A seat at the table for Sandy Hook’s new congresswoman

By on January 14, 2013 at 4:32 PM
Elizabeth Esty hadn’t even taken the oath of office when the nation and the world were introduced to Sandy Hook Elementary School. Now the House freshman is front and center in White House talks over the epidemic of gun violence. Esty, a Democrat who represents Connecticut’s 5th District, including Sandy Hook and Newtown, is part […] …

Bay Area Dems meet with Joe Biden on guns

By on January 14, 2013 at 3:51 PM
Rep. Jackie Speier, D-San Mateo, said Vice President Joe Biden, head of the White House task force on gun violence, told a group of Democrats in a meeting Monday that the administration has identified 19 actions it can take independently of Congress to restrict guns. But Rep. Mike Thompson, D-Napa, who heads a separate task […] …

Jim Brulte: Will take CA GOP 6 years to rebound

By on January 14, 2013 at 3:38 PM
The worst kept secret in California politics will be revealed Monday night in San Diego when former state senator Jim Brulte officially announces his campaign to be state party chair before a gathering of the San Diego GOP. Yes, we know we told you about all this weeks ago. The chair election will be in […] …

Dianne Feinstein: father attended Taft

By on January 10, 2013 at 4:23 PM
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, author of the nation’s first assault weapon ban, which expired during the Bush administration, expressed her condolences for victims of the Kern County shooting at Taft Union High School Thursday. Feinstein plans to introduce a new assault weapons ban in the new Congress. Her statement: “Today comes word of another tragic shooting […] …

Congressional black caucus urging Obama to appoint Oakland’s Barbara Lee as Secretary of Labor

By on January 10, 2013 at 3:30 PM
President Barack Obama has been urged by the head of the Congressional Black Caucus to nominate Oakland Democratic Rep. Barbara Lee for U.S. Secretary of Labor, according to a letter released today. Congressional Black Caucus Chair Marcia L. Fudge mailed her letter this week to Obama, recommending that he nominate Lee to fill the post […] …

Solar chief argues for natural gas exports

By on January 10, 2013 at 3:22 PM
With a huge fight heating up over whether to allow exports of U.S. natural gas, California solar executive Arno Harris argued that allowing exports would help the solar industry and reduce global carbon emissions. The U.S. shale-gas boom (fracking) has up-ended global energy markets, lowering energy costs in the U.S. and promising to make the […] …

Going to the Oscars: Jennifer Siebel Newsom’s flick nominated for best documentary

By on January 10, 2013 at 1:17 PM
Expect California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom to be hitting the red carpet at the Oscars this year — now that his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom’s film has been nominated for best documentary feature. The nomination of the film for which Siebel Newsom served as executive producer, “The Invisible War,” a highly praised investigation of rape […] …

Slide show: More popular than Congress? Lice, cockroaches, root canals — even France

By on January 10, 2013 at 10:38 AM
According to a recent poll conducted by Public Policy Polling, Americans have higher opinion on head lice and colonoscopies than of our lawmakers. …