Updating . .   

Money for police cannot be pegged to cooperation with ICE, judge rules -- The U.S. Department of Justice cannot force local police departments to cooperate with immigration agents as a condition for receiving federal funding for a law enforcement program, a judge in Los Angeles ruled this week. The permanent, nationwide ban against the funding rules delivered an unambiguous victory to Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer in the legal battle he opened last year with U.S. Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions. Joel Rubin and Dakota Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/12/18

Antonio Villaraigosa was paid $50,000 for a speech in China to promote company later sued by the SEC -- In the years before running for governor, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa traveled the world addressing audiences from Beijing to Baku to Bakersfield, leveraging his political celebrity to rake in hundreds of thousands of dollars in speaking fees. Casey Tolan in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/12/18

Attack ad targets NRA support for California Republican -- Throughout his career in Congress, Rep. Jeff Denham of Turlock has regularly appeared on Democratic lists of Republicans who can be knocked off in the next election — but he’s always survived. He’s there again this year, largely because Hillary Clinton outpolled Donald Trump in his district in 2016 and Denham himself won his race by just three points. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/12/18

UC guarantees path for community college students — at one-tenth the cost -- Amid growing concern about rising costs and access to its campuses, the University of California reached an agreement Wednesday that is expected to boost the number of transfer students from the state’s community colleges by 10 to 15 percent. John Woolfolk in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/12/18

Faculty union says they don't want a new online community college -- Community college faculty are raising their voices in opposition to the creation of a new online community college. That opposition has extended from the state’s biggest labor unions to the local campuses. Adolfo Guzman-Lopez KPCC -- 4/12/18

Marijuana laws for every city and county? Our database shows California slow to accept Prop. 64 -- Fewer than one in three California cities (144 out of 482) allow any kind of cannabis business to operate in their borders. And just 18 of the state’s 58 counties permit cannabis businesses in their unincorporated areas. Brooke Staggs and Ian Wheeler in the Orange County Register -- 4/12/18

San Francisco auto break-ins down 17 percent as city tries to smash epidemic -- San Francisco is looking to build on a new set of policing strategies that helped shrink auto burglaries significantly in the first three months of the year, after a dismal 2017 that saw an average of 85 break-ins a day, officials said Wednesday. Dominic Fracassa in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/12/18

Zuckerberg hearings shed little light on Facebook’s ‘dark matter’ collection -- Besides visible content, there’s another type of data that is not immediately obvious, a kind of “dark matter” data. This is the information Facebook gleans based on your behavior both on and off Facebook, along with what you voluntarily post. It’s this data that makes Facebook feel “creepy” to some, that invokes ads that seem eerily timely. Dwight Silverman in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/12/18

After Stephon Clark shooting, Sacramento devotes $500,000 more toward low-income kids -- The city of Sacramento is offering $500,000 in grants to nonprofit organizations that work with young people in high unemployment neighborhoods, the second time in a week the city announced it was investing in disadvantaged neighborhoods like the one where police shot and killed Stephon Clark. Ryan Lillis in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/12/18

I-5 is ‘falling apart,’ and a massive fix is coming -- On a rainy morning two years ago, a Federal Express truck slid across three lanes of Interstate 5, vaulted the center divider and smashed a pickup truck, killing an Elk Grove man. The crash set off alarm bells at Caltrans. Tony Bizjak in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/12/18

California exporters worry that 'scuffle' could become costly trade war with China -- California exports and employment have been flying high, but the Trump administration's ongoing trade dispute with China has experts concerned that Golden State shipments and jobs could take a hit before the dawn of summer. Mark Glover in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/12/18

Controversial $1-billion Hollywood high-rise project relaunched by developer -- The developer of a stalled $1-billion real estate project near the Capitol Records Building in Hollywood will try again with a new proposal that prioritizes housing over commercial uses. Roger Vincent in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/12/18

Huntington Beach school trustee calls for removal of committee member over alleged ‘colored people’ comment -- An Ocean View School District trustee is calling for the removal of a member of city and school district panels who is alleged to have referred to minorities as "colored people" in a YouTube video. Priscella Vega in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/12/18

Fox: Polling Puzzles -- Some interesting—and puzzling—findings reflected in the new Public Policy Institute of California survey on the mix of education and politics. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 4/12/18

