John Kasich’s presidential primary challenges

On paper, John Kasich is the presidential candidate Republicans have been waiting on for years. The Ohio governor represents an important swing state. As a member of Congress, he chaired the House Budget Committee, where he was considered the architect

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@realdonaldtrump hits the Bay Area

Any questions about which Donald Trump would show up to the California Republican Party Convention in Burlingame on Friday were dispelled immediately.  Would it be the same insult-slinging, filterless personality Americans have grown accustomed to seeing on T.V., who protesters waited for

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CalWatchdog Morning Read – April 29

CA Republican Party convention kicks off Donald Trump holds contentious rally in Costa Mesa President Obama disappoints Armenian-Americans TGIF! Today is the first day of the California Republican convention. While political conventions are usually a snoozefest — unless you like

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Assembly Republicans: Hold steady in 2016 to build for 2017

Facing a presidential election that’s guaranteed to overshadow them and numbering so few that passing even a simple resolution requires an act of God, Assembly Republicans are hoping to simply hold their 28 seats in 2016 while building the foundation

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Obama draws CA ire on Armenian genocide

  In an attempted act of political finesse, president Obama declined to call the mass slaughter of Armenians, carried out by the Turks 100 years ago, a genocide. “Armenian-American leaders have urged Mr. Obama each year to keep a pledge he

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CalWatchdog Morning Read – April 28

Presidential campaign focus on CA Cruz and Carly Legislator pay panel can’t get quorum UC Davis chancellor placed on leave during investigation Good morning. Happy Friday eve! All eyes are on California as presidential candidates on both sides of the

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Sanders pins delegate hopes on CA

Hoping to end Bernie Sanders’ surprisingly effective insurgent campaign, Hillary Clinton has shifted her own to California, on the heels of a strong Tuesday performance making her a virtual lock for the Democrats’ nomination for president. Clinton edges Sanders by six points

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Vacancies, dysfunction cause legislator-pay commission to cancel meeting

Last month, CalWatchdog reported that the commission on state lawmaker pay was plagued by vacancies. This month, the California Citizens Compensation Commission had to cancel its annual meeting scheduled for Wednesday due to lack of quorum.  The seven members of the

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CalWatchdog Morning Read – April 27

Senate Republicans’ affordability agenda  Who told the truth at the Senate debate L.A. County supes to stick Big Pharma on syringes Assemblyman pitches taxi deregulation Locals not surprised by SFPD texts Good morning! Senate Republicans pitched their best policy proposals on Tuesday, which

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L.A. County may assign syringe cleanup costs to Big Pharma

Next month, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors appears poised to require pharmaceutical companies to oversee and pay for the collection and disposal of  syringes (known as “sharps”) and unused prescription drugs. The measure is unusual in that it assigns

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