Updating . .
Robert Mueller, Former F.B.I. Director, Named Special Counsel for Russia Investigation -- The Justice Department has appointed Robert S. Mueller III, the former F.B.I. director, to serve as a special counsel to oversee its investigation into Russian meddling in the election, Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein announced on Wednesday. Rebecca R. Ruiz in the New York Times $ Devlin Barrett, Sari Horwitz and Matt Zapotosky in the Washington Post$ Joseph Tanfani in the Los Angeles Times$ Del Quentin Wilber and Aruna Viswanatha in the Wall Street Journal$ Eric Tucker and Nancy Benac Associated Press -- 5/17/17
House majority leader to colleagues in 2016: ‘I think Putin pays’ Trump -- A month before Donald Trump clinched the Republican nomination, one of his closest allies in Congress — House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy — made a politically explosive assertion in a private conversation on Capitol Hill with his fellow GOP leaders: that Trump could be the beneficiary of payments from Russian President Vladimir Putin. “There’s two people I think Putin pays: Rohrabacher and Trump,” McCarthy (R-Calif.) said, according to a recording of the June 15, 2016 exchange, which was listened to and verified by The Washington Post. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher is a Californian Republican known in Congress as a fervent defender of Putin and Russia. Adam Entous in the Washington Post$ -- 5/17/17
Pelosi wants independent commission on Russia despite special counsel appointment -- House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) maintained Wednesday that an independent commission is the best way to investigate Russia's role in the 2016 election after the Justice Department announced a special counsel to oversee the FBI's probe. Cristina Marcos The Hill -- 5/17/17
'Now is the time for courage': Democratic Rep. Scott Peters makes personal appeal to Republicans -- Rep. Scott Peters (D-San Diego) is making a personal plea to every Republican in Congress in the form of a letter asking them join Democrats and create an independent, nonpartisan commission to look at Russia's attempts to influence the 2016 election. Sarah D. Wire in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/17/17
Antonio Villaraigosa: Donald Trump ‘should and will be impeached if he doesn’t resign’ -- Democrat Antonio Villaraigosa, a candidate for California governor, said Wednesday that President Donald Trump should quit or be impeached if media reports on his activities are accurate. Christopher Cadelago in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/17/17
Special breaks for refugees would include state jobs, in-state tuition in California -- Afghan refugee Mohammad Ajmal Sabit “was just killing time” during his first year after arriving in Sacramento as he waited to be able to pay in-state tuition at a local community college. The 30-year-old man, who earned a computer science degree in Afghanistan, had worked with the U.S. military back home but had joined other Afghans in Sacramento eager to restart his life. Stephen Magagnini and Phillip Reese in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/17/17
Trump's pick for a top Interior post has sued the agency on behalf of powerful California water interests -- When President Trump nominated David Bernhardt for the No. 2 spot at the Interior Department, the administration cited his extensive expertise. Bettina Boxall in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/17/17
Students protesting hidden funds shut down UC Regents meeting -- Dozens of University of California students and workers briefly shut down a meeting of the UC regents Wednesday, protesting revelations that the president’s office kept $175 million in secret funds as it raised tuition. Nanette Asimov in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/17/17
City Council winners: Gil Cedillo, Monica Rodriguez, labor -- Los Angeles voters picked seasoned political veterans in Tuesday’s election, reelecting City Councilman Gil Cedillo and backing Monica Rodriguez in races that saw a flood of outside spending by labor groups. Dakota Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/17/17
Major changes could come to L.A. schools after charter school movement's big win -- Supporters of charter schools appeared to win control of the Los Angeles school board Tuesday, a watershed moment with huge implications for how students are taught in America’s second-largest school district. Howard Blume and Shelby Grad in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/17/17
Housing crisis causes legislative avalanche: 130 bills proposed in Sacramento -- Home prices keep rising to shocking levels around the Bay Area, while rents remain out of sight. Now, state lawmakers in Sacramento are responding with a torrent of proposals. Richard Scheinin in the East Bay Times -- 5/17/17
