New Senate leader Kevin de Leon was sworn in by California Supreme Court Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye at an elaborate ceremony at the Walt Disney Concert Hall Wednesday. Seema Mehta and Patrick McGreevy profiled the event for The Los Angeles Times.
“The $50,000 celebration was labeled an inauguration and paid for with foundation money from corporate interests with regular business before lawmakers. It fit the historic nature of the occasion, planners said…
“Nearly 2,000 people attended the ceremony, including Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris, Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins (D-San Diego), UC President Janet Napolitano, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and former Gov. Gray Davis.”
Meanwhile, Dan Walters looks at the legacy of outgoing leader Darrell Steinberg in the Sacramento Bee.
“Steinberg has been the most policy-minded legislative leader since Leo McCarthy, notwithstanding the fact that his last year has been marred by multiple scandals.
“Three Democratic senators were suspended from legislative duties as they faced criminal charges, and some critics claim Steinberg fostered a climate that tolerated wrongdoing.”
Also in the Bee (which just launched a newly redesigned website, btw), Cynthia H. Craft looks at the California Department of Public Health’s preparations for an Ebola outbreak.
“As Ebola panic took hold nationwide, state Department of Public Health officials said they have launched an unprecedented outreach campaign to ensure hospital systems, clinics, health care workers, nurses’ unions and the federal government have firm protocols in place to contain the virus…
“’It’s very important that we are able to have systems in place to do early identification of people who are ill,’ said Dr. James Watt, chief of the department’s communicable disease control unit. ‘The reality is that every hospital situation is unique and our strategy is to support hospitals in developing their own plans.’”
The ugly spectre of domestic violence is haunting the race for AD 17. Candidate David Chiu has focused on Supervisor David Campos’ 2012 vote to allow Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi keep his job after a domestic violence conviction. Marisa Lagos has the story at SFGate.
“Chiu has repeatedly brought up Campos’ vote on the campaign trail, while Campos has been under attack since before the June primary by an independent political group funded by tech investors Reid Hoffman and Ron Conway. That group, the Committee to Hold David Campos Accountable, has sent out numerous mailers slamming Campos — including several featuring large photos of and quotes from domestic violence survivors. Recently, Hoffman put another $300,000 into the campaign’s account.”
On Wednesday, a near-unanimous decision by the state Supreme Court removed a hurdle for California’s High Speed Rail project. Jessica Calefati has the story in the San Jose Mercury News.
“Eleven months ago, a Sacramento Superior Court judge stunned supporters of the Los Angeles-to-San Francisco rail line when he blocked the California High-Speed Rail Authority from selling $8.6 billion in bonds that voters had approved for the train, leaving almost all the project's funding in limbo.
“So when the Sacramento-based 3rd District Court of Appeal ordered Judge Michael Kenny to vacate his decision, it was a huge victory for the rail authority and Gov. Jerry Brown, one of the project's biggest champions.”
And, in Pennsylvania, it looks like the NRA may have found a Democrat they can really get behind – Marty Flynn. From Philly.com:
“Confronted by a gunman just blocks from the state Capitol on Tuesday night, a Democratic legislator from Northeastern Pennsylvania pulled his own weapon and traded fire with a would-be robber.”
No one was wounded in the exchange, but police arrested four suspects nearby, charging them with attempted homicide, conspiracy, robbery, aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, and carrying a firearm without a license.
"’We are used to fighting for the people in our districts every day,’ Flynn said in the statement. ‘We certainly are going to stand up for ourselves and not become victims.’”
