Updating . .   

Jerry Brown calls criticism of Supreme Court pick ‘logically deficient’ -- Gov. Jerry Brown’s latest California Supreme Court nominee isn’t likely to run into serious resistance at her confirmation hearing next week, but criticism of Leondra Kruger’s residency (out of state) and judicial experience (none) has brought Brown to her defense. David Siders in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 12/16/14

Maureen DiMarco, Wilson education adviser, dies at 66 -- Maureen DiMarco, whose three-decade-long career in education policy ranged from service on a local school board to becoming California’s first cabinet-level education secretary, died Saturday in Sacramento. She was 66 and succumbed, her family said, after a recent illness. Dan Walters in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 12/16/14

L.A. will buy 7,000 body cameras for police officers -- Advocates say the ability to record audio and video of police encounters with the public could help guard against officer misconduct and clear cops falsely accused of wrongdoing. Richard Winton, Kate Mather in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/16/14

Congress quietly ends federal government's ban on medical marijuana -- Tucked deep inside the 1,603-page federal spending measure is a provision that effectively ends the federal government's prohibition on medical marijuana and signals a major shift in drug policy. Evan Halper in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/16/14

Brown Defends Supreme Court Pick From Detractors -- On the same day Leondra Kruger reactivated her long-dormant California Bar status, Gov. Jerry Brown defended his Supreme Court nominee from critics who say she lacks the experience needed to serve on the state's highest court. Cheryl Miller The Recorder -- 12/16/14

UC boots deadlines to disclose spending -- Missing its own deadline, the University of California is now more than two months behind in disclosing to the state Legislature and the Department of Finance details of its expenses. Samanatha Gallegos Capitol Weekly -- 12/16/14

Industry groups sue over L.A.'s minimum wage for hotel workers -- Two hotel industry groups filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday challenging a new Los Angeles law that requires a higher minimum wage at the city's larger hotels. David Zahniser, Emily Alpert Reyes in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/16/14

Yurok tribe hopes California's cap-and-trade can save a way of life -- Instead of preparing to sell lumber, as it has in the past, the state's largest Indian tribe is taking stock of its firs, redwoods and tanoaks to make money in California's cap-and-trade program. Tony Barboza in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/16/14

Sony hackers issue threat in latest message: 'The world will be full of fear' -- The hacking group behind the Sony cyber security attack has made its first physical threat. Saba Hamedy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/16/14

Saunders: Hack the National Security Agency, not Sony -- The intelligence was obtained illegally. The hackers presented a threat to workers and their families. Foreign operatives likely were behind the document theft. Any news organizations that report this ill-gotten information are, if not un-American, surely “morally treasonous and spectacularly dishonorable.” Debra J. Saunders in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 12/16/14

Lawyers lie down in the rain to protest killings by police -- Amid calls for justice and chants of “black lives matter,” more than 100 lawyers, law students and others staged a “die-in” outside a downtown Los Angeles courthouse Tuesday, arguing that the legal system in which they operate is broken. Joseph Serna in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/16/14

Father of Michael Brown to 'stand strong' with Bay Area teens -- The father of slain Ferguson, Mo., teen Michael Brown addressed a group of San Francisco high school students Monday night, promising his solidarity during ongoing protests in the Bay Area. Veronica Rocha in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/16/14

Apple wins ruling in $1-billion antitrust suit over iTunes updates -- An Oakland jury found Tuesday that Apple did not violate federal antitrust laws when it blocked music downloaded from competitors' software from playing on iPods and other devices, ending a nearly decade-long legal battle that could have cost the California tech giant as much as $1 billion. James Queally in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/16/14

Jerry Brown plans to target cost of retiree healthcare -- Gov. Jerry Brown plans to address the growing cost of healthcare for retired state workers next month when he releases his new budget proposal, a spokesman for his finance department said Tuesday. Chris Megerian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/16/14

California’s Retiree Health Care Debt Rises … Again -- In this new era of California tackling more of its future debt obligations, get ready for a new conversation about one that’s been under the radar for a very long time: the cost of long-term health benefits for retired government workers. John Myers KQED -- 12/16/14

Controller Chiang’s proposal would pay down retiree medical costs -- California’s tab for state government retirees’ future medical and dental care has soared to nearly $72 billion, prompting State Controller John Chiang on Tuesday to propose a five-year plan to whittle down a chunk of the unfunded obligation. Jon Ortiz in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 12/16/14

Ethics Commission hits former candidate, treasurer with $43,000 fine -- A longtime restaurateur who made an unsuccessful bid for a spot on the Los Angeles City Council and his campaign treasurer were dealt a nearly $43,000 fine by the Ethics Commission on Tuesday for failing to keep accurate records and faking documents that were supposed to back up their spending, along with other campaign violations. Emily Alpert Reyes in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/16/14

