Obama backs Gavin Newsom, other California Democrats – but…

Then-President Barack Obama laughs while being greeted by then-San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom after arriving at San Francisco International Airport in May 2010. Then-President Barack Obama laughs while being greeted by then-San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom after arriving at San Francisco International Airport in May 2010.

Little testifies on grazing policy

Lt. Gov. Brad Little was among a set of four witnesses who appeared Thursday before a House subcommittee which held an oversight hearing on public lands grazing. Republicans on the House Natural Resources Committee have in recent months been moving toward significant changes to the Endangered Species Act, the National Environmental Policy Act and the Equal Access to Justice Act, which allows groups who successfully prove in court that federal agencies violated federal rules to recover attorney fees.

California officials divided on ‘zero-tolerance’ immigration policy

WEBVTT [CHANTING] VICK ACROSS CALIFORNIA, PASSIONATELY DIVIDED RESPONSES OVER THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY OF SEPARATING FAMILIES ACCUSED OF CROSSING THE BORDER ILLEGALLY. THE RESCUE BRIGADE OF GRANDPARENTS DEMONSTRATING OUTSIDE RIO COSUMNES CORRECTIONAL CENTER, ELK GROVE'S ICE DETENTION FACILITY.

Cox might not be flashy, but hea s running an intriguing race for governor

Looking at the dismal political landscape for Republicans in California these days, I almost forgot that when I moved to Orange County from Ohio, the state actually had a healthy number of Republicans holding statewide office. In 1998, Pete Wilson was governor, Bill Jones was secretary of state, Matt Fong was treasurer, Dan Lungren was attorney general and Chuck Quackenbush was insurance commissioner.

State Treasurer John Chiang officially files to run for governor

State Treasurer John Chiang files to run for governor of California at the Los Angeles County Registrar's office in Norwalk on March 7. Several of California's Republican representatives are openly challenging President Trump's plans to impose steel and aluminum tariffs. The tariffs are a rare source of disagreement between congressional Republicans and the White House, and the opposition in California comes from several lawmakers who face difficult reelection bids this fall.

California Democrats Fail to Narrow Crowded US House Races

California Democrats struggled to narrow the field Saturday in several U.S. House races critical to the party's hope of taking back Congress in the midterm elections. None of the five candidates in the Orange County district currently held by retiring Republican Rep. Darrell Issa gained enough support to win the party's official endorsement, exacerbating concerns that a crowded field could make it easier for Republicans to hold the seat.

Puerto Rico gives Christmas bonuses after asking for hurricane recovery funds

Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rossello last month asked federal taxpayers to shell out $94 billion to pay for the territory's recovery from Hurricane Maria - then turned around and paid out about $100 million in Christmas bonuses to government employees on the island. The governor's aides say the bonuses were part of a long-standing tradition and were included in the budget approved over the summer.

House of cards, part II

While denying that his political organization was favoring the candidacy of Roza Calderon, and denying that they were in a relationship, Paul Smith appears to have admitted the affair in a series of texts to another lover. While watching Maroon 5 perform at BottleRock, a Napa Valley music festival in late May, Roza Calderon snapped a photo and uploaded it to her Instagram page, @ElectRoza2018.

Deal or no deal? ‘Dreamers’ wait as Trump, lawmakers joust

The fate of 800,000 young immigrants hung in the balance Thursday as top lawmakers, White House officials and President Donald Trump himself squabbled over whether an agreement had been struck to protect them - and if so, exactly what it was. In the face of an intense backlash from conservatives inside the Capitol and out, Speaker Paul Ryan and other GOP House members adamantly insisted that there was no agreement to enshrine protections for the immigrants brought to America as children and now here illegally.

Thinking Of Running For Office? A Website Lets You Test The Waters

Democratic congressional candidate Regina Bateson speaks with local resident Paige Stauss outside a public library in Granite Bay, Calif., following a campaign event. Aarti Shahani/NPR hide caption Democratic congressional candidate Regina Bateson speaks with local resident Paige Stauss outside a public library in Granite Bay, Calif., following a campaign event.

Climate of denial

It seems to me that Tom McClintock cares more about billionaires getting richer than he does about our grandchildren having a habitable planet. Responding to my e-mail criticizing his support of Trump's intention to withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord, McClintock made the following statement: "President Obama bound America to the Paris Accord by executive fiat."

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A bill pending in the California Senate would guarantee healthcare for all under what's known as a single-payer model - people pay into a fund, and a state agency handles coverage from there. The idea will be the subject of two town hall meetings at the Sonora Opera Hall on Thursday, one at 12:30 p.m., the other at 6:30 p.m. "We really think that with the federal attacks on healthcare, California has an opportunity to lead and has another path," said Pilar Schiavo, one of the presenters and a Sonora-area native who is coordinating the campaign on behalf of the California Nurses Association.

Congressional Republicans takeheat at home on ObamaCare,say priority is avoiding shutdown

Congressional Republicans returned this weekend to their districts to get another earful about ObamaCare, while giving mixed statements about how close they are to replacing the health care law and suggesting that avoiding a looming government shutdown is now the priority. California GOP Rep. Tom McClintock again held a town hall event in which residents expressed concerns about the GOP-led Congress repealing and replacing ObamaCare with more expensive and less comprehensive coverage.

With ‘Trumpcare’ On Horizon, Voters Go Wobbly On Repeal

As candidate Donald Trump hammered the Affordable Care Act last year as "a fraud," "a total disaster" and "very bad health insurance," more Americans than not seemed to agree with him. Now that President Trump and fellow Republicans show signs of keeping their promise to dump the law, many appear to be having second thoughts.

Fox News Dismisses Huge Town Hall Participation As Paid Liberal Organizing

Fox News personalities are attempting to downplay the huge number of constituents that are attending town hall events held by their members of Congress as "manufactured" and "paid-for," and advocating for the cancellation of events because progressive groups are "activating people to turn out and cause a raucous." Wall Street Journal : "Members Of Congress Are Preparing To Confront A Wave Of Activism When They Return Home To Their Districts."

Why some Republicans are opting for conference calls instead of town halls

A number of Republican lawmakers are opting out of town hall meetings this week, citing concerns about protesters disrupting such events. Roseville police escorted Republican congressman Tom McClintock through an audience from the Tower Theatre in Roseville, Calif., on Feb. 4, 2017.

Taking a page from the tea party, the Indivisible movement grows

In the days after the election of President Donald Trump, some former Democratic congressional staffers generated a Google document that quickly become a guide for politically active progressives nationwide. The 26-page document - now known as the Indivisible Guide - cited strategies used by the so-called tea party to block former President Barack Obama's agenda and set forth how those same tactics could be used by progressives under the new administration.

Police escort congressman after rowdy Calif. town hall

Congressman Tom McClintock, a Republican from California, on Saturday faced a rowdy crowd at a packed town hall meeting in Northern California, and had to be escorted by police as protesters followed him shouting "Shame on you!" McClintock was constantly interrupted and booed as he defended his party's national agenda during the hourlong event at a theater in downtown Roseville, the population center of his sprawling congressional district, the Sacramento Bee reports. Hundreds of protesters stood outside chanting "Vote him out," while those inside the theater held signs that read "Resist," "Dump Tom McTrump," and "Climate change is real."