CalWatchdog Morning Read – December 1

01 Dec, 2016 by CalWatchdog Staff

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Darrell Issa sues opponent
Statewide teacher shortage persists
FBI still trying to answer key questions from San Bernardino terror attack
Water conservation plan unveiled
Moderate Democrats in Sacramento may reject new taxes

Good morning. TGIT. Welcome to December. The election is over, but some of the animosity remains.

Just days ago, Congressman Darrell Issa was determined the winner in a very close re-election race — by far the toughest race of his career. We wrote about the race here.

But instead of going quietly into the sunrise, Issa is suing his Democratic opponent, Doug Applegate, for what he claims were libelous campaign ads.

Issa, the richest member of Congress, is seeking $10 million in damages, and said he’ll donate to charity whatever he’s awarded by the court. The Los Angeles Times/San Diego Union-Tribune has more.

In other news:

Teacher Shortage: “California school districts have grappled with a teacher shortage for years but the problem has worsened since 2014, with 75 percent reporting a lack of qualified instructors, according to a survey released Wednesday,” reports The Bakersfield Californian.
San Bernardino Shooting: “But despite piecing together a detailed picture of the couple’s actions up to and including the massacre, federal officials acknowledge they still don’t have answers to some of the critical questions posed in the days after the Dec. 2, 2015, attack at the Inland Regional Center,” writes the Los Angeles Times.
Water: “Under a new draft plan, urban water suppliers would have to meet new conservation targets by 2025 based on a variety of factors, including indoor and outdoor water use, commercial and industrial water use, and water lost to leaks.” Capital Public Radio has more.
Supermajority: “Democrats who take the oath of office next week in the California Legislature will find their ranks have swelled, with the party now holding a supermajority of seats in both houses. But there are likely to be notable intraparty disagreements on economic issues, none more important than taxes.” The Los Angeles Times has more.