What ice cream flavors can teach us about the changing California Dream -- Chris and John Fosselman hoist ice cream flavors — mango, salty caramel, vanilla, coffee — into four mixers and wait for the churn before hand-packing buckets with their crew. At Fosselman’s Ice Cream in Alhambra, the family-run operation is streamlined, producing 200-plus flavors for the retail store and wholesale operation on Main Street. Elizabeth Aguilera Calmatters -- 4/12/18

Red-tailed hawk hatches live on webcam in San Francisco's Presidio -- And you thought kittens were cute. Amy Graff in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/12/18

A giant swath of ocean off California's coast could get new protections -- What’s the best way to protect coral reefs and underwater sponge gardens from being damaged by fishing gear? Ban bottom trawling from a huge swath of ocean off of Southern California. That’s according to the Pacific Fishery Management Council, which voted earlier this week to create a gigantic new marine conservation area larger than New Mexico off the California coast. It includes nearly all of the ocean off Southern California. Emily Guerin KPCC -- 4/12/18

National Enquirer paid second source with embarrassing Trump rumor -- The owner of the National Enquirer paid $30,000 in late 2015 to a onetime Trump Tower doorman who was offering an embarrassing story about then-presidential candidate Donald Trump but never published it, according to a person familiar with the payment. Carol D. Leonnig in the Washington Post$ -- 4/12/18

 

California Policy & Politics This Morning  

Trump’s funding threats to San Francisco over sanctuary laws meet chilly response in court -- Courts throughout the nation are considering President Trump’s efforts to compel unwilling cities and states to help carry out his hard-line immigration policies. But his most far-reaching decree, a January 2017 order to cut off federal funds to San Francisco and other sanctuary cities, received an apparently chilly reception from a federal appeals court Wednesday. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Tatiana Sanchez in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/12/18

Orange, Newport Beach join other Orange County cities opposing California sanctuary law -- Elected officials in Orange and Newport Beach, following hours of emotional testimony from both sides of the sanctuary issue, voted late Tuesday to oppose a new California law that protects people living in the country illegally. Roxana Kopetman in the Orange County Register -- 4/12/18

Delano police ask D.A. to investigate ICE statements about crash that killed 2 -- The Delano Police Department has forwarded a report to the Kern County district attorney's office asking prosecutors to review whether federal immigration agents gave false information to police investigating a traffic crash that killed a couple who were in the country illegally. Brittny Mejia in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/12/18

Republican gubernatorial candidate again outpolls former LA mayor Villaraigosa -- Republican John Cox once more came in second to California gubernatorial frontrunner Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, in the latest Public Policy Institute of California survey released late Wednesday. Mary Plummer and Sandra Oshiro KPCC Phil Willon in the Los Angeles Times$ John Wildermuth in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/12/18

Netflix CEO Reed Hastings donates $7 million to pro-Villaraigosa group -- The move is not surprising — Villaraigosa made waves taking on teachers unions as the mayor of Los Angeles, despite his roots as a labor organizer. Villaraigosa is the most prominent Democrat in California to challenge the teachers unions, a fight he has continued since leaving the mayor's office in 2013. Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/12/18

How Paul Ryan’s retirement will affect California politics -- House Speaker Paul Ryan’s decision to retire from Congress didn’t just send shock waves through Washington and his home state of Wisconsin. It’s likely to change the political dynamic in California as well. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/12/18

McCarthy, Scalise are likely contenders for House speaker -- Some say it’s a fight between West and South. Or a battle for President Donald Trump’s affections. Or a test of who can woo conservatives. Alan Fram Associated Press -- 4/12/18

Scalise announces $3 million fundraising haul -- Scalise’s first quarter fundraising announcement comes just a day after Speaker Paul Ryan announced his retirement. While Scalise has said he will defer to House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy to succeed Ryan, he is also positioning himself for a potential bid for the speakership in the event his California colleague falls short. Rachael Bade Politico -- 4/12/18

Some Republicans want Ryan out sooner than later -- A number of rank-and-file members, including several allies of Kevin McCarthy, say a protracted leadership fight would hurt the party. Rachael Bade and John Bresnahan Politico -- 4/12/18

Tom Steyer rallies anti-Trump crowd for impeachment at Oakland town hall -- San Francisco billionaire Tom Steyer rallied anti-Trump activists and bashed Democratic leaders for not supporting efforts to impeach the president at a boisterous meeting in Oakland on Wednesday night. Casey Tolan in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/12/18