State worker’s bosses ignored his allergies. Now he’s $3 million richer -- A Caltrans employee in Nevada County who claimed his supervisors harassed him by ignoring his documented allergies to perfume and certain cleaning products will receive a $3 million payout from a lawsuit he filed against the state. Adam Ashton in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/17/17
Fox: AG Becerra: Lifting the Poor will Boost the Economy -- At a Sacramento Press Club appearance this week, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra claimed California has the “secret sauce for economic success.” The formula includes growing the economy by boosting lower income individuals and immigrants. However, that secret sauce contains some bitter ingredients that has left many behind. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 5/17/17
Lopez: Republican couple who lost a son want their GOP back, fewer guns, and a return of statesmanship -- Charles and Mary Leigh Blek of Trabuco Canyon take a nice photo. You may have seen it in The Times last week, the Bleks smiling as they stood next to a cardboard cutout of Rep. Mimi Walters in Irvine. Steve Lopez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/17/17
MS-13 gang targeted in pre-dawn sweep across Los Angeles -- Hundreds of federal and local law enforcement fanned out across Los Angeles in pre-dawn sweeps, serving arrest and search warrants as part of a three-year investigation into the ultra-violent street gang MS-13. Federal prosecutors unsealed a sweeping indictment Wednesday morning charging dozens of members and leaders of the brutal street gang with a variety of crimes, including murder. Alicia A. Caldwell Associated Press -- 5/17/17
Bee industry buzzing: Stolen hives recovered in California -- The bee industry is buzzing over the arrest of a man accused of stealing thousands of hives worth nearly $1 million from California's almond orchards in one of the biggest such thefts on record. Scott Smith Associated Press -- 5/17/17
US: Immigrant arrests soar under Trump, fewer deported -- Arrests of immigrants suspected to be in the U.S. illegally soared in the early months of the Trump administration, in part because of a surge in the detention of immigrants who have no criminal convictions, officials announced Wednesday. Amy Taxin Associated Press -- 5/17/17
California fraternity faces charges after trees cut down -- Federal authorities have charged a fraternity at California State University, Chico with illegally cutting down dozens of trees in a national forest during an initiation of new pledges, the U.S. Forest Service said. The complaint was filed Tuesday against the school's Pi Kappa Alpha chapter and its president, Evan Jossey. Kristin J. Bender Associated Press -- 5/17/17
Sierra LaMar: Lead detective gave false testimony in another murder trial -- In a development that could have repercussions for the Sierra LaMar murder trial, the lead detective in the missing teen’s case was found by a judge last week to have given false testimony in another murder trial. Tracey Kaplan in the East Bay Times -- 5/17/17
Renters in Alameda win ‘just cause’ eviction protections -- The move came after the council heard from renters who said they fear that they could be put out of their homes at any time amid the Bay Area’s hot real estate market, and from property owners who said they were being treated unfairly and that their rental business could be undermined. Peter Hegarty in the East Bay Times -- 5/17/17
Trump, Saying He Is Treated ‘Unfairly,’ Signals a Fight -- An embattled President Trump used his first commencement address to a military academy as president to defend himself on Wednesday, telling graduating Coast Guard cadets that no leader in history has been treated more “unfairly” by the news media and Washington elites — and he signaled that will hunker down for a lengthy fight. Maggie Haberman and Glenn Thrush in the New York Times$ -- 5/17/17
Putin offers to provide Congress with details of Trump disclosures to Russian envoys -- Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday he would be willing to provide the U.S. Congress a record of President Trump’s meeting with top Russian envoys, bringing scoffs on Capitol Hill that the Kremlin could help shed light on the disclosures of reportedly highly classified intelligence. Andrew Roth in the Washington Post$ -- 5/17/17
The Right Builds an Alternative Narrative About the Crises Around Trump -- As Americans process a dizzying week of damning revelations about the president — his firing of the F.B.I. director, James B. Comey; his disclosure of highly sensitive intelligence to the Russians; and his plea to Mr. Comey to drop the bureau’s investigation of his fired national security adviser, Michael T. Flynn — Mr. Trump has found shelter on the right, where the collective judgment of the conservative media and the Republican Party so far seems to be to dismiss the allegations as “fake news,” shift the blame and change the subject. Jeremy W. Peters in the New York Times$ -- 5/17/17
California Policy & Politics This Morning
