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Pelosi embraces removing Trump from office after Capitol violence -- The San Francisco Democrat told reporters at a news conference that if the Cabinet and Vice President Mike Pence do not use the 25th Amendment procedures to declare the president incapacitated and install Pence as acting president, the House may proceed with impeachment to try to remove Trump. Tal Kopan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Sarah Ferris, Melanie Zanona and Heather Caygle Politico -- 1/7/21

Here are the California Republicans who voted to challenge Biden’s election -- When Congress met Wednesday to count the electoral college votes and certify Democrat Joe Biden as the winner of the 2020 election, several Republican members, including a handful of the 53 representatives from California, planned to object to the vote. Faith E. Pinho in the Los Angeles Times$ Tal Kopan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/7/21

List: How each California lawmaker voted on Electoral College count -- Members of Congress affirmed President-elect Joe Biden’s victory early Thursday after completing their count of electoral votes — a process interrupted the previous day when a violent mob incited by President Trump stormed the Capitol. Kellie Hwang in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/7/21

Think the 25th Amendment is a solution to the next two weeks? Think again -- Anxious about what President Trump might do in the remaining 13 days of his tenure? Wondering if the 25th Amendment might provide a solution? Sorry. Probably not. David Lauter in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/7/21

Facebook shuts down Trump’s account through the end of his term -- Facebook has suspended President Trump’s account through the end of his presidency, Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg said Thursday morning. Andrea Chang, Ben Muessig in the Los Angeles Times$ Andrew Chamings in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/7/21

Trump Is Said to Have Discussed Pardoning Himself -- President Trump has suggested to aides he wants to pardon himself in the final days of his presidency, according to two people with knowledge of the discussions, a move that would mark one of the most extraordinary and untested uses of presidential power in American history. Michael S. Schmidt and Maggie Haberman in the New York Times$ -- 1/7/21

An ex-Oakland cop and veteran was part of D.C.'s pro-Trump mob. He defended the Capitol siege -- An ex-Oakland police officer and veteran was part of the pro-Trump mob that stormed the Capitol building in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday. In an interview with KPIX-TV Wednesday evening, Jurell Snyder defended the unrest and espoused right-wing conspiracy theories to reporter Joe Vazquez. Joshua Bote in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/7/21

Former SF mayoral candidate attended pro-Trump rally in DC -- Former San Francisco mayoral candidate Ellen Lee Zhou attended yesterday’s pro-Trump rally in Washington D.C. outside the Capitol, as first reported by Han Li of the World Journal. Zhou reportedly told Li that some of the California Trump supporters drove five days from San Francisco to D.C. to attend the event. Tessa McLean in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/7/21

California Leaders Question Why Capitol Police Stepped Aside for Mob -- California leaders —including some in law enforcement — expressed dismay and outrage at the seemingly tepid response to the insurrectionists. Some said it would have been very different if the overwhelmingly white crowd had been largely composed of people of color. Marisa Lagos KQED -- 1/7/21

Lopez: Trump supporters are standing by their man. ‘Nothing’s changed for me’ -- We finally have a test of President Trump’s claim that he could “stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody, and I wouldn’t lose any voters, OK?” Steve Lopez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/7/21

Covid  

‘The virus is out of control’: 1 in 5 COVID tests are positive in L.A. County -- About 1 in 5 coronavirus tests performed daily in Los Angeles County are currently coming back positive, an astounding rate that officials say illustrates the pandemic’s continued rampage through the region and foreshadows grave consequences for an already beleaguered healthcare system. Luke Money, Rong-Gong Lin II in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/7/21

California’s new goal: Vaccinate a million people in 10 days -- Acknowledging that vaccinations have been too slow, state officials aim to ramp up the pace. But many questions remain about expanding to the next groups of Californians, and, in the meantime, some doctors complain that they still haven’t been vaccinated. Barbara Feder Ostrov CalMatters -- 1/7/21

Without urgent changes, the post-holiday COVID-19 surge will only get worse, officials say -- Worried Los Angeles County health leaders said Wednesday that the region was rapidly losing its battle against COVID-19 as the virus spread unchecked, adding that only immediate and decisive changes in behavior can prevent a steep rise in deaths as a post-holiday surge hits and hospitals can’t treat all who are sick. Rong-Gong Lin Ii, Luke Money in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/7/21

