Rupert Murdoch, no stranger to regulatory fights, scandals and newspapering, is in the midst of another tangle as he appears to be getting his ducks in a row to buy more U.S. newspapers, possibly including the LA Times.
From the NYT's Amy Chozick: "Mr. Murdoch, who has never shied away from a regulatory battle, has been beefing up News Corporation’s lobbying efforts in Washington in the last few months to urge regulators to revise a media ownership rule that would prevent the company from acquiring The Los Angeles Times and other newspapers in markets in which it already owns television stations."
“He wants it,” one person close to Mr. Murdoch said of The Los Angeles Times."
“They’re working on getting a waiver now,” added this person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal talks. But another person close to Mr. Murdoch said he currently considered a potential deal more trouble than it is worth given the regulatory hurdles in Washington."
Where there's water, there's politics, and at Lake Tahoe there's a lot of water -- and two states with often differing views of how the lake should be protected.
From Capitol Weekly's John Howard: "Nevada has decided to withdraw from the bi-state Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, or TRPA, and likely will leave in two years, unless Nevada lawmakers and the governor reverse course and repeal the pullout. A bill to do just that was introduced on March 11, authored by a Reno Democrat."
“I can’t believe they’d really leave, but if they do that obviously we’ve got to be ready,” said one Capitol staffer in Sacramento."
"The Nevada Legislature and Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval approved the bill authorizing Nevada’s departure, a move that stemmed in part from conservative, pro-business forces in the Legislature and long-standing unhappiness with the way development has been regulated at the lake, as well as TRPA’s failure for decades to update a major planning document."
When the U.S. Supreme Court hears oral arguments this week on California's gay-marriage ban, Proposition 8, one of those in the audience will be a first cousin of the chief justice, a lesbian.
From the LAT's Maura Dolan: "Jean Podrasky, 48, a lesbian who wants to marry her partner, will be at Tuesday’s U.S. Supreme Court hearing on Proposition 8 in seating reserved for family members and guests of Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr."
“I am so excited,” said Podrasky, an accountant and the first cousin of the chief justice on his mother’s side. “I feel quite honored and overwhelmed.”
"Roberts is a conservative appointed by President George W. Bush in 2005. Podrasky, who is more liberal, said she rooted for his nomination to be approved by the U.S. Senate. “He is family,” she said."
The governing board of the nation's largest public pension fund has tentatively okayed an increase in the amount of money that governments pay for their workers' pensions.
From Calpensions: Ed Mendel: "The CalPERS board last week tentatively approved an employer rate hike of roughly 50 percent over the next half dozen years, replacing a policy that kept rates low during the recession with a plan to reach full funding in 30 years."
"While giving unanimous “first reading” approval to the proposal by Chief Actuary Alan Milligan, the board asked for more information before final approval scheduled next month."
“Any addition to the schools (rate) is likely to result in layoffs to employees,” said the board president, Rob Feckner, who represents the largest group of CalPERS members, non-teaching employees in 1,488 school districts."
The former chair of the state Fair Political Practices Commission, Dan Schnur, says fundraising should be banned when the Legislature is meeting. Given that we have a full-time Legislature, that takes in a lot of territory.
From the FlashReport: "After extensive research and study, I have come to believe that the answer is an absolute ban on fundraising at any time the legislature is in session. The ban, which would apply to both legislators and statewide office-holders, would extend 72 hours past the end of every session in order to prevent either chamber from gaveling themselves in or out for a few hours or over a long weekend. Both the Senate and Assembly would be required to conclude their respective sessions before any fundraising would be permitted."
"Under the current rules, enterprising legislators can schedule a fundraising reception within a five-minute walk from the floor of the state Assembly or Senate, rush out to scoop up a stack of campaign contributions, and be back at their desks before the ink on the checks has dried. That has to stop."
"Fundraising is a necessary part of politics. Legislating is a necessary part of governing. But you can’t do both at the same time. First things first."