Darrell Issa kicks off his campaign for Rep. Duncan Hunter’s seat as four candidates drop out
From the LAT's CHARLES T. CLARK: "Former Rep. Darrell Issa made it official Thursday: He is running for the congressional seat currently held by Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Alpine), who is fighting a criminal indictment."
"Issa kicked off his campaign Thursday morning in downtown El Cajon, announcing he has withdrawn his nomination for a senior trade post in the Trump administration and will seek to represent the 50th District, which includes east San Diego County, inland north San Diego County and a small portion of Riverside County."
"Issa’s trade nomination stalled in the Senate for over a year, but he has long been rumored a candidate for the 50th. He said he flew back to Washington with President Trump after the president visited San Diego last week and discussed his desire to turn his attention to the congressional race."
California regulators begin considering PG&E bankruptcy case
The Chronicle's J.D. MORRIS: "California regulators took steps Thursday to begin examining Pacific Gas and Electric Co.’s path out of bankruptcy, a crucial analysis they must complete in nine months in order for the utility to comply with a new state wildfire law."
"The California Public Utilities Commission voted unanimously in favor of opening the proceeding through which it eventually will determine whether to approve PG&E’s reorganization plan — the blueprint that will establish how the company pays victims of wildfires it caused and emerges from protection under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code."
"PG&E’s bankruptcy judge and its state regulators have different roles in the case. While the bankruptcy court is concerned largely with the relationship between PG&E and its creditors, the commission’s top priority is the connection between the company and ratepayers."
Hedge funds add another $1.5B for California wildfire victims in PG&E takeover war
Sacramento Bee's DALE KASLER: "The Wall Street hedge funds trying to take over PG&E Corp. have increased their proposed payout for wildfire claims as the investors seek to wrest control of the bankrupt California utility."
"In a filing Wednesday in U.S. Bankruptcy Court, a group of bondholders offered to infuse Pacific Gas and Electric and its PG&E parent with $29.2 billion in “new money investments” to pull the company out of bankruptcy."
"Of that, $25.5 billion would be spent on claims from the horrific wildfires of 2017 and 2018, with $14.5 billion going directly to victims who were uninsured or under-insured. The remaining $11 billion would reimburse insurance companies that have settled claims filed by their policyholders."
Parents wounded by LAPD officer in Costco shooting are outraged by lack of charges
LA Times's RICHARD WINTON: "The parents of a man fatally shot in the back by an off-duty LAPD officer inside a Corona Costco, who themselves were wounded by the gunfire, expressed disgust at the Riverside County district attorney’s decision not to charge the cop, saying they were unarmed and moving a good distance away."
"Paola and Russell French questioned what evidence Riverside County Dist. Atty. Mike Hestrin presented to a grand jury this month that led it to decide this week not to file any charges against Los Angeles Police Officer Salvador Sanchez. The couple said they hoped the California attorney general or federal prosecutors will investigate the June 14 killing of their 32-year-old son, Kenneth French, inside the warehouse store."
"Salvador Sanchez was clearly wrong, as he was not in imminent danger to fire 10 shots at an entire unarmed family, and that was clear, even in the grainy, poor-quality video,” said Paola French, who was hit by Sanchez’s first shot. Paola and Russell French, along with their other son, Kevin French, said the video shows they were already a considerable distance from the officer when he began shooting and could never be considered any kind of “reasonable threat."
Trump's EPA blames homeless for California water pollution, demands action from Newsom
Sacramento Bee's DALE KASLER: "The Trump administration continued pounding California officials over the environment Thursday, blaming San Francisco and Los Angeles’ homelessness for polluting their cities’ water and demanding Gov. Gavin Newsom address a wide range of shortcomings with drinking water supplies."
"Andrew Wheeler, the horrific wildfires of 2017 and 2018, with $14.5 billion going directly to victims who were uninsured or under-insured. The remaining $11 billion would reimburse insurance companies that have settled claims filed by their policyholders."
California congressional candidate's family farm walked out on $325K owed to workers
McClatchy's KATE IRBY: "Former Rep. David Valadao’s family farm has not paid a $325,000 settlement it agreed to with workers who accused the farm of denying them minimum wage and overtime pay."
"The case closed without payment to the workers in in April after the dairy declared bankruptcy, according to Santos Gomez, an attorney for the workers, and confirmed by Valadao’s campaign."
"The Hanford Republican has said he was not involved with the day-to-day operations of the dairy while he served in the House of Representatives. Documents show Valadao signed for about $6 million in loans to the dairy while he held office."
These are the top CalSTRS pensions that exceed IRS limits
Sacramento Bee's WES VENTEICHER: "More than 300 former school administrators in California are collecting pensions that exceed IRS limits."
"To comply with tax law, the California State Teachers’ Retirement System sends the retirees two separate checks: one for the maximum amount allowed under the law and another classified as wages for tax purposes. Below, see the top 25 pensions on the above-limits list."
