• School Inoovation and Achievement
  • San Diego Water Authority

Updating . .   

Inside the San Francisco laundromat basement where 2 dozen people lived -- For nearly four years, Nicaraguan immigrant Claudia Soto lived in the basement of a laundromat in San Francisco’s Excelsior neighborhood with about two dozen people — some of whom had called the subterranean space home for as long as a decade. Michael Bodley in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/19/17

Gavin Newsom faces backlash as state fights Sierra Club and San Francisco over waterfront -- One of Gavin Newsom’s few duties as lieutenant governor is to serve on the State Lands Commission, a powerful agency that governs much of California’s shoreline. Michael Finnegan in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/19/17

F.B.I. Once Warned G.O.P. Congressman That Russian Spies Were Recruiting Him -- The F.B.I. warned a Republican congressman in 2012 that Russian spies were trying to recruit him, officials said, an example of how aggressively Russian agents have tried to influence Washington politics. The congressman, Dana Rohrabacher of California, has been known for years as one of Moscow’s biggest defenders in Washington and as a vocal opponent of American economic sanctions against Russia. Matt Apuzzo, Adam Goldman and Mark Mazzetti in the New York Times$ -- 5/19/17

Russia probe reaches current White House official, people familiar with the case say -- The law enforcement investigation into possible coordination between Russia and the Trump campaign has identified a current White House official as a significant person of interest, showing that the probe is reaching into the highest levels of government, according to people familiar with the matter. Devlin Barrett and Matt Zapotosky in the Washington Post$ -- 5/19/17

Trump-Russia probe now includes possible cover-up, Congress is told -- Investigators into Russian meddling in the U.S. presidential elections are now also probing whether White House officials have engaged in a cover-up, according to members of Congress who were briefed Friday by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. Matthew Schofield and Lesley Clark McClatchy DC -- 5/19/17

Trump Told Russians That Firing ‘Nut Job’ Comey Eased Pressure From Investigation -- President Trump told Russian officials in the Oval Office this month that firing the F.B.I. director, James B. Comey, had relieved “great pressure” on him, according to a document summarizing the meeting. “I just fired the head of the F.B.I. He was crazy, a real nut job,” Mr. Trump said, according to the document, which was read to The New York Times by an American official. Matt Apuzzo, Maggie Haberman and Matthew Rosenberg in the New York Times$ -- 5/19/17

White House does not dispute that FBI probe now includes at least one Trump aide -- President Trump told a pair of Russian envoys that his abrupt decision to fire FBI Director James B. Comey — whom he described as “crazy, a real nut job” — had relieved “great pressure” on him because of the Russia investigation, according to a published report. Noah Bierman and Lisa Mascaro in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/19/17

Lawmakers pass budget bills in Sacramento, but they're almost completely blank -- The official record will show that the state Assembly passed all of the bills related to a new state budget on Thursday, almost a month before the constitutional deadline to do so. But the record will also show those bills were devoid of any language related to the budget. They were, like ones passed last week by the Senate, empty legislative vessels. John Myers in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/19/17

California employers cut 16,300 jobs, slashing payrolls for the first time since June -- California employers slashed 16,300 jobs from payrolls in April, according to data released by the state’s Employment Development Department on Friday. It was the first month that the state posted a job loss since June 2016. Still, unemployment fell to 4.8%, from 4.9% in March, the lowest rate since 2001. The national jobless rate last month was 4.4%. Natalie Kitroeff in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/19/17

San Jose area loses jobs, but East Bay posts gains -- Santa Clara County lost 2,900 jobs during April, while the Bay Area shed 200 positions, the state’s Employment Development Department reported. The bright spots included the East Bay, which added 500 jobs, while the San Francisco-San Mateo region gained 1,500 jobs. All the numbers were adjusted for seasonal variations. George Avalos in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/19/17

California unemployment rate falls, but is the state’s economy slowing? -- California’s unemployment rate fell to a near-record low of 4.8 percent last month, but experts cautioned that the Golden State’s economy might be slowing down. Mark Glover in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/19/17

L.A. teachers union faces tough questions in wake of charter election wins -- Los Angeles’ teachers union, for decades a dominant political force in school district politics, suffered a crushing defeat this week that speaks to a larger power shift away from labor and toward the growth of the well-heeled charter school movement. Howard Blume and Anna M. Phillips in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/19/17

