California congressman, wife indicted for misusing campaign funds
From the AP's MICHAEL BLOOD and JULIE WATSON: "Despite an ongoing FBI investigation into his campaign spending, U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter coasted through the June primary election largely unscathed, finishing first by a 30-point margin and establishing himself as a strong favorite to hold the seat in November."
"That's now changed."
"On Tuesday, the Republican congressman and his wife were charged by a federal grand jury with using more than $250,000 in campaign funds to finance family trips to Italy and Hawaii, golf outings, school tuition, theater tickets — even fast food purchases — and attempting to conceal the illegal spending in federal records."
READ MORE on Duncan Hunter: "If traveling was free, you'd never see me again:" -- ANDREW DYER, Union-Tribune; Will Duncan Hunter indictment matter in one of state's Trumpiest districts? -- Calmatters' BEN CHRISTOPHER; GOP Rep. Duncan Hunter and wife indicted on charges of misusing campaign funds -- JOHN BRESNAHAN and RACHEL BADE, Politico
A ‘stay out of jail card’ or ‘justice for all?’ Jerry Brown will decide money bail
From the Sac Bee's ALEXEI KOSEFF and TARYN LUNA: "California is close to abolishing money bail after the state Senate on Tuesday sent Gov. Jerry Brown a sweeping overhaul of California’s pretrial detention system."
Senate Bill 10 would eliminate bail, replacing it with “risk assessments” of individuals and non-monetary conditions of release. Advocates contend that too many Californians remain stuck in custody because they cannot afford to bail out, effectively creating unequal justice based on wealth."
Brown expressed his support for the effort last year when the authors pulled an earlier version of the measure, which fell short in the Legislature, to negotiate with the governorand Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye. He indicated in a statement Tuesday that he would sign SB 10."
Soaring overtime fattens paychecks of Valley cops and firefighters. But at a cost
From PHILLIP REESE, ADAM ASHTON, BRIANNA CALIX and THADDEUS MILLER in the Fresno Bee: "California cities and counties have too few cops and too many wildfires to get a handle on their soaring overtime budgets."
"That’s how they explain the $3.7 billion they spent collectively on overtime last year, a 60 percent increase from the $2.3 billion they shelled out for overtime in 2012."
"The dynamic means police and firefighters have no shortage of opportunities to pad their paychecks with overtime hours, but for some, the extra work is taking a toll on their bodies and families. Their long hours mean they could be pulling mandatory overtime shifts when they roll up to a car accident or respond to a 911 call."
Firefighters on Mendocino Complex endangered by Verizon move to limit data service, fire chief says
From the Chronicle's KEVIN FAGAN: "Santa Clara County firefighters were dangerously hobbled by poor internet service while they were helping battle the monstrous Mendocino Complex fire in July because Verizon drastically slowed down the speed of its wireless data during the fire fight, the county’s fire chief contends in a federal court filing."
"Despite having paid for what it thought was an unlimited data plan, the Santa Clara County Central Fire Protection District saw its data flow “throttled” down to 1/200th of its usual speed as it fought the complex — now the biggest wildfire in state history — because Verizon officials said it had exceeded its plan limit, district Fire Chief Anthony Bowden wrote. This primarily hampered a specialized vehicle the department depends on to coordinate its machinery and staff in such emergencies, and Bowden said that put his battalions at risk."
"Without full-speed service for the high-tech command and communications rig, which goes by the arcane name of OES 5262, Bowden wrote, “resources could be deployed to the wrong fire, the wrong part of a fire, or fail to be deployed at all. Even small delays in response translate into devastating effect, including loss of property, and, in some cases, loss of life.”
L.A. approves $2-million settlement over police shooting of homeless man on skid row
LAT's GALE HOLLAND reports: "The city of Los Angeles will pay $1.95 million to the family of Charly “Africa” Keunang, an unarmed homeless man whose fatal shooting by LAPD officers in 2015 set off days of protests and denunciations of the department’s treatment of skid row's mentally unstable population."
"The City Council on a 12-2 vote Tuesday approved the settlement, which had been reached tentatively after a federal jury in May found two officers liable in Keunang’s videotaped death."
"Councilmen Joe Buscaino and Mitchell Englander cast the “no” votes. Buscaino’s spokesman noted that the city’s civilian Police Commission had found the shooting justified. The district attorney declined to file criminal charges against the officers, stating that the officers "acted lawfully in self-defense and in defense of others."
Golden State Killer suspect is facing new charges, will be tried in Sacramento County
From the LAT's PAIGE ST. JOHN and JOSEPH SERNA: "A serial rapist terrorized a swath of Northern California in the 1970s, breaking into dozens of women’s homes in attacks that spanned three years and sparked fear throughout the suburbs of Sacramento and Contra Costa counties."
"More than 40 years later, prosecutors in Santa Ana announced Tuesday they had charged a man in those horrific crimes. Joseph James DeAngelo Jr., who already faces 13 counts of murder as the suspected Golden State Killer, is now accused of 13 counts of kidnapping to commit a robbery as well. He will stand trial in Sacramento County."
"Though DeAngelo already faces a potential death sentence for the murders, experts say adding the kidnapping charges is a two-fold strategy that could satisfy some victims’ families and shore up a successful prosecution. But it’s also a reflection of the limited options left for prosecuting offenses committed in an era when sex crimes were an afterthought for law enforcement."
Nurses association calls for lawmaker’s resignation over altercation with its lobbyist
From the Bee's TARYN LUNA: "The California Nurses Association is calling for a lawmaker to resign from the Senate and withdraw his candidacy for the state Board of Equalization after an altercation with its lobbyist at a Sacramento restaurant near the Capitol."
"The California Senate is investigating allegations that Sen. Joel Anderson, R-Alpine, threatened to “bitch slap” the association’s female lobbyist during an evening fundraiser at The Diplomat Steakhouse."
"Anderson was kicked out of the restaurant after allegedly harassing the woman during the Aug. 13 altercation, which he describes as a misunderstanding."
From the Bee's ALEXEI KOSEFF: "A California lawmaker reported to the Legislature earlier this month that he was shoved by a health care union president at a downtown Sacramento restaurant."
"The confrontation between Assemblyman Richard Bloom, D-Santa Monica, and Dave Regan, president of SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West, occurred on Aug. 8 at Lucca Restaurant and Bar, where the two were attending separate events for the California Legislative Jewish Caucus and California Forward."
"Bloom’s office declined to discuss the incident, but confirmed that Bloom reported it to the Assembly Rules Committee. Spokesmen for Regan and California Forward denied any physical contact between them."