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Judge: CalPERS not protected in Stockton bankruptcy

After a brief reprieve from a bad summer, the California Public Employees Retirement System has been handed another massive setback. In a provisional but uncompromising ruling, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Christopher Klein held bankrutpcy law does not permit CalPERS to protect its workers’

CA bans state cooperation with warrantless spying

John October 8, 2014

From new regulations on ride-sharing to a ban on plastic bags, Californians lost plenty of liberty this legislative session. But freedom in the Golden State scored at least one small victory in 2014. Gov. Jerry Brown recently signed into law a

Tuck outraising incumbent, but union looms large

John October 7, 2014

Education reformer Marshall Tuck has accomplished a rare feat for a political challenger: He’s raised more money than the incumbent. According to the most recent campaign finance disclosure reports released Monday, Tuck has raised nearly $1.6 million since he launched his campaign

Murder victims’ relatives debate Prop. 47

Dave Roberts October 6, 2014

At 11 p.m. on July 25, 2005 San Leandro police officer Nels “Dan” Niemi was called to the scene of a disturbance on Doolittle Drive. Niemi stopped Irving Ramirez, of Newark, who had spent the day drinking a bottle

AD 44: ‘Herculean’ support flows to McCoy

John October 6, 2014

What a difference a day makes. On Friday, CalWatchdog.com suggested Rob McCoy, the Republican candidate in the contested 44th Assembly District, was being written off by the Assembly Republican Caucus. That was supported by grumblings from GOP sources and campaign finance

VIDEO: Pete Peterson — Modernizing the secretary of state & cutting red tape

CalWatchdog Staff October 6, 2014

California is far behind other states when it comes to voting technology and making it easy for entrepreneurs to start a business. Pete Peterson, the Republican candidate for Secretary of State in California has a plan to work with Silicon

Initiative reform — one bridge short

Joel Fox October 4, 2014

As someone who participated in the working group on initiative reform package that ended up as SB1253 by state Sen. Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, and signed by Gov. Jerry Brown last week — I can say the bill is, well, okay as far as it

Brown struggles to hit education stride

James Poulos October 3, 2014

With education becoming a major state issue just in time for the election, Gov. Jerry Brown has found himself in an uncharacteristic position. The often unflappable governor, who has prided himself on following the beat of his own drum, has

Could underdog upset Assembly GOP Caucus?

John October 3, 2014

Twenty years ago, Jim Brulte was all set to be elected speaker of the Assembly. “I am absolutely confident that I’ll be elected speaker,” Brulte told the San Jose Mercury News in Dec. 1994, shortly after the GOP claimed a majority

CA GOP labors to read Latino tea leaves

James Poulos October 2, 2014

Though the political ground has been shifting in California, new research is giving Republicans only hints about how to woo Latino voters. Much like their nationwide counterparts, for moderate-to-liberal Republicans in the Golden State, Latinos have come to represent an essential outreach opportunity. Unlike