GOP tax bill passes Senate as House prepares to send it to Trump
WaPo's JEFF STEIN/DAMIAN PALETTA: "Republicans are on the verge of passing the most significant overhaul of the tax code since 1986, after the Senate passed the GOP plan early Wednesday morning and House leaders scheduled a vote to quickly send it to President Trump."
"The sprawling plan would cut the corporate tax rate dramatically and provide new breaks for other businesses. It also would lower income tax bills in 2018 for the vast majority of households, though the wealthy would see far more relief than the middle class and working poor."
"The plan would revise nearly every part of the tax system by lowering income tax rates at all levels and restructuring deductions. And it extends beyond taxes and into health care by scrapping a central part of the Affordable Care Act."
READ MORE related to Looting the Treasury: A new tax regime is on its way. Here's how Californians can adjust -- McClatchy DC's EMILY CADEI; Senate moves tax cut legislation to brink of final passage -- AP's STEPHEN OHLEMACHER/MARCY GORDON; House and Senate pass GOP tax plan as Congress prepares to deliver Trump's top legislative priority -- LA Times' LISA MASCARO; Wineries could raise a glass to tax bill -- The Chronicle's SARAH RAVANI; Senate passes tax bill, sends plan back to the House -- The Chronicle's CAROLYN LOCHHEAD; OP-ED: GOP tax bill: A short-term buzz that promises a killer hangover -- LA Times Editorial Board; OP-ED: The triumph of the American oligarchs -- The Chronicle's ROBERT REICH
California to explore 'all options' as health mandate repeal looms
The Chronicle's CATHERINE HO: "Congressional Republicans appear to be moving ahead in repealing the Affordable Care Act’s individual mandate, prompting debate among California health care experts on how the state could continue encouraging residents to buy health insurance — including imposing a state-level requirement to purchase coverage."
"The elimination of the individual mandate, which requires people to buy insurance or pay a tax penalty, is included in the GOP tax bill that is expected to reach President Trump’s desk by Christmas. Repealing the mandate is projected to lead to 1.7 million fewer Californians with health insurance over the next decade, with experts predicting that some young, healthy people may choose to drop coverage if it is not required. Under the Affordable Care Act, California has lowered its uninsured rate to a record 7 percent."
"I am committed to protecting those gains,” said state Sen. Ed Hernandez, D-West Covina (Los Angeles County), chair of the Senate Health Committee. “All options are on the table if federal enforcement of the individual mandate ends."
READ MORE related to Health Care: Pharmacists slow to dispense lifesaving overdose drug -- California Healthline's ANNA GORMAN; Frail patients losing access to dental house calls -- California Healthline's ANA B. IBARRA; Doing more harm than good? Epidemic of screening burdens nation's older patients -- California Healthline's LIZ SZABO
Secrecy looms over sexual misconduct allegations in Capitol.
From Capitol Weekly's SOPHIA BOLLAG: "Leaders in the California Senate and Assembly have promised transparency as they combat sexual harassment in the Capitol, but so far most information from misconduct investigations remains hidden from public view."
“This is just the beginning of the long road to overhaul the way the California Legislature handles complaints of sexual harassment,” Senate Leader Kevin de León, a Los Angeles Democrat, said at a news conference Thursday. “The Senate remains committed to working with the Assembly to adopt a unified, bicameral approach.”
"The Legislative Open Records Act exempts investigations into sexual misconduct allegations from public records requests, said Debra Gravert, chief administrative officer for the Assembly Rules Committee."
San Bernardino woman, detained by ICE despite being US citizen, sues
LA Times' ANDREA CASTILLO: "The American Civil Liberties Union and a law firm have filed a lawsuit on behalf of a San Bernardino woman who spent a day in immigration custody despite repeatedly saying that she was an American citizen."
"Guadalupe Plascencia, 60, spent the night of March 29 in jail because of a decade-old bench warrant related to her alleged failure to appear as a witness in a court case. She said a San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputy asked her to sign documents that night acknowledging that officials with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement had inquired about her immigration status."
