An idea that has been proposed over the years -- and rejected -- is back again: giving the California Coastal Commission more enforcement authority, including the right to levy fines.
From Paul Rogers in the Mercury News: "In a little-known wrinkle of state law, the California Coastal Commission, which brokered the settlement with Parker, has no authority to issue fines when people block access to public beaches, destroy wetlands or build coastal homes without permits."
"Now, a bill moving through the state Legislature would change that by giving the commission the ability to impose fines."
"But the measure is sparking a heated debate between environmentalists and business groups -- and emerging as one of the major environmental battles in Sacramento this year."
California's highest tribunal says gay marriages can continue in a response to the latest efforts by the backers of a voter-appproved ban on same-sex marriage.
From Reuters' Dan Levine: "The California Supreme Court on Monday rejected the latest bid to stop gay weddings in the state as same-sex marriage opponents tried to salvage a voter-approved ban on the nuptials."
"In 2008 California voters passed the gay marriage ban, known as Proposition 8, but a San Francisco federal judge struck down the initiative as unconstitutional and last month the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that supporters of the ban did not have the legal right to appeal."
"In the aftermath of that highly anticipated opinion, Prop 8 supporters turned to the California Supreme Court last week and asked it to order an immediate halt on gay weddings in the state, until the state high court could rule on whether the original federal order applied across California."
Meanwhile, at least two lawmakers have been subpoenaed to testify in the federal investigation involving state Sen. Ron Calderon.
From the LAT's Paige St. John and Patr8ick McGreevy: "Sen. Kevin De Leon (D-Los Angeles) weeks ago acknowledged he had been subpoenaed. A second lawmaker, Assemblyman Adam Gray (D-Merced), tells the Los Angeles Times that he also was commanded by the U.S. attorney’s office to appear."
“Obviously I wasn’t that surprised,” Gray said. “A number of senators have received subpoenas. It appears many of the staff, if not all of the staff that have worked at one time or another for Sen.Calderon, has received subpoenas. So, it didn’t come as a huge surprise. I suspect they want to talk to everybody.”
"FBI agents in early June searched the Sacramento offices of Calderon as well as an annex office used by one of his aides. Federal officials have said little about the focus of their search, but FBI agents also questioned officials from cities served by the Central Basin Municipal Water District, which paid Calderon’s brother, Tom, more than $750,000 in consulting fees, starting in 2004."
The husband of a California lawmaker has been hit with a $10 million jury's verdict stemming from allegations of fiscal impropriety in his real estate business.
From the LAT's Stuart Pfeifer: "Dan Harkey, the husband of Assemblywoman Diane L. Harkey (R-Dana Point), was accused of making ill-advised loans through his company, Point Center Financial in Aliso Viejo, and pocketing fees and commissions from the doomed loans."
"Diane Harkey was removed as a defendant in the first jury trial. A judge still must decide if the legislator and her husband improperly transferred title of their home to their daughter, said Lloyd Charton, a plaintiff in the case."
"After a three-month trial in Orange County Superior Court, jurors found Dan Harkey and his company liable for $9 million to investors. They added about $1 million in punitive damages to the award Monday."
It's piling-on time for San Diego Mayor Bob Filner, who's facing increasing allegations of sexual harassment from former political allies.
From the LAT's Tony Perry: "Turning up the pressure on Mayor Bob Filner to resign, three former supporters Monday released details of his alleged sexual harassment of women, including the forcible kissing of two constituents and grabbing the buttocks and breast of a staff member."
"In a City Hall elevator, Filner told a female staffer that women employees would do better "if they worked without their panties on," attorney Marco Gonzalez said at a news conference outside City Hall."
"Filner's behavior toward women is so egregious that women who work for him call him a "dirty old man" and coined the phrases "the Filner headlock" and "the Filner dance" to describe how he isolates women and then makes unwanted advances, Gonzalez said."
And finally, from our "Where in the World Is Edward Snowden?" file comes word that, yes, he has applied for asylum in Russia. If he's approved, he can finally leave that airport.
"The Federal Migration Service confirmed he had completed the relevant paperwork at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport, where he has been for the past three weeks.
Mr Snowden is wanted by the US for leaking details of government surveillance programmes."
"He has no travel documents so has been unable to take up asylum offers from a number of Latin American states. "He reached the conclusion that he needs to write an application for temporary asylum, and this procedure has just been done," said Anatoly Kucherena, a lawyer with strong links with the Kremlin who helped Mr Snowden with the paperwork.
"For now he is not going to go anywhere. For now he plans to stay in Russia," he said."
"Mr Kucherena said the fugitive had stated in the application that he faced possible torture and execution if he returned to the US."