Another Orange County Democrat withdraws, narrowing crowd for 48th congressional seat -- Orange County Democratic congressional candidate Michael Kotick on Wednesday ended his bid to unseat GOP Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, making him the second Democrat in recent weeks to exit the competitive race in order to avoid a scenario in which two Republicans advance to a General Election runoff. Jordan Graham in the Orange County Register -- 4/12/18

Skelton: The internet is no longer an infant that needs freedom to innovate — it's grown into a monster and needs to be restricted -- Real estate developer Alastair Mactaggart became alarmed about the internet's threat to personal privacy while chatting with a Google engineer at a cocktail party. George Skelton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/12/18

Here’s How Much You Are Worth to Facebook in Dollars and Cents -- It shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone now that Facebook, like most other free services on the internet, makes money off our data. We get to use the website for free, while it gathers information about us and shows us ads. This begs a truly 21st century existential question. What is our digital self worth? Can we put a dollar value on it? Here's an attempt. Sam Harnett KQED -- 4/12/18

Facebook to stop spending money against California privacy measure -- As Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg wrapped up a second day being grilled by Congress about whether the company adequately protects the personal data of its 2 billion users, news broke in California that Facebook will stop spending money to oppose a privacy measure aiming for the state’s November ballot. Laurel Rosenhall Calmatters Jazmine Ulloa in the Los Angeles Times$ Marisa Lagos KQED -- 4/12/18

What You Don’t Know About How Facebook Uses Your Data -- Representative Debbie Dingell, a Democrat from Michigan, for one, wanted to know about Facebook’s use of different types of tracking software to follow consumers’ activities on millions of non-Facebook sites all over the web. “It doesn’t matter whether you have a Facebook account,” Ms. Dingell said to Mr. Zuckerberg. “Through those tools, Facebook is able to collect information from all of us.” Natasha Singer in the New York Times$ -- 4/12/18

Potential Fair Housing Violations You May Not Know About -- "...Facebook lets advertisers exclude users by race in real estate advertising," Coons said, pointing to reporting by ProPublica. "There was a way that you could say this particular ad I only want to be seen by white folks, not by people of color, and that clearly violates fair housing laws and our basic sense of fairness in the United States." The issue, which prompted a lawsuit last month, shows the Fair Housing Act still matters half a century later. Tarryn Mento KPBS -- 4/12/18

Progressive Democrats run California—yet it does more than many states to shield police from scrutiny -- Cops have a lot of pull in the California Capitol, and over the decades, that’s added up to this startling reality: The Golden State now goes further than many states in terms of protecting police from public scrutiny. Laurel Rosenhall Calmatters -- 4/12/18

Oil ‘is killing us.’ Activists call on Jerry Brown to halt California drilling -- Critics of Gov. Jerry Brown are pressuring him to take a stronger stance on an issue that has come to define his legacy – climate change and the environment. Consumer and health care groups launched a campaign Wednesday, "Brown's Last Chance," calling on him to freeze all new oil and gas drilling in California, and phase out current production. Angela Hart in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/12/18

News Media Sue Over California's New Execution Rules -- The Los Angeles Times and other news media organizations sued over California's new execution rules Wednesday, saying they would bar journalists from fully reporting on the lethal injection procedure. The lawsuit is the latest challenge as the state seeks to resume executions for the first time since 2006. Don Thompson Associated Press -- 4/12/18

Man who accused of threatening to kill Rep. Maxine Waters expected to plead guilty -- A San Pedro man is expected to plead guilty Wednesday to threatening to kill Rep. Maxine Waters over her criticism of President Trump. Anthony Scott Lloyd, 45, faces a single count of threatening a United States official, according to a plea agreement filed March 26. It is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sarah D. Wire in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/12/18

‘I’m going to cut your liberal bleeding heart out’: Central Valley man pleads not guilty to threatening Rep. Jackie Speier’s staffers -- A 52-year-old Manteca man who allegedly vowed to carve the “liberal bleeding heart” out of a staffer at Rep. Jackie Speier’s San Mateo office pleaded not guilty this week to making felony threats and other criminal charges, prosecutors said. Jason Green in the East Bay Times -- 4/12/18

Walters: California again ranks low in academic testing -- There was a bit of good news for California in the federal government’s latest round of academic test results: it’s one of seven states that registered four-point gains in reading comprehension among eighth-graders. Dan Walters Calmatters -- 4/12/18

