The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals Thursday reversed an earlier District Court ruling that California’s application of the death penalty was so erratic as to constitute cruel and unusual punishment. The decision could open the door for the state to begin executions again – but let's be honest: not anytime soon. Paige St. John and Maura Dolan, Los Angeles Times:
“In overturning the July 2014 ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Cormac J. Carney, however, the panel did not squarely address whether California's death penalty is so dysfunctional that it violates the U.S. Constitution.
"’The elephant is still in the room,’ said John Phillipsborn, a San Francisco attorney who intervened in the case on behalf of criminal defense lawyers in California. ‘The issues the [case] framed are still going to need to be addressed…. Something has to give.’”
Representative Sam Farr announced Thursday that he will not seek reelection, creating a rare opening for a congressional seat from California’s Central Coast. Cue frantic scrambling. Jim Miller at the Bee:
Farr’s district “overlaps the districts of state Sen. Bill Monning, D-Carmel, Assemblyman Mark Stone, D-Scotts Valley, and Assemblyman Luis Alejo, D-Watsonville, who is termed out and has been planning to run for the Monterey County Board of Supervisors in 2016. Alejo also has been raising money for a possible state Senate candidacy in 2018.
“On Thursday, Alejo said he is ‘definitely interested’ in running to succeed Farr. Alejo said he plans to make a decision in a few weeks.
“Other names in the mix of possible Farr successors include Anna Caballero, a former Democratic assemblywoman who recently said she was stepping down as Gov. Jerry Brown’s business, consumer services and housing secretary, and Monterey County prosecutor Jimmy Panetta, the son of Central Coast political icon Leon Panetta. Republican Casey Lucius announced her candidacy Thursday.
Senate leader Kevin de León and Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom appear to be fighting over turf, with the Pro Tem reassigning two senate staffers on loan to Newsom’s office as retaliation for the inclusion of a De León policy piece in the Lite Guv’s new gun control ballot measure. Patrick McGreevy, LA Times:
“De León’s action appeared to be a “shot across the bow” warning to Newsom, said Jaime Regalado, professor emeritus of political science at Cal State Los Angeles.
“’De León is playing tough,’ Regalado said. ‘He wants people to know that he can and will be tough if it's necessary, so don't cross him. There's a price to be paid for that….’
“Dan Reeves, the senator's chief of staff, denied Wednesday that the proposal to take two employees from Newsom’s staff had anything to do with Newsom's gun initiative.
“’While we haven't had a chance to review the proposal or its potential impact on next November's ballot, we're thrilled to have another ally in the fight to keep dangerous ammunition out of the wrong hands,’ Reeves said.”
Big takeaway: the Lieutenant Governor’s office only had four staffers???
While top Dems may be squabbling, Laurel Rosenhall says that after years of bitter dysfunction, bipartisanship is on the rise in Sacramento. From CALmatters:
“There are friendly handshakes after lawmakers cross party lines to vote for each others’ bills. Bipartisan banter is visible on social media, where legislators trade funny stories and post selfies with friends across the aisle. A group of young lawmakers recently formed a bipartisan caucus focused on technology, while Democrats and Republicans attend dinner parties together or don red and blue to play baseball.
“’There is a renewed emphasis on working together and building relationships. It is a completely different way of thinking,’ said Rob Lapsley, who has been close to Capitol politics for decades as a Republican appointee and advocate for business groups.”
Board of Equalization member George Runner and Sen. Bob Huff (R-San Dimas) filed language Thursday for a proposed ballot initiative that would take $8 billion from California’s proposed High Speed Rail and redirect it to water storage projects. Juliet Williams, Associated Press:
"’This initiative secures our water future by building long-overdue expansions of existing facilities and new projects to store, deliver and recycle water for our families, farms and businesses,’ Huff said in a statement.
“The California High-Speed Rail Authority did not respond to a request for comment Thursday.”
That’s bad news for Governor Brown – with Dean Cortopassi’s measure to require public vote on any large public works project that makes two ballot initiatives specifically aimed at derailing his “legacy” projects.
This has been a bad week for the Governor – an unusually bad week for a politician that has gotten largely good press for most of his second act as governor.
Well, no one to blame but himself. Brown’s tone-deaf request to have the state Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources provide research and maps related to his family’s Colusa ranch was a total rookie move - and Brown is anything but a rookie.
The episode would look bad enough without the added irony that “Governor Climate Change” was asking about oil potential – oof. It’s almost like he was thinking, “How could I make Jon Fleischman’s day?”
Yes, you guessed it: we’re giving the Governor our coveted #WorstWeekinCA politics award – you can't say he didn't ask for it.
