Rough&Tumble California Policy and Politics

Updating . .

State leaders blast Trump administration's reported plans for a federal immigration sweep in Northern California -- California Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de León on Wednesday blasted the Trump administration’s threats to arrest political leaders of so-called “sanctuary cities” and a looming federal immigration sweep expected in Northern California. Jazmine Ulloa in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/17/18

Single-payer debate resurges in California Capitol, as opposition from health providers ramps up -- The emergence of heavy-hitting healthcare groups such as the California Medical Assn., the California Dental Assn. and the California Pharmacists Assn. signals an escalation in the opposition to the legislation, under which the state would foot the bill for nearly all medical expenses of its residents. Melanie Mason in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/17/18

Villaraigosa leads among Latino voters in new poll, but a significant number are undecided -- Villaraigosa, the former mayor of Los Angeles, was backed by 31% of Latino registered voters in a Latino Community Foundation poll, while Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom was backed by 14%. The rest of the candidates polled in the low single digits. The greatest number of respondents, 36%, said they were undecided. Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/17/18

After calling for surveillance reform, Feinstein casts crucial vote to kill it -- After years of tangling with California Sen. Dianne Feinstein, civil liberties activists seemed to have her onboard with their fight to curtail the vast warrantless surveillance program exposed by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden. Evan Halper in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/17/18

Quinn: A Viable Republican Should Run Against Sen. Feinstein -- Three Republicans are now running for governor, hoping one can slip into second place in the primary and make the fall runoff. But that is unlikely given the four well funded Democrats in the race. It is the Senate contest, completely overlooked so far, where there is an opening for a Republican. That’s because incumbent Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein is showing remarkable weakness in early polling. Tony Quinn Fox & Hounds -- 1/17/18

Fox: Audit the High Speed Rail -- With the revelation yesterday that the high-speed rail budget for the Central Valley segment jumped a whopping $2.8 billion there are no more excuses to prevent an independent audit of the rail project. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 1/17/18

Stockton Receives $20 Million Donation For Financial Aid -- Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs announced a $20 million donation that will make it possible to give financial aid to every college-bound student in the Stockton Unified School District next year. Rich Ibarra Capital Public Radio -- 1/17/18

PG&E to install 7,500 electric car charging stations for apartments, offices -- Apartment dwellers who would like to buy an electric car often can’t, for a simple reason — they have no place to charge. Even if their building has parking — a big “if” in San Francisco — their landlord may be reluctant to let them install an electricity-guzzling charger on the building’s account. David R. Baker in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/17/18

Paint companies could hand taxpayers the bill for hazardous lead paint cleanup under proposed California ballot measure -- A proposed November statewide ballot measure could allow three of the nation’s biggest paint companies to hand California taxpayers a bill for the cost of cleaning up health hazards caused by lead paint. Liam Dillon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/17/18

Abcarian: She wanted to go slow; he wanted to go fast. She told the world. Is Aziz Ansari a victim or a perpetrator? -- The Aziz Ansari cultural moment was inevitable. Ansari, the immensely talented actor who just won a Golden Globe for his work on “Master of None,” has been very publicly accused of unwanted sexual aggression during a first date by an anonymous 23-year-old woman who met him at an Emmy after-party last year. Robin Abcarian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/17/18

California says false emergency alert unlikely here -- State lawmakers introduced a bill this month that would require all counties to be able to send Wireless Emergency Alerts, or WEAs, and to create protocols and procedures for when and how to utilize the tool. The bill was drafted in response to what one state senator called a failure to warn people during the deadly Northern California wildfires. Joaquin Palomino in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/17/18

Industry group asks Supreme Court to strike down Berkeley cellphone warning ordinance -- The ordinance, approved by the City Council in May 2015, mandates a warning notice to people buying and leasing cellphones that carrying the devices close to the body when switched on could expose them to radiation in excess of federal guidelines. Tom Lochner in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 1/17/18

Apple says it will accelerate U.S. investments and job creation -- Apple announced on Wednesday that the company plans to contribute more than $350 billion to the U.S. economy over the next five years by creating more jobs and investing more domestically, building upon what it calls its “commitment to support the American economy and its workforce.” Patrick May in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 1/17/18

