CalWatchdog Morning Read – April 26

26 Apr, 2016 by CalWatchdog Staff

Senate candidates debate, EPA gets sued, affordable housing, another smoking ban, plus hot mic, “No Trump” signs and civil asset forfeiture abuse

Happy Tuesday!

Five candidates for U.S. Senate debated last night in an event that did little to Democratic Attorney General Kamala Harris’ standing as the frontrunner. She was joined by longtime Democratic member of Congress Loretta Sanchez, two former California Republican Party chairs, Tom Del Beccaro and George “Duf” Sundheim and Republican Ron Unz.

While Sanchez is the best-suited candidate to have an immediate impact in the Senate, with developed legislative skills and a seniority advantage, as CalWatchdog reported last month, Harris is likely still the frontrunner, having the support of the Democratic Party.

As for last night, the Los Angeles Times reports that Harris is “in (the) driver’s seat.” The San Bernardino County Sun/AP reports the debate highlighted “style differences but not policy.” And The Orange County Register reports Sanchez stood “her ground on Muslims comment.”

In other news:

Three conservation groups are suing the EPA on the grounds that “state and federal regulators have failed to protect Delta fish and the environment during the drought by repeatedly relaxing water-quality standards so as to keep water flowing to California cities and farms,” according to The San Jose Mercury News.

Assembly Democrats are asking for $1.3 billion to fund local grants and tax credits to encourage affordable housing, reports The Sacramento Bee.

The Assembly also voted on Monday to ban the use of all tobacco products on all campuses in the California State University system and California Community Colleges by 2018, reports the Los Angeles Times.

Tidbits:

Just because everyone loves a hot mic moment, courtesy of The Fresno Bee.

“No Trump Anytime” signs emerge in Los Angeles, according to the LA Weekly. The Washington Post writes about the horrors of civil asset forfeiture laws: “How police took $53,000 from a christian band, an orphanage and a church.”