Should California continue to reduce punishment for crimes large and small, or has it gone too far and implicitly allowed criminals to prey upon Californians without fear of imprisonment? The question has reverberated throughout the state over the last half-decade, ever since former Gov. Jerry Brown lunched a personal crusade...
‘Golden State Killer’ DA Seeks to Unseat CA Attorney General
SACRAMENTO — The prosecutor best known for pushing to unmask the mysterious Golden State Killer said Monday that she is running for state attorney general as advocate for victims and to right a criminal justice system she said is in “chaos,” days after California's current top law enforcement officer was...
Bonta Approved as California’s 1st Filipino American Attorney General
SACRAMENTO — State lawmakers on Thursday approved the California's first Filipino American to hold the top law enforcement job in the nation’s most populous state, saying the progressive Democrat is taking office during a critical debate over racial justice and the changing role of police. Bonta Second Attorney General of...
New York Attorney Probing Trump Business Deals
NEW YORK — New York's attorney general has opened a civil investigation into President Donald Trump's business dealings, taking action after his former lawyer told Congress he exaggerated his wealth to obtain loans. A person familiar with the inquiry said Attorney General Letitia James issued subpoenas Monday to Deutsche Bank...
California AG Becerra Wants to Keep Police Crimes Hidden
SACRAMENTO — California's attorney general is demanding that a university journalism program return a state list that includes law enforcement officers convicted of crimes in the past decade, saying the information wasn't meant to be public and shouldn't have been given out by another agency. Attorney General Xavier Becerra's office...
Kamala Harris Jumps into Presidential Race
WASHINGTON — Kamala Harris, a first-term senator and former California attorney general known for her rigorous questioning of President Donald Trump's nominees, entered the Democratic presidential race on Monday. Vowing to "bring our voices together," Harris would be the first woman to hold the presidency and the second African-American if...
Trump Says He’ll Nominate Barr for Attorney General
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Friday he will nominate William Barr, the late President George H.W. Bush's attorney general, to serve in the same role. Trump made the announcement while departing the White House for a trip to Missouri. He called Barr "a terrific man" and "one of the...
Steaming Mad Conservatives Talk Recall of AG Becerra
SACRAMENTO — A conservative San Diego radio host who is a driving force behind an initiative to repeal recent gas tax increases said this week that he'll seek to recall California's Attorney General Xavier Becerra if the measure fails. The effort by Carl DeMaio would ensure the gas tax remains...
Court Sides With California in Fight Over Koch Group Donors
SAN FRANCISCO — A U.S. appeals court ruled Tuesday that California's attorney general can collect the names and addresses of top donors to two conservative nonprofit groups, including one with links to the billionaire Koch brothers. The information from Americans for Prosperity Foundation and Thomas More Law Center serves the...
Why Did State AG Intervene in Caglia Industrial Park Lawsuit?
California Attorney General Xavier Becerra says he intervened in a Fresno land use case in June because he wants to make sure the law is followed. “Our obligation as the department of justice is to make sure we are protecting all people in the state of California and all laws...