California Democrats collide over control of state party -- With President Donald Trump in a tailspin and the Republican House majority appearing increasingly vulnerable, what happens here at the California Democratic Party state convention this weekend will reverberate across the map. Carla Marinucci Politico -- 5/19/17

California Democratic Heavyweight John Burton Exiting the Political Stage -- The California Democratic Party will undergo a historic transition in Sacramento this weekend, when its legendary chairman, John Burton, steps down after eight years as party chair. Burton has always been a little rough around the edges. Scott Shafer KQED -- 5/19/17

Democrats ramp up talk of impeaching Trump, passing universal health care in California -- Happening today, and continuing through the weekend: The California Democratic Party convention in downtown Sacramento. Before your eyes glaze over, or you head to the bar to prepare for Saturday night performances by Common and Cypress Hill, we’ve got a tip-sheet for what to watch for. Christopher Cadelago in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/19/17

Capitol Weekly podcast: Ruth Bernstein and Paul Mitchell -- California experienced a surge of new voter registrations in 2016 and turnout was high, spurred in part by the high interest in the presidential election. But the big question is whether those voters will stick around for the 2018 midterms. Political Data’s numbers cruncher Paul Mitchell and pollster Ruth Bernstein of EMC Research stopped by the Capitol Weekly office to chat about the results of a new EMC Research/Capitol Weekly poll of those 2016 new voters. John Howard and Tim Foster host. Link Here -- 5/19/17

Fox: Measuring the Gas Tax Increase Backlash -- How hot is the anger over the gas tax increase? It may be a bit early to measure in full the backlash on the gas tax increase since the tax won’t be collected until November. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 5/19/17

How a remote California tribe set out to save its river and stop a suicide epidemic -- The Yurok people live in a stark land of salmon runs and steep, misty mountains, where giant salamanders hide under rotting logs and Bigfoot is said to prey after dusk. Joe Mozingo in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/19/17

More than $17 million in illegally harvested sea cucumbers traded out of San Diego, indictment says -- An investigation into wildlife crime has led to the federal indictment of a father-son duo who federal prosecutors say smuggled illegally harvested sea cucumbers worth more than $17 million into San Diego and then sold them to Asian markets. Joshua Emerson Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/19/17

Make America Great Again march that led to fracas in H.B. is headed to Fountain Valley -- The organizers of a Make America Great Again march in Huntington Beach that turned violent two months ago are planning a similar event in Fountain Valley. Ben Brazil in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/19/17

‘President Barack H. Obama Freeway’ en route to California -- A resolution passed by the state Senate this week names a roughly 4-mile stretch of the CA-134 freeway in Eagle Rock and Pasadena after the 44th president, waiving the usual practice that honorees be deceased before the highway designation is bestowed. Taryn Luna in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/19/17

California Rep. Eric Swalwell and wife Brittany welcome a baby boy, Nelson -- Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Dublin) and his wife Brittany announced the birth of their first child Friday, a boy. The couple named their son Eric Nelson Swalwell and plan to call him Nelson, according to the congressman's Instagram. He was born in San Ramon, Calif. Swalwell reports that mom and baby are healthy and well. Sarah D. Wire in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/19/17

 

California Policy & Politics This Morning  

De León sends candidate-style political video — but says he has no imminent political plans -- As rumors swirled that California Senate President Pro Tem Kevin De León was mulling a gubernatorial run, he said Thursday he had no imminent plans to jump in the race but demurred when asked about his political future. Seema Mehta and Melanie Mason in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/19/17

Berniecrats look to push California Democratic Party leftward -- Progressive activists looking to push the California Democratic Party further to the left at the party’s annual convention this weekend may be making it harder to challenge Republicans in more conservative parts of the state, some party leaders worry. John Wildermuth and Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/19/17

Retaking Congress, battling Trump: California Democrats prepare for 2018 -- Is fighting President Donald Trump at every turn enough? Could California help Democrats retake the House next year? Is it time to replace some of the state’s longtime political leaders with fresh faces? Angela Hart in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/19/17

22-year-old immigration activist and Cal State L.A. student detained by Border Patrol -- A 22-year-old immigration activist and college student was detained Thursday by federal authorities, less than a month after her mother was taken into custody by federal agents during a massive cocaine bust in Los Angeles. Matt Hamilton and Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/19/17

Trump’s executive order catches undocumented workers at Travis Air Force Base -- Two undocumented Mexican workers sent to Travis Air Force Base to help renovate a hospital are now facing deportation under one of President Donald Trump’s first executive orders toughening enforcement of immigration laws. Stephen Magagnini in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/19/17