Lopez: Putting up roadblocks when Waze and other apps send cars down your little street -- Like a lot of us, L.A. City Councilman Paul Krekorian uses the navigation app Waze to get where he's going. But all he wants from the app is general information, not a turn-by-turn escort who zigzags him through residential neighborhoods. Steve Lopez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/12/18

‘Dangerous enemy aliens’ ​were once imprisoned here. Now, a sign is ‘evidence’ of a dark history -- Unlike many other landmarks, Los Angeles Cultural Monument No. 1039 does not demarcate an architecturally significant structure, a century-old house, or the former home of a historical figure. Instead, it marks a one-acre grove of mature oak trees — all that remains of the Tuna Canyon Detention Station. Julia Wick in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 4/12/18

In secret recording, judge says licked envelope from HIV-positive murder suspect is 'gross' -- A Riverside County judge was secretly recorded calling two murder defendants “assholes” and “clowns,” then bragging he intentionally strengthened the prosecution's case because it would be “great” if the suspects were convicted. The judge was also caught saying that it was "gross" that a gay, HIV-positive suspect had filed court motions in envelopes that were licked closed. Brett Kelman in The Desert Sun -- 4/12/18

Calbuzz: Brown’s Bid to Finesse Trump’s Nat’l Guard Plan -- Paddle on the right and left. Brown’s agreement and cover letter were an attempt to appease Trump’s request for assistance without actually allowing his National Guard to be used for the mission Trump wants those troops: to guard the border and repel unauthorized immigrants until his wall is constructed. But while Brown carefully circumscribed his troops’ mission, the White House saw it for what it was — California submitting to Trump’s command. Jerry Roberts and Phil Trounstine CalBuzz -- 4/12/18

Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensions  

These California counties have the most to lose in a China trade war -- If President Trump follows through on his trade threats against China, it will open a broad new front in his administration’s war with California, a new study underscores. Emily Cadei in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/12/18

These charts show how 5,000 Disney workers feel about their jobs -- Are Disneyland Resort employees whistling while they work? While nearly 80 percent say they are proud of the work they do, the majority say they are not fairly compensated and struggle to afford the necessities of life, such as food and health care, according to a survey of 5,000 union employees commissioned by a coalition of Disneyland unions. Jeff Goertzen in the Orange County Register -- 4/12/18

City Council approves long-awaited people mover to LAX -- Travelers leaving Los Angeles International Airport by car, van, bus, shuttle or taxi have no choice but to wait at the chaotic curbside, often for more than half an hour, as drivers fight through crawling lanes of bumper-to-bumper traffic. Laura J. Nelson in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/12/18

LA Sheriff ties $142 million in overtime to 1,000 deputy vacancies -- The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is facing a projected $40 million deficit and vacancies of more than 1,000 deputies, forcing the sheriff to place on hold a plan to equip nearly 6,000 deputies with body cameras, according to agency officials. Frank Stoltze KPCC -- 4/12/18

Are road repairs coming to your street? $31B LA County budget plan could fund them -- Los Angeles County unveiled a $30.8 billion budget plan Tuesday for the coming year that includes a big boost in spending for road repairs. The budget proposal calls for an added $67 million for road repairs in unincorporated parts of the county. Meghan McCarty Carino KPCC -- 4/12/18

Bay Area still dominates U.S. venture capital industry but cracks may be showing -- Despite all the talk of technology companies and workers leaving the Bay Area for cheaper pastures, Silicon Valley looks strong as ever — for now. Seung Lee in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/12/18

Guns 

Hiltzik: Kaiser Permanente will start filling the vacuum in gun research with a $2-million study program -- The vacuum in gun violence research in America is slowly being filled by independent organizations. The latest to accept the responsibility for studying one of our most pressing public health crises is Kaiser Permanente, the giant healthcare system, which this week announced a $2-million program to study how to prevent gun injuries and deaths. Michael Hiltzik in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/12/18

Bank of America to stop lending to some gun manufacturers in wake of Parkland massacre -- Anne Finucane, a vice chairman at Bank of America, announced the plans Tuesday in an interview with Bloomberg Television, saying the bank had “intense conversations over the last few months” with its gun-manufacturer clients to let them know Bank of America would no longer finance their operations. Amy B Wang in the Washington Post$ -- 4/12/18

