California has mixed feelings about Neil Gorsuch, President Trump's pick for the U.S. Supreme Court.
Sacramento Bee's CAPITOL BUREAU: "Here are some reactions from California groups and politicians to President Donald Trump’s nomination of Neil Gorsuch to the U.S. Supreme Court."
"U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-California: "Evaluating Supreme Court nominees is among our most important responsibilities as senators and over the last few days we’ve seen the importance of an independent judiciary."
"I’ve repeatedly stated that the next justice must have respect for precedent, be within the mainstream and protect the fundamental rights guaranteed by our Constitution. Judge Gorsuch has a long record and it will take time to conduct a thorough review."
READ MORE related to SCOTUS Appointee Gorsuch: Republicans stole a Supreme Court seat from Obama--and are putting another Scalia in it -- The Nation's ARI BERMAN; Neil Gorsuch: A worthy heir to Scalia -- National Review's RAMESH PONNURU; Liberals'n'Lawsuits: Too much reliance on litigation is bad for the courts and the Dems -- SCOTUS Appointee NEIL GORSUCH, 2005, National Review; A supreme successor to Justice Scalia -- National Review's ED WHELAN; How Trump got to yes on Gorsuch -- Politico's SHANE GOLDMACHER/ELIANA JOHNSON/JOSH GERSTEIN; Trump picks Colo. appeals court judge Neil Gorsuch for SCOTUS -- WaPo's ROBERT BARNES; Trump nominates Neil Gorsuch to SCOTUS -- N.Y. Times' JULIE HIRSCHFELD DAVIS/MARK LANDLER
California's female senators are not happy about Gorsuch's Supreme Court appointment.
The Chronicle's MICHAEL BODLEY: "Firing up dual tweet storms after President Trump announced his nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court Tuesday evening, California’s female senators wasted no time bashing the president’s selection."
"Democratic Senators Dianne Feinstein andKamala Harris, both focused on women’s rights in their tweet-borne critiques of Gorsuch, employing the president’s own signature social media platform to voice their dissent."
AP's NICHOLAS RICCARDI: "Neil Gorsuch, named Tuesday as President Donald Trump's nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court, has a solidly conservative pedigree that has earned him comparison to the combative justice he would replace, Antonin Scalia."
"Gorsuch clerked for two Supreme Court justices and worked in President George W. Bush's Justice Department before being appointed to the federal bench and authoring a series of sharply written, conservative opinions. His mother, Anne, ran President Ronald Reagan's Environmental Protection Agency."
California's newest Attorney General, Xavier Becerra, has had a busy first week in office.
N.Y. Times' MIKE MCPHATE: "Democratic leaders in Sacramento told Xavier Becerra he had a big job ahead of him when he was appointed the state’s new attorney general."
"A week into the job, he appears to have his hands full."
"President Trump has introduced a flurry of orders with implications for California — among them, a threat to so-called sanctuary cities, plans for a Mexican border wall, and a temporary ban on the entry of refugees."
U.C. system has divested nearly $500m worth of contracts with Wells Fargo.
Daily Californian's REVATI THATTE: "The University of California will terminate $475 million worth of contracts with Wells Fargo after repeated criticism from the Afrikan Black Coalition, or ABC, over its ties to private correctional facilities."
"ABC alleged in a press release that Wells Fargo finances CoreCivic, a company that owns private prisons and detention centers. Additionally, in 2012, Wells Fargo settled with the U.S. Department of Justice over allegations of discrimination against African-American and Hispanic borrowers."
"The university terminated a $25 million commercial paper contract with Wells Fargo in November 2016. According to the ABC press release, the university will end its $150 million interest reset contract by April 1. Two-thirds of the $300 million line of credit will be terminated by February, with the remaining $100 million to be terminated as soon as a replacement bank is found."
READ MORE related to Education: Court ruling will hinder some charter schools' right to cross district borders -- EdSource's JOHN FENSTERWALD; Creating a debt-free college program would cost state an estimated $3.3 billion -- EdSource's FERMIN LEAL; Hundreds protest in Oakland against Trump's nominee for education secretary -- EdSource's CAROLYN JONES
A new state bill proposes a nonbinary gender option on identification documents and records.