California wants to block Donald Trump’s legal strategy on Obamacare -- California led a move Thursday to block one path Republicans in Washington might take to kill critical health care subsidies that go to millions of people using Obamacare. Angela Hart in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/19/17

UC regents defend Janet Napolitano, blame media for ‘salacious’ coverage of state audit -- The University of California’s governing board on Thursday defended President Janet Napolitano against a critical state audit of her office and media coverage that some members felt unfairly maligned her. Alexei Koseff in the Sacramento Bee$ Teresa Watanabe in the Los Angeles Times$ Nanette Asimov in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/19/17

California leaders vow to continue state-run retirement plan -- California's treasurer and top Senate leader said Thursday they're going forward with a plan to automatically enroll private-sector workers in retirement savings accounts even after President Donald Trump signed legislation revoking a legal safe haven for the program. Jonathan J. Cooper Associated Press Guy Marzorati KQED Laurence Darmiento in the Los Angeles Times$ Sally Schilling Capital Public Radio -- 5/19/17

Majority vote on cap and trade? No, thank you, governor's office says -- Gov. Jerry Brown’s top advisor says he won’t accept anything less than a two-thirds vote to extend California’s cap-and-trade program for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Chris Megerian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/19/17

Garcetti dismisses speculation about a run for higher office -- mostly -- Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti on Thursday sidestepped questions about a possible run for governor — or any other higher political office — but didn’t totally dismiss the idea. Phil Willon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/19/17

Army reserve lawyer plans run against Rep. Scott Peters -- Attorney Omar Qudrat is planning a challenge against Rep. Scott Peters to represent a coastal San Diego district. Qudrat has not publicly announced his candidacy, but he has set up a campaign website where he discusses running for office and seeks volunteers and contributions. Joshua Stewart in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 5/19/17

Walters: Recall of California senator about GOP regaining relevance, not gas tax vote -- Democrat Josh Newman, who had never held public office, scored two upsets last year to win a state Senate seat that Republicans had held for decades. Dan Walters in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/19/17

California may bar drug makers from giving doctors gifts -- Sen. Mike McGuire said his bill prohibiting perks such as airline tickets and lavish meals would lower drug costs in part because doctors who receive such gifts are more likely to prescribe expensive drugs. The Senate voted 23-13 to send the bill to the Assembly. Sophia Bollag Associated Press -- 5/19/17

L.A. lawmakers sign off on $9.2-billion budget -- The Los Angeles City Council voted Thursday to approve a $9.2-billion spending plan for the coming fiscal year, striking a last-minute deal that ensures funding for street safety initiatives as well as the repair of badly damaged roads. David Zahniser in the Los Angeles Times$ Elizabeth Chou in the Los Angeles Daily News -- 5/19/17

California approves new refinery safety rules 5 years after Chevron fire -- California regulators on Thursday approved new safety rules for oil refineries, nearly five years after a major fire at Chevron’s Richmond facility sent thousands of East Bay residents to local hospitals. David R. Baker in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Denis Cuff in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/19/17

Judge Rips Ex-Oakland Cop: 'He's Actually, in a way, Pimping.' -- In a four-hour preliminary hearing today, Alameda Superior Court Judge Thomas C. Rogers said former Oakland police officer Brian Bunton pimped the young woman known as Celeste Guap, and that his actions appear to have constituted a conspiracy to obstruct justice. The judge allowed the case to proceed to trial, which is set for June 5. Darwin BondGraham and Ali Winston East Bay Express -- 5/19/17

Calbuzz: CA Dems Shape Their Future This Weekend -- Between attending the “Nasty Women and Bad Hombres” and “Fueling the Resistance” hospitality suites, the 3,300 delegates pulling their bumper-sticker decorated Priuses into Sacramento this weekend for the California Democratic Party convention will be in engaged in a sharply contested battle over the future of the party on multiple fronts that could have widespread implications for the 2018 statewide elections, and perhaps even national efforts to win back the House and Senate. Steve Maviglio Calbuzz -- 5/19/17

Housing  

San Francisco apartment project faces delay for casting shadow on park -- It was a showdown between badly needed housing and precious open space on South of Market’s hardscrabble Sixth Street. And on Thursday, open space won out — at least for now. J.K. Dineen in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/19/17

Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensions 

Uber launches freight service to meet on-demand trucking needs -- Uber Technologies inched closer to becoming a logistics company Thursday with the launch of Uber Freight, an on-demand freight service for trucking carriers. Tracey Lien in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/19/17

