LA Congressional election: Jimmy Gomez wins 34th District as Robert Lee Ahn concedes
From the LA Times' CHRISTiNE MAI-DUC: "State Assemblyman Jimmy Gomez was elected as Los Angeles’ newest member of Congress on Tuesday, defeating attorney Robert Lee Ahn in a sharply contested battle for the 34th Congressional District."
"Gomez will take the seat vacated by Xavier Becerra, who became state attorney general earlier this year, and will represent one of the poorest, most immigrant-heavy districts in the state, where the effects of President Trump’s policies on immigration and healthcare will be acutely felt."
"His election continues a decades-old tradition of Democratic Latino representation in the district, which stretches from downtown Los Angeles to Boyle Heights and incorporates Highland Park, Eagle Rock and Koreatown. If Ahn had won, he would have become the second Korean American elected to the House and the first Korean American Democrat."
Speaking of L.A., that city is poised to become the largest municipality in the U.S. with a "no kill" policy for animal shelters.
From Capitol Weekly's Daniel Maraccini: "Los Angeles is close to becoming the largest U.S. city to achieve a “no kill” policy for healthy animals placed in municipal shelters."
"The No Kill LA initiative aims to limit the city’s cat and dog euthanizations through the partnership of L.A. Animal Services and over 120 animal welfare organizations."
"I think working with people and involving the entire community from volunteers to doctors, to foster families, to small non-profits who have unique missions, all those things have come together to get us where we are today,” said Brenda Barnette, general manager of L.A. Animal Services."
An undocumented immigrant accused of the slaying of two Sacramento deputies in 2014 is set to soon stand trial alongside his wife.
Sacramento Bee's SAM STANTON: "Luis Bracamontes has blurted out in court that he killed two Sacramento-area deputies back in 2014, and threatened to do the same to his lawyers."
"He’s made wisecracks to the judge handling his death penalty case, and told psychologists that God will interfere with any attempt to execute him, turning lethal injection poisons into vitamins."
"His attorneys say they have an explanation for his outbursts: He’s insane."
READ MORE related to Public Safety: Roseville police officer Bobby Seich loses battle with brain cancer -- Sacramento Bee's BILL LINDELOF; Ghost Ship's 'Warlord' goes from survivor to defendant in fatal fire -- The Chronicle's EVAN SERNOFFSKY; State Supreme Court skeptical about key death penalty provision -- The Chronicle's BOB EGELKO; Officials may never know the cause of the Ghost Ship fire. Will that hurt the criminal prosecution? -- LA TImes' RICHARD WINTON; Efforts to protect Californians from government data braches have stumbled in Sacramento for one simple reason -- LA Times' JAZMINE ULLOA; No charges for LAPD officer who shot and killed woman in South LA, a killing that led to protests outside City Hall -- LA Times' KATE MATHER
And in Trump-land, California is wondering this: "Just how low can the president's popularity get here?"
Sacramento Bee's CHRISTOPHER CADELAGO: "Donald Trump is winning one race in California – the contest for the most unpopular president so early in his term."
"Trump, who warned Americans that they might tire of his string of unrelenting victories, has the approval of just 28 percent of the state’s registered voters, according to a new poll by UC Berkeley’s Institute of Governmental Studies. Fifty-seven disapprove and 15 percent have no opinion."
"The president’s job approval fell along predictably partisan lines, with a large majority of Democrats (83 percent) disapproving and nearly three quarters of Republicans approving."
READ MORE related to Local: LA County dumps 'troubling' $50 public defender fee -- Daily News' SUSAN ABRAMS
Speaking of Trump, the latest development in the Beltway is a claim by Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats that Trump also asked him to intervene in the FBI investigation.
WaPo's ADAM ENTOUS: "The nation's top intelligence official told associates in March that President Donald Trump asked him if he could intervene with then-FBI Director James Comey to get the bureau to back off its focus on former national security adviser Michael Flynn in its Russia probe, according to officials."
"On March 22, less than a week after being confirmed by the Senate, Director of National Intelligence Daniel Coats attended a briefing at the White House together with officials from several government agencies. As the briefing was wrapping up, Trump asked everyone to leave the room except for Coats and CIA Director Mike Pompeo."