Daily Californian's SYDNEY FIX: "A bill proposed by California state senators Jan. 24 would add a third gender option to birth certificates and driver’s licenses, allowing Californians to identify as nonbinary."
"The bill, known as the Gender Recognition Act or SB 179, was introduced by State Senator Toni Atkins and has eight co-authors. In addition to allowing individuals to change their gender identification on birth certificates and driver’s licenses to nonbinary, the bill would also eliminate the requirement that an individual have undergone treatment to apply to change their gender identity on state documents as well as allowing individuals under 18 to do so."
“What the bill does is respect that there are folks … for which they do not self identify as either male or female,” said State Senator Nancy Skinner, a co-author of the bill. “It is not appropriate in our legal documents to have to choose either male or female."
Sacramento saw a potential terror situation yesterday after a woman allegedly rigged her car with explosives and threatened to blow up the Tower Bridge.
Sacramento Bee's CATHY LOCKE/ED FLETCHER: "A woman whose suspicious actions prompted closure of the Tower Bridge due to a possible bomb threat was taken into custody about 4:20 p.m. Tuesday after a nearly two-hour standoff with police."
"The bridge between West Sacramento and Sacramento was raised to prevent the vehicle, which police thought might contain explosives, from crossing the bridge from West Sacramento."
"Sgt. Roger Kinney, West Sacramento police spokesman, said several suspicious devices were found but the bomb squad was unable to determine at the scene whether they were explosives. He said the devices were taken to a safe area Tuesday night and will be further examined Wednesday. As of 10:30 p.m., Kinney said the vehicle had been removed from the roadway and the Tower Bridge was reopened after a sweep of the area to ensure there were no other suspicious devices."
San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, a Republican, has publicly denounced Donald Trump's refugee ban.
The Union-Tribune's JOSHUA STEWART: "San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer has come out against President Donald Trump’s executive order that prohibits refugees and people from seven countries from entering the United States."
"I am confident we can strengthen America’s security without shutting America’s doors,” Faulconer, a Republican, said in a statement."
"More opposition to Trump’s immigration plan is surfacing in San Diego, a city that’s home to the busiest land border crossing in the world. Besides the mayor, a city board that promotes better relationships between San Diegans and communities in other countries has criticized a Trumps’ prohibition on immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries, while a small business group also warned that Trump’s immigration policies will hurt the region’s culture, economy and workforce."
READ MORE related to Muslim Moratorium 2017: Do non-citizens have rights under the constitution? -- Whitlock & Gray's JENNIFER WHITLOCK; KMOX interviews Lindsay Gray on 'Overnight America' -- Whitlock & Gray's LINDSAY GRAY; Clear Violation: All the many ways Trump's Muslim ban goes against the constitution -- Slate's KERRY ABRAMS and BRANDON L. GARRETT; The xenophobic lie behind Trump's ban on Syrian refugees -- The Nation's JOSHUA HOLLAND; Five myths of the debate over Trump's refugee executive order -- National Review's DAVID FRENCH; Strife over immigrants: Can California foretell nation's future? -- N.Y. Times' EMILY BADGER
And in Beltway news, #ResistTrumpTuesdays is a trending movement that has now landed in San Diego.
San Diego Union-Tribune's PHILLIP MOLNAR: "Up to 100 protesters marched in downtown San Diego on Tuesday as part of a national attempt to start a weekly event called “Resist Trump Tuesdays."
"The protesters began the march around 12:30 p.m. from Front Street, visiting the San Diego offices of U.S. Sens. Kamala Harris and Dianne Feinstein. Harris’ office at 600 B St. is in the same building as The San Diego Union-Tribune."
"San Diego Police said they escorted the crowd to mare sure they made it through intersections safely. There were roughly 60 people at the protest when it came to 600 B St., but police said the crowd was around 100 people when it ended at 2 p.m. at City Hall."
READ MORE related to Beltway: Trump is taking the Bannon way -- National Review's JONAH GOLDBERG; The People are leading the Politicians in the fight against Trump -- The Nation's JOAN WALSH; Rashid Khalidi worries that Jews will 'infest' the Trump administration -- National Review's DORE FEITH
California gets some of its first recreational cannabis dispensaries in San Diego after a legalization effort on Tuesday also allows the implementation of pot farms, manufacturing facilities and quality/health screening labs.