Homeless  

New L.A. laws clear the path for homeless housing projects and motel conversions -- Under one of the new laws, homeless housing projects that meet a list of requirements will be able to avoid a lengthy process at City Hall that includes environmental review and can trigger a public hearing. The new ordinance will also slash parking requirements and allow "permanent supportive housing" projects to be built taller or denser than otherwise allowed. Emily Alpert Reyes and Dakota Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/12/18

Garcetti says state money would 'accelerate' Los Angeles' homelessness plan -- Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said Wednesday the city needs more money from the state to combat increasing homelessness, even though local voters recently approved ballot measures designed to bring in more than $1 billion in funding to help build new housing and provide supportive services. Liam Dillon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/12/18

Faulconer, other mayors push for bill to aid homeless people -- San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer joined 10 other California mayors in Sacramento on Wednesday to push for a bill that could generate $1.5 billion in state funds to help the homeless. AB 3151, authored by Democrat Phil Ting of San Francisco, calls for 25 percent of the state’s $6.1 billion budget surplus to be set aside for programs that help the homelessness. Gary Warth in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 4/12/18

Housing  

Map: A look at the black diaspora of the Bay Area -- A recent survey shows that while buying a home in the San Francisco Bay Area these days is an uphill climb for almost everybody, it’s a nearly impossible dream for the region’s Hispanic and African-America residents. Patrick May in the East Bay Times -- 4/12/18

Price on fire-ravaged home in Silicon Valley shocks the country -- A burned-out home selling for $799,000 in San Jose's Willow Glen neighborhood is quickly becoming a symbol of Silicon Valley's insane real estate market. Amy Graff in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/12/18

A change to California's housing supply law could spur a big expansion in home building -- A Bay Area lawmaker's housing proposal could expand the size and scope of home building efforts in California at an unprecedented scale. The legislation, Senate Bill 828, from state Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), would require cities and counties to rezone land in their communities to permit many more homes than are currently in their plans. Liam Dillon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/12/18

High court sides with landlords, bans Oakland penalty system -- Oakland’s system of penalizing landlords for bad conditions in their buildings, in which appeals of penalties are reviewed by an appointee of the same city agency that imposed the original penalty, was dealt a final blow by the state Supreme Court on Wednesday in a case that could affect other cities in California. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/12/18

Education 

Most Californians are worried about school shooting threats and oppose arming teachers, survey finds -- Most Californians are worried that a school shooting like the one that occurred in Parkland, Fla., in February could shed blood closer to home, a new survey found. Some 73% percent of adults and 82% of public school parents said they were very concerned or somewhat concerned about school shootings. Joy Resmovits in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/12/18

California community college students will be guaranteed admission to UC — if they meet requirements -- Good news for thousands of California community college students hoping to transfer into the University of California: Succeed in a rigorous set of courses, and your UC admission is guaranteed. Nanette Asimov in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/12/18

Rocklin High pro-life walkout tests school bias -- Rocklin High School junior Brandon Gillespie wanted to test school administrators when he planned a walkout to protest abortion Tuesday. Would the school punish anti-abortion protesters for leaving classes for 17 minutes, the same amount of time that students taking part in the National School Walkout left classes on March 14, without discipline? The answer was no. Dianna Lambert in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/12/18

California's online college proposal ignites support among workers and opposition among some lawmakers – A plan to expand the state's community college system to include a new online college would be a dramatic expansion in online education aimed at a segment of the labor force that higher education has not traditionally served, Gov. Jerry Brown contends. Mikhail Zinshteyn EdSource -- 4/12/18

Blackface Leads to Fraternity Suspension at Cal Poly -- A fraternity at California Polytechnic State University was sanctioned by its national organization on Tuesday after students dressed as gang members, including one in blackface, during the college’s annual multicultural event over the weekend. Matthew Haag in the New York Times$ -- 4/12/18

Environment 

San Francisco shipyard activists frustrated by naval officials on alleged soil test fraud -- Hunters Point activists and shipyard neighbors had hoped to get answers Wednesday night to newly released documents suggesting that misconduct in the federal cleanup of radioactive soil at San Francisco’s biggest redevelopment site is likely far more widespread than previously reported. Cynthia Dizikes and Michael Cabanatuan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/12/18

Facing Widespread Opposition, Lawmaker Ends Effort to Increase Refinery Penalties -- State Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, is dropping a bill that would have tripled fines for refineries that violate air quality laws amid opposition from the oil industry, at least two Bay Area mayors, the region's air regulators and environmentalists. Ted Goldberg KQED -- 4/12/18