"As she tried to leave the West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga, Plascencia said she was met by immigration enforcement agents, handcuffed and placed in the back of a van. She spent the rest of the day in ICE custody, fearful that she would be deported despite becoming a citizen nearly 20 years ago."
READ MORE related to Immigration: DACA is the Dreamer's lifeline -- TED LEMPERT in Capitol Weekly
Sinclair Broadcasting Group and Circa sued for sexual harassment by three former employees
BuzzFeed's SALVADOR HERNANDEZ: "Media giant Sinclair Broadcasting Group is being sued for alleged sexual harassment, sex discrimination, and retaliation by three former employees at one of the company's newest ventures."
"The suit, filed in Los Angeles against Sinclair and its mobile partner Circa, alleges the employees' supervisor called them "sweetheart," suggested women were not as smart as men, and stated that women weren't valuable to work with unless they were attractive."
"The supervisor, Randall Sherman, also allegedly assessed whether the three women were "fuckable" or not while in front of other workers."
READ MORE related to #MeToo/Boy's Club: Cardinal Bernard Law, central figure in Boston abuse scandal, dies -- AP; The 'Lost Boys': Hollywood producer Gary Goddard accused of sexual misconduct by 8 former child actors -- LA Times' GUS GARCIA-ROBERTS; SF cop who killed self in Richmond was investigated for child sex abuse -- The Chronicle's EVAN SERNOFFSKY
Another day of reckoning: Return of powerful winds make Thomas Fire dangerous again
LA Times' ALENE TCHEKMEDYIAN/NICOLE SANTA CRUZ: "For three days, firefighters have purposely set hillsides on fire to reduce available fuel. They’ve quenched smoldering heaps of chaparral and cut down burned trees so they don’t fall onto people passing by."
"Many have worked for 14 hours straight, milking the lull in winds. Some sang songs to pass the time."
"Now, their day of reckoning has arrived."
READ MORE related to The West is Burning: Long-term wildfire evacuees face holidays away from home -- AP's AMANDA LEE MYERS
Democrat recount win could alter power in Virginia's House
AP's BEN FINLEY: "Control of the Virginia state House is still up for grabs as Republicans appear to have lost a 16-seat majority in the one of the most agonizing ways possible — with a single vote defeat in a dramatic recount election."
"A Democratic challenger is set to score a one-vote victory Wednesday, barring any last-minute challenges or hiccups with the certification process. The victory means a rare power-sharing agreement may have to be brokered between Democrats and Republicans."
"Shelly Simonds beat three-term incumbent Republican Del. David Yancey in the 94th District in Newport News, 11,608 to 11,607, in an hourslong recount Tuesday that ended only after the precinct ballots were exhausted and provisional ballots were examined."
WH Press Secretary Sarah Sanders tells Democratic Rep. Ted Lieu, 'spend less time tweeting, more time doing your job.'
The Independent's CLARK MINDOCK: "White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders has engaged in a Twitter spat with a member of Congress, whom she told to spend less time tweeting and more time doing his job."
"Representative Ted Lieu launched the first attack on Ms Sanders on Twitter, quoting a now-deleted tweet from the Hill that inaccurately quoted Ms Sanders as having said that Republicans “begged” Democrats to work with them."
"Dear @PressSec: You don’t serve in Congress. I do. And I can say with absolute certainty that you are lying,” Mr Lieu wrote on Twitter."
READ MORE related to The White House: Donald Trump's White House shuts down Obama-era petition site without answering a single one -- The Independent's ELI ROSENBERG
Reddit was a misinformation hotspot in 2016 election, study says
CNet's LAURA HAUTALA: "Angry lawmakers on Capitol Hill grilled Facebook, Google and Twitter lawyers last month over their companies' roles in the spread of misinformation during the 2016 presidential election. "
"Missing from two days of hearings? Reddit, the site that calls itself "the front page of the internet."
