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Whitman's promise of a blind trust for her assets may be impossible to achieve quickly -- The billionaire GOP candidate has vast holdings spread across hedge funds and venture capital groups. The investments may bind her in long-term contracts that she can't break. Jack Dolan and Evan Halper in the Los Angeles Times -- 3/17/2010 ‘Birther’ lawyer Taitz running for secretary of state -- Laguna Niguel lawyer Orly Taitz, who’s gained a national following for efforts to prove Barack Obama’s presidency is illegitimate, has qualified to run for California secretary of state, said Orange County Registrar of Voters Neal Kelley. Martin Wisckol in the Orange County Register -- 3/17/2010 Sheriff Baca argues with Republican congressman about Islamic group -- Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca argued with a Republican congressman from Indiana during a hearing Wednesday when the lawmaker questioned his relationship with an Islamic nonprofit group. Robert J. Lopez in the Los Angeles Times -- 3/17/2010 California pension fund up 22.3 percent year-over-year -- The chief investment officer of California's giant pension fund said Wednesday the fund grew 22.3 percent in the past year due to rebounding markets. CATHY BUSSEWITZ AP -- 3/17/2010 Whitman: Brown's style of politics "cynical" -- GOP gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman released a statement expressing her outrage at the pitch Jerry Brown made to labor organizers on Tuesday, in which he urged them to go on the offensive and "attack." Evan Halper in the Los Angeles Times -- 3/17/2010 Meg Whitman reconsiders Republican-only hiring policy -- Meg Whitman is trying – and so far, polls show, succeeding – to convince Republican voters to make her their candidate for governor this year. But on Tuesday, she said she had changed her mind about one of the more seemingly partisan promises she had made – that she would hire Republicans for the 300 top positions in her administration. Michael Rothfeld in the Los Angeles Times -- 3/17/2010 Jerry Brown urges unions to 'attack' -- Faced with the daunting prospect of being significantly outspent by his Republican opponent, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jerry Brown spoke to a labor group Tuesday and urged them to go on the offensive. Capitol Weekly's Anthony York in the Los Angeles Times -- 3/17/2010 Bill Lockyer: Arnold right to veto gas-tax swap -- The Legislature really dropped the ball with its version of the gas-tax-swap deal, state Treasurer Bill Lockyer told Alameda County officials today, and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger was right to promise a veto. Josh Richman Political Blotter weblog -- 3/17/2010 President Obama to raise money for Barbara Boxer -- President Obama will travel west next month to raise money for California Sen. Barbara Boxer and the Democratic National Committee, the White House confirmed Wednesday afternoon. Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times -- 3/17/2010 AP Enterprise: Calif lawmakers' travel data secret -- California lawmakers charged taxpayers for airfare totaling $2 million over a recent 2 1/2-year period, but the Legislature, citing security concerns, won't disclose the destinations or produce proof that all the trips were for official state business. DON THOMPSON AP -- 3/17/2010 State pondering $5,000 cameras to curb disabled fraud -- The Schwarzenegger administration is considering buying $5,000-a-piece high-tech cameras used in Iraq and other war zones to photograph and fingerprint Californians who get subsidized in-home care for the elderly and disabled. Susan Ferriss SacBee Capitol Alert -- 3/17/2010 Schwarzenegger wants more time, feedback on Race to the Top -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and eight other governors have asked the Obama administration to extend the deadline for applying for a second round of Race to the Top grants for schools to July 1. Torey Van Oot SacBee Capitol Alert -- 3/17/2010 Environmentalists target Pombo with ad -- A prominent national environmental organization is making good on its threat to try to stymie Richard Pombo's attempt to return to Congress. John Ellis in the Fresno Bee -- 3/17/2010 Janice Hahn, Gavin Newsom spar over campaign contributions -- L.A. Councilwoman Janice Hahn and San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom may be running for a job often derided as politically impotent, but the Democratic race for lieutenant governor is turning out to be one of the most competitive -- and perhaps nastiest -- of the primary season. Capitol Weekly's Anthony York in the Los Angeles Times Torey Van Oot SacBee Capitol Alert -- 3/17/2010-- 3/17/2010 Can Steve Poizner pull a Gray Davis? -- Meg Whitman jumped out to a 49-point lead over Republican rival Steve Poizner -- and a small lead over Democrat Jerry Brown -- in a new Field Poll today. The Poizner campaign maintains that polls at this phase of the campaign are meaningless. Capitol Weekly's Anthony York in the Los Angeles Times -- 3/17/2010 DeVore: Fiorina a 'dilettante,' Campbell campaign to 'collapse' -- Assemblyman Chuck DeVore threw verbal punches at his two GOP congressional opponents Wednesday, predicting that Tom Campbell's campaign will