Oil company with checkered history hit with $12.5M fine -- A California oil company with a long history of safety violations and regulatory lapses was hit with a record $12.5 million fine by state regulators Wednesday for nearly 1,500 violations in the past year at an oil field in Orange County. Greka Oil & Gas falsified results in more than 350 reports, failed to conduct regular pressure testing at dozens of wells and didn’t maintain operating pressure gauges, according to the state’s Department of Conservation. Brian Melley Associated Press -- 4/12/18

California offshore oil firms hit with nearly 400 violations -- Oil and gas companies drilling in state waters off Southern California violated regulations nearly 400 times in the past three years, according to a report being released Wednesday by an environmental group. Brian Melley Associated Press -- 4/12/18

Also . . . 

South L.A. hit-and-run vigil interrupted by another hit and run -- A vigil for the victim of a fatal hit-and-run crash in South L.A. Wednesday afternoon was broken up in dramatic fashion by yet another hit and run that was captured on video. Joseph Serna in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/12/18

Study finds record violence costing Mexico billions of dollars -- As fighting among drug trafficking groups drives up violence in Mexico to record levels, a new study released on Wednesday measures the economic impact in 2017 at $249 billion in losses — close to 21 percent of the country’s gross domestic product. Sandra Dibble in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 4/12/18

L.A. to pay $3.9 million to the parents of a man fatally shot by police at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center -- In October, a jury awarded $3.5 million plus attorneys fees to the parents of Ruben Herrera. The family had alleged use of excessive force, negligence and other violations in a federal lawsuit. The Los Angeles City Council approved the payment Wednesday. Cindy Chang in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/12/18

POTUS 45  

Trump Ordered DOJ to Hire Controversial Former Aide, Sources Say -- President Donald Trump personally ordered the Department of Justice to hire a former White House official who departed after he was caught up in a controversy over the release of intelligence material to a member of Congress, according to people familiar with the matter. Chris Strohm, Jennifer Jacobs Bloomberg Politics -- 4/12/18

Trump chooses impulse over strategy as crises mount -- “It’s just like everybody wakes up every morning and does whatever is right in front of them,” said one West Wing aide, speaking on the condition of anonymity to share a candid opinion. “Oh, my God, Trump Tower is on fire. Oh, my God, they raided Michael Cohen’s office. Oh, my God, we’re going to bomb Syria. Whatever is there is what people respond to, and there is no proactive strategic thinking.” Ashley Parker, Seung Min Kim and Philip Rucker in the Washington Post$ -- 4/12/18

Bannon pitches White House on plan to cripple Mueller probe and protect Trump -- Stephen K. Bannon, who was ousted as White House chief strategist last summer but has remained in touch with some members of President Trump’s circle, is pitching a plan to West Wing aides and congressional allies to cripple the federal probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election, according to four people familiar with the discussions. Robert Costa in the Washington Post$ -- 4/12/18

Beltway 

Why Ryan called it quits -- The speaker reflects on Donald Trump and fatherhood in an interview hours after his surprise retirement announcement. Jake Sherman Politico -- 4/12/18

Ryan bombshell sets off scramble for his job -- It’s obvious to everyone that House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Majority Whip Steve Scalise want the job. John Bresnahan and Rachael Bade Politico -- 4/12/18

GOP senators break ranks to protect Mueller from Trump -- Republican senators are growing less certain by the day that President Donald Trump won’t fire Robert Mueller — and there are increasing signs some are willing to do something about it. Elana Schor and Burgess Everett Politico -- 4/12/18

 

-- Wednesday Updates 

Gov. Jerry Brown agrees to Trump's National Guard request, but insists it won't be to enforce immigration -- Gov. Jerry Brown agreed on Wednesday to expand the California National Guard’s efforts on crime and drug issues that cross the state’s border with Mexico, but insisted troops would not be used to enforce immigration directives from President Trump. John Myers in the Los Angeles Times$ Melody Gutierrez in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Casey Tolan, Katy Murphy and Tatiana Sanchez in the San Jose Mercury$ Alexei Koseff in the Sacramento Bee$ Kathleen Ronayne Associated Press -- 4/11/18

