Updating . .   

New parole rules released as California prisons near court-ordered cap -- As the state prison population comes close to exceeding a court-mandated limit, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is pursuing new regulations that aim to get more inmates paroled more quickly over time. Alexei Koseff in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/24/17

California’s vow to reduce auto pollution may be setting up a full-out war with Trump -- Wielding the same authority created decades ago to fight smog, California regulators on Friday moved forward with tough new pollution-reduction requirements for automakers selling cars in the state. Chris Megerian in the Los Angeles Times$ Dale Kasler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/24/17

Tax reform next? Maybe not. -- The GOP was counting on repeal of Obamacare and its nearly $1 trillion in taxes to help finance sweeping tax cuts. Aaron Lorenzo Politico -- 3/24/17

White House launches damage control after health bill collapses -- ‘This is 100 percent a Ryan failure,’ one senior administration official said after the Obamacare repeal bill was pulled on Friday. Matthew Nussbaum and Tara Palmeri Politico -- 3/24/17

House GOP abruptly pulls troubled health care bill -- Republican leaders have abruptly pulled their troubled health care overhaul bill off the House floor, short of votes and eager to avoid a humiliating defeat for President Donald Trump and GOP leaders. Associated Press -- 3/24/17

Ghost Ship owners knew of dangerous electrical system before deadly fire -- More than two years before December’s Ghost Ship fire claimed 36 lives, the building’s owners knew of dangerous electrical problems there — including a transformer fire in an adjacent space never reported to authorities — and learned that tenants had installed power upgrades without city permits, according to emails obtained by this news organization. But they resisted efforts to fix the problems. Aaron Davis, Matthias Gafni, Thomas Peele and David Debolt in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 3/24/17

Audit: California tax collectors on ‘parking lot duty’ for promotional events as politicos push boundaries -- A soon-to-be released audit of the state Board of Equalization finds that the agency still can’t explain how it misallocated tens of millions of dollars worth of tax revenue and describes how one of its elected leaders effectively swelled his political staff by “redirecting” civil servants to his own projects. Adam Ashton in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/24/17

UC Berkeley Chancellor Nicholas Dirks improperly accepted free fitness benefits, university probe finds -- UC Berkeley Chancellor Nicholas Dirks improperly accepted free university benefits, including membership to the campus fitness center, two years of personal training sessions and the unauthorized transfer of exercise equipment from the public gym to his private residence, a university investigation has found. Teresa Watanabe in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/24/17

Like an invisibility cloak, Latina Muslims find the hijab hides their ethnicity — from Latinos -- Magdalena Al Omari, a Mexican American convert to Islam, slipped on the hijab and braced for whatever may come. It happened a few months later, in the checkout line of a grocery store in Santa Ana. Cindy Carcamo in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/24/17

California to free 9,500 inmates in 4 years -- Corrections officials adopted new criminal sentencing rules on Friday that aim to trim California's prison population by 9,500 inmates after four years. Don Thompson Associated Press -- 3/24/17

L.A. City Council backs plan to knock down Parker Center, build office tower -- Over the objections of preservationists, the Los Angeles City Council voted Friday to demolish the LAPD’s Parker Center and replace the former police headquarters with a $483-million office tower for city employees. Dakota Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ Elizabeth Chou in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 3/24/17

California Uber drivers would need only one business license under new legislation -- Senate Bill 182 from state Sen. Steven Bradford (D-Los Angeles) attempts to make it easier for drivers to comply with local rules governing taxation and registration for independent contractors — an employee classification the companies have long argued fits their drivers. Liam Dillon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/24/17

Robots could take over 38% of U.S. jobs within about 15 years, report says -- More than a third of U.S. jobs could be at “high risk” of automation by the early 2030s, a percentage that’s greater than in Britain, Germany and Japan, according to a report released Friday. Samantha Masunaga in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/24/17

California adds 22,900 jobs in February; unemployment rate ticks down to 5% -- Employers in California increased their payrolls by a net 22,900 employees in February, according to data released Friday by the state’s Employment Development Department. Natalie Kitroeff in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/24/17