Metrolink CEO will resign amid scrutiny over finances; are more problems ahead? -- The head of Metrolink will step down after little more than two years, as the agency continues to grapple with financial issues, outdated infrastructure and fierce political criticism. Kellie Mejdrich in the Orange County Register$ -- 12/16/14

Fox: Stu Spencer: Independent Expenditure Committees are Destroying the Political Process -- Stu Spencer knows a thing or two about political campaigns. His firm, Spencer-Roberts, managed 400 campaigns over the years and he successfully managed Ronald Reagan’s quest for governor of California and president of the United States. Spencer believes that, “Independent committees are destroying the process.” Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 12/16/14

California Endowment CEO abruptly resigns from Covered California board -- Bob Ross abruptly announced Monday he will resign from the Covered California board of directors on Dec. 31. His term does not expire until 2016. Kathy Robertson Sacramento Business Journal -- 12/16/14

Bay Area housing market throttles back but San Francisco still red-hot -- Apparently, even the Bay Area's housing market is capable of cooling off. Tim Logan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/16/14

Ted Cruz apologizes for weekend flap -- Ted Cruz privately apologized to GOP senators Tuesday for interrupting their holiday schedules by his surprise tactics that effectively brought the Senate into session over the weekend. Manu Raju Politico -- 12/16/14

 

California Policy & Politics This Morning   

California Senate leader calls for pension funds to pull out of coal -- Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de León said Monday that he will propose legislation requiring California’s massive pension funds to divest their holdings in coal. David Siders and Jon Ortiz in the Sacramento Bee$ Carla Marinucci in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 12/16/14

CPUC commissioner tied to e-mail saying he’d help PG&E -- A California Public Utilities Commission official offered to write a favorable opinion on a $1.3 billion gas rate case if Pacific Gas and Electric Co. “did not like” one from another commissioner, according to an e-mail the company was forced to disclose by a judge’s order. Jaxon Van Derbeken in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 12/16/14

California leaders vow to continue climate change action -- California's political leaders pledged Monday to advance the state's landmark laws on climate change and fend off challenges from opponents such as oil companies. Chris Megerian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/16/14

Earthquake could imperil L.A.'s water supply -- Los Angeles gets 88% of its water from three major aqueducts, flowing from the Colorado River, Owens Valley and the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. Rong-Gong Lin II, Rosanna Xia in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/16/14

Brulte, Dhillon to seek reelection as state GOP leaders -- California GOP chairman Jim Brulte, widely credited with reviving the state Republican party’s fortunes, announced Monday that he would seek reelection to the post. Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/16/14

Ties questioned for financial adviser and former San Francisco first lady -- Another of Mayor Ed Lee’s commission appointees is under scrutiny for allegedly violating city rules, and this time it’s financial adviser and former San Francisco first lady Wendy Paskin-Jordan. John Coté and Marisa Lagos in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 12/16/14

Bureaucracy blocks families from state’s CalFresh food program -- Only about half of the California families who qualify for food stamps are getting that help, but an effort to boost those numbers by tapping into school lunch data has failed to get a single grocery bag to a hungry child. Jill Tucker in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 12/16/14

Ex-D.A. Terence Hallinan suspended from practicing law -- In what may be the muted final chapter of a flamboyant legal career, former San Francisco District Attorney Terence Hallinan has agreed to be suspended from practicing law in California for 90 days for using a bank account he had designated for client funds as his personal account. Jaxon Van Derbeken and Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 12/16/14

Nevius: When it’s time to flee, Uber raises its rates -- The hip compliment for a startup company is to call it “disruptive.” If that’s the case, the San Francisco ride service Uber has nailed it. C.W. Nevius in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 12/16/14

Jeannie Oropeza picked to head HR for the California Senate -- Jeannie Oropeza, an administrator with the California Department of Education, has been named the new head of human resources for the state Senate, replacing Dina Hidalgo who retired this fall amid complaints of nepotism and favoritism. Laurel Rosenhall in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 12/16/14

Walters: Los Angeles seeks increase in voter turnout -- In the six weeks since the Nov. 4 election, much has been said about its extraordinarily low, record-shattering voter turnout. Dan Walters in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 12/16/14

Activists seek reforms in ethics and transparency in Sacramento -- Two groups active in city of Sacramento politics said they will push for ethics and transparency reforms similar to those that were part of the failed strong-mayor ballot measure. Ryan Lillis in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 12/16/14

Group takes claim for UC Berkeley lynching effigies -- An anonymous Bay Area group is taking credit for the racially-charged effigies hung from nooses at UC Berkeley this weekend, saying they were meant to be provocative art pieces. Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 12/16/14