Apple pulls an Amazon, plans a new campus outside Bay Area -- Tech companies like Apple and Amazon, which announced plans for a second headquarters outside Seattle last year, have been under a microscope recently for their impact on jobs. Wendy Lee in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/17/18

Apple will bring much of its overseas cash back to the U.S. under new, corporate-friendly tax law -- Apple had long resisted returning to the U.S. its $265 billion in overseas funds because those holdings would be taxed at a rate of approximately 40%, Chief Executive Tim Cook told “60 Minutes.” Under the new tax law passed last month, however, Apple could face a one-time rate of 15.5% for bringing that wealth back to the U.S. David Pierson in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/17/18

5 shuttle buses chartered by Google, Apple apparently vandalized on I-280, possibly with pellet gun -- Five buses driving in the northbound and southbound directions of Interstate 280 between Highway 84 and Highway 85 were damaged during the Tuesday morning and evening commute, said California Highway Patrol Officer Art Montiel. Michelle Robertson in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/17/18

Stanford: How weight gain changes your whole body -- Weight gain isn’t just a number on your bathroom scale. A new Stanford study has found that the entire body undergoes changes for the worse when people pack on the pounds. Lisa M. Krieger in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 1/17/18

AP Sources: WH directed Bannon silence in House interview -- Steve Bannon’s attorney relayed questions, in real time, to the White House during a House Intelligence Committee interview of the former Trump chief strategist, people familiar with the closed-door session told The Associated Press. Tom LoBianco, Zeke Miller and Jonathan Lamire Associated Press -- 1/17/18

California Policy & Politics This Morning

California bullet train cost surges by $2.8 billion: 'Worst-case scenario has happened' -- The estimated cost of building 119 miles of bullet train track in the Central Valley has jumped to $10.6 billion, an increase of $2.8 billion from the current budget and up from about $6 billion originally. Ralph Vartabedian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/17/18

‘She represents California, not Arkansas.’ Feinstein’s rival presses her on immigration -- State Sen. Kevin de León took a subtle shot at Sen. Dianne Feinstein as he lobbied on Capitol Hill on Tuesday for protections for undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children known as “Dreamers.” Angela Hart in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/17/18

Suit targets California utilities over deadly mudslides -- An amended negligence lawsuit filed in Santa Barbara County Superior Court added the Montecito Water District to the suit that originally targeted only Southern California Edison. The litigation was brought by three people injured or related to someone hurt, plus a business damaged in flash floods that devastated the coastal town of Montecito. Christopher Weber Associated Press -- 1/17/18

Montecito mudslides: one story of luck, loss and narrow escapes -- As they make their way in a car up Hot Springs Road past Montecito Country Club, everything looks normal. But soon Gray and Landi are in the middle of tons of mud and car-size boulders that now sit silent and motionless alongside San Ysidro Creek. Frank Stoltze KPCC -- 1/17/18

Walters: Brown’s worries about killing California’s golden geese -- To intertwine cliches, Gov. Jerry Brown let the cat out of the bag last week and acknowledged that he’s concerned about killing the golden geese. Dan Walters Calmatters.org -- 1/17/18

Trump’s revenge on California: The Census -- Democrats fear that a proposed question on citizenship might cost the state a seat in Congress. David Siders Politico -- 1/17/18

'New California' campaign aims to separate rural counties from coastal cities -- Founders of the "New California" movement, Robert Paul Preston and Tom Reed, write on the campaign's website that California is "a failed state" and that "citizens of California are living under a tyrannical form of government that does not follow the California and U.S. Constitutions." Alyssa Pereira in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/17/18

Reagan Ranch has transformed into a spawning ground for young conservatives -- One by one, chatty teenagers in jeans walked across the stone patio that Ronald Reagan built by hand to ring the bell at the former president’s coastal mountain ranch. Nancy Reagan tugged on that same rope decades ago to call her husband home for lunch when he was out horseback riding or working in the stable. Phil Willon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/17/18