Why higher tariffs would hurt the Inland Empire economy -- In his annual forecast for San Bernardino and Riverside counties, economist John Husing cautioned Thursday that the region will suffer if President Donald Trump follows through on his campaign promise to increase taxes on imports. Andrea Bernstein KPCC -- 3/24/17

California’s Chief Justice: Trump Dissing Judges Threatens the Courts -- A week after telling federal officials to stop “stalking undocumented immigrants” in the state’s courthouses, California’s Supreme Court Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye says she’s none too happy about President Donald Trump’s disparaging comments about judges, either. Scott Shafer KQED -- 3/24/17

Stem cell agency founder eyes $5 billion in state funding -- The man often called the father of the California stem cell agency all but said he is set to launch an effort to pump an additional $5 billion in state funding into the research effort, which is scheduled to run out of cash in about three years. David Jensen Capitol Weekly -- 3/24/17

Voters pound Valley GOP congressmen’s phones as health care vote approaches -- Every staff person at Rep. David Valadao’s office in Washington, D.C., had one job Friday – answering telephones that were ringing non-stop. So many calls were coming into the Hanford Republican’s office that Valadao spokesman Anna Vetter wasn’t surprised if people were getting busy signals. Barbara Anderson in the Fresno Bee -- 3/24/17

Fox: There Ought to Be a Law…That is Ignored -- UCLA basketball is facing Kentucky in the Sweet 16 tonight in Memphis, Tennessee. Eyebrows were raised when the trip to Tennessee was justified despite a state law that prohibits California tax-supported individuals from traveling to certain states blackballed because those states passed laws tabbed discriminatory by California politicians. Tennessee has a law that allows therapists to deny service to gay and transgender clients. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 3/24/17

Jeffe & Jeffe: Congressman Schiff: Ready for His Close-Up -- With Barack Obama keeping a low profile and Bill and Hillary Clinton sidelined, there has been a lot of hand wringing about the lack of fresh Democratic leadership. Now, from the relative obscurity of the California Congressional delegation, a new Democratic “person of the hour” has materialized –Congressman Adam Schiff (D-Burbank). Sherry Bebitch Jeffe & Doug Jeffe Fox & Hounds -- 3/24/17

 

California Policy & Politics This Morning  

Gold Star father, in San Francisco speech, keeps Constitution in hand, heart -- Khizr Khan, the most famous man ever to pull the U.S. Constitution out of his coat pocket, said Thursday in San Francisco that he almost didn’t do it. Steve Rubenstein in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 3/24/17

List of problem L.A. deputies should be sent to prosecutor, civilian panel says -- A Los Angeles County sheriff’s civilian oversight commission on Thursday backed Sheriff Jim McDonnell’s attempt to send prosecutors the names of deputies found to have committed serious misconduct on the job. Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/24/17

Candidates for California governor debate charter school movement -- Three Democrats in the contest – Antonio Villaraigosa, John Chiang and Delaine Eastin – all said at an education forum in Sacramento that they support the concept of charter schools, but expressed widely varying views on key issues, including school funding, accountability and student accessibility. Angela Hart in the Sacramento Bee$ Ben Bradford Capital Public Radio Phil Willon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/24/17

Rich, poor: California’s split personality -- Two recent studies have confirmed it: In California, poverty exists in the most unlikely places. Chuck Mcfadden Capitol Weekly -- 3/24/17

Could Gov. Jerry Brown be the new face of an anti-nukes campaign? He's thinking about it -- For Gov. Jerry Brown, the question isn’t why he spent so much time in Washington this week talking about the growing threat of nuclear annihilation — it’s why everyone else isn’t doing the same. John Myers in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/24/17

California passes nation’s toughest methane emission regulations -- California air quality officials have approved what are widely considered to be the most rigorous and comprehensive regulations in the country for controlling methane emissions, a move that helps cement the state’s status as a standard-bearer for environmental protection. Dominic Fracassa in the San Francisco Chronicle Chris Megerian in the Los Angeles Times$ Rob Nikolewski in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 3/24/17

Walters: Legislators propose bonds, need skeptic Brown’s OK -- Developers and educators formed a somewhat strange alliance last year to write and ultimately win voter approval of a $9 billion bond issue for schools. Dan Walters in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/24/17

