CA-AG: Speier Explores Run

Speier contemplates run for California attorney general.
Freshman member of Congress, Jackie Speier, confirmed she is contemplating a run for attorney general in California.
The buzz that Speier, a freshman congresswoman and 20-year veteran of the state Legislature, was weighing a run was first reported by The San Francisco Chronicle's Phillip Matier and Andrew Ross and confirmed by Speier at a Thursday appearance in San Mateo.
San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris, Facebook executive Chris Kelly, former Los Angeles District Attorney Rocky Delgadillo and Assemblymen Ted Lieu, Pedro Nava, and Alberto Torrico are all vying to be the Democrats' nominee for to be the state's top law enforcement official.
Speier, then-state senator, won a special election after the death of the late Tom Lantos, a Holocaust survivor.
Remainders
Democratic Governor's Association launched an independent-expenditure campaign in California.
Steve Cooley, Republican district attorney in Los Angeles, formed an exploratory committee for the state's attorney general.
Carpetbagger switch: Larry Pegram dropped out of the 11th Congressional District campaign and backed David Harmer, who said Republican leaders reached out to him about running.
It was Elizabeth Emken's turn for a Manteca Bulletin puff piece.
In the nearby 19th Congressional District, Richard Pombo seeks a return to Congress. In an editorial, the Los Angeles Times says, "this is a comeback we don't need."
It's the other things we know about Pombo -- that he's rabidly anti-environment, ethically challenged, overly eager to hand public resources to private corporations -- that worry us and were among the reasons a Democratic challenger was able to oust the seven-term Republican from his reliably GOP seat in 2006. Endorsement season hasn't started yet, but we don't need a campaign to know that Pombo would not contribute anything useful if he rejoined the House of Representatives.
FDL provided steady coverage of the Proposition 8 trial's first day.
Remainders
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.