Gov. Brown's top aide, Nancy McFadden, is under scrutiny for an alleged conflict of interest stemming from PG&E investment bonds that she owns which may have influenced her official actions.
AP's Juliet Williams in the OC Register: "A former executive of Pacific Gas & Electric Corp. signed an agreement to protect the reputation of the utility as part of a $1 million settlement she reached with PG&E when she left to work as a top aide for the California governor, a consumer group alleged in a complaint filed with the state's political watchdog."
"The advocacy group Consumer Watchdog said Monday that it has asked the Fair Political Practices Commission to investigate whether Nancy McFadden had a conflict of interest because of her stock holdings in PG&E and the settlement while working as executive secretary to Gov. Jerry Brown."
"The group says McFadden took the lead for Brown on matters dealing with the Public Utilities Commission while she owned more than $100,000 in PG&E stock. McFadden reported owning stock in PG&E in 2011, 2012 and 2013."
Meanwhile, Obama has narrowed his choice for Supreme Court down to three people and is now endorsing a Southern California man as one of his candidates.
David. G Savage and Maura Dolan report in LAT: "Judge Paul J. Watford, a Southern Californian who serves on the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, has emerged as a leading contender for President Obama's nomination to the Supreme Court."
"The president has narrowed his search to three appeals court judges, including two from Washington, according to officials close to the process. All three have had bipartisan support in the past."
"If nominated, however, any one of them is likely to run into near-unanimous opposition from Senate Republicans, who have vowed to block action on any Obama nominee to fill the seat of Justice Antonin Scalia."
T is for trouble, T is for Trump.
From Mathew Artz in the Mercury News: "Like most liberal Democrats, Mario Juarez finds Donald Trump repulsive. But he can't help but hope the real estate tycoon will deliver a knockout blow to his rivals in Tuesday's crucial primaries."
"He's so racist, but he would be so easy to beat," said Juarez, an Alameda County Democratic Central Committee member. "No one who offends that many people can be president."
"Or can he?"
Homeowners in California face a new hurtle as energy laws intended to cut consumption translate to housing renovation prices skyrocketing as a consequence.
CALMatters' Julie Cart reports: "Owning a home in California could get more complicated starting next year with a new law intended to cut energy consumption, partly by increasing the efficiency of home heating, cooling and lighting systems."
"The legislation requires a doubling of statewide energy savings by 2030. All sectors of California’s built environment -- state buildings, commercial and industrial structures and schools -- will be asked to do their part, along with 9 million single-family homes."
"Major renovations on existing homes will have to be undertaken with energy efficiency in mind, using products and systems that meet an updated state building code. California’s code is already among the strictest in the nation."
Sticky buds, stickier fingers: police charged with misdemeanor theft during pot shop raid.
Scott Shwebke reports in OC Register: "Santa Ana police officers face charges of petty theft and vandalism 10 months after being caught on video eating snacks and threatening a disabled woman during a raid at a local pot shop."
"The Orange County District Attorney’s Office said Monday it is filing one misdemeanor count of theft against officers Brandon Matthew Sontag, 31; Nicole Lynn Quijas, 37; and Jorge Arroyo, 32, for allegedly stealing cookies and other snacks during the raid. Sontag also faces a misdemeanor count of vandalism for allegedly breaking some of the store’s surveillance cameras."
"If convicted, Arroyo and Quijas each face maximum sentences of six months in jail and a $1,000 fine. Sontag, if convicted of both counts, faces up to 18 months in jail and a $2,000 fine. The officers are scheduled to be arraigned April 11 in Orange County Superior Court."
Elsewhere, Capitol Weekly has been locked away in the studio producing this week's podcast, which takes a look at campaign financing.
From CW: "Voters Right to Know announced today that they have dropped their bid to qualify a constitutional amendment to guarantee the right to access campaign finance information, opting to back a new bill, SB 1349, that would greatly improve Californians' access to campaign finance information. Jim Heerwagen and Shane McLoud stopped by the Capitol Weekly office to talk with John Howard about the new strategy."