Rural California Counties Could Be Hit Hard Under Obamacare Repeal -- In California, it was largely rural counties that voted to elect Donald Trump president. Trump made repealing the ACA one of his key campaign talking points. But Dr. Anthony Iton with the California Endowment says those counties have among the most to lose should the ACA be repealed. Katie Orr KQED -- 3/24/17

California's doctors in Congress both laid out their objections to the healthcare bill in videos -- While House Republicans spent the day Thursday trying to reach agreement among themselves on their healthcare bill and ended up delaying the vote that was scheduled to take place, Democrats have been using one of the few tools available to them to stop the bill: public perception. Sarah D. Wire in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/24/17

California Lawmaker Proposes to Curb High-Interest Loans -- Later, Davis realized her $2,600 loan had an annual interest rate of 200 percent. If she completed the four-year repayment plan, she would have paid about $20,000. California limits interest rates for consumer loans under $2,500. But larger loans, like the one that Davis got, have no such limits. Farida Jhabvala Romero KQED -- 3/24/17

Damage, design flaws in Oroville Dam spillway point to lengthy repairs, consultants say -- The main spillway at Oroville Dam is riddled with design flaws and so badly damaged that an independent panel of experts hired by the state has concluded it’s probably impossible to repair the structure completely before the next rainy season begins in November. Ryan Sabalow and Dale Kasler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/24/17

Another reservoir overflows as Northern California receives more rain -- The milestones marking California’s wettest year in decades continued to pile up Thursday, as state water officials said a reservoir high up in the Sierra Nevada has exceeded capacity for the first time in 21 years. Lake Davis began overflowing onto its earth-and-rock spillway Wednesday after a couple of light rainstorms this week, Department of Water Resources officials said. Joseph Serna in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/24/17

Trump supporters shut down Ontario town hall with state’s attorney general -- President Trump supporters shut down a town hall meeting featuring the new state attorney general Thursday night. At two stops in the Inland Empire Thursday, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra pledged to fight for Californians who have never been able to experience the American dream. Beau Yarbrough in the San Bernardino Sun$ -- 3/24/17

Pro-Trump march in Huntington Beach expected to draw thousands, including protesters -- The organizers of the Make America Great Again march and rally, Saturday, at Bolsa Chica State Beach are crossing their fingers and hoping for a peaceful event. Gregg Mellen in the Orange County Register -- 3/24/17

Duncan Hunter Under Criminal Investigation for Ethics Violations -- The Justice Department has opened a criminal investigation into a California congressman who faces allegations that he spent tens of thousands of dollars in campaign funds on family trips to Hawaii and Italy, private school tuition and dance competitions for his children, and even video games, officials disclosed Thursday. Eric Lichtblau in the New York Times$ John Bresnahan Politico Sarah D. Wire and Morgan Cook in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/24/17

Housing  

Seller’s market? Bay Area home sales slip, but prices soar -- Declining Bay Area home sales last month made it the most sluggish February in nine years, but prices jumped sharply as buyers bid on a shrinking supply of single-family homes. Richard Scheinin in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 3/24/17

Home prices continue to rise in Sacramento region -- The price of homes in the Sacramento region continued to spike in February, according to Thursday’s report by Irvine-based real estate market tracker CoreLogic. Richard Chang in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/24/17

Marin median home price hits $992,550; sales drop -- The median price of a Marin home jumped 7 percent in February, to $992,550 compared with the previous February, while sales dropped 16 percent, a real estate information service reported Thursday. Janis Mara in the Marin Independent Journal -- 3/24/17

Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensions 

L.A. Times owner buys out major shareholder that pushed for sale of company -- The owner of the Los Angeles Times on Thursday bought out a major shareholder that had pushed for a sale — and at the same time gave the company’s chairman, Michael Ferro, the ability to boost his ownership stake. James Rufus Koren in the Los Angeles Times$ Lukis I. Alpert in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 3/24/17

Theranos Offers Shares for Promise Not to Sue -- Blood-testing company’s board approves deal to give investors some of founder Elizabeth Holmes’s personal stake; Murdoch walks away. Christopher Weaver and John Carreyrou in the Wall Street Journal -- 3/24/17