Here’s how much LA’s ‘creative economy’ contributes to California -- California’s creative economy packed a massive punch in 2015 — a wallop that supported 747,600 direct wage and salary jobs and generated $406.5 billion in economic output. Kevin Smith in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 5/19/17

Karma Revero hybrid super car rises from Fisker ashes -- Rising from the ashes of designer Henrik Fisker’s failed car company, the first units of the 2018 Karma Revero hybrid electric luxury super cars rolled off the Moreno Valley factory floor and onto Southern California roadways this week. Charles Fleming in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/19/17

Education 

South L.A. charter school founder charged with embezzlement, money laundering -- The head of a now-defunct South L.A. charter school has been charged with embezzlement and money laundering, accused of funneling roughly $200,000 from the school to a company she owned, prosecutors said Thursday. James Queally in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/19/17

An early test for new LA school board members cost-saving ideas: an expiring teachers contract -- Here's one effect of this week's Los Angeles Unified School Board elections that has little to do with charter schools: L.A. Unified's contract with its main teachers union, United Teachers Los Angeles, will expire at the end of June. Kyle Stokes KPCC -- 5/19/17

So LAUSD has a charter-backed school board majority. What now? -- When Nick Melvoin and — assuming her narrow lead in Tuesday's election holds — Kelly Gonez are sworn in as the newest members of the Los Angeles Unified School Board in July, the balance of power on the board will shift. Kyle Stokes KPCC -- 5/19/17

Transitional kindergarten helps prepare English learners for school, study finds -- English learners who attended transitional kindergarten were better prepared in math, foundational reading skills and language skills when they entered kindergarten than English learners who did not, according to a new study. Ashley Hopkinson EdSource -- 5/19/17

Special education students get their own ‘Buddy Prom’ -- Special education students at John F. Kennedy High School in Granada Hills got their own exclusive dance on Thursday. They celebrated the end of the school year at the annual “Buddy Prom” with DJ music, snapshots in a photo booth and friends. Antonie Boessenkool in the Los Angeles Daily News -- 5/19/17

Cannabis 

California pot czar expects lag time for testing newly legal weed -- With businesses expected to get state licenses in January to sell marijuana in California, the top regulator said Thursday that they will be given up to six months to comply with a requirement the pot be thoroughly tested by a licensed laboratory. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/19/17

Guns   

NRA files second lawsuit challenging state gun laws, this time targeting ban on high-capacity magazines -- A coalition including the National Rifle Assn. on Thursday filed a second lawsuit challenging California’s new gun laws, this time arguing a ban on high-capacity ammunition magazines is unconstitutional. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/19/17

Environment 

Rising sea levels could mean twice as much flood risk in Los Angeles and other coastal cities -- The effects of rising oceans on coastal flooding may be even worse than we thought. Scientists have found that a mere 10 to 20 centimeters of sea-level rise — which is expected by 2050 — will more than double the frequency of serious flooding events in many parts of the globe, including along the California coastline. Amina Khan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/19/17

Health 

How Obamacare helped the self-employed in California -- Self-employed Californians are most likely to be impacted if Obamacare is repealed, according to an analysis released Thursday by the UC Berkeley Center for Labor Research and Education. Michelle Faust KPCC -- 5/19/17

Health insurers plan big Obamacare rate hikes — and they blame Trump -- Health insurers across the country are making plans to dramatically raise Obamacare premiums or exit marketplaces amid growing exasperation with the Trump administration’s erratic management, inconsistent guidance and seeming lack of understanding of basic healthcare issues. Noam N. Levey in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/19/17

Also . . . 

Could a surf museum be part of a $200 million renovation of Dana Point Harbor? -- A surf museum near the water is among the features included in one developer’s proposal for a $200 million renovation planned to breathe life back into the 44-year-old Dana Point Harbor. Erika I. Ritchie in the Orange County Register -- 5/19/17

POTUS 45  

Comey prepared extensively for his conversations with Trump -- FBI Director James B. Comey prepared extensively for his discussions with President Trump, out of concern that the president was unlikely to respect the legal and ethical boundaries governing their respective roles, according to associates of the now-fired FBI chief. Devlin Barrett, Ellen Nakashima and Adam Entous in the Washington Post$ -- 5/19/17

Trump meets with lawyers at the White House -- One White House official said the discussion, which came the day before Trump leaves for his first trip abroad since taking office, centered around the nuts and bolts of how the investigation would work – and how the administration will need to handle the inquiry. Alex Isenstadt and Josh Dawsey Politico -- 5/19/17

