Politics

Former state Sen. Paul Carpenter’s convictions for fraud and money-laundering were upheld Wednesday by a divided U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. Carpenter, a Democrat from Cypress, is serving a sentence of seven years and three months in federal prison. He fled before his scheduled sentencing in February 1994, saying he needed treatment for prostate … Read more

As an attorney, Mariana Pfaelzer once said that an effective lawyer had to think “as deeply and widely” as possible about a case: “You keep testing to see how far the ripples go.” As the federal judge who Monday declared key portions of Proposition 187 unconstitutional, Pfaelzer has set off a shock wave that may … Read more

Vice President-elect Kamala Harris addressed the nation Saturday night. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) Good evening. Congressman John Lewis, before his passing, wrote: “Democracy is not a state. It is an act.” And what he meant was that America’s democracy is not guaranteed. It is only as strong as our willingness to fight for … Read more

Pledging to “shake up” the U.S. Senate, Barbara Boxer, the congresswoman from Marin County, filed papers Tuesday formally entering the race to replace retiring Sen. Alan Cranston. Boxer, a 10-year veteran of the House of Representatives, portrayed herself as a fighter who would focus on domestic problems such as jobs and health care in an … Read more

As long as the republic endures, there will be vigorous debate about what the Founders meant impeachment to be. But the arguments for impeachment being advanced by some leaders in the House are a clear case of what impeachment most certainly should not be. Impeachment should not be a tool for registering partisan pique. It … Read more

A report on marijuana use found that 52% of middle-class frequent users “experienced downward mobility” compared to only 14% of non-users. (Kevin Frayer / Associated Press) There’s a new report out on longtime marijuana use. And it’s bad news for habitual stoners. In summary: The more pot you smoke, the more apt you are to … Read more

THE OFFICE This is a position with direct impact on millions of Californians’ pocketbooks. The commissioner rules on rate increases for all property, casualty and life insurers who do more than $60 billion in business per year in the state; the commissioner investigates fraud, responds to consumer complaints and wields wide authority to hold hearings … Read more

For Herman Cain, the comparisons to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas have shifted from implied to explicit after a joke the candidate made about Thomas accuser Anita Hill. According to Fox News, Cain was at a campaign event in Michigan on Thursday when someone in the crowd brought up Hill. Cain replied, laughing, “Is she … Read more

Regarding the June 15 story on “Post-Election Blues,” as someone who’s felt those blues, I’d like to add some insight. The difference between a crowded and a sparse ballot is tremendous. When there are about 40 races, 120 candidates and many propositions, it’s easy for a dark horse to get lost in the shuffle and, … Read more

With so much campaign verbiage this year, some goofs are inevitable. One mailer put out by congressional Democrats Howard Berman and Henry Waxman urged recipients to “Vote Nov. 7.” However, recipients would have trouble finding a booth that day because election day is Nov. 8. A mailer sent out by Los Angeles County Supervisor Mike … Read more