Amazon’s big East Palo Alto lease means 1,300 new tech jobs -- Amazon has leased a big office complex in East Palo Alto in a deal that will give the Silicon Valley city its largest tech presence and add 1,300 jobs, dramatically increasing the number of people who work in the city. Geoge Avalos in the Santa Cruz Sentinel -- 3/24/17

Education 

UC president to send 'strong' message on Mexico trip -- University of California President Janet Napolitano is crossing the border next week to send a "strong and loud" message to Mexico - which she clearly hopes will resonate in Washington - that America should not isolate its neighbor. Jocelyn Gecker Associated Press -- 3/24/17

Posters to go up at UC San Diego targeting Janet Napolitano and 'sanctuary campuses' -- An organization founded by conservative activist David Horowitz said it will put up posters at UC San Diego on Friday calling for University of California President Janet Napolitano to be prosecuted over "sanctuary campuses." Kate Morrissey in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 3/24/17

Parents strongly object to report calling for local funding of special education -- State Board of Education President Michael Kirst called a report urging California officials to dismantle the current special education funding system “provocative and bold.” John Fensterwald EdSource. -- 3/24/17

Digital app helps to boost vocabulary of English Learners in Napa preschools – Napa County is the first county in the country to implement a countywide digital early literacy program. Ashley Hopkinson EdSource -- 3/24/17

Cannabis 

Medical marijuana dispensaries running afoul of California tax board -- Thirteen medical marijuana dispensaries owe more than $12 million in unpaid state taxes, according to a report recently published by the Board of Equalization. The list includes several pioneers of the medical marijuana movement, who opened dispensaries not long after California became the first state to legalize weed as medicine in 1996. Brooke Staggs in the Long Beach Press Telegram$ -- 3/24/17

Immigration / Border 

City officials warn of notario scams as immigrants seek help to avoid deportation -- Los Angeles officials are raising awareness about scams by unscrupulous immigration consultants, often referred to as notarios, as people living in the country illegally seek help to avoid deportation in the wake of stiffer enforcement. Leslie Berestein Rojas KPCC -- 3/24/17

Catholic diocese warns churches to be ready for ICE searching for immigrants, refugees -- Bishop Kevin Vann has sent a letter to all Diocese of Orange parishes directing them to be prepared in the event of an encounter with immigration enforcement officials at or near a church, school, hospital or clinic. Deepa Bharath in the Orange County Register -- 3/24/17

Among white Americans, people without college degrees are driving an increase in death rates -- In 2015, a pair of economists received widespread attention for their study showing that since the late 1990s the death rate has been rising for middle-aged white Americans. Now a new analysis by the same Princeton University team has identified which part of that population was driving that trend: People without college degrees. Matt Pearce in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/24/17

Also . . . 

LA Police Commission wants your input on whether to release LAPD body camera video -- Video footage from body cameras worn by Los Angeles police officers is typically not released to the public, but that may change depending on input received by the Los Angeles Police Commission over the next few months through community meetings, focus groups and an internet survey. Elizabeth Chou in the Los Angeles Daily News$ Kate Mather in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/24/17

Emmy-winning producer gets 13 years in prison for trying to kill Studio City tenant over Oscars joke -- An Emmy-winning producer was sentenced Wednesday to 13 years in state prison for trying to kill a tenant who laughed after he declared he would win five Academy Awards someday, authorities said. Andre Bautista, known as Andre Bauth, was found guilty by a judge on Feb. 2 of attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon in the stabbing, according to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office. Veronica Rocha in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/24/17

Psychic cops? Orange County Sheriff's Department predicts burglary in advance, catches suspects in the act -- Three suspected burglars picked the wrong house Thursday when they broke into a residence in a neighborhood under surveillance by undercover Orange County Sheriff’s Department deputies, authorities said. Scott Schwebke and Joshua Sadock in the Orange County Register -- 3/24/17

POTUS 45  

What Trump’s Time Interview Shows About His Thinking -- Presidents usually choose their words carefully, the result of personal discipline and careful vetting by White House staff. President Trump is an exception. Michael D. Shear in the New York Times$ -- 3/24/17