collapse and characterizing Carly Fiorina as a political "dilettante." Jim Sanders SacBee Capitol Alert -- 3/17/2010 State rejects all seven bids for Orange County Fairgrounds -- In a letter to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Wednesday, State Department of General Services Acting Director Ronald Diedrich said he was rejecting all the bids because the offers were “not in the best interest of the citizens of California because they do not contain the highest and most certain return for the state.” Tony Barboza in the Los Angeles Times BRIAN JOSEPH in the Orange County Register -- 3/17/2010 Antiabortion Democrat to vote yes on healthcare overhaul -- Democrats were closer to getting the 216 votes needed to pass a healthcare overhaul bill when an antiabortion lawmaker who had been expected to vote no announced Wednesday that he will vote yes. Michael Muskal in the Los Angeles Times -- 3/17/2010 Meg's Big Mo -- If last Tuesday marked a low point for the campaign of Republican gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman, today shows how fast the PR pendulum can swing, as a new poll shows her ahead of all candidates — including Democrat Jerry Brown. John Myers Capitol Notes weblog -- 3/17/2010 Ad Watch: Emmerson mailer says Bogh is soft on illegal immigration -- The Senate campaign of Inland Assemblyman Bill Emmerson recently sent out a mailer that accuses former Assemblyman Russ Bogh of supporting legislation that, according to a posting on Emmerson's Facebook page, "highlighted Russ Bogh's opposition to tougher enforcement on combating illegal immigration." Jim Miller in the Riverside Press -- 3/17/2010 New probes started into parole system's handling of Gardner -- New probes have been initiated into whether the state’s parole system botched chances to send a convicted sex offender back to jail long before Poway teenager Chelsea King was raped and killed. Michael Gardner in the San Diego Union-Trib -- 3/17/2010
Field Poll: Meg Whitman trounces Steve Poizner, edges Jerry Brown -- Republican gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman has built a massive edge over her GOP rival Steve Poizner while taking a narrow lead over likely Democratic nominee Jerry Brown, according to results released today by the nonpartisan Field Poll. Jack Chang in the Sacramento Bee John Marelius in the San Diego Union-Trib -- 3/17/2010 Walters: Field Poll sets stage for slugfest in California governor's race -- A new Field Research Corp. poll implies that the duel for the GOP nomination between Whitman and Steve Poizner may be yesterday's news. Dan Walters in the Sacramento Bee -- 3/17/2010 Whitman releases her agenda for California -- Among the new proposals: • Make the Legislature part-time. GOP rival Steve Poizner also advocates such a change. • Provide a $10,000 tax credit for purchasers of new and existing homes. Jack Chang in the Sacramento Bee Chase Davis California Watch -- 3/17/2010 Meg Whitman shifts her focus to Jerry Brown -- The day after her debate with GOP challenger Steve Poizner, she accuses the likely Democratic nominee of failing to provide specific proposals. His campaign says she isn't her party's nominee yet. Michael Rothfeld in the Los Angeles Times -- 3/17/2010 Reforms unveiled by governor hopeful Whitman -- GOP governor candidate Meg Whitman unveiled a detailed, 48-page plan to reverse the state’s declining fortunes when she met with residents of Leisure World in Seal Beach today, although many of her proposals will be dependent on getting a highly partisan Legislature to work together with her. Martin Wisckol in the Orange County Register -- 3/17/2010 Herdt: Gov.'s race: Running from one of their own -- Perhaps the most telling moment at last weekend’s Republican National Convention came when gubernatorial candidate Steve Poizner chose to introduce himself to delegates with a video from Rep. Tom McClintock, the former Ventura County lawmaker who is the ideological champion of the party’s most conservative wing. Timm Herdt in the Ventura Star -- 3/17/2010 CalBuzz: eMeg Proves Beatles Wrong; Money Buys Her Love -- Holy mole, we said (having just returned from Mexico), when we heard (from actual subscribers to the Field Poll) that eMeg Whitman has jumped to a 49-point lead over Steve “The Commish” Poizner in the Republican primary for governor and skittered to a three-point edge over Democrat Crusty the General Brown in the general election. Jerry Roberts and Phil Trounstine CalBuzz -- 3/17/2010 Villaraigosa predicts no Republican upset in California's U.S. Senate race -- Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa popped up on CNN’s "The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer" Tuesday afternoon and said there’s no way the California U.S. Senate race will end in a Republican upset, a la Scott Brown in Massachusetts. Phil Willon in the Los Angeles Times -- 3/17/2010 Steinberg: Capitol is at 'mini impasse' on budget -- Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, suggested Tuesday that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger bears blame for budget inaction after the governor rejected the most significant parts of a budget package Democrats have sent him in recent weeks. Kevin Yamamura SacBee Capitol Alert -- 3/17/2010 Schwarzenegger to veto