Sacramento Sheriff Scott Jones Changes Mind, Is Running For Re-Election -- The Sacramento Sheriff's Office has confirmed that Sheriff Scott Jones has reversed his decision not to run for re-election and will seek a third term. The sheriff announced last August that he would not run again. Chief Deputy Kris Palmer had planned to run as Jones’ presumed successor. Jones and former Sheriff John McGinness have publicly endorsed Palmer. Bob Moffitt, Nick Miller Capital Public Radio Nashelly Chavez in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/17/18

State moves step closer to downsizing Delta tunnels project -- California officials have moved closer to scaling back the troubled Delta tunnels project, officially notifying potential construction contractors that they’re considering limiting the project to one tunnel. Dale Kasler in the Sacramento Bee$ Melody Gutierrez in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/17/18

Oroville Suing State Water Agency Over Spillway Emergency -- Signaling what could be a wave of lawsuits arising from last year’s spillway crisis, the city of Oroville is planning to file a complaint Wednesday against the state Department of Water Resources for damages it says it suffered during and after the emergency. Dan Brekke KQED -- 1/17/18

As small riots rage at Coalinga State Hospital, details begin to emerge -- Patients at Coalinga State Hospital remained on lockdown Tuesday as a few details began to emerge about violent protests that have erupted since new rules restricting the use of personal electronic devices were put into place. Roy Appleton in the Fresno Bee -- 1/17/18

Maxine Waters (and who else?) will boycott Trump’s State of the Union -- Waters, a Democrat and persistent Trump antagonist who represents part of the Los Angeles area and South Bay, said she’ll register her disgust with the president by boycotting his Jan. 30 speech to a joint session of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate. Kevin Modesti in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 1/17/18

Taxes, Fees, Rates, Tolls, Bonds

5 San Francisco supervisors seek commercial property tax hike to pay for more housing -- Five San Francisco supervisors joined forces Tuesday to put a measure on the June 5 ballot that would raise about $100 million a year to pay for 10,000 low- and middle-income housing units and shelter accommodations for the city’s homeless population over the next decade. Dominic Fracassa in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/17/18

Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensions

Coalition formed to reverse the drop in international visitors to the U.S. -- President Trump’s statement about immigrants aren’t solely responsible for the drop in international travel to the U.S. but they’re not helping, according to members of a new industry coalition dedicated to promoting international tourism to the country. Hugo Martin in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/17/18

Suit by 22 state attorneys general seeks to block FCC's net neutrality repeal -- A group of 22 Democratic state attorneys general, including those from California and New York, filed a lawsuit Tuesday seeking to block the Federal Communications Commission’s repeal of tough net neutrality rules for online traffic. Jim Puzzanghera in the Los Angeles Times$ Billy Kobin in the Sacramento Bee$ Benny Evangelista in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/17/18

Former Google Teacher on Why She Joined Pay Discrimination Lawsuit -- Heidi Lamar will never forget the first time she visited one of Google’s Children Centers, a child care option for Google employees. Tonya Mosley KQED -- 1/17/18

Wildfire

Lawmakers introduce package of insurance safeguards in wake of Northern California wildfires -- Local lawmakers on Tuesday introduced a flurry of bills that would strengthen consumer protections for homeowners in the aftermath of the North Bay wildfires, where local residents have found themselves underinsured and overly burdened attempting to itemize their personal property destroyed in the blazes. Bill Swindell in the Santa Rosa Press Democrat -- 1/17/18

Education

Reports: Students drugged at Stanford fraternity party -- Two investigations are underway into the alleged drugging of at least seven students at a Stanford University fraternity function last week, an official said Tuesday. Jason Green in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 1/17/18

Meeting on racism in Elk Grove schools has audience, officials ‘standing with Rachael’ -- “I stand with Rachael.” That was the rally cry from speaker after speaker at a meeting on race at Sheldon High School on Tuesday night. Diana Lambert and Anita Chabria in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/17/18

L.A. Unified approves a plan to reveal more information about its schools -- If you are a parent considering one of two special academic programs at Hamilton High School in Palms, you face something of a challenge: The Los Angeles school district provides no data to the public that allows for a direct comparison — even though it has this data. Howard Blume in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/17/18