Trump the Dealmaker Projects Bravado, but Behind the Scenes, Faces Rare Self-Doubt -- President Trump, the author of “The Art of the Deal,” has been projecting his usual bravado in public this week about the prospects of repealing the Affordable Care Act. Privately he is grappling with rare bouts of self-doubt. Glenn Thrush and Maggie Haberman in the New York Times$ -- 3/24/17

Delayed vote a setback for Trump the dealmaker -- “The closer,” it turns out, needs extra innings. Shane Goldmacher, Josh Dawsey and Tara Palmeri Poltico -- 3/24/17

Beltway 

Congress Moves to Strike Internet Privacy Rules From Obama Era -- Republican senators moved Thursday to dismantle landmark internet privacy protections for consumers in the first decisive strike against telecommunications and technology regulations created during the Obama administration, and a harbinger of further deregulation. Cecilia Kang in the New York Times$ -- 3/24/17

House Intelligence chair partially backs off claim about surveillance of Trump transition team -- The head of the House Intelligence Committee partially backed away from his dramatic claim that officials in President Trump’s transition team had been subjects of surveillance by U.S. intelligence agencies, with an aide saying that Chairman Devin Nunes did not know “for sure.” David S. Cloud and David Willman in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/24/17

Nunes apologized to Democrats after surveillance comments: aide -- The Republican chairman of the House Intelligence Committee apologized to Democratic members of the panel for going public and to the White House before briefing them about information he said he obtained about surveillance of President Donald Trump's team, a committee aide said on Thursday. Patricia Zengerle Reuters -- 3/24/17

Nunes: 'Duty and obligation' to go to Trump with surveillance intel -- House Intelligence Chairman Devin Nunes said Thursday he "felt he had a duty and obligation" to inform President Donald Trump that transition officials on his team may have had communications intercepted inadvertently, a decision that has drawn the ire of congressional Democrats. Cristiano Lima Politico -- 3/24/17

Twitter reacts to Pence's female-free photo of caucus discussing women's health care -- A photograph tweeted out by Vice President Michael Pence depicting the Freedom Caucus discussing health care for men and women drew quick criticism for the fact that the meeting's attendees appeared to include no women or people of color. Alyssa Pereira in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 3/24/17

 

-- Thursday Updates 

Trump demands Friday vote on health care plan -- President Donald Trump is demanding a vote Friday in the House on the Republican plan to repeal and replace Obamacare, White House Budget Director Mick Mulvaney said. If the bill fails, Trump is prepared to move on and leave Obamacare in place, Mulvaney said. Rachael Bade, Kyle Cheney and Josh Dawsey Politico Mike DeBonis and Juliet Eilperin in the Washington Post$ -- 3/23/17

LA protesters cheer GOP’s delayed vote on Obamacare repeal -- Cheers echoed from the streets of downtown L.A. today, where the nearly 1,000 gathered to protest the repeal and replace of the Affordable Care Act, which was postponed at least until tomorrow. Susan Abram in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 3/23/17

Trump Today: Wiener calls president a ‘Manchurian candidate’ on Senate floor -- A San Francisco lawmaker’s claim that President Trump is a “Manchurian candidate” set off a heated partisan debate Thursday on the floor of the California Senate. “This is an issue about the integrity of our government,” said Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, who made the reference to the 1959 novel “The Manchurian Candidate” to say that Trump is a puppet of the Russian government. Melody Gutierrez in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 3/23/17

Rep. Duncan Hunter is likely under criminal investigation for alleged campaign finance violations -- The House Ethics Committee disclosed the allegations Thursday in a news release explaining why it is not pursuing its own investigation of the Alpine Republican. Morgan Cook and Sarah D. Wire in the Los Angeles Times$ Matthew Daly Associated Press -- 3/23/17

Thursday vote on health care bill canceled -- The president made what he called a final offer, and arch-conservatives rejected it. Rachael Bade and Josh Dawsey Politico Julie Hirschfeld Davis, Robert Pear and Thomas Kaplan in the New York Times$ Mike DeBonis, Juliet Eilperin and David Weigel in the Washington Post$ Kristina Peterson, Siobhan Hughes and Louise Radnofsky in the Wall Street Journal$ Lisa Mascaro and Noam N. Levey in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/23/17