How Paul Ryan’s retirement will affect California politics -- House Speaker Paul Ryan’s decision Wednesday not to seek re-election sent shock waves through Washington that rippled to California. Here are four ways his retirement will affect the state: •“It could open the door for the next speaker to be a person from California named Kevin McCarthy,” said state Republican Party chairman Jim Brulte. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/11/18

Ryan bowing out, sending ripples of uncertainty through GOP -- House Speaker Paul Ryan announced Wednesday he will retire rather than seek another term in Congress as the steady if reluctant wingman for President Donald Trump, sending ripples through a Washington already on edge and spreading new uncertainty through a party bracing for a rough election year. Catherine Lucey and Lisa Mascaro Associated Press -- 4/11/18

Trump administration to appeal court ruling favoring sanctuary cities -- Set on cracking down on sanctuary jurisdictions, the Trump Administration on Wednesday asked the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to reverse a federal court order blocking the president from withholding funding from sanctuary cities, arguing a San Francisco judge prematurely blocked the executive order before any action was taken under it. Tatiana Sanchez in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/11/18

Are Exxon, Facebook in California's cross hairs? Top cop hints at investigations -- State Attorney General Xavier Becerra did not say explicitly that he is investigating ExxonMobil, but in response to questions from The Sacramento Bee's Editorial Board, he suggested an investigation is underway. Angela Hart in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/11/18

L.A. County wants to help build guest houses in backyards — for homeless people -- "Not in my backyard" protests helped block homeless housing in Temple City, delayed it in Boyle Heights and, last month, killed Orange County's plan to relocate homeless people to shelters. Now, Los Angeles officials want to turn NIMBYism on its head — by paying property owners to put houses for homeless people in their backyards. Gale Holland in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/11/18

Needing shelter for homeless people, Orange County asks the military to extend use of armories -- Orange County is looking to buy extended time — and temporary space — at two National Guard armories to meet a federal judge’s wishes to shelter homeless people displaced from longtime encampments at the Santa Ana River and Santa Ana’s Civic Center. It appears that the military is willing to give its OK to the rare request. Theresa Walker in the Orange County Register -- 4/11/18

Fox: Mounting Headlines are Fuel for Pension Reform Movement -- The public pension reform initiative campaign –if and when it comes, and it will– is being fashioned by the media. All proponents of a reform plan would have to do is make endless lists of the enormous payouts and mismanagements of the pension systems that seem to be reported daily. Put the lists on mailers, on billboards, in commercials… then ask the question—what is your pension look like? Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 4/11/18

Cannabis rules in California: Are some cities trying to regulate away Prop 64? -- One in seven California cities requires residents to get a permit to grow marijuana at home for their personal use. To get that permit, some of those same cities want residents to submit to background checks and in-home police inspections. Other cities want personal-use cannabis growers to submit notarized forms and scaled site plan drawings. Some charge permit fees that can run up to $1,420. Brooke Staggs in the Orange County Register -- 4/11/18

CA ‘rape kit’ backlog under fire -- Thousands of California women who said they were raped gave details of their assaults to investigators and provided critical data in “rape kits” — DNA, wounds, semen, hair, fibers — to identify their attackers. But many of the rape kits were not examined in a timely way, caught in a months-long backlog that has angered some lawmakers and women’s groups. Jessica Hice Capitol Weekly -- 4/11/18

California oil firms have had nearly 400 violations since 2015, reports show -- Records compiled by the Center for Biological Diversity and obtained by The Associated Press show state violations ranging from severe corrosion to failed and missing tests required to gauge the strength of wells. No civil penalties were issued for any of the violations, according to a spokesman for the state agency responsible for overseeing oil operations. Associated Press -- 4/11/18

California wildfires linked to heart problems, study shows -- One of the most comprehensive studies yet on the impacts of wildfire smoke in California, published Wednesday in the Journal of the American Heart Association, suggests that heart problems are as much a concern as respiratory problems, perhaps even more so. Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/11/18

Aerial tram floated as transportation to an Oakland A’s Howard Terminal ballpark -- The Oakland A’s are exploring using a gondola ski lift to transport fans from downtown to the Port of Oakland’s Howard Terminal, where the team is thinking of building a new ballpark. Matier & Ross in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/11/18

Sacramento Kings minority owner Kevin Nagle donates $2,000 to DA Anne Marie Schubert -- Sacramento Kings minority owner and Republic FC chairman Kevin Nagle donated $2,000 to District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert’s re-election campaign Friday, according to campaign finance records. Benjy Egel in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/11/18