California to explain but not change school improvement plan federal officials criticized -- Despite significant criticisms last month by the U.S. Department of Education, California will likely make clarifications but no substantial changes to the state’s plan for complying with the Every Student Succeeds Act, the federal law that requires states to improve low-achieving schools. John Fensterwald EdSource -- 1/17/18

No rules for California home schools, where 13 found captive -- The Southern California home where authorities say two parents tortured their 13 children had doubled as a private school for the siblings but faced no government oversight and was never inspected by education officials. Michael Balsamo Associated Press -- 1/17/18

Redlands Unified says victims of sexual abuse were ‘negligent’ and partially ‘at fault’ -- Victims of former Redlands High School teacher and convicted sex offender Kevin Kirkland were “negligent” and partly to blame for what happened to them, the Redlands Unified School District said in a court document. Joe Nelson in the San Bernardino Sun$ -- 1/17/18

Cannabis

State attorneys general want Congress to give banks the go-ahead to work with marijuana companies -- California’s top law enforcement official and his counterparts in 18 states and territories say Congress must act to end the banking industry’s prohibition on serving the marijuana industry, calling the current state of affairs a public safety threat and a hindrance for law enforcement. James Rufus Koren in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/17/18

Maywood officials celebrate revenue potential as recreational pot shop opens -- Outside of Maywood’s first recreational marijuana dispensary, people stood in a long line that snaked along the building and into a parking lot, where it found the perfect prescription for a raging case of the munchies. Free tacos. Sarah Parvini in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/17/18

Immigration / Border

Feds planning massive Northern California immigration sweep to strike against sanctuary laws -- U.S. immigration officials have begun preparing for a major sweep in San Francisco and other Northern California cities in which federal officers would look to arrest more than 1,500 undocumented people while sending a message that immigration policy will be enforced in the sanctuary state, according to a source familiar with the operation. Hamed Aleaziz in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/17/18

Californians take lead on proposal for slimmed-down 'Dreamer' bill -- Congress is considering a handful of deals to address the legal status of people brought to the country illegally as children. Some include money for a wall along the Southern border, others would rewrite major chunks of immigration law. Sarah D. Wire in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/17/18

'Time is running out, and our patience is long gone': California 'Dreamers' and Kevin de León work to pressure Congress -- At the start of what’s expected to be a contentious week in Congress, dozens of Californians brought to the country illegally as children gathered on Capitol Hill to pressure lawmakers to find a solution for their immigration status. Joining them was state Senate leader Kevin de León. He plans to meet with the state’s House members and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, whom De León is challenging in this year’s election. Sarah D. Wire in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/17/18

Health

Should California Voters OK $5 Billion More for Stem Cell Research? -- The year was 2004, and great medical breakthroughs were supposedly right around the corner. David Gorn KQED -- 1/17/18

Environment

Why millions of dead trees in the Sierra may have helped save water during the drought -- Scientists led by UC Merced’s Sierra Nevada Research Institute examined how much water was being absorbed by plant life in 1 million acres of Sierra forest along the watershed that feeds into the Kings River east of Fresno. Ryan Sabalow in the Fresno Bee -- 1/17/18

South L.A. commission backs stiff new rules for oil site near USC -- A South Los Angeles commission upheld city demands Tuesday night to stiffen rules for an oil production site that sits next to homes, overriding objections from the company that runs the Jefferson Boulevard facility. Emily Alpert Reyes in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/17/18

A quarter million?! California sea lion population has tripled, new study finds -- The West Coast’s population of California sea lions — the playful marine animals that delight tourists on the Santa Cruz waterfront and San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf while competing with salmon fishermen for valuable catches — has tripled in the past 40 years to more than 250,000. Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 1/17/18

Bill introduced banning gasoline-powered vehicles in California by 2040 -- A bill introduced this month in the California Legislature calls for every new passenger vehicle sold in the Golden State to emit zero exhaust emissions by 2040. If passed, it would effectively ban the sale of new cars with internal combustion engines. Rob Nikolewski in the San Diego Union-Tribune -- 1/17/18

Also . . .

