Corruption

Former state senator sentenced to 42 months in prison for corruption

Headed for a sizable jail term, ex-state Sen. Ronald Calderon, caught in a sting that laid bare his role in an influence-peddling scheme, has reached the likely end of his political career. Calderon, “once the most powerful member of a politically influential

Los Angeles County plagued by local corruption

Chris Reed August 17, 2016

California doesn’t have nearly the reputation of, say, New Jersey or Maryland when it comes to a history of public corruption. Studies that measure corruption with metrics tend to give most corrupt honors to less populated, poorer southern states like

Lawmakers perpetuate “system-is-rigged” narrative by honoring family members with awards, critics say

Matt Fleming July 21, 2016

At a time when voters are increasingly convinced the system is rigged, some state legislators are making that perception worse by giving district-wide awards to their family members, critics say. While it’s not uncommon for legislators to participate in award ceremonies recognizing

Accusations of political retaliation against a fellow Democrat, as told by Twitter

Matt Fleming June 23, 2016

A bill to expand parental leave was killed in committee Wednesday, leaving the Twitterati to speculate there was an appearance of retaliation by the chairman, Assemblyman Roger Hernández. The perceived retaliation came two months after the West Covina Democrat was asked

Lawmaker gives award to brother, political consultant

Matt Fleming June 9, 2016

In deciding which small business from her district should win an award for “Small Business of the Year,” Assemblymember Nora Campos didn’t have to look far. The San Jose Democrat chose Voler Strategic Advisers, a fledgling political strategy firm that

Republican women call for lawmaker to step down after domestic violence allegations

Matt Fleming May 26, 2016

Pressure for Assemblyman Roger Hernández to step down amid allegations of domestic violence increased on Thursday as three prominent Republican women joined the small, yet growing, bipartisan group of voices demanding action. Hernández, a West Covina Democrat, is currently under a temporary

CA asset seizure survives SCOTUS review

James Poulos March 6, 2016

The U.S. Supreme Court declined to take on a 15-year-old case challenging California’s asset seizure practices. The justices decided “they would not hear a long-running lawsuit that contends the state does not do enough to notify the rightful owners before seizing their

June ballot measure “orphaned,” but poised to pass

Matt Fleming February 10, 2016

While dozens of measures are vying to make it on the November general election ballot, one proposal is ready for the June primary — even though no one is campaigning for or against it. Proposition 50 is a constitutional amendment empowering legislators to

More corruption emerges in southeast L.A. County

Chris Reed January 21, 2016

Yet another small city in southeastern Los Angeles County has found itself the focus of a corruption investigation. Thanks to a councilman named Valentin Amezquita, a Huntington Park scandal was uncovered in which a towing firm was allegedly allowed to

Resigning lawmaker Henry Perea takes job with pharmaceutical industry

John December 26, 2015

Assemblyman Henry Perea, who announced earlier this month his intention to resign from the Legislature, has revealed that he’ll be taking a job with the pharmaceutical industry. State law bans the Fresno Democrat from lobbying his former colleagues for one year following his tenure