"The president then started complaining about the FBI investigation and Comey's handling of it, said officials familiar with the account Coats gave to associates. Two days earlier, Comey had confirmed in a congressional hearing that the bureau was probing whether Trump's campaign coordinated with Russia during the 2016 race."
READ MORE related to Beltway/Kremlingate: Sen. Kamala Harris set to play unique role at Comey hearing -- The Chronicle's CAROLYN LOCHHEAD; James Comey hearing: When and where to watch on TV and the Internet -- Daily News' STEVEN ROSENBERG; Democrats pressed GOP to raise alarm on Russian 2016 infiltration -- McClatchy's ANITA KUMAR/KEVIN G HALL/BEN WEIDER; London police arrest another attack suspect -- AP's GREGORY KATZ; White House looks for ways to undermine Comey's credibility -- AP's JULIE PACE/JULIE BYKOWICZ; Blocked by Trump on Twitter? Lawyers say he's violating your 1st Amendment rights -- LA Times' DAVID PIERSON; For the next two days, Congress will hold hearins on claims that Trump sought to shut down the Russia investigation -- LA Times' DAVID S. CLOUD; Crunch time as Senate Republicans race the clock on Obamacare repeal -- and rest of Trump's agenda -- LA Times' LISA MASCARO/NOAM N. LEVEY; Trump says he helped Saudies make Qatar decision -- LA Times' TRACY WILKINSON
And good news to capitol city residents who like to be outside but remain face-down in their electronic devices: Free WiFi is coming to most of Sacramento's parks.
Sacramento Bee's RYAN LILLIS: "You’ll soon be able to hop onto free Wi-Fi at a neighborhood park and enjoy super-fast cellular coverage from Verizon in many parts of the city of Sacramento."
"The City Council unanimously approved a contract with Verizon on Tuesday that allows the telecom giant to place small cellular towers on 101 utility poles – an agreement that will cost the city an estimated $2 million in potential lease payments over the next 10 years. Verizon also will be permitted to piggyback on miles of the city’s system of conduit to expand its fiber-optic network and be granted a quicker permitting process to use city-owned infrastructure."
"In exchange, Verizon has agreed to place free Wi-Fi in Land Park, McKinley Park and 25 yet-to-be determined parks around Sacramento. It will place digital kiosks generating free Wi-Fi service along K Street and in other parts of the city, and provide the technology to support a more modern system of traffic signals. The company also will provide dozens of internships to young people over the next five years."
READ MORE related to Economy: Santa Rosa rent control measure defeated -- The Chronicle's RACHEL SWAN; LA County leaders outline new cannabis rules -- and extend ban while they're at it -- Daily News' SUSAN ABRAM; ACLU, Drug Policy Alliance sue Fontana over its marijuana ordinance -- Daily News' BROOKE STAGGS
A Trump supporter pepper sprayed at a Berkeley protest against speaker Milo Yiannopoulos is now suing the university for $23 million in damages.
The Chronicle's MICHAEL BODLEY: "A woman who was pepper-sprayed when the protest against right-wing provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos turned violent at UC Berkeley in early February said Tuesday that she was suing the university and other entities for $23 million."
"Attorneys for Kiara Robles of Oakland, who is in her 20s, filed suit Monday in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California against 18 individuals and entities she alleges violated her First Amendment rights."
"Asked in an email what she hopes to get out of the lawsuit, Robles said “I honestly don’t know.”
State officials are rethinking California's energy infrastructure.
LA Times' IVAN PENN: "California energy officials are, for the first time, rethinking plans to build expensive natural gas power plants in the face of an electricity glut and growing use of cleaner and cheaper energy alternatives."
"The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power announced Tuesday that it has put a hold on a $2.2-billion plan to rebuild several old natural gas power plants while it studies clean energy alternatives to meet electricity demands. And the California Energy Commission may decide as early as Thursday to halt a natural gas project in Ventura County."
"The scrutiny comes after a Los Angeles Times investigation found that the state is operating with an oversupply of electricity, driven largely by the construction of gas-fueled generating plants, leading to higher rates. The state’s power plants are on track to be able to produce at least 21% more electricity than needed by 2020, according to the Times report."
