CalWatchdog Morning Read – July 18

• Californians approve of Brown, Obama and state — country, not so much
• Referendum filed for overturning recent gun-control measures  
• San Diego congressman lawyers up
• L.A. was a hotbed for 9/11 terrorists
• PG&E failed to disclose pipeline defects just months before deadly blast
• Prop. 13 in crosshairs?

Good morning! 

A majority of Californians approve of the job Gov. Jerry Brown is doing and think the state is on the right track, according to several Field Polls released this week. 

But the same correlation doesn’t extend to the perception of President Barack Obama, who received high marks, and the direction of the country, which a 54-percent majority sees headed down the wrong path. 

Brown and Obama polled nearly the same — 56 and 57 percent approval, respectively — with Democrats largely in support of both executives and Republicans largely disapproving.

Brown hasn’t dipped below 50 percent in the Field Poll since October 2012, when the state was still dealing with a budget crisis. For his part, Obama has consistently polled higher than Brown over the years. 

CalWatchdog has more. 

In other news: 

• “A San Diego-area businessman who filed papers seeking referenda to overturn six gun control laws said Saturday that he is part of a group of up to 100 activists who feel the measures were rushed through without considering public opinion,” writes the Los Angeles Times.
• After months of inquiries about questionable spending from his campaign account, Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Alpine, is lawyering up. The San Diego Union-Tribune has more.  
• “A newly released document summarizing possible connections between Saudi officials and 9/11 hijackers places Los Angeles in a central role,” reports LA Weekly. 
• “In a formal audit just months before the deadly San Bruno blast, PG&E failed to tell state regulators about manufacturing defects affecting more than 80 miles of gas pipelines, according to evidence presented Friday in the utility’s federal criminal trial,” reports The San Jose Mercury News.
• Will voters get to weigh in on revising Prop. 13 in 2018? CalWatchdog has more.  

Legislature:

• Gone ’til August.

Gov. Brown:

• On vacation. 

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