"According to data scientist and active Reddit user Rishab Nithyanand, Reddit also saw links to stories spreading misinformation and divisive content, the same problems experienced by the social media companies under scrutiny. Redditors, too, were exposed to more posts from users who also spend time in "fringe" forums. And they saw more offensive language, including cursing and slurs, according to research Nithyanand produced as part of his work at the Data & Society think tank in New York."
North Korea begins tests to load anthrax onto ICBMs, newspaper says
Bloomberg's ANDY SHARP: "North Korea has begun tests to load anthrax onto intercontinental ballistic missiles, Japan's Asahi newspaper reported Tuesday, citing an unidentified person connected to South Korea's intelligence services."
"The report said the testing involves ensuring the anthrax survives the immense temperatures generated during re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere. North Korea has a stockpile of between 2,500 tons to 5,000 tons of chemical weapons, and is capable of producing biological agents such as anthrax and smallpox, South Korea has previously said."
"The Asahi report comes a day after the White House published its National Security Strategy, a document that said Pyongyang is "pursuing chemical and biological weapons which could also be delivered by missile."
Christie: Jared Kushner deserves scrutiny from Mueller
The Hill's BRETT SAMUELS: "New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) said Tuesday that President Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner “deserves the scrutiny” he’s received from special counsel Robert Mueller’s team in the ongoing Russia probe."
"He deserves the scrutiny. You know why? Because he was involved in the transition and involved in meetings that call into question his role,” Christie said on MSNBC’s “Deadline: White House."
"If he’s innocent of that, then that will come out as Mueller examines all the facts, and if he’s not, that will come out too," added Christie, a former federal prosecutor."
READ MORE related to KremlinGate: Trump has the formidable power to fire Mueller, but the Constitution's constraints are also powerful -- LA Times' JOHN YOO/SAIKRISHNA PRAKASH
Berkeley OKs continued use of pepper spray in crowds
The Chronicle's ANNIE MA: "The Berkeley City Council voted Tuesday to keep in place a recently passed ordinance that allows police officers to use pepper spray on violent protesters, rejecting a recommendation from a civilian commission to roll back the law for health concerns."
"The 5-3 vote will allow police to continue to use the spray in crowd situations when targeting individuals who have become violent, but Police Chief Andrew Greenwood said that officers have not had to do so since the ordinance passed."
"The city overturned a 20-year-old ban on police using pepper spray for crowd control in September, in response to a series of political protests that turned into violent clashes between extremist groups."
Angry parents pull kids from class over Ivanka Trump visit
The Hill's AVERY ANAPOL: "Some Connecticut parents reportedly pulled their kids out of school after first daughter and presidential adviser Ivanka Trump made a surprise visit."
"Trump on Monday spoke to high school students at the Norwalk Early College Academy, a program at Norwalk High School that allows students to earn a high school diploma and associate’s degree in software engineering."
"The visit was kept quiet due to security concerns, according to New Jersey’s News 12, which reported that parents who opposed the president’s views were upset that they did not know about the visit."
READ MORE related to Education: Today's lesson: Teachers should not fib on disability claims -- LA Times' HOWARD BLUME; Early intervention helps boost reading skills for young children most at risk of falling behind -- EdSource's ASHLEY HOPKINSON; Creating a culture of coaching to support teachers in every school -- EdSource's MICHAEL MOODY
After fierce political battle, Calaveras votes against banning commercial pot cultivation
Sacramento Bee's BRAD BRANAN: "Calaveras County supervisors voted Tuesday night to continue to allow commercial marijuana cultivation, capping nearly two years of political turmoil that has divided the Sierra foothills county of 44,000 people."
"The board voted 3-2 against banning cultivation. Opponents and supporters filled the chambers while an an overflow crowd watched on a monitor in an adjacent room. The board, which had convened early in the morning, continued to discuss new regulatory plans into the evening."
"The current Board of Supervisors has been far more critical of the cannabis industry than the board seated this past year. In February 2016, the board had called for the county attorney to write an ordinance that would regulate cannabis farming that had been taking place illegally for years."