READ MORE related to Pensions: Hundreds of California school administrators have pensions that exceed IRS limits -- Sacramento Bee's WES VENTEICHER
California Dems souring on Kamala Harris, new poll says
The Chronicle's JOE GAROFOLI: "California Sen. Kamala Harris undoubtedly will receive a warm reception from supporters Sunday when she opens her first California campaign office in her hometown of Oakland."
"But the reception elsewhere in her native state is growing downright chilly, according to a new poll."
"Harris is running a distant fourth in the Democratic presidential race in California, behind surging front-runner Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, former Vice President Joe Biden and Vermont independent Sen. Bernie Sanders, according to a Berkeley IGS Poll released this week."
Trump is on track for a level of defeat in California not seen since the Civil War
LA Times's DAVID LAUTER: "President Trump lost overwhelmingly in California in 2016, and 2020 could be even worse, putting him on track for the poorest showing by a Republican presidential candidate in the state since the Civil War, a new poll finds."
"Just 29% of likely California voters say they plan to vote for Trump, compared with 67% who say they do not, according to a new UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll, conducted for the Los Angeles Times."
"Trump lost the state to Hillary Clinton by 30 points in 2016, and the state’s voters have moved further from his party since then. The administration has fought California officials on a host of issues involving immigration, healthcare and the environment, among other things — all topics on which Trump’s positions are unpopular in the state."
Bay Area home-price slump continues
The Chronicle's KATHLEEN PENDER: "Bay Area home prices slumped for a sixth straight month in August, according to a report issued Thursday by research firm CoreLogic."
"The median price paid for a new or existing Bay Area home or condo was $810,000 last month, down 0.7% from July and down 2.4% from August of last year. Prices year-over-year have now been flat or falling for six consecutive months. The last increase was in February."
"Although the Bay Area’s frantic housing market started cooling around June 2018, prices year-over-year continued rising at double-digit rates until September of last year, when the market downshifted amid a jump in interest rates and a stock market selloff. From last fall into early this year, inventory grew and price cuts started appearing, but the median price continued rising until March, when it fell for the first time in 83 months. The biggest dip this year was 4.1% in July."
Sac PD clear cops who killed Stephon Clark minutes after feds close civil rights case
Sacramento Bee's MOLLY SULLIVAN/SAM STANTON/TONY BIZJAK/BENJY EGEL: "The Sacramento Police Department on Thursday cleared Officers Terrence Mercadal and Jared Robinet, who fatally shot Stephon Clark in March 2018, saying they did not violate department policy or training."
"This incident has been thoroughly investigated by law enforcement agencies at the local, state and federal levels,” Chief Daniel Hahn said in a prepared statement. “Every one of these independent examinations has reached the same finding – the use of deadly force in this case was lawful. Our internal investigation concluded that there were no violations of department policy or training."
"The officers involved in this case will return to full, active duty,” he said, clearing the officers of any wrongdoing."
READ MORE related to Prisons & Public Safety: Stephon Clark's killers are free -- Sacramento Bee's MARCOS BRETON; Mentally ill man moved from jail to treatment so health department 'wouldn't have to appear' in court -- The Chronicle'sd TRISHA THADANI
BART board chooses new gates to help thwart fare evasion problem
The Chronicle's RACHEL SWAN: "BART’s board on Thursday approved a new style of fare gate: tall panels that swing open like saloon doors when riders tag in."
"Riders won’t see the change right away. BART has yet to identify $150 million in funds to swap out its existing 600 gates. The project has no timeline — four years to completion is the best-case scenario, said spokeswoman Alicia Trost."
"The swing gates are the transit agency’s most decisive step to tackle fare evasion, a problem that BART says siphons $25 million to $30 million a year. The issue also agitates riders, some of whom associate cheats with a growing sense of law and disorder on the system."
As Trump impeachment inquiry looms, voters react with joy, fury, ambivalence
LA Times's STAFF: "It could have been any day, really, in the Donald Trump era, which is to say tumultuous and head-spinning. But it was also a rarity, as Americans absorbed the prospect of a president being impeached for just the third time in the nation’s history."
"While discussing military aid to Ukraine, the president had asked the Eastern European nation’s leader for “a favor” in digging up dirt on rival Joe Biden — leading Democrats to launch a formal inquiry."
"The response from voters on Wednesday was as varied as the country: joy, anger, enthusiasm, frustration. While, there was, understandably, no consensus view, there was also no lack of opinions."
READ MORE related to Impeachment Inquiry: Impeachment is a show. Democrat's job is to make it a must-see -- The Chronicle's JOE GAROFOLI; Pelosi decries WH 'cover-up' as whistleblower complaint becomes public -- LA Times's CHRIS MEGERIAN/MOLLY OTOOLE/ELI STOKOLS; Top spy defends whistleblower at center of impeachment inquiry -- LA Times's DEL QUENTIN WILBER; Audio of Trump discussing whistleblower at private event -- LA Times's ELI STOKOLS; California's Rep. Adam Schiff at impeachment helm with Ukraine inquiry -- LA Times's SARAH D WIRE