One GOP lawmaker wants Trump to come clean on sharing classified info. Another isn’t talking -- One day after the Washington Post reported that President Donald Trump revealed classified information to the Russian foreign minister, Rep. David Valadao, R-Hanford, urged the administration to be forthcoming about the matter. Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Tulare, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, did not respond to a request for comment. Lewis Griswold in the Fresno Bee -- 5/17/17
Judge throws out lawsuit challenging California's execution law -- A judge has dismissed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of a state law that gives prison authorities responsibility for establishing procedures for lethal injection executions. Maura Dolan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/17/17
Gov. Brown clashes with environmentalists over fracking -- Gov. Jerry Brown was on a roll, enthusiastically preaching to a choir of environmentalists about how carbon use and global warming are a looming catastrophe for California and the world. “Stopping carbon will be like stopping a heroin addiction,” Brown told a standing-room-only crowd at a downtown San Francisco hotel last month. John Wildermuth in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/17/17
Assemblywoman asks Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra to drop electioneering prosecution of 86-year-old activist -- Assemblywoman Melissa Melendez (R-Lake Elsinore) called Tuesday for state Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra to drop the prosecution of an 86-year-old Republican activist for electioneering after the woman was videotaped allegedly making calls to voters within 100 feet of a polling place. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/17/17
Sweeping reform of California's bail system would come with a hefty price tag, says new analysis -- A new legislative committee analysis predicts that overhauling the bail system in California could be costly, adding a significant hurdle for Democratic lawmakers seeking to pass sweeping reform in the face of heavy opposition from law enforcement and the bail industry. Jazmine Ulloa in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/17/17
Panel delays vote on pay raises for California's governor and legislators -- The state panel that gives annual pay raises to the governor and legislators has canceled its meeting set for Wednesday because Gov. Jerry Brown has not filled four of the seven seats on the panel, leaving it without a quorum, officials said. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/17/17
Gov. Brown vetoes parole for killer of Turkey counsel general -- Heeding pleas from Turkish-American groups and the Trump administration, Gov. Jerry Brown has vetoed parole for an Armenian-American who murdered Turkey’s consul general in Los Angeles in 1982. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/17/17
Rep. Duncan Hunter's campaign spent on trip to Las Vegas amid probe -- The latest financial filings from U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Alpine) show his campaign continues to incur expenses at places like cigar lounges, where he has said he prefers to hold small-scale fundraising events. Morgan Cook in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/17/17
Walters: California tolerates failing schools for millions of kids -- As they declare implacable resistance to Donald Trump, politicians from Gov. Jerry Brown downward portray California as an island of tolerance. Dan Walters in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/17/17
Designs unveiled for California’s proposed pro-choice license plate -- State Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson, D-Santa Barbara, and NARAL Pro-Choice California on Monday unveiled three designs for a “California Trusts Women” plate that could be created through Jackson’s Senate Bill 309, which is now moving through the state Legislature. Tracy Seipel in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/17/17
Families of Ghost Ship tragedy sue PG&E -- Families of the victims killed in Oakland’s Ghost Ship fire sued Pacific Gas and Electric Co. on Tuesday, saying the utility supplied power to the doomed artist space with “blatant disregard” for the safety of the people in the building. Evan Sernoffsky in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Paul Elias Associated Press -- 5/17/17
Measure to alter LAPD disciplinary panels holds wide lead -- A ballot measure that would significantly change the way the Los Angeles Police Department handles serious officer misconduct was leading by a wide margin Tuesday night, despite misgivings from some community activists that it would result in more lenient treatment for problem cops. David Zahniser and Kate Mather in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/17/17
Steve Zimmer concedes in L.A. school board race; early returns show a possible power shift -- The Los Angeles Unified School District teetered on the edge of a major political shift Tuesday night, as the curtain dropped on what has been the most expensive school board election in the nation’s history. Howard Blume and Anna M. Phillips in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/17/17