San Diego Union-Tribune's DAVID GARRICK: "San Diego legalized recreational pot dispensaries on Tuesday and the city also opened up the possibility it will allow pot farms, manufacturing facilities and testing labs."
"San Diego is the first local city to approve recreational marijuana sales since state voters approved Proposition 64 in November, and no other cities in the county have indicated they intend to follow suit."
"Sales of recreational pot will begin when statewide regulations being crafted in Sacramento are completed sometime before next January. Dispensaries along the coast may have to wait for Coastal Commission approval, but city officials said that’s expected by October."
Speaking of San Diego, a rise in Islamaphobia has prompted a counter-movement.
San Diego Union-Tribune's KATE MORRISSEY: "Activists from civil rights organizations and faith-based organizations in San Diego came together on Tuesday to announce a new coalition aimed at protecting religious freedom and combating Islamophobia."
"The coalition, the Forum on Religious Freedom, was created by the Council on American Islamic Relations after many other local organizations reached out to the civil rights group to find out how they could help in reaction to the refugee ban signed on Friday by President Donald Trump, CAIR executive director Hanif Mohebi said."
“I don’t need to say much about what is going on, about the executive order and its effect on the community,” Mohebi said at a news conference announcing the forum. “It has put our community on edge.”
Sacramento Mayor Steinberg's plans for expedited federal housing support for the homeless seems to be gaining support.
Sacramento Bee's ANITA CHABRIA: "Sacramento City Council members and Sacramento County supervisors late Tuesday night were poised to move forward on a plan to give homeless people priority for federal housing subsidies in coming years."
"Near midnight at a joint meeting that at one point was packed with about 400 people, the City Council was close to passing a resolution to begin a lengthy process to allocate 200 public housing spots to homeless people, and ask the county to do the same with up to 1,600 federal housing subsidy vouchers under its control over a two year period. The Board of Supervisors appeared amenable to passing a resolution to consider that request by directing staff to report back by March on what that switch to prioritizing homeless would mean in more detail."
"Councilwoman Angelique Ashby expressed doubts about Steinberg’s plan. She hadn't made up her mind on her vote yet because, she said: “It's not new. Its a choice of who.” Ashby said she felt strongly that a preference for children needed to be included on the list. “How do you get to a point where the children aren't first?” she asked. She said she didn't want moms with kids to get pushed down on the housing waiting lists because they weren’t homeless."
READ MORE related to Homelessness: Homeless crisis is solvable, but won't yield to political timidity -- San Diego Union-Tribune's DAN MCSWAIN.
Ranching groups in California are trying to challenge the 'endangered' status listing for the gray wolf.
Sacramento Bee's RYAN SABALOW: "A lawsuit filed Tuesday by a conservative legal foundation on behalf of California farmers and ranchers alleges a state commission illegally listed gray wolves as an endangered species."
"The Pacific Legal Foundation filed suit in San Diego County Superior Court alleging that the state Fish and Game Commission arbitrarily listed wolves as endangered in 2014."
"The suit alleges it’s not known whether the wolves that entered the state are the same subspecies originally native to California, that the commission failed to perform a population analysis of the species’ natural range and that there aren’t enough wolves in California “to establish that the wolf’s range extends to the state."
The brutal murder of Joseph Mann by Sacramento PD officers John Tennis and Randy Lozoya will be settled for a mid-to-high six-figure amount.
Sacramento Bee's ANITA CHABRIA: "The Sacramento City Council was expected to vote Tuesday evening on a financial settlement in the fatal police shooting of Joseph Mann in North Sacramento."
"Bruce Praet, a private attorney working on Sacramento’s defense in the federal lawsuit filed by Mann’s father, said Tuesday that a tentative settlement in the “mid- to high six figures” has been reached and he recommended that the city accept it. City Hall sources confirmed that the deal was on the agenda for a closed-session Tuesday meeting of the City Council."
"Mann’s family filed a federal civil rights lawsuit in October alleging that two officers, John Tennis and Randy Lozoya, failed to properly de-escalate their confrontation before resorting to lethal force."
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