Deaths surge in Sacramento region weeks after Thanksgiving -- While Greater Sacramento fluctuated near but mostly above the 15% mark for a few weeks, it has been below it since the start of 2021, dipping to about 7% around New Year’s Day, according to daily updates from CDPH. Michael McGough in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/7/21

Reopening plans stall as 1 in 3 students are testing positive for COVID-19 at some L.A. schools -- With 1 in 3 students testing positive for the coronavirus in some Los Angeles neighborhoods, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s push to reopen campuses is clashing with the reality of a raging pandemic as many school districts opt for January shutdowns and superintendents call for clearer guidance on when it will be safe to unlock their campus doors. Howard Blume, Melissa Gomez, John Myers in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/7/21

As bodies pile up at hospital morgues, National Guard, refrigerated trucks arrive to help -- The intensity of the pandemic continues to worsen, with the rising COVID-19 death toll overwhelming funeral homes and causing state officials to send refrigerated trucks across California to hold corpses. Rong-Gong Lin II, Luke Money, Lila Seidman in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/7/21

A Riot Amid a Pandemic: Did the Virus, Too, Storm the Capitol? -- Some scientists fear that the mayhem on Capitol Hill may have led to a so-called super-spreading event. Apoorva Mandavilli in the New York Times$ -- 1/7/21

Gathering  

Health official fumes as sheriff, Newsom critics plan COVID conference near Sacramento -- To the dismay of Sacramento County’s health officer, a group pushing back on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s COVID-19 restrictions is hosting a conference in Rancho Murieta this weekend, bringing in sheriffs, elected officials and business lobbyists to make the case that Newsom’s stay-at-home orders have harmed the California economy. Dale Kasler, Jason Pohl, and Tony Bizjak in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/7/21

Attempt to increase COVID-19 enforcement fails in Carlsbad -- Restaurants remain open in ‘peaceful protest’ of health orders. Phil Diehl in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 1/7/21

California cafe fined $108K, still flouts rules. Why it’s so hard to enforce COVID shutdown -- Perhaps as much as any business in the state, Apple Bistro has felt the sting of California’s coronavirus police. The popular cafe, located on Highway 50 just east of downtown Placerville, lost its health permit in August after El Dorado County officials said it failed to make its employees wear masks. Dale Kasler, Ryan Sabalow, and Tony Bizjak in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/7/21

California Policy and P  olitics Thursday Morning  

I’m in a roomful of people ‘panicked that I might inadvertently give away their location’ -- I heard the glass of the main door in the chamber crack. I peeked into the chamber as Rep. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) attempted to reason with those attempting to push their way inside. A loud crack split the air. It sounded like a gunshot. And then it got quiet. Sarah D. Wire in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/7/21

California lawmakers flee, hunker down as chaos overtakes Capitol -- They were told to draw the curtains and stay away from the windows. They were urged to remove the lapel pins that identify them as members of Congress. They could hear unidentified explosions and the din of a mob outside. Tal Kopan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- Faith E. Pinho in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/7/21

‘Treasonous.’ Fresno Rep. Jim Costa describes seeing pro-Trump mob storm the Capitol -- “The protesters were really taking on a treasonous act by trying to overthrow not only the elections but to take over a branch of government,” he said. “Unheard of.” Thaddeus Miller in the Fresno Bee -- 1/7/21

Pelosi: 'To those who strove to deter us from our responsibility, you have failed' -- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi addressed the House chamber in a sober tone Wednesday night, saying the invasion of the U.S. Capitol by a pro-Trump mob was a shameful assault on democracy. Amy Graff in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/7/21

California GOP legislative leader tweets, then deletes, false claim of antifa leading U.S. Capitol mob -- The Republican leader of the California state Senate posted, then quickly deleted, a tweet Wednesday accusing the mob that overran the U.S. Capitol in Washington of being led by the leftist, anti-fascist group known as antifa and not supporters of President Trump. John Myers in the Los Angeles Times$ Hannah Wiley in the Sacramento Bee$ Dustin Gardiner in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/7/21

‘Tearing us apart:’ For a watching nation, Capitol riot marks a surreal unraveling -- For many Americans watching from afar, the violent breaching of the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday by extremist partisans of President Trump resounded with the echoes of another national tragedy, giving rise to an almost vertigo-inducing sensation: a rip in the fabric of time. Jaweed Kaleem, Laura King, Kurtis Lee, Richard Read, Molly Hennessy-Fiske in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/7/21

