Turlock police have seized nearly 4,000 illegal marijuana plants inside a building co-owned by former U.S. Rep. Jeff Denham. The Modesto Bee says police raided the industrial building Wednesday, arresting five people and seizing guns, pot, and other drugs. Denham belongs to the limited liability corporation that owns the building, according to...
Trump Tabs Former Westlands Lobbyist to Lead Interior Dept.
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump says he's nominating a Washington veteran with lobbying ties to U.S. energy companies and farm water interests to lead the Interior Department. David Bernhardt, currently Interior's acting head, would replace Ryan Zinke if the Senate approves his nomination. Zinke resigned in December amid ethics investigations....
Former Westlands Lobbyist Now Seen as Likely for Interior Secretary
The number of contenders with Valley connections in the running to become President Trump's next Interior Secretary has risen to two. Earlier this month, the name of outgoing Valley Rep. Jeff Denham (R-Turlock) surfaced as a potential choice. Denham has expressed his interest in the job, which is being vacated by...
Is Denham Next in Line for Interior Secretary?
Congressman Jeff Denham (R-Turlock) is under consideration to be the next U.S. Secretary of the Interior, after the announcement that current jobholder Ryan Zinke is leaving at the end of the year. Denham, who lost his re-election bid last month to Democrat Josh Harder, could replace Zinke, according to inside...
California at Center of Fight for US House Control
LOS ANGELES — As California goes, so goes the U.S. House? A string of contested districts across the nation's most populous state could provide a pathway for Democrats to take control of the chamber or help Republicans hold their ground in a year defined by divisions over President Donald Trump...
Path to Power: House Races to Watch on Election Night
WASHINGTON — The path to power in the House runs through a few dozen districts in Tuesday's election, with Republicans defending their majority and Democrats looking to gain 23 seats they would need to win control. After the first polls close in the Eastern United States, the tallies will start...
Fresh Off Water Wins, Denham Confident in Re-Election Victory
Jeff Denham is confident he will be back in Washington come January. The Republican congressman is in a tight race against Democratic challenger Josh Harder in the 10th District, centered on Modesto. How tight? National election guesser like Larry Sabato’s Crystal Ball and The Cook Political Report call it a toss-up....
Trump Condemns Series of Attempted Attacks on Democrats, CNN
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump condemned the series of attempted attacks on high-profile Democrats and others, declaring Wednesday that "acts or threats of political violence have no place in the United States." Attempting a bipartisan pause during a divisive campaign season, Trump called for unity after crude pipe bombs targeting...
Trump Delivers on Water for Valley, Gives Lift to GOP Congressmen
President Donald Trump signed a memorandum Friday afternoon in Scottsdale, Arizona, that one senior White House official called “the most significant action by a president on western water issues.” Trump’s policy would streamline regulations to help speed up deliveries from the Central Valley Project and State Water Project, the two...
More Water Will Flow to the Valley Upon Trump's Signature
WASHINGTON — Congress has approved a sprawling bill that provides for increased water storage in the San Joaquin Valley. If signed by President Donald Trump, America's Water Infrastructure Act of 2018 would authorize more than $6 billion in spending over 10 years for projects nationwide. Folded into the bill is Rep....