Democrats' public transit cuts -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, taking aim at what remained of a deficit-cutting package drafted by Democrats, said Tuesday he planned to veto $1.1 billion in projected savings realized largely through cuts to public transit. Shane Goldmacher in the Los Angeles Times -- 3/17/2010 Attorney general candidate Kamala Harris opposes legalizing marijuana -- Running to become California's top law enforcement officer, San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris said Tuesday she supports regulating medicinal marijuana dispensaries but not allowing cannabis sale for recreational use. Jim Sanders in the Sacramento Bee -- 3/17/2010 Rules Committee's health word is final -- Rep. Dennis Cardoza is caught in the middle of the endgame for health care legislation. Michael Doyle in the Modesto Bee -- 3/17/2010 Morain: Why Cardoza is waffling on health reform -- The reality of the nation's health care crisis has struck hard at the Bellevue Bowl, a bar and bowling alley that has been owned by the same family for 50 years. Owner Bob Cardoza got word that the premium for the health insurance policy for his family and a few key employees is jumping 75 percent. He made sure his congressman heard about it. Dan Morain in the Sacramento Bee -- 3/17/2010 California's prison population falls for the third straight year -- The state had the greatest drop among the states, a survey finds, with a drop of 4,257 inmates. Among the factors: a federal court order to cut the prison population, and lawmakers trimming budgets. Shane Goldmacher in the Los Angeles Times -- 3/17/2010 Carly Fiorina criticizes White House's objection to Israeli construction in East Jerusalem -- Republican U.S. Senate candidate Carly Fiorina on Tuesday rebuked White House officials for their critical stance toward Israeli construction in East Jerusalem, joining a largely GOP chorus that has admonished the Democratic administration. Kevin Yamamura in the Sacramento Bee -- 3/17/2010 California lawmakers not bragging about their jobs on this year's ballot -- Hernandez, a practicing optometrist, is one of a handful of current state legislators who, faced with dismal approval ratings from voters, are opting to emphasize occupations other than their elected duties when drafting the three-word job description that accompanies their name on the ballot. Torey Van Oot in the Sacramento Bee -- 3/17/2010 Poll reveals deep suspicion of money's political influence -- A staggering 87 percent of voters across the political spectrum believe moneyed donors have significantly more influence than constituents over members of Congress, according to a new poll. Lisa Vorderbrueggen in the Contra Costa Times -- 3/17/2010 State corrections panel, facing scrutiny, set to launch inquiry -- Two San Diego County lawmakers are questioning whether Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has picked the right vehicle for reform in asking for an investigation into how parole agents handled the 2000 molestation case of John Albert Gardner III, now charged in the death of Chelsea King. Michael Gardner in the San Diego Union-Trib -- 3/17/2010
More homeowners are opting for 'strategic defaults' -- Underwater on their mortgages and angry at banks, more borrowers are choosing to hand over the keys, even if they can afford the payments. Alana Semuels in the Los Angeles Times -- 3/17/2010 Los Angeles County courts send out hundreds of pink slips -- County court officials announced Tuesday the layoffs of 329 employees and the closure of 17 courtrooms as a result of state budget cuts that could slice even deeper. Nathan McIntire in the San Gabriel Tribune -- 3/17/2010 China appears to be preparing for Google departure -- The Chinese government on Tuesday appeared to set the foundation for Internet giant Google to pull out of the country, with one spokesman contending that the company's potential departure would be an "individual business act" and another warning Google to obey Chinese law whether it leaves China or not. John Pomfret in the Washington Post -- 3/17/2010 Glitches in Microsoft's California vouchers -- Poor California. Even when the Golden State tries something cool, like giving away free computer training classes, something breaks down between the announcement and the execution. Tom Abate in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 3/17/2010
Fensterwald: L.A. task force urges big changes in tenure, pay -- One of the state’s most hidebound districts in the past took a step this week toward becoming one of the most progressive. The rest of the state: take notice. John Fensterwald educatedguess.org -- 3/17/2010 More than 2,000 educators wind up with pink slips -- More than 2,000 layoff notices found their way to Sacramento County educators by Monday's deadline. Diana Lambert in the Sacramento Bee -- 3/17/2010 Tiny school's fate roils rural California district -- Class divisions fuel furor over a plan to close college-prep academy in the eastern Sierra Nevada. 'The situation has unleashed pandemonium,' says the district's superintendent. Louis Sahagun in the Los Angeles Times -- 3/17/2010 Budget cuts force colleges to examine priorities -- These are not the choices college leaders signed up for: immigrants or retirees? Poor or rich? English classes or courses in car repair? Matt Krupnick in the Contra Costa Times -- 3/17/2010