READ MORE related to Cannabis: Los Angeles pot shops will get visits from health inspectors -- just like restaurants -- Daily News' SUSAN ABRAM
Former Fullerton city manager sentenced for reckless driving involving alcohol
LA Times' ALENE TCHEKMEDYIAN: "The former city manager of Fullerton pleaded guilty Tuesday to a misdemeanor count of driving recklessly after consuming alcohol, officials said."
"In the early morning hours after the November 2016 election, Joseph Burt Felz, 58, who was city manager at the time, crashed his car into a tree and a witness called the police, according to the Orange County district attorney’s office."
"Fullerton police spotted Felz nearby, but officials said he failed to stop his car right away."
Former Beaumont city officials plead guilty to felony charges
LA Times: "Four former Beaumont city officials pleaded guilty Tuesday to felony charges stemming from a yearlong investigation into corruption involving misuse of tens of millions of dollars in public funds and other acts of fraud."
"A judge immediately sentenced each man to varying lengths of home detention and ordered payment of penalties ranging from $100,000 to $4 million."
"William Kevin Aylward, 54, of Cherry Valley; David William Dillon, 64, of Temecula; Ernest Alois Egger, 61, of Mendocino; and Alan Charles Kapanicas, 65, of Palm Desert admitted wrongdoing under a plea agreement with the Riverside County district attorney's office."
Rat poison found in remains of mountain lion P-41, but cause of death still unknown
LA Times' JOSEPH SERNA: "Lab tests were unable to determine a cause of death for P-41, a mountain lion whose movements in the Verdugo Mountains were captured in beautiful photographs by citizen scientists, National Park Service officials said."
"But the lab results from the state Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory did show the cougar suffered from a common issue among big cats in California’s wildlife-urban interface: poisoning."
"The lab found both first- and second-generation anticoagulants in his liver,” Seth Riley, a wildlife ecologist for the Santa Monica Mountains, said in a statement. “We continue to see indications that these poisons are working their way up the food chain through what we believe is unintentional poisoning."
READ MORE related to Environment: Conservation group says Japan aiding in illegal ivory trade -- AP's ELAINE KURTENBACH; LA County officials warn of 'cold snap' coming to town -- Daily News' ELIZABETH CHOU
LA real estate developer and billboard executive fined over political donations
LA Times' EMILY ALPERT REYES: "A real estate developer and a billboard executive were fined Tuesday by the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission for flouting city rules that restrict how much donors can give to politicians."
"The Ethics Commission agreed Tuesday to impose a $16,455 penalty on Ingrid I.S. Lee, also known as In Soo Lee, for exceeding city limits on political contributions by routing many of the donations through real estate companies."
"Ethics commissioners also voted for a $15,000 fine for Joseph Kouba, one of the owners of billboard company Summit Media, for violating those same limits when he made donations to politicians both in his own name and through Summit Media."
Ex-officials at failed Sonoma bank, lawyer convicted of string of crimes
The Chronicle's NANETTE ASIMOV: "A Santa Rosa attorney and two former executives of the failed Sonoma Valley Bank were convicted Tuesday of conspiracy, money laundering, fraud and a string of other crimes that cost taxpayers millions of dollars, federal prosecutors announced."
"Those convicted after an eight-week trial in U.S. District Court in San Francisco were Sean Clark Cutting, 48, of Sonoma, the Sonoma bank’s chief executive officer before it failed in 2010; Brian Scott Melland, its chief loan officer; and attorney David John Lonich, who had represented the late Sonoma County real-estate developer Bijan Madjlessi, who was convicted of similar crimes before his death in 2014."
“The defendants resorted to bank fraud, lies to bank regulators, and other crimes in a multi-year scheme to conceal millions of dollars in failed and failing loans,” United States Attorney Brian Stretch said in a statement."