Fact Check: Trump Is Contradictory on Comey and Misleading on Russia -- President Trump defended his conduct related to the investigation into his campaign’s ties to Russia and made several misleading claims on Thursday afternoon. Linda Qiu in the New York Times$ -- 5/19/17

Tips for Leaders Meeting Trump: Keep It Short and Give Him a Win -- As Saudi Arabia’s leaders prepared to make a pitch to the White House for a visit by President Trump, a PowerPoint presentation was put together complete with slides describing Saudi demographics, investments in the United States and ambitious plans for reform. Peter Baker in the New York Times$ -- 5/19/17

Beltway 

House May Need to Vote Again on GOP Obamacare Repeal Bill -- House Republicans barely managed to pass their Obamacare repeal bill earlier this month, and they now face the possibility of having to vote again on their controversial health measure. Billy House Bloomberg Politics -- 5/19/17

Amid Trump Turmoil, Some Begin Eyeing Mike Pence -- For Republicans reeling at a daily stream of troubling revelations about President Trump, the prospect that Vice President Mike Pence would assume power should Mr. Trump leave office is a remote possibility. Julie Hirschfeld Davis in the New York Times$ -- 5/19/17

Senate Democrats reject Lieberman for FBI director -- President Donald Trump may be dramatically miscalculating how much support Sen. Joe Lieberman would have among his former Democratic colleagues if nominated to become FBI director. Burgess Everett and Seung Min Kim Politico -- 5/19/17

 

-- Thursday Updates 

UC regents approve first limit on out-of-state and international student enrollment -- University of California regents on Thursday approved the first limit on out-of-state and international student enrollment, settling for now a prolonged fight over who gets admitted to the prestigious public research university. Teresa Watanabe in the Los Angeles Times$ Alexei Koseff in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/18/17

State auditor urges UC regents to boost oversight of central budget practices but says audit found nothing "nefarious" -- What a difference a venue makes. When state Auditor Elaine Howle told a joint legislative committee this month that University of California central administrators had amassed a $175-million undisclosed surplus and interfered in her audit, lawmakers cried foul. Teresa Watanabe in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/18/17

State breaks another renewable energy record -- Early Saturday afternoon, renewable sources produced a record 67.2 percent of the electricity on the portion of state’s power grid controlled by the California Independent System Operator. Based in Folsom, the ISO runs 80 percent of the state’s grid. Dominic Fracassa in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/18/17

Democrats eyeing Orange County congressional seats in 2018 -- Newly energized residents are giving Democrats hope they can claim at least some of the congressional seats in Orange County that have been red for a generation. Sarah D. Wire in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/18/17

Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao says she can’t approve Caltrain electrification grant yet -- Chao said at a hearing Wednesday morning of the Senate Environment and Public Works committee that she won’t sign off on a funding agreement necessary to release federal funds for the project, even as a critical June 30 funding deadline looms. Casey Tolan in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/18/17

Bay Area slips in startup rankings -- Fewer entrepreneurs are flocking to the Bay Area to start companies; instead, more are heading to metropolitan areas like Miami, Austin and Los Angeles, a new report shows. Trisha Thadani in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/18/17

Luxury high-rise boom makes downtown San Jose a millennial magnet -- Mike Kim walks out onto the seventh-floor patio of Centerra, a swanky, 21-story apartment complex, taking in the bird’s-eye view of downtown’s rapidly changing skyline. Richard Scheinin in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/18/17

Tesla factory workers reveal pain, injury and stress: 'Everything feels like the future but us' -- When Tesla bought a decommissioned car factory in Fremont, California, Elon Musk transformed the old-fashioned, unionized plant into a much-vaunted “factory of the future”, where giant robots named after X-Men shape and fold sheets of metal inside a gleaming white mecca of advanced manufacturing. Julia Carrie Wong The Guardian -- 5/18/17

Narcotic-affected newborns nearly double in California, but ‘it’s not the mom you expect’ -- In California, the number of babies born affected by drugs has nearly doubled over seven years to more than 3,630 in 2015, according to state public health officials. That rise is directly tied to the stubborn opioid epidemic of prescription painkillers and illegal street drugs such as heroin that have hooked increasing numbers of women, both in California and nationwide. Claudia Buck in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/18/17

