July 12, 2017

Orange County

LA Times: Orange County D.A. is investigating his biggest critic — a former ally — as ugly political battle looms

Last year, DA Tony Rackauckas accused Supervisor Todd Spitzer of “falsely impersonating” a prosecutor in robo-calls promoting a ballot measure. And in May, Spitzer sent a letter to U.S. Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions calling for a federal takeover of the district attorney’s office and accusing Rackauckas of misconduct, including interfering in political corruption investigations.

 

Voice of OC: Battle intensifies for control of OC’s health care plan for low income residents

A showdown over control of the health care plan for nearly 800,000 disabled, elderly and low-income Orange County residents intensified Tuesday, with county supervisors expanding their power at CalOptima and state legislators moving to block that effort.

 

Voice of OC: Santa Ana Police had no right to expect privacy during a pot shop raid: Court of Appeal

California’s Fourth District Court of Appeal has ruled that police officers raiding an unlicensed marijuana dispensary suffered no injury to their privacy rights when a closed circuit video camera recorded their actions, because it was unreasonable of them to conclude they were not being recorded.

 

OC Register: Deputy errors, understaffing were major factors in Santa Ana jailbreak, Sheriff Hutchens says

The union that represents Orange County’s sheriff’s deputies sued Sheriff Sandra Hutchens and the department in February 2016, alleging that staff reductions contributed to the escape. That lawsuit is pending.

 

Voice of OC: Anaheim City Manager Paul Emery resigns

The council voted 4-3, with council members Kris Murray, Lucille Kring and Stephen Faessel voting no, to accept Emery’s resignation effective Tuesday. No reason was given for his departure.

Nation

Business Insider: Hawaii just became the first US state to pass a bill supporting basic income — here's the man behind it

The new measure will call on Hawaiian researchers to gather data on different forms of social-security benefits, including the earned-income tax credit, which functions as a tax refund for poor, working families.The new measure will call on Hawaiian researchers to gather data on different forms of social-security benefits, including the earned-income tax credit, which functions as a tax refund for poor, working families.

 

NY Times: A bipartisan Congress that works? Veterans committees show how it’s done

As Congress fights over the health care overhaul, the committees responsible for writing legislation affecting veterans are quietly moving forward with an ambitious and largely bipartisan agenda that has the potential to significantly reshape the way the nation cares for its 21 million veterans.

 

Publication Date: July 12, 2017