For Perris couple arrested after kids found chained, home-schooling kept spotlight away -- Days after law enforcement authorities found a dozen siblings locked up in a foul-smelling, dark home in Riverside County, the discovery is focusing new scrutiny on California’s loose home-schooling regulations and raising questions about whether they contributed to the children’s prolonged neglect. Anna M. Phillips in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/17/18

Muir Woods’ parking reservation system off to quiet start -- Tuesday was a brand-new day at Muir Woods National Monument, where visitors for the first time were required to have a reservation to park at the famous redwood forest. Carl Nolte in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/17/18

POTUS 45

Adult-film star reportedly spoke to journalist in 2016 about Trump settlement, fearing he wouldn’t pay up -- An adult-film star who was reportedly paid to remain silent about a sexual relationship with Donald Trump a decade before he became president spoke to a journalist because she feared he would not pay up, according to a new account. Mark Berman in the Washington Post$ -- 1/17/18

Trump did exceedingly well on a cognitive test, top White House doctor says -- President Trump is in excellent overall health and achieved a perfect score on a cognitive test that the president requested as part of his first formal medical exam since taking office, the White House’s top physician announced Tuesday. Jenna Johnson and Lenny Bernstein in the Washington Post$ -- 1/17/18

Four Pinocchios: Trump’s false claim that alleged terror suspect brought two dozen relatives to U.S. -- In November, after Uzbekistan-born Sayfullo Habibullaevic Saipov allegedly killed eight people and injured a dozen others by driving a pickup truck down a bicycle path near the World Trade Center in New York, President Trump attacked the diversity visa program that gave Saipov legal permanent residency in the United States. Glenn Kessler in the Washington Post$ -- 1/17/18

Beltway

A burst of acrimony on Capitol Hill threatens immigration deal -- A burst of public acrimony across Capitol Hill on Tuesday exposed how much negotiations on immigration and border security have been set back since President Trump’s use of a vulgar expression during a meeting on the issue. Ed O'Keefe and Nick Miroff in the Washington Post$ -- 1/17/18

House Republicans coalesce behind plan to avert shutdown -- House Republicans on Tuesday night appeared to coalesce around a short-term funding bill to avert a government shutdown Friday — even as conservatives threatened to oppose it and a bitter fight continued over the fate of more than 700,000 Dreamers. Rachael Bade, Sarah Ferris and Jennifer Scholtes Politico -- 1/17/18

Citing ‘Inexcusable’ Treatment, Advisers Quit National Parks Panel -- The majority of members of the National Parks System Advisory Board, which advises the federal government on management of the country’s national parks, have jointly resigned to protest Trump administration policies that the board members say have ignored science, squelched efforts to address climate change and undermined environmental protections. Coral Davenport in the New York Times$ -- 1/17/18

Hollywood opening its wallet for Obama's presidential center in Chicago -- Donors in the million-dollar-or-more circle include a foundation tied to Shonda Rhimes, who created TV hits such as “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Scandal.” A foundation affiliated with Philip Rosenthal, creator of television’s “Everybody Loves Raymond,” also has given at least $1 million. Katherine Skiba in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/17/18

-- Tuesday Updates

California lawmaker says utilities’ tax breaks should go to customers -- Money that California utility companies save under the new federal tax overhaul should be returned to their customers in the form of lower rates, state Sen. Jerry Hill said Tuesday. David R. Baker in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/16/18

California lawmakers propose bills to beef up disaster insurance coverage -- State legislators have introduced a package of bills that would beef up or extend insurance coverage to policyholders following declared disasters, but only one would be retroactive and apply to victims of the recent wildfires. Kathleen Pender in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/16/18

California governor proposes one-tunnel water plan -- Gov. Jerry Brown is paring down his troubled proposal for redoing California's north-south water system in hopes of launching the mega-project before he leaves office this year. Ellen Knickmeyer Associated Press Melody Gutierrez in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/16/18