L.A. City Council: Cedillo holds wide lead, race for vacant Valley seat is tight -- Incumbent Gil Cedillo appeared headed for re-election Tuesday night against challenger Joe Bray-Ali in a heated run-off for a Los Angeles City Council seat representing a swath of northeast L.A. Dakota Smith, Emily Alpert Reyes and Nina Agrawal in the Los Angeles Times$ Elizabeth Chou in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 5/17/17
A letter sent to some L.A. voters sought to shame them for their voting records — and no one knows who sent it -- Offended, harassed, violated. Those are some of the words voters used to describe their reactions to a letter they received this week from a group calling itself the California Voter Awareness Project. Christine Mai-Duc in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/17/17
Homeless
Everyone agrees: The Santa Ana River trail is no place to raise homeless children -- On a recent visit to the spot where she lived with her mom and siblings along the Santa Ana River trail, 11-year-old Alyssa Clark almost sounds nostalgic about the six months they spent there and across the way. Theresa Walker in the Orange County Register -- 5/17/17
Housing
San Francisco supervisors move forward density bonus affordable housing plan -- Supervisor Katy Tang appears to be closer to getting the votes she needs to pass a law allowing developers to build taller structures in exchange for creating more affordable housing — an idea that faced opposition from her progressive colleagues last year. Rachel Swan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/17/17
Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensions
San Jose approves clean energy program -- San Jose approved a program Tuesday to pool funds from residents to purchase energy from green sources, becoming the largest city in the country to do so. Several other Bay Area communities have established such programs, known as Community Choice Energy programs. They are an alternative to purchasing power from the major state utilities — Pacific Gas & Electric in this case. Nicholas Cheng in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Ramona Giwargis in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/17/17
Hunting for a job — with a felony -- Should someone convicted of a felony have to admit that on the first application for a job? Assemblyman Kevin McCarty of Sacramento and a group of his fellow Assembly Democrats don’t think so. Chuck McFadden Capitol Weekly -- 5/17/17
San Francisco could ban sidewalk delivery robots -- Delivery robots, a sci-fi idea that recently entered real-world testing, would be banned from San Francisco sidewalks under legislation Supervisor Norman Yee introduced on Tuesday. Carolyn Said in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/17/17
Statewide new-car sales cooling down, but pace still brisk -- California’s new-car sales market is cooling down, but Golden State dealers remain on track to again ring up more than 2 million unit sales in 2017, according to the Sacramento-based California New Car Dealers Association. Mark Glover in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/17/17
SDSU ends negotiations on SoccerCity proposal -- SDSU has been in talks with Mayor Kevin Faulconer to jointly use a 30,000-seat stadium proposed in the $4 billion SoccerCity redevelopment of Qualcomm Stadium property. The proposal is contained in a ballot initiative headed to the City Council next month and a possible special election Nov. 7. Roger Showley in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 5/17/17
Education
Big shift for California community colleges: Remedial classes fail students -- For the last two years, a group of community colleges in California have been revamping their approach to remedial math and English courses, and students like Paulo Romero are starting to feel something his friends at other schools are not: hope. Emily DeRuy in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/17/17
Is This Nevada Family’s School Choice a Lesson for California? -- This story is part of our series “Trump Ed,” exploring how President Trump’s proposed federal education policies could impact California schools. The series was produced in collaboration with reporters from KPBS, KPCC and CALmatters. Ana Tintocalis KQED -- 5/17/17
Gov. Brown's revised budget plan draws mixed response from early education advocates -- While early education advocates say they appreciate Gov. Jerry Brown keeping last year’s promise to increase preschool funding – which he proposed postponing when he introduced the 2017-18 budget in January – they were disappointed that the May budget revision didn’t include additional money and changes that would allow more low-income families to qualify for subsidized child care. Ashley Hopkinson EdSource -- 5/17/17
Cannabis