Water crunch eases for Silicon Valley, much of Bay Area -- Significantly reducing the chance that Silicon Valley residents will face another summer of water restrictions, the Obama administration on Tuesday promised to pump a lot more water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta this year. Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury -- 3/17/2010 Farmers hail increased water allowance -- The sprinklers will go on this summer in the Central Valley, but not as much as farmers would like. Peter Fimrite in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 3/17/2010 Alameda land-use ruling could reshape state -- The ruling by Superior Court Judge Frank Roesch found the prosperous city of 68,000 at fault for a voter-approved cap on the number of housing units allowed within its borders. John King in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 3/17/2010 State high court faults AQMD for not fully analyzing refinery project's impact -- The state Supreme Court sided with environmentalists and labor groups this week in a long-running dispute over a project at Wilmington's ConocoPhillips refinery. Kristin S. Agostoni in the Torrance Daily Breeze -- 3/17/2010 1.6 million acres in 27 California counties set aside as frog habitat -- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Tuesday designated 1.6 million acres in California as critical habitat for the endangered red-legged frog, made famous by Mark Twain in his story, "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County." Julie Cart in the Los Angeles Times -- 3/17/2010
Ranks of those without health insurance soar in California, Sacramento County -- More than 45,000 Sacramento County residents joined the ranks of the medically uninsured in the past two years, according to a new report that further illustrates the staggering depth of the recession: a surge of 2 million Californians without health insurance. One in four Californians, or 8.2 million people, now lack coverage, according to UCLA researchers. Bobby Caina Calvan in the Sacramento Bee -- 3/17/2010
Immigration status of all Orange County jail inmates will be checked -- Orange County joins 11 others in California, including L.A., San Diego and Ventura, that are using a federal database and fingerprint identification to deport illegal immigrants who land in jail. Paloma Esquivel in the Los Angeles Times -- 3/17/2010
FLOTUS to grocers: 'Step it up' -- First lady Michelle Obama had tough words for grocery manufacturers Tuesday, telling them to “step it up” in their efforts to provide healthier foods to children and curb obesity. NIA-MALIKA HENDERSON Politico -- 3/17/2010
Villaraigosa in D.C. seeking support for faster subway, transit funding -- Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa was back in the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday wearing a "30/10 for L.A." sticker as he made the rounds to build support for federal help to speed expansion of the region’s transit network, including the subway to Westwood. Rich Simon in the Los Angeles Times -- 3/17/2010 LAPD Chief Beck wants to move officers from special units into regional stations -- Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck this week followed through on a plan to move about 180 officers out of specialized units and spread them among the department’s regional stations. Joel Rubin in the Los Angeles Times -- 3/17/2010 Few blacks serve in top U.S. diplomatic posts -- The State Department is searching for new ways to bring minorities to high-profile positions. New assignments this summer will increase diversity, one official promises. Paul Richter and Tom Hamburger in the Los Angeles Times -- 3/17/2010 Hiltzik: Lehman's collapse was all its own fault -- The bankruptcy of Lehman Bros. in September 2008 is widely seen as the event that kicked the financial meltdown into high gear. Michael Hiltzik in the Los Angeles Times -- 3/17/2010 San Francisco lawyer awarded $7,000 from e-mail spammer -- A judge has awarded a San Francisco attorney $7,000 in damages in a rare trial under California's anti-spam law - $1,000 for each unsolicited, misleading commercial e-mail he received. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 3/17/2010 Airline boarding passes go mobile -- Paper boarding passes could become an endangered species as more airlines offer boarding passes via mobile devices, which allow you to download a bar code to your Web-enabled phone or other device in place of printing a piece of paper. M.S. Enkoji in the Sacramento Bee -- 3/17/2010
House Dems under pressure to deliver -- Aides to conservative Democratic lawmakers describe intense pressure tactics, including one who said his office has received calls from donors. Those calls are taken as a thinly veiled threat to withhold future financial support if the member doesn’t vote as the donor wishes. PATRICK O'CONNOR & JONATHAN ALLEN Politico -- 3/17/2010 ‘Slaughter Solution’ could face legal challenge -- The so-called “Slaughter solution” for enacting health care reform without a conventional House vote on an identically worded Senate bill would be vulnerable to credible constitutional challenge, experts say. FRED BARBASH Politico -- 3/17/2010 |
