John Perez is the next Speaker of the Assembly and also the first openly gay official to hold the post.
Arnold Schwarzenegger delivered his final State of the State address this week with the help of a former Reagan speechwriter. Contra Costa Times reporter Josh Richman liveblogged the event. In the speech, the governor outlined a jobs plan estimated at roughly $500 million.
The state is moving closer towards resuming executions in California.
San Jose Mercury News and other Bay Area New Group papers seek copies of the four gubernatorial candidates’ federal and state tax returns from the past decade.
Alberto Torrico, a candidate for state’s top cop gig, takes on the role as the chair of the Assembly’s prison reform committee. Chris Kelly, an executive officer at Facebook, donated $2 million to his campaign for attorney general. The pool of Democratic candidates tallies half a dozen, including Kamala Harris, district attorney for San Francisco.
It is not like billionaires Steve Poizner or Meg Whitman need his money, but major Republican donor Rick Caruso is backing Jerry Brown for governor.
Jeff Takada, a Republican seeking the nomination to challenge Jerry McNerney, says his fellow candidates “leave me with a lot of questions.”
Marriage equality activists sought to have the proceedings of the Proposition 8 trial televised. It looks like they will have to settle for delayed video.
Several Bay Area educators were honored at an event held at the White House.