State meets with cultivators to kick off public hearings on cannabis regulations -- Limits on farm sizes, renewable energy mandates and a lack of clarity on rules for tribal lands were among the concerns raised by 100 or so cannabis cultivators who gathered Tuesday at a community center in Santa Ana. Brooke Edwards Staggs in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 5/17/17
Assembly Bill Bans Edible Marijuana From Looking Like Candy -- California lawmakers are trying to ban edible marijuana from resembling candy, after an uptick in emergency room visits. Ben Bradford Capital Public Radio -- 5/17/17
Immigration / Border
Advocates urge LAPD to do more to distance itself from federal immigration enforcement -- Since Donald Trump was elected president in November, Los Angeles police officials have sought to assure the public that deporting immigrants is not their job. Cindy Chang in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/17/17
Environment
Trout, salmon and steelhead: A massive die-off coming for these California fish? -- Researchers have issued a dire warning for California’s native trout and salmon: Three-quarters of them will be extinct in the next 100 years unless urgent action is taken. Ryan Sabalow in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/17/17
San Francisco 1st city in nation with a park 10-minute walk from every home -- San Francisco is the first city in the nation to have every resident live within a 10-minute walk of a park or open space. The percentage is calculated by the Trust for Public Land, a nonprofit that facilitates the creation of parks and analyzes park systems for the 100 largest cities nationwide. Lizzie Johnson in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/17/17
Health
Fearing Deportation, Parents Worry About Enrolling Undocumented Kids In Medi-Cal -- Luz felt relieved and grateful when she learned that her 16-year-old son qualified for full coverage under Medi-Cal. Now, she worries that the information she provided to the government health program could put her family at risk of deportation. Ana Ibarra KQED -- 5/17/17
Fresno Unified sued again for school nurse allegedly putting bleach in student’s feeding tube -- A second family has come forward to sue Fresno Unified over an allegation that a school nurse cleaned a disabled student’s feeding tube with bleach, causing physical injuries and emotional suffering. Tad Weber in the Fresno Bee -- 5/17/17
Also . . .
7,000 birds seized in largest cockfighting bust in U.S. history, L.A. County authorities say -- Authorities swarmed a remote compound in northeast Los Angeles County and seized 7,000 birds in what officials described Tuesday as a raid on the largest illegal cockfighting cache in U.S. history. Matt Hamilton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/17/17
LA County Sheriff's Department enacts transgender policy -- The nation's largest sheriff's department has enacted a new policy requiring deputies to address transgender and gender non-conforming people using their preferred names and pronouns, officials said Tuesday. Michael Balsamo Associated Press -- 5/17/17
Coming Soon: Software That Can Perfectly Imitate Your Voice -- If your best friend or your mom gives you a call on the telephone, you probably know who it is right away. You trust that if you hear their voices, it could only be them. Well, that could soon change. A new company called Lyrebird is working on software that can copy someone’s voice and make it say anything. Sam Harnett KQED -- 5/17/17
POTUS 45
Why the Comey memo could be so explosive for Trump -- A memo in which former FBI Director James B. Comey says President Trump asked him to shut down a criminal investigation of former national security advisor Michael Flynn is likely to emerge as a key piece of evidence in the case, legal experts say. James Queally in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/17/17
Everything we know so far about the Russia investigation and the Trump White House -- The disclosure Tuesday of a James B. Comey memo saying that President Trump had asked him to shut down the FBI’s investigation of former national security advisor Michael Flynn followed months of intrigue. Colleen Shalby and Michael Finnegan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/17/17
Press freedom group rips Trump for suggesting Comey jail reporters -- A press freedom advocacy group is speaking out on reports that President Trump asked former FBI Director James Comey to consider jailing journalists, saying the comments "cross a dangerous line." Paulina Firozi The Hill -- 5/17/17
White House on edge: 'We are kind of helpless' -- In interviews, multiple White House officials indicated they feel under siege – unsure who in the intelligence community was leaking, how much damaging information was out there, when the next proverbial shoe would drop and what Trump might say. Josh Dawsey and Matthew Nussbaum Politico -- 5/17/17
Republicans may be reaching their breaking point with Trump -- Within hours of Tuesday's report by The New York Times, there was a distinct shift among congressional Republicans, who until now have mostly resisted criticizing Trump, let alone demanding the president be held to account for all he says or does. John Bresnahan and Rachael Bade Politico -- 5/17/17