While protests continue, Jerry Brown mum -- While protests flared just blocks away over grand jury decisions not to indict police officers in the deaths of unarmed black men in New York and Ferguson, Missouri, Gov. Jerry Brown declined on Monday to offer any reaction. David Siders in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 12/16/14

Oakland ordered to hand over disputed police documents -- A federal judge ordered Oakland City Attorney Barbara Parker to turn over dozens of documents to a court-appointed official investigating why independent arbitrators have frequently overturned discipline imposed against Oakland police officers. Matthew Artz in the Oakland Tribune -- 12/16/14

Black men in business suits protest alleged police misconduct -- About 50 African American men, all dressed in dark suits, gathered in front of the federal courthouse in downtown Los Angeles on Monday for a silent vigil to show support for Eric Garner and other alleged victims of police misconduct. Samantha Masunaga in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/16/14

Richmond Police Chief Magnus says he’d hold protest sign again -- Richmond Police Chief Chris Magnus, who set off an avalanche of emotions when he held up a “#Black Lives Matter” sign at a local protest, says he wouldn’t hesitate if placed in the same situation. Matier & Ross in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 12/16/14

Berkeley Police Review Commission Calls For Halt to Tear Gas, Projectiles -- After hearing the testimony of about 10 people who said they were treated unnecessarily roughly during a Dec. 6 protest, the Police Review Commission voted last week to ask Berkeley city officials to restrict the use of tear gas, over-the-shoulder baton hits and firing projectiles as a form of crowd control. Frances Dinkelspiel KQED -- 12/16/14

Protesters Target Oakland Police in Early-Morning Action -- Scores of protesters blocked entrances to the Oakland Police Department headquarters, nearby intersections and a freeway off-ramp early Monday, leading to at least seven arrests. Dan Brekke KQED Henry K. Lee in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 12/16/14

San Jose Cop Investigated for Threatening Tweets -- Free speech doesn’t mean that speech is free from consequences. A San Jose police officer is learning that lesson now, as the department investigates threatening comments he made online against people protesting the deaths of unarmed black men at the hands of police. Jennifer Wadsworth San Jose Inside Robert Salonga and Mark Emmons in the Contra Costa Times$ -- 12/16/14

Plastic bag-ban supporters complain referendum drive is misleading -- Supporters of a state ban on single-use plastic grocery bags filed a complaint Monday, calling for the secretary of state to investigate allegations that opponents seeking to overturn the measure are misleading voters to get them to sign petitions that would place the matter on the ballot. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/16/14

Asian Americans make new push for L.A. council seats -- Nearly 30 years ago, legislative aide Mike Woo shattered a barrier, becoming the first Asian American to win a seat on the Los Angeles City Council. David Zahniser in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/16/14

Sanchez doesn't rule out bid for Senate if Boxer retires -- Speculation is growing that Sen. Barbara Boxer, 74, may not seek re-election in 2016, prompting Time magazine to list potential candidates for the job. Missing from the list is Rep. Loretta Sanchez, but don’t count out the Santa Ana Democrat. Martin Wisckol in the Orange County Register$ -- 12/16/14

Greenhut: Growth data should spark housing debate -- In California, however, the population numbers always are a source of angst. For starters, more than 27 percent of its population was born in another country, which leads to sometimes angry debates about immigration-related policies (drivers’ licenses, public services). Steven Greenhut UT San Diego$ -- 12/16/14

Gurza ‘Shocked’ by Firing; (San Jose) City Hall Undergoing a Purge? -- Shortly after returning from a holiday lunch party Thursday at Capers Loft, where approximately 60 city employees shared food and divvied up gifts through a raffle, Alex Gurza went into the 17th floor office of City Manager Ed Shikada and got canned. Josh Koehn San Jose Inside -- 12/16/14

San Jose city executive escorted out by security gets new city job with 71 percent pay cut -- The city executive who was escorted by security out of San Jose City Hall last week will remain on the city's payroll -- but he has been terminated from his old role and given a huge pay cut in an unusual shakeup that grew even more mysterious Monday. Mike Rosenberg in the Contra Costa Times$ -- 12/16/14

Bike Sharing Still Not Rolling In San Diego -- San Diego's bike sharing program was supposed to start between January and March of this year. Now it's December and there are still no bikes to be shared. Claire Trageser KPBS -- 12/16/14

Economy, Employers, Jobs, Pensions   

Report: Hispanics earn one-fifth of California's disposable income -- Hispanics in California are thought to have become an ethnic majority this year. The population's spending power is climbing and was a little more than 20 percent of the state's entire after-tax income in 2013, according to a new report by Partnership for a New American Economy, a group that advocates for immigration reform. Allen Young Sacramento Business Journal -- 12/16/14