New blow for Uber as top EU court says it's a taxi company
AP's ANGELA CHARLTON/ARITZ PARRA: "Ride-hailing service Uber suffered a new blow Wednesday as the European Union's top court ruled that it should be regulated like a taxi company and not a technology service, a decision that crimps its activities around Europe and could weigh on other app-based companies too."
"Taxi drivers honked in celebration while Uber — which is wrapping up a particularly punishing year — sought to play down the ruling Wednesday by the Luxembourg-based European Court of Justice. The decision might only affect its operations in four countries, and the company said it will try to keep expanding in Europe anyway."
"The decision in theory applies to ride-hailing services around the 28-nation EU. But the ruling leaves it to national governments to decide how and whether to change the way they regulate Uber and similar services, which have expanded rapidly in recent years."
READ MORE related to Transportation: New bridge across SF Bay? Transit planners 'happy' to take a look -- The Chronicle's MATIER & ROSS
Michael Jackson sex abuse lawsuit dismissed; it was one of the major claims against his holdings
AP's ANDREW DALTON: "A judge on Tuesday dismissed the lawsuit brought by a choreographer who alleged Michael Jackson molested him as a child, resolving one of the last major claims against the late singer’s holdings."
"Judge Mitchell L. Beckloff’s summary judgment ruling against the now-35-year-old Wade Robson found that the two Jackson-owned corporations, which were the remaining defendants in the case, were not liable for Robson’s exposure to Jackson. He did not rule on the credibility of Robson’s allegations themselves."
"Robson’s attorney, Vince Finaldi, said he strongly disagrees and plans to appeal."
They redefined hip-hops sound, now Chad Hugo and Pharrell have put out a N.E.R.D. response to Trump
LA Times' MIKAEL WOOD: "Jay-Z had big hits before “I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me),” his playful 2000 single that pleads with a woman for “that funk, that sweet, that nasty, that gushy stuff."
"There was “Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem),” which sampled the musical “Annie” and reached No. 15 on Billboard’s Hot 100. And there was the sleek “Can I Get A…,” which drove 1998’s “Rush Hour” soundtrack to platinum sales."
"But it was arguably “I Just Wanna Love U,” with its danceable groove and its chorus sung in a goofy yet cool falsetto, that turned the once-gruff Jay-Z into a cuddly mainstream pop star. And behind that transition was Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, known then as the Neptunes, the production duo who over the next decade would go on to help redefine hip-hop’s sound — and propel its reach into R&B and pop."
'The Greatest Showman' turns Hugh Jackman's PT Barnum into a hero, and cons the audience in the process
LA Times' JUSTIN CHANG: "In a more honest or at least more interesting version of “The Greatest Showman,” P.T. Barnum, famed American ringmaster and skilled exploiter of misfits and outcasts, would have been the villain rather than the hero. But where would be the fun, the uplift or the box-office potential in that? Like a few other recent movies about entertainers blessed with more ambition than talent (“Birdman” and “Florence Foster Jenkins” come to mind), this one knows there’s no quicker way to get you on a huckster’s side than to pit him against an even bigger fraud. Which is to say, a critic."
"The reviewer in question is James Gordon Bennett (Paul Sparks), a 19th-century New York newspaperman who regularly attends Barnum’s show for no apparent reason other than to keep reminding himself and the public how dreadful it is. Scorning the professional distance that typically separates critics from the artists they write about, Bennett strides up to Barnum (Hugh Jackman) and demands, “Does it matter that everything you’re selling is fake?"
"A worthy question, and one that might well be directed at this movie, a hectic two-hour whirlwind of musical, visual and narrative artifice. But the purpose of Bennett’s vitriol, of course, is to pre-empt any such critical inquiry on the audience’s part. Directed with bland competence by Michael Gracey from a script by Jenny Bicks and Bill Condon, “The Greatest Showman” is both a fitful hoot and a remarkably upbeat con job, one that seizes upon Barnum’s talent for hoodwinking his customers and tries to foist it in turn upon the audience."
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The Roundup is compiled by Associate Editor Geoff Howard. Questions? Comments? Feedback? Email him at geoff@capitolweekly.net