Balz: As Trump’s woes mount, congressional Republicans arrive at a moment of reckoning -- As President Trump has lurched from one crisis to another, Republicans have chosen a strategy of compartmentalization over confrontation, preferring to look away in hopes that the storm would pass. Now, after a pair of stunning revelations about the president, that approach may have run aground. For the GOP, this has become a moment of reckoning. Dan Balz in the Washington Post$ -- 5/17/17
Tumulty: Trump faces a crisis of credibility — and judgment -- Donald Trump has stepped into an office that brings enormous power, but after two days of bombshell headlines, the growing question is whether he has the judgment and discipline to be entrusted with that authority. Karen Tumulty in the Washington Post$ -- 5/17/17
Michael Moore's secret anti-Trump documentary, 'Fahrenheit 11/9,' acquired by Weinsteins -- Famed documentarian Michael Moore has been secretly working on a film about Donald Trump's presidential election. Titled "Fahrenheit 11/9," the unknown flick still in production was personally acquired by the Weinstein Co.'s Bob and Harvey Weinstein on Tuesday, the pair announced. Tre'vell Anderson in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/17/17
White House Fights a Familiar Enemy: The Press -- As the White House reeled on Tuesday from a chaotic 24 hours, bookended by a pair of bombshell scoops raising serious questions about President Trump’s comportment in the Oval Office, the administration and its surrogates quickly settled on a blunt message: Blame the press. Michael M. Grynbaum in the New York Times$ -- 5/17/17
Beltway
Republicans’ extreme frustration with Trump, in one congressman’s middle finger -- This post has been updated with Issa's response. He denies flipping off a reporter. Another day, another damning news story about President Trump and Russia that Republicans can’t immediately (or perhaps ever) defend. And Republicans’ frustration with having to deal with this is showing, bigly. Amber Phillips in the Washington Post$ -- 5/17/17
-- Tuesday Updates
Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom has now endorsed two people for one state Democratic Party job -- Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is running for governor, announced Tuesday that he is supporting Kimberly Ellis' run to become the new chairperson of the California Democratic Party. Newsom endorsed Ellis’ rival, Eric Bauman, last year and said that he still supports him in an email to state party delegates. Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/16/17
Comey Memo Says Trump Asked Him to End Flynn Investigation -- President Trump asked the F.B.I. director, James B. Comey, to shut down the federal investigation into Mr. Trump’s former national security adviser, Michael T. Flynn, in an Oval Office meeting in February, according to a memo that Mr. Comey wrote shortly after the meeting. Michael S. Schmidt in the New York Times$ -- 5/16/17
Police body-cam footage shows Ghost Ship operator lying about living inside building -- Two years before 36 people died inside the Ghost Ship warehouse, master tenant Derick Almena told an Oakland police officer investigating an arson that he was hosting a “benefit” the next day, which would have been illegal, and lied about living inside the artist collective, according to police body camera footage exclusively obtained by this newspaper group. Matthias Gafni, David DeBolt and Thomas Peele in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/16/17
Sen. Kamala Harris to Trump administration: Start a war on drug abuse, don't restart the war on drugs -- Sen. Kamala Harris on Tuesday took Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions to task for ordering federal prosecutors to crack down on drug offenders last week. Harris (D-Calif.) was speaking at the Center for American Progress Ideas Conference in Washington, one of a host of potential 2020 presidential candidates invited to address progressive thought leaders on what the next priorities should be for the Democratic Party. Sarah D. Wire in the Los Angeles Times$ Sean Cockerham McClatchy DC -- 5/16/17
San Francisco forces gun suppliers to agree to halt sale of high-capacity kits -- Five online gun suppliers have agreed to halt their California sales of “repair kits” that buyers can assemble into high-capacity magazines outlawed by the state, San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera said Tuesday. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/16/17
Kimberly Guilfoyle says she’s talking with Trump administration about press secretary job -- Kimberly Guilfoyle, the former first lady of San Francisco and current Fox News host, is in conversations with the Trump administration about becoming White House press secretary, she said in an exclusive interview with the Bay Area News Group on Monday night. Casey Tolan in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/16/17