KUSI News confirms identity of woman shot and killed inside US Capitol -- he woman who was shot and killed inside the US Capitol during the protests was from the San Diego area. KUSI News has spoken with her husband. The woman is Ashli Babbit, a 14-year veteran, who served four tours with the US Air Force, and was a high level security official throughout her time in service. KUSI Teri Figueroa, Alex Riggins in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 1/7/21

Photos: Trump supporters clash with police and counterprotesters in L.A. -- A crowd of about 200 gathered near Los Angeles Police Department headquarters, waving American flags and chanting, “Do your job,” as officers tried to control them. Police declared the gathering an unlawful assembly about 1 p.m. Al Seib in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/7/21

Liability  

Long warned against inciting violence, Trump does so with supporters’ Capitol siege -- Four years of incendiary, divisive and dishonest rhetoric from President Trump culminated with long-predicted violence Wednesday as a mob of his supporters stormed the Capitol, breaking its windows and doors, vandalizing offices and disrupting a constitutional ceremony intended to validate the peaceful transfer of power to President-elect Joe Biden. Eli Stokols, Janet Hook in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/7/21

Amid US Capitol chaos, San Jose mayor calls for sedition charges against Trump -- As a violent mob of President Donald Trump supporters stormed into the U.S. Capitol building on Wednesday, San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo called for sedition charges to be brought against the nation’s 45th president for inciting riots in an attempt to overthrow the government. Maggie Angst in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 1/7/21

Siege on Capitol renews talk of ousting Trump through 25th Amendment -- The siege on the U.S Capitol by rioting supporters of President Trump has renewed talk of an extreme remedy: declaring that the president is unfit to do his job and removing him from office under the 25th Amendment. Mark Z. Barabak in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/7/21

‘Shocked’: Bay Area residents, officials argue Trump should be held accountable for ‘attempted coup’ -- Bay Area residents and elected officials watched in horror Wednesday as a mob broke into the U.S. Capitol, disrupting the electoral vote count and the peaceful transfer of power, with the day unfolding on TV news and social media like an action thriller, guns drawn and shots fired. Jill Tucker, Alexei Koseff and Nora Mishanec in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/7/21

Could Trump and his allies face criminal charges for blitz on Capitol? In theory, yes -- In 1949 the Supreme Court overturned a priest’s disorderly conduct conviction for “stirring people to anger” with a speech that attacked Jews, Communists, and Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt as followers outside the auditorium threw rocks and broke windows. The First Amendment allows free speech that stirs people to anger, the justices said in a 5-4 ruling. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/7/21

California Republicans contributed to the disgraceful day by enabling Trump’s election lies -- It wasn’t just House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield, one of Trump’s most reliable allies for the last four years, who was complicit. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/7/21

Social Media  

Smith: It is not just Trump. Blame California social media companies for DC riot too -- There is plenty of blame to go around for why a MAGA-outfitted mob felt bold enough to break into the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday. President Trump and his Republican enablers are at the top of the list, but several California social media companies aren’t too far behind them. Twitter. Facebook. Instagram. YouTube. Google. Erika D. Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/7/21

Twitter, Facebook lock down Trump after social media-fueled riot in D.C. -- The violent mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday seeking to prolong the presidency of Donald Trump took shape on social media. Sam Dean, Johana Bhuiyan, Suhauna Hussain in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/7/21

Twitter locked Trump’s account. But here’s why it hasn’t deleted it -- One of the tweets called Vice President Mike Pence a coward for not helping Trump illegally reverse his election loss. Another praised the Capitol rioters. And a third was a video message in which Trump falsely claimed that the presidential election was fraudulent before telling rioters to go home. Annie Vainshtein in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/7/21

How Much Force  

‘America’s double standard’: Racial justice activists denounce police reaction to pro-Trump mob -- The violent pro-Trump mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday sent shock waves across the nation and enraged Bay Area supporters and organizers of racial justice protests, who said police appeared to show much more restraint — and use significantly less force — in responding to the largely white crowd. Tatiana Sanchez in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/7/21

Covid  

Rep. Michelle Steel, who questioned need for a mask mandate in Orange County, tests positive for coronavirus -- Rep. Michelle Steel (R-Seal Beach), who previously expressed skepticism about the need for a mask mandate in Orange County, tested positive for the coronavirus on Wednesday. Hannah Fry in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/7/21

California hits 2.5 million coronavirus cases, adding 1 million in less than a month -- According to The Times tracker, 1 of every 16 people in the state has tested positive for the virus at some point during the pandemic, with the number of new cases exploding by more than 1 million in less than a month. Luke Money, Rong-Gong Lin II, Ben Welsh in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/7/21