Los Angeles will make a pitch to host 2024 Olympic Games -- The clock starts ticking as soon as Mayor Eric Garcetti and a handpicked group of advisors step into a corporate conference room on Tuesday morning in this San Francisco suburb. David Wharton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/16/14

L.A. officials set to move AEG out of downtown plan's design process -- Los Angeles officials are moving to keep developer Anschutz Entertainment Group from serving on a design review panel that will help shape the city's backup plan in case a proposed NFL stadium isn't built next to the convention center. David Zahniser in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/16/14

Public overtime pay surges -- Several California firefighters managed to triple their base salaries by working tons of overtime last year, according to competing data on city worker pay released Monday by the state controller and the California Policy Center. Teri Sforza in the Orange County Register$ -- 12/16/14

Southland home prices hit plateau -- After a furious run-up in home prices in 2013, the Southern California housing market flattened out this year — setting the stage for slow but steady growth next year. Tim Logan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/16/14

California bill would start nation’s first diaper assistance program -- It was the last week of the month, and Shanique Brown had already spent her $515 in CalWORKs benefits. Other programs would prevent Brown and her 18-month-old son, Armani, from going hungry, but the 22-year-old single mom had no money for a necessity so basic it is often forgotten: diapers. Isabelle Taft in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 12/16/14

Education

Bill Maher still expected to keynote Cal's winter commencement Saturday --Comedian and talk-show host Bill Maher is still expected to speak Saturday at UC Berkeley's winter commencement ceremony -- and he will likely encounter protests over statements he has made linking Islam to violence and intolerance. Katy Murphy in the Oakland Tribune -- 12/16/14

State likely to support existing lunch standards -- California’s enthusiasm for healthy school lunches appears unlikely to change under a Congressional budget bill headed to President Barack Obama for signature that would allow states to weaken new federal school nutrition requirements. Jane Meredith Adams EdSource -- 12/16/14

Most schools solve web issues for computer testing -- Of the state’s more than 11,000 public school sites, students at fewer than 21 of them will be taking the Common Core assessments this spring the old fashioned way – on pencil and paper. Kimberly Beltran Cabinet Report -- 12/16/14

Immigration / Border

Immigration official to applicants for temporary status: 'Don't worry' -- One of the nation’s top immigration officials is urging those who are newly eligible for temporary legal status to apply for the program without fear. Kate Linthicum in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/16/14

Obama braces for immigration battle with GOP -- President Obama is bracing for a political and legal battle with Republicans next year over his executive actions on immigration, but as he seeks to rally support against the anticipated assault, a lingering frustration among some Latinos could mean renewed pressure on him to do even more to protect illegal immigrants. David Nakamura in the Washington Post$ -- 12/16/14

Health

Covered California extends deadline to sign up for Obamacare -- California's health insurance exchange extended its deadline for consumers who want Obamacare coverage in effect beginning Jan. 1. Chad Terhune in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/16/14

Tough Sell Getting Students Interested in Health Insurance -- At a recent Covered California forum at San Diego State University, you could have heard a pin drop. There were only three students in the audience. Kenny Goldberg KPBS via KQED -- 12/16/14

Also . . .

Sex offender had GPS bracelet removed and went unmonitored -- A high-risk sex offender now charged with raping and murdering four women had his GPS tracking bracelet removed and went unmonitored for nearly two weeks as the string of killings continued in Orange County, according to court records reviewed by The Times. Emily Foxhall and Paige St. John in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/16/14

Facebook post shared 200,000 times aids in arrest of porn suspect -- Social media helped bring about the arrest of a man who had nearly 700 sexually explicit videos and images of children on his laptop, authorities say. Veronica Rocha in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/16/14

Merry Merchandise -- Time is getting short for holiday shopping but gifts for colleagues or clients may be easier to find than you think. Laura-Lynne Powell, Capitol Morning Report -- 12/16/14

Beltway

Senate Confirms Gun-Control Advocate as Surgeon General -- Vivek Murthy became the nation's top doctor Monday, but only after a protracted fight over firearms. Sarah Mimms National Journal -- 12/16/14

Ted Cruz reignites GOP civil war -- Republican senators pounded Ted Cruz over the weekend, lashing him for his procedural tactics and ultimately voting in large numbers against his immigration gambit. Now, Cruz’s allies off Capitol Hill are looking for revenge. Manu Raju, Burgess Everett Politico -- 12/16/14

The world according to Garth -- He cut his teeth producing high school sports for local television, and his first political crusade was Adlai Stevenson’s sentimental presidential campaign in 1960. He made the on-air advertisements that helped elect politicians as disparate as Senator John Tunney of California and Prime Minister Menachem Begin of Israel. Todd S. Purdum Politico -- 12/16/14