Republican Rep. Steve Knight joins call for special prosecutor to take over FBI's Russia investigation -- Rep. Steve Knight (R-Palmdale) said Tuesday it is time for a special prosecutor to take over the FBI's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. Sarah D. Wire in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/16/17
L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti to progressives: Don't make winning the argument more important than progress -- Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti warned a ballroom full of progressive leaders Tuesday not to get bogged down in “making sure that you win the argument instead of moving progress forward." Sarah D. Wire in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/16/17
California state Senate advances bill to repeal mandatory sentence enhancements for some drug convictions -- The state Senate on Monday approved a bill that would repeal three-year mandatory sentence enhancements for some prior drug convictions, part of a reform package that lawmakers say would protect juveniles and create parity in the justice system. Jazmine Ulloa in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/16/17
The political group Bernie Sanders helped start weighs in on L.A.'s congressional race -- Our Revolution, the political group Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders launched from the ashes of his presidential campaign, has endorsed Democrat Jimmy Gomez in the race for L.A.'s 34th Congressional District. Christine Mai-Duc in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/16/17
Business owners struggle with homeless, crime along Orange Line in Van Nuys -- Some business owners along Bessemer Street where the homeless congregate say the situation has improved, but more tents now line the adjacent Orange Line busway bike path, which continues to attract drug dealing, prostitution and defecation in the streets. Brenda Gazzar in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 5/16/17
San Luis Obispo teacher resigns after penning anti-gay letter to student newspaper -- A San Luis Obispo High School teacher has resigned amid controversy over a letter he wrote to the school’s student newspaper that cited a Bible verse saying sinners and those who commit homosexual acts “deserve to die.” Hailey Branson-Potts in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/16/17
Hiltzik: The costs of Trump's sabotage of Obamacare already are showing up in rate hikes -- The easiest prediction to make about the healthcare business was that the efforts by Congress and the Trump administration to sabotage the Affordable Care Act would produce a flood of rate hikes by insurers for 2018. We are now standing on the edge of the water. Michael Hiltzik in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/16/17
Report: California fish face more extinctions unless trends change -- Nearly half of California’s diverse types of native salmon, steelhead and trout are headed toward extinction in 50 years unless environmental trends are reversed, a team of scientists reported Tuesday. Denis Cuff in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/16/17
He said blacks did better before civil rights – now former sheriff is leaving bias inquiry -- John McGinness, the former Sacramento sheriff turned radio host, said he’s stepping down from an inquiry into Davis’ Picnic Day melee after his on-air comments about African-Americans prompted a call for his ouster. Ed Fletcher in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/16/17
California cracks down on last beachfront sand-mining operation in U.S. -- Moving in on the last coastal sand mining operation in the United States, California regulators are ordering a Mexican-based company to obtain permits and pay state royalties for its Monterey County plant or shut down — amid a chorus of complaints that its causing significant erosion of beaches along Monterey Bay. Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/16/17
When Jerry Hill gets ticked off, you might get a new law -- Sen. Jerry Hill slowed his black Tesla to a stop at the intersection of Glenview Drive and Earl Avenue. He pointed to the sidewalk in front of a dirt lot. “Thirty-eight homes destroyed,” Hill said. “Eight people died.” Taryn Luna in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/16/17
Nelson steps down from San Diego Port Commission, citing conflicts -- Bob Nelson, a longtime public relations executive, is stepping away from the Port of San Diego, citing conflicts with his business interests. Jeff McDonald in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 5/16/17
High-paying life sciences industry continues growth in San Diego County and California -- As of 2016, county employment totaled nearly 50,000 in five sectors: biopharmaceuticals, medical devices and diagnostic equipment, research and lab services, bio-renewables, and life science wholesale. Statewide, the life science industry provides more than 360,000 jobs. Bradley J. Fikes in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 5/16/17