Xavier Becerra to leave Congress for California attorney general post

Rep. Xavier Becerra announced Thursday he would be leaving Congress to serve as California's attorney general, a move that takes the senior Democrat out of Washington but not off the front lines of the battle against the Trump administration. California Gov. Jerry Brown named Becerra to the spot Thursday opened up by the departure of Kamala Harris, who won a US Senate seat this November.

Pelosi Faces Little-Known Opponent as Democrats Rue Election

Representative Tim Ryan, a little-known Democrat from Ohio, said Thursday he'll challenge Nancy Pelosi to lead a party that's reeling from a disappointing Election Day. Ryan's announcement that he'll run against Pelosi pits him against the only woman to ever serve as House Speaker and comes after more than a half-dozen better-known colleagues in recent years shied away from the challenge.

We don’t need a national Latino museum

Should we build a Latino Smithsonian museum? Some Hispanic politicians think so. Piggybacking on the attention garnered by the opening this weekend of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, they have renewed a push for the creation of a National Museum of the American Latino.

157 died in encounters with police in California last year

Violent police encounters in California last year led to the deaths of 157 people and six officers, the state attorney general's office said Thursday in a report that provides the first statewide tally on police use-of-force incidents. All of the state's 800 police departments supplied detailed data from 2016, including demographic information on the civilians and officers, the type of call that led to the violence and the officers' justification for using force.

Dem tensions explode in Hispanic Caucus over Trump

Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus voted last month to tap $50,000 from the group's political arm to attack Donald Trump Dem tensions explode in Hispanic Caucus over Trump Trump brings conflict with Ryan to Wisconsin Senate GOP on edge over Trump's falling polls MORE Becerra opposed the move, arguing the attacks wouldn't directly help Latino candidates get elected, as required under the bylaws of the CHC's political action committee, known as the Bold PAC. The objection forced a rare roll call vote of the PAC members -- a vote Becerra lost 13-4 -- while highlighting fissures within the Hispanic Caucus over how best to attack Trump and exploit the divisive rhetoric and policy positions that have offended many Latinos.

The Buzz Around Rep. Xavier Becerra Possibly Be…

As Donald Trump's lackluster fundraising raises questions about his ability to help down-ballot Republicans, Hillary Clinton met with House Democrats and assured them she will help try to win back the chamber this year. "I want the House," Clinton told the room, according to Rep. Jim McDermott .

Calif. Democrats endorse moment-of-silence protest for Orlando

House Speaker Paul Ryan said Tuesday that a ban on Muslims entering the U.S., a proposal from Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, is not in the nation's interest. An Orlando police officer was wearing this helmet when it was struck by a bullet during Sunday morning's shooting at Pulse nightclub.

Clinton moves closer to nomination, sweeps in Virgin Islands

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton holds a conversation on immigration at Culinary Arts Institute of Los Angeles Mission College on Saturday, June 4, 2016 in Sylmar, Calif. Congressman Xavier Becerra, Mayor Eric Garcetti and California's Senate President pro Tem Kevin de Leon along with two immigrant students Clara Kim and Italia Garcia took part in the conversation.

Beyond California, Sanders signaling post-primary future

In this June 1, 2016 photo, Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., speaks during a campaign rally at the Cubberley Community Center in Palo Alto, Calif. With the end of the primaries looming, Bernie Sanders is focused on victory in California yet offering signals about what he will do next to shape the party's platform at the convention, help down-ballot Democrats and defeat Donald Trump.

Democrats weigh how to nudge Sanders out

Democrats in Washington have begun discussing how to encourage Sen. Bernie Sanders to end his campaign without alienating his legions of supporters, as party leaders grow eager to unite the party behind Hillary Clinton and provide a more robust defense for her candidacy. In private conversations on Capitol Hill, senior Democrats are weighing how to persuade Sanders to step aside without appearing as if they are trying to strong-arm him out of the race.