Trump administration lawyers are urging the Supreme Court to reject a 2nd Amendment claim that would restore the right to own a gun for two Pennsylvania men who were convicted more than 20 years ago of nonviolent crimes. The case of Sessions vs. Binderup puts the new administration in a potentially awkward spot, considering President … Read more
A state commission voted narrowly Friday to raise California’s minimum wage to $4.25 an hour, the highest in the nation, in an action that drew loud cheers from laborers who took an all-night bus ride from Los Angeles to be here for the decision. The 27% increase, approved by a 3-2 vote of the Industrial … Read more
They brought down an autocrat and now hunch over position papers, microphones, BlackBerrys and meals from McDonald’s. Revolution is messy but lasting power is won, young activists are learning, in meticulous battles of negotiations, egos and intrigue. The new breed of professionals who helped topple President Hosni Mubarak is watching its rebellion turn into a … Read more
Cristian Rodriguez fuels his vehicle in Sacramento as battle lines are being drawn over a proposal to repeal an increase in the state’s gas tax and vehicle fees. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) As a new poll found a majority of California voters want to repeal increases to the state’s gas tax and vehicle fees, … Read more
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger appeared with Bob Hertzberg on Friday to endorse the Los Angeles mayoral candidate’s plan for education reform, giving Hertzberg a televised boost as he struggles to keep pace with two better-funded rivals in the campaign’s final stretch. In a hastily arranged event at Schwarzenegger’s Santa Monica office, the governor — who already … Read more
As President Trump arrives this week to inspect eight prototypes for a border wall – his first presidential visit to California – he joins the list of presidents who visited the Golden State. We dipped into the archives to bring you a handful of visits from sitting presidents. FDR in Southern California President Franklin D. … Read more
Amy Coney Barrett, a 7th Circuit Court of Appeals judge, is poised to be President Trump’s third nominee to the Supreme Court. (University of Notre Dame) In nominating Judge Amy Coney Barrett, President Trump has chosen a well-regarded legal scholar who has strong appeal to conservatives and who almost surely would move the high court … Read more
California Gov. Jerry Brown unveils his budget proposal in January. Once again, the state’s program for in-home care of the elderly and disabled is at the heart of negotiations. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) California’s program to provide in-home care for its low-income elderly and disabled residents finds itself once again at the heart of … Read more
President George Bush’s reputation will suffer from his decision, announced Christmas Eve, to pardon former Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger and five other figures suspected or convicted of breaking the law in the Iran-Contra scandal. Bush justified his decision positively and negatively. Positively, he praised the men he pardoned as patriots and public servants who, … Read more
President Biden delivered an urgent call to the country Thursday night, asserting in a prime-time speech that American democracy remains in great peril and bluntly singling out the person he sees as the biggest threat to the system: former President Trump. Speaking from Independence Hall, where the United States’ experiment in self-government began 246 years … Read more