UC is moving forward with Mexican initiative, regardless of Trump actions -- University of California President Janet Napolitano is headed to Mexico next week to reassure leaders there that the public research university remains committed to academic collaboration — even if some of it, such as climate change research, is at risk under the Trump administration. Teresa Watanabe in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/23/17

Gov. Jerry Brown laments 'poisoned' nature of talks to avoid nuclear war -- Gov. Jerry Brown said the politics over nuclear warfare have become "poisoned" as he searches for ways to take a larger role in the debate. Brown wrapped up his four-day visit to Washington, D.C., with a meeting of the Nuclear Threat Initiative, a nonprofit whose board of directors he joined this year. John Myers in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/23/17

Former Gov. Pete Wilson looks back on Proposition 187 and says, heck yeah, he'd support it all over again -- For a time, no California politician was more formidable than Republican Pete Wilson. Over two decades, the popular former San Diego mayor enjoyed a record of nearly unbroken success, besting Gov. Jerry Brown in 1982 to seize a U.S. Senate seat and toppling San Francisco Mayor Dianne Feinstein eight years later to win the governorship. Mark Z. Barabak in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/23/17

Jerry Brown thinks world ‘closer to the brink of destruction’ -- Gov. Jerry Brown, his time in the nation’s capital winding down, set aside the remnants of an afternoon snack and contemplated the apocalypse. Christopher Cadelago in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/23/17

Fox: Poll: Jobs, Regulations, Taxes and Trains -- Many business people have raised concerns over excessive regulations hampering business growth and job creation. However, at first glance, it appears that California voters don’t make the connection between regulations and job creation in a new Public Policy Institute of California survey. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 3/23/17

California Legislature urged to play oversight role on Olympics proposal to prevent cost overruns -- Los Angeles’ bid to host the 2024 Olympics requires state agencies to begin planning for their significant role and for state officials to guard against changes that might put the venture at financial risk, the state Legislative Analyst’s Office warned Thursday. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/23/17

Vehicle rules, 'super pollutants' on the agenda for California regulators -- California's powerful Air Resources Board began a marathon two-day meeting here on Thursday as regulators prepared new steps to curb climate change and vehicle emissions. Chris Megerian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/23/17

If Raiders leave, could Oakland get another NFL team? -- If Mark Davis gets his wish and the NFL allows him to move his Raiders to Las Vegas, will we ever see another team in Oakland? It wouldn’t be out of the question, said one NFL owner who requested anonymity. Jon Becker in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 3/23/17

Kawakami: Las Vegas Raiders? Oakland now clearly in NFL’s rear-view mirror -- It’s not Las Vegas vs. Oakland any more, not really. The Raiders’ future? As NFL owners get set to congregate in Arizona over the next few days, all attention is on Las Vegas, its freely available money (whether or not that’s wise), and the Raiders’ desire to relocate there. Tim Kawakami in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 3/23/17

This is California in the era of Trump -- Californians wake up every day delighted to be in California, and then they remember that they are also in the United States. The bougainvillea catches the rising sun in San Clemente, the sapphire tide heaves into Big Sur — and three time zones to the East, President Trump has been up and tweeting for hours. Dan Zak in the Washington Post$ -- 3/23/17

Inadvertent surveillance of Trump transition team raises far-reaching questions -- The disclosure by Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Tulare), chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, that communications by Trump transition members were inadvertently picked up by U.S. surveillance legally collecting foreign intelligence raises questions that are likely to consume Congress and the White House for months. David S. Cloud in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/23/17

Horsey: Most Republicans are in denial about the probe into Trump-Russia ties -- On Wednesday, U.S. Rep. Devin Nunes, a Republican from the San Joaquin Valley, took a trip to the White House that made as big a splash as California’s recent torrential rains. David Horsey in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/23/17

Senate votes to kill privacy rules meant to protect people's sensitive data from their Internet providers -- The rules, which have not yet gone into effect, require AT&T Inc., Charter Communications Inc., Comcast Corp. and other broadband providers to get customer permission before using or sharing sensitive personal data, such as Web browsing or app usage history and the geographic trail of mobile devices. Jim Puzzanghera in the Los Angeles Times$ Tali Arbel and Richard Lardner Associated Press -- 3/23/17