Bay Area hospitals slammed by COVID-19 surge: ‘The E.R. is full’ -- Intensive care bed availability in the Bay Area rose fractionally on Wednesday to 7.4%, but the overall picture across the state looked grim. Capacity remained at 0% in Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley, the two hardest-hit regions. Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/7/21

Santa Clara County hospitals, already on brink of capacity, await ‘most challenging month’ of pandemic -- In a chilling reminder of the current scarcity of medical capacity, residents were asked to think twice about calling 911 for an ambulance, with some emergency vehicles unavailable for hours at a time as they wait to offload patients at overloaded hospitals. Evan Webeck in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 1/7/21

California hospitals prepping for grim COVID-19 choices -- California hospitals struggling with a skyrocketing coronavirus surge are trying to prepare for the possibility that they may have to ration care for lack of staff and beds — and hoping they don’t have to make that choice. Christopher Weber and Don Thompson Associated Press -- 1/7/21

Hospitals say California officials too slow in virus crisis -- “The numbers are extraordinary,″ said Carmela Coyle, president and CEO of the California Hospital Association. “We’re not going to dodge this math. We need the state’s help.” Christopher Weber and Don Thompson Associated Press -- 1/7/21

Inmates with COVID-19 more than doubles in a week at Sacramento County jail in Elk Grove -- The number of inmates infected with COVID-19 at a jail in Elk Grove had more than doubled a week after the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office stopped visits to slow a coronavirus outbreak at the detention facility. Rosalio Ahumada and Jason Pohl in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/7/21

Policy & Politics 

Skelton: The next few weeks are crucial for Newsom as he faces a GOP-led recall effort -- Timely vaccinations could mean life or death for Gov. Gavin Newsom politically. Getting kids back to school soon also is essential for Newsom’s political health. George Skelton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/7/21

Education 

What obstacles must be overcome to offer in-person instruction in California schools -- Gov. Gavin Newsom’s “Safe Schools for All” plan presented during the waning days of 2020 has raised hopes that more schools could reopen for in-person instruction this school year, at least for the state’s youngest children. Louis Freedberg EdSource -- 1/7/21

California education issues to watch in 2021 — and predictions of what will happen -- Were it not for a pandemic …. A couple of months into 2020, I was on track to crown myself pundit of the year. Then came Covid in March to create suffering for so many people – and wreck my annual predictions column. I know: it’s shallow to equate the two. But it’s my best excuse. John Fensterwald and Yuxuan Xie EdSource -- 1/7/21

Housing  

Levin: Five things I’ve learned covering California’s housing crisis that you should know -- Lessons from three years covering the politics, policy and absurdity of trying to fix one of the state’s most vexing problems. Matt Levin CalMatters -- 1/7/21

Also . . .   

George Regas, progressive crusader and longtime rector of All Saints in Pasadena, dies at 90 -- George Regas, a longtime rector of All Saints Church in Pasadena and pioneering crusader for progressive causes who opposed the Vietnam War and embraced gay marriage, died Sunday. He was 90. Jennifer Lu in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/7/21

POTUS 46  

Biden Denounces Storming of Capitol as a ‘Dark Moment’ in Nation’s History -- The president-elect said the violence “borders on sedition” and made clear he viewed President Trump as responsible for inciting his supporters with baseless claims the election was stolen. Michael D. Shear and Jim Tankersley in the New York Times$ -- 1/7/21

POTUS 45  

News Analysis: Trump spoke of ‘American carnage,’ then made it his reality -- Four years ago, after taking the oath of office, President Trump delivered a pitch-black inaugural address that vowed to end the “American carnage” under his predecessor. That darkness Trump spoke of, a figment of his fevered imagination, came to pass Wednesday, a product of the president’s delusion, egoism and deliberate provocation. Mark Z. Barabak in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/7/21

‘He screwed the country’: Trump loyalty disintegrates -- Wednesday’s Capitol Hill riot will reverberate for years, shaping Trump’s legacy and pushing Republicans to confront the GOP’s future. Gabby Orr, Anita Kumar and Meridith McGraw Politico -- 1/7/21

Trump’s America Becomes One of Those ‘Shithole Countries’ -- The capital was consumed by talk of “insurrection,” a tense standoff with police guns drawn at the doors of the national legislature, a fatality, a curfew enforced by soldiers in the streets. What country are we talking about? John F. Harris Politico -- 1/7/21