Roger Ailes, Fox News founder forced out by scandal, dies at 77 -- Roger Ailes, the controversial founder and longtime head of Fox News — who also worked as an advisor to Republican presidential candidates from Richard Nixon to Donald Trump — died Thursday at 77, according to a statement released by his wife. Stephen Battaglio in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/18/17

Election 2017: With loss, outgoing LAUSD Board President Zimmer sees a ‘tectonic shift’ -- Big changes are coming for the second-largest school district in the nation, said its outgoing school board president, a day after his crushing defeat in an election that could have a huge effect on charter schools in the region. Antonie Boessenkool in the Los Angeles Daily News -- 5/18/17

Fox: Education Changes? There’s Something Happening Here -- The education status quo, buttressed by teachers’ unions and the education establishment, is beginning to buckle. It can be seen in poll responses and Tuesday’s school board election in Los Angeles. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 5/18/17

Health insurers and state officials say Trump is undermining Obamacare, pushing up rates -- Health insurers across the country are making plans to dramatically raise Obamacare premiums or exit marketplaces amid growing exasperation with the Trump administration’s erratic management, inconsistent guidance and seeming lack of understanding of basic healthcare issues. Noam N. Levey in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/18/17

Opening of new NFL stadium in Inglewood delayed to 2020 -- Excavation of the site, which formerly housed the Hollywood Park racetrack, started in November, but the teams said that weather delays in January, February and March have made it infeasible for the stadium to open for the 2019 NFL season, as scheduled. Rich Hammond in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 5/18/17

CA120: Will those new 2016 voters return for the midterms? --History tells us that presidential-year new voters are likely to skip mid-term elections. Will the new voters of 2016 be any different? The answer to that question could have a profound impact on the 2018 elections. Paul Mitchell Capitol Weekly -- 5/18/17

Lawmakers try again to sway Gov. Jerry Brown on more jail visits for families -- State lawmakers on Wednesday voted in favor of crafting a budget proposal that would require all but eight California county jails to provide spaces for inmates to visit their families in person. Jazmine Ulloa in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/18/17

Senate supports loosening sentencing mandate for gun crimes -- Current law says anyone who uses a gun in committing a felony must have their sentence increased by three to 10 years in prison on top of the penalty for the felony. The proposal is to lift that mandate. Sen. Steven Bradford (D-Gardena) said he introduced the bill after a 17-year-old riding in a car involved in a drive-by shooting was sentenced to 25 years in prison even though he denied shooting the gun. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/18/17

California lawmakers seek to ban marijuana oil processing labs from neighborhoods -- Alarmed by several explosions in residential areas caused by drug processing labs, the state Assembly on Thursday voted to ban home manufacturing of marijuana concentrates using volatile solvents. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/18/17

Fostering Failure: How shelters criminalize hundreds of children -- California’s foster care shelters are supposed to serve as a refuge for vulnerable children. Instead, they have funneled hundreds of kids into the criminal justice system. Karen de Sá, Joaquin Palomino and Cynthia Dizikes in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/18/17

Rosenstein knew Comey was going to be fired before writing his memo, senators say -- Deputy Atty. Gen. Rod Rosenstein knew James B. Comey was about to be fired before writing his scathing memo to President Trump about the FBI director, senators said Thursday. Rosenstein was briefing senators at a closed-door meeting at the Capitol in the aftermath of Comey's firing and his own appointment of a special prosecutor to probe the Trump campaign's possible connection with Russian interference in the 2016 election. Lisa Mascaro and Evan Halper in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/18/17

Trump calls appointment of special prosecutor 'the single greatest witch hunt' -- President Donald Trump on Thursday blasted the appointment of Robert Mueller to be the special prosecutor overseeing the investigation into Russia’s meddling into the 2016 election, calling the probe “the single greatest witch hunt of a politician in American history.” Louis Nelson Politico Mark Landler in the New York Times$ Ashley Parker in the Washington Post$ -- 5/18/17

Advisers Urge Trump to Hire an Outside Lawyer -- Several White House advisers and personal associates of President Trump have urged him to hire an experienced outside lawyer to help him deal with issues arising from a surging controversy over whether his campaign had ties to Russia, according to several people briefed on the conversations. Maggie Haberman in the New York Times$ -- 5/18/17

Democratic Leaders Try to Slow Calls to Impeach Trump -- When House Democratic leaders hastily called a news conference Wednesday to demonstrate their outrage at President Trump’s latest dramatics, they took great pains to show they were not seeking to railroad him out of the White House. Jonathan Martin and Alexander Burns in the New York Times$ -- 5/18/17