L.A. County sheriff's deputy charged with selling drugs, offering protection of other cops to dealers -- A Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy has been charged with operating a large-scale drug trafficking operation in which he boasted that he hired other law enforcement officers to provide security to drug dealers and could assault people for his clients, according to court records. Joel Rubin and Maya Lau in the Los Angeles Times$ Jason Henry in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 1/16/18

Migrants from countries disparaged by Trump are some of California’s best-educated residents -- African migrants to California are far more likely to have a four-year college degree than Californians born in the United States, census figures show. Phillip Reese in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/16/18

Help Wanted: Sen. Tony Mendoza sought spring interns despite allegations -- Sen. Tony Mendoza’s office continued to advertise for new interns after the Artesia Democrat agreed to temporarily step down as the California Senate investigates alleged misconduct toward three former employees, including an intern and a Sacramento State fellow. Taryn Luna in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/16/18

Some Democrats raise questions about state Sen. Tony Mendoza's actions during his leave of absence -- Both the leader of the California Senate and the chair of the Legislative Women’s Caucus have clashed with state Sen. Tony Mendoza in recent days over the Southern California Democrat’s behavior while on leave during an investigation of sexual misconduct allegations. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/16/18

California cannabis sellers want respect: Less 'Cheech and Chong' more three-piece suits -- He was dressed in a three-piece suit. So Chris Coggan nearly went unnoticed when he dropped by a San Diego City Council member’s office last year to do some lobbying on marijuana laws. Gary Robbins in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/16/18

Identifying the Causes of the California Mudslides -- Geologists and officials in Santa Barbara say it is still too early to know precisely how and why last week’s mudslides became so lethal. But they are already studying satellite imagery to help determine the path of the deadly debris, in the hopes that understanding what happened will prevent similar calamities in the future. Jasmine C. Lee, Jennifer Medina and Alicia Parplapiano in the New York Times$ -- 1/16/18

After a Debacle, How California Became a Role Model on Measles -- In December 2014 something unusual happened at Disneyland. People came to visit Mickey Mouse, and some of them left with measles. At least 159 people contracted the disease during an outbreak lasting several months. This is more than the typical number in a whole year in the United States. Emily Oster and Geoffrey Kocks in the New York Times$ -- 1/16/18

CA120: North versus South in 2018 primary -- With five months to the 2018 gubernatorial primary election, there is a natural tendency to try and find the single major factor that will determine the outcome. Paul Mitchell Capitol Weekly -- 1/16/18

Billionaire Tom Steyer Pledges To Mobilize Orange County Millennials for 2018 Elections -- Billionaire Democrat and environmentalist Tom Steyer, who announced last week he would pour $30 million into ten states toward mobilizing millennial voters, said part of those efforts will focus on Orange County, where the fate of four congressional seats could determine the direction of the House of Representatives. Thy Vo, Nick Gerda and Spencer Custodio VoiceofOC.org -- 1/16/18

Fox: Court Gets Advice on Pensions -- Finley Peter Dunne, a humorist and newspaper columnist at the turn of the 20th Century famously said in making decisions, “The Supreme Court follows election returns.” The question for California is will the state Supreme Court heed the governor’s advice? Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 1/16/18

Trump administration will ask Supreme Court to allow it to end DACA -- The Justice Department on Tuesday said it would take the “rare step” of asking the Supreme Court to clear the way for the Trump administration to dismantle a federal program that provides work permits to undocumented immigrants who have lived in the United States since childhood. Maria Sacchetti in the Washington Post$ -- 1/16/18

Trump's first-year report card: Voters say he's no genius -- Donald Trump’s quarterly report card is in — and if he were back in school, he’d find himself on academic probation. More voters give Trump a failing grade for his first year as president than think he deserves an “A” or “B,” according to a new Politico/Morning Consult poll, conducted earlier this month. Steven Shepard Politico -- 1/16/18

Bannon Is Subpoenaed by Mueller in the Russia Inquiry -- Stephen K. Bannon, President Trump’s former chief strategist, was subpoenaed last week by the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III. Mr. Bannon is to testify before a grand jury as part of the investigation into possible links between Mr. Trump’s associates and Russia. Michael S. Schmidt in the New York Times$ -- 1/16/18