wednesday of Janice Hahn in the race to replace Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe. Abby Sewell in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/2/16

PG&E recommended for huge fine for poor record keeping -- Pacific Gas & Electric Co. faced another financial hit for shoddy record keeping Wednesday as a state hearing officer recommended a $24.3 million penalty for lapses in natural gas records leading to a March 2014 explosion that destroyed an unoccupied cottage in Carmel. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 6/2/16

Saunders: Democrats’ latest power grab: let felons vote in jail -- California lawmakers seem intent on making Sacramento the place where reasonable reforms, much like runaway trains, jump the tracks. In that no-speed-limit spirit Tuesday, the California Assembly voted 41-37 to allow convicted felons to vote in jail. Debra J. Saunders in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 6/2/16

Patt Morrison asks: Sen. Barbara Boxer -- Barbara Boxer has had a title in front of her name for four decades — first, Marin County supervisor, then member of Congress, and now United States senator. Soon it will be “former,” as the lifelong Democrat departs Capitol Hill to come back to California. There’s another moniker too – “author.” Patt Morrison in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/2/16

Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensions   

Gov. Jerry Brown's housing plan could wipe away development rules in Los Angeles and San Francisco -- Robert Tillman owns a coin-operated laundromat in San Francisco’s Mission District, a neighborhood at the epicenter of California’s housing crisis. Liam Dillon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/2/16

San Francisco, New York, San Jose: costliest cities for renters -- San Jose is now the third-most expensive rental market in the country. Only San Francisco and New York are costlier. Richard Scheinin in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 6/2/16

New opposition to Chargers initiative -- A group representing non-union construction companies and workers declared its opposition on Wednesday to a Chargers-sponsored citizens’ initiative for a downtown stadium and convention center annex. David Garrick in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 6/2/16

Ex-CalPERS chief will collect part of state pension in prison -- Former CalPERS chief executive Fred Buenrostro has surrendered his freedom and agreed to cough up the ill-gotten gains from his bribery scheme. The one thing Buenrostro won’t forfeit is his CalPERS pension – not most of it, anyway. Dale Kasler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 6/2/16

Education 

State officials find LA Unified shortchanged students -- In a ruling with statewide implications and financial repercussions for the state’s largest school district, the California Department of Education has determined that Los Angeles Unified has shortchanged low-income students, English learners and foster children by hundreds of millions of dollars they should have received through the state’s new funding system. John Fensterwald EdSource -- 6/2/16

Schools will begin to track students from military families -- Schools across the country are preparing to formally track students from military families, monitoring their academic progress as they move from military base to military base and state to state, under a new provision in the federal education law. Jane Meredith Adams EdSource -- 6/2/16

East Bay Charter Schools Unionize -- Will charters still be viewed as the model for reforming public schools? Julian Mark Oakland Magazine -- 6/2/16

Guns   

California lawmakers invoke UCLA shooting in passing gun-control bills -- The same day as a fatal shooting at UCLA , the state Assembly on Wednesday approved a package of gun control bills including an expansion of the state’s gun restraining order law allowing courts to take firearms away from people judged to be a danger to themselves or others. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/2/16

News of UCLA shooting arrives as L.A. City Council discusses gun violence -- Wednesday’s murder-suicide shooting at UCLA took place on the same day that the Los Angeles City Council was staging a ceremony commemorating National Gun Violence Awareness Day. David Zahniser in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/2/16

Environment 

San Francisco, Oakland step up efforts to fight climate change -- Under the deal, San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf and their counterparts in Los Angeles; Seattle; Portland, Ore.; and Vancouver, B.C., will encourage widespread reporting of energy usage in large buildings in their cities and the use of zero-emission vehicles. Hamed Aleaziz in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 6/2/16

Lawmaker Wants Answers After Shell Pipeline Suffers 2nd Rupture and Spill -- San Joaquin County Assemblywoman Susan Eggman plans to meet with Shell Oil officials after learning one of the company’s crude petroleum pipelines has ruptured twice in the past eight months. Ted Goldberg KQED -- 6/2/16

Health 

11 deaths at Pasadena's Huntington Hospital may be linked to dirty scopes -- Pasadena health officials said Wednesday that 16 patients were infected by dangerous bacteria from medical scopes at Huntington Hospital from January 2013 to August 2015, including 11 who have now died. Melody Petersen in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/2/16

Also . . . 

Podcast: Police Brutality in This Golden State -- How could the Bay Area, one of the most liberal places in the country, and one of the most racially integrated places in the world, be home to so many police killings of people of color? Do protests on the streets make a difference? Randy Shandobil This Golden State -- 6/2/16

Long Beach won't appeal a ruling that said police stings unfairly targeted gay men -- Long Beach’s city prosecutor said Wednesday he will not appeal a judge’s ruling that said the city police department unfairly targeted gay men when it carried out lewd conduct stings. James Queally in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/2/16

Oakland Finally Gets a Handle on Violent Crime -- During the last few years, homicides and gun violence have decreased as the police department has solved an increasing number of violent crimes. The secret? Ceasefire. Ali Winston Oakland Magazine -- 6/2/16

POTUS 44

Obama previews his role in the presidential campaign as an attacker of Trump's proposals -- President Obama burst into the general election debate on Wednesday with a withering critique of Donald Trump and a defense of his own economic record, telling voters they shouldn’t be fooled by arguments that are untrue. Michael A. Memoli in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/2/16

Obama stages Republican voter intervention -- President Barack Obama’s message in the heartland on Wednesday recalled the simplicity of the original Clinton campaign: If you’re voting on the economy, it’s stupid to vote for a Republican. Sarah Wheaton Politico -- 6/2/16

Beltway 

The good, the bad and the Donald: Documents paint conflicting portraits of Trump U -- Court documents unsealed this week in two class-action lawsuits against Trump University portray the program as a “fraudulent scheme” that employed high-pressure sales tactics — as well as a place where some participants got “exceptional” advice about profiting from real estate. Greg Moran in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/2/16