Bloomberg News
Reporter for Bloomberg News; former Capitol reporter for the Sacramento Bee
PROFILE
Clea Benson
Guest
FROM Clea Benson
To the Point
Report Says Countrywide Loans Used to Win Favor Countrywide Financial, which helped create the sub-prime mortgage crisis, discounted hundreds of loans to members of Congress and officials of Fannie Mae, protecting its business and fending off regulation. That's the result of three years of investigation by a House committee chaired by Republican Darrell Issa of California.
To the Point
Update on the GOP Presidential Race: Politics Never Stops Two years of tax returns show that Mitt Romney paid about 14 percent last year on $21 million in income. This year's it will be 15 percent on another $20 million, about half the rate paid by Newt Gingrich and President Obama on much smaller earnings. At the same time, Romney's popularity's on the decline.
Which Way, L.A.?
Feds Bar Free Contraception for Undocumented Immigrants The Bush Administration wants California to make sure that poor women are legal residents or citizens before they get free help with birth control. That policy could cost the federal government more money than ever. We hear more from Clea Benson of the Sacramento Bee and Mary Jane Wagle of Planned Parenthood in Los Angeles .
Which Way, L.A.?
Governor's Health Plan Gets First Formal Scrutiny In Sacramento today, the Senate Health Committee took the first legislative look at the Governor's healthcare reform plan . The Committee is chaired by Santa Monica Democrat Sheila Kuehl , who favors a very different approach . Clea Benson was there for the Sacramento Bee .
To the Point
Schwarzenegger Calls for Health Coverage for All There are 36 million people in California--6.5 million of whom don't have health insurance. Governor Schwarzenegger would require everyone to buy health insurance and prohibit insurance plans from turning anyone down.
Which Way, L.A.?
State Assembly Approves Universal Healthcare The state Assembly has passed a bill creating a new state agency to replace the insurance industry and provide healthcare for all Californians. The Senate is expected to go along. But universal healthcare won't be a fact of life in this state any time soon. Governor Schwarzenegger doesn't like it and he's not expected to sign the bill.
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KCRW Features
What are charter schools? LAUSD teachers were picket lines for a second day Tuesday. And this morning the teachers union organized a march to the California Charter Schools Association office downtown, to draw attention to their criticisms of local charter schools. But what are charter schools anyway?
LRC Presents: All the President's Lawyers
Definitely not talking about Julian Assange Fine, maybe we talk about him a little. Plus, Paul Manafort’s flawed redacting, and we still don’t know much about the secret foreign company subpoenaed by the federal prosecutor who could be the special counsel.