SACRAMENTO — Desperate for more housing in the nation's most populous state, the leader of the California Senate committed Thursday to passing a law this year to add more housing in a state facing a shortage of 3.5 million homes. Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins' comments came moments after...
AP FACT CHECK: Trump Distorts Data, Dems Cut Some Corners
WASHINGTON — Rallying in swing-state Wisconsin, President Donald Trump used misleading economic data to claim he’s created a “blue collar boom" while Democrats vying to replace him cut some corners on the facts in their latest presidential debate. Here’s a look at some statements from both stages, in Milwaukee and Des...
House Approves Measure to Restrain Trump’s Actions on Iran
WASHINGTON — Reigniting a debate over who has the power to declare war, the Democratic-controlled House on Thursday approved a resolution asserting that President Donald Trump must seek approval from Congress before engaging in further military action against Iran. The war powers resolution is not binding on the president and...
Democrat Julián Castro Drops out of 2020 Presidential Race
AUSTIN, Texas — Former Obama housing secretary Julián Castro, the only Latino in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary race, on Thursday ended his campaign that had pushed the field on immigration and swung hard at rivals on the debate stage but never found a foothold to climb from the back...
Buttigieg-Warren Clash on Campaign Trail Spills Into Debate
LOS ANGELES — The long-festering feud between Elizabeth Warren and Pete Buttigieg erupted Thursday night in a high-stakes debate that tested the strength of the Democratic Party's shrinking pool of presidential contenders just six weeks before primary voting begins. Buttigieg, the 37-year-old mayor of South Bend, Indiana, has emerged as...
Walters: Are the Wealthy Fleeing California Taxes?
Here is an indisputable fact about California taxation: More than two-thirds of state general fund revenues come from personal income taxes and about half of those taxes are paid by the 1% of taxpayers atop the income scale. In other words, K-12 schools, state colleges and universities, health and welfare...
With Warren's Rise, Biden Faces Dems' Anxiety About 2020 Bid
WASHINGTON — Joe Biden is confronting growing anxiety among would-be allies in the Democratic establishment about his ability to win the presidential nomination following underwhelming debate performances, lagging fundraising and withering attacks from rivals in his own party and from President Donald Trump. The former vice president's bank account is better...
AP FACT CHECK: Dems Flub Details on Guns, Syria in Debate
WASHINGTON — A dozen Democrats seeking the presidency tussled in a debate packed with policy, flubbing some details in the process. Several gave an iffy explanation Tuesday of why they're not swinging behind a bold proposal to make people turn over their assault-style weapons. Sloppiness also crept in during robust exchanges over...
12 Democrats Meet for First Debate Since Impeachment Inquiry
WESTERVILLE, Ohio — Joe Biden is facing baseless but persistent allegations of wrongdoing overseas that could undermine his argument that he's best positioned to defeat the president. Bernie Sanders is recovering from a heart attack that raised questions about his ability to withstand the vigor of a presidential campaign. And Elizabeth Warren...
Biden, Warren, Sanders Face Scrutiny at Democratic Debate
WESTERVILLE, Ohio — Joe Biden is facing baseless — but persistent— allegations of wrongdoing overseas that could undermine his argument that he's best positioned to defeat the president. Bernie Sanders is recovering from a heart attack that raised questions about his ability to withstand the vigor of a presidential campaign. And Elizabeth...