US Congress (D-CA)
Democratic Congresswoman for California's 44th Congressional District (Redondo Beach, Manhattan Beach, Torrance, El Segundo, Venice, Wilmington, and San Pedro); former Los Angeles City Councilwoman for the 15th District, (from Watts to San Pedro and Harbor Gateway); former candidate for Lieutenant Governor of California
The Syrian Conflict: Los Angeles Points of View President Obama is making the rounds of news anchors on broadcast and cable TV, including tonight's conversation with Wolf Blitzer of CNN. This afternoon, the President briefed members of Congress, including two local Democrats who've taken different positions. Both base their conclusions on videos and intelligence presented in closed-door briefings. We talk with Brad Sherman of the San Fernando Valley and Janice Hahn, whose district includes San Pedro, Wilmington and Compton. We also hear from three local Syrian-Americans.
The President, Congress and the 'Red Line' in Syria Republican John Boehner and Democrat Nancy Pelosi left the White House today supporting President Obama's plan to punish Syria's use of chemical weapons. But both the parties they lead are sharply divided. So why has the President asked Congress to debate a decision he says he's already made? Without more international backing, does he need time to plead his case to the American people? What if Congress says "no?" What's at stake for American security and international sanctions against weapons of mass destruction?
Candidates Vie for Harman's 36th District Congressional Seat The 36th Congressional District runs from Venice to San Pedro. Veteran Democrat Jane Harman has resigned, and 16 candidates are on the ballot for the primary next Tuesday. If nobody wins a majority, the runoff will be on July 12, between the top two vote-getters, regardless of party. Given our time limits, we've chosen the four with the most name recognition and the most resources. They are California Secretary of State Debra Bowen , Los Angeles City Councilwoman Janice Hahn , former candidate and high school teacher Marcy Winograd — all Democrats -- along with Republican Mike Gin , who is the Mayor of Redondo Beach.
AEG Pushes Downtown Football Stadium, Majestic Punts for Irwindale When the Super Bowl game starts Sunday in Dallas, it will have been 16 years since Los Angeles last saw the National Football League. The Rams and the Raiders left in 1994. Now, AEG, developer of the highly successful Staples Center and LA Live, has put on a full-court press for a new stadium downtown, with $700 million in naming rights already guaranteed by Farmers Insurance. Mayor Villaraigosa , Councilwoman Janice Hahn and other officials took part this week in the announcement, which was compared to a pep rally and aired live by Fox Sports TV. The AEG proposal for downtown LA isn't the only one being made to lure the NFL back into the region. Billionaire developer Ed Roski is even further ahead on a stadium in City of Industry. Since the Rams and the Raiders left 16 years ago, there have been plans and discussions about the Coliseum, Dodger Stadium, Anaheim and Irwindale.
California Leads the Call for a Boycott of Arizona In 1992, Arizona's then-Governor Evan Mecham cancelled Martin Luther King Day and made insensitive comments about minorities and women. The result was an organized decline in tourism and cancellation of numerous conventions and concerts. An upcoming Super Bowl was moved to another state. Now, Arizona's new immigration law has led to calls for similar retribution. The law requires Arizona police to determine if people are in the US illegally and demand that suspects show their papers. Councilwoman Janice Hahn wants the City of Los Angeles to “refrain from conducting business with the state of Arizona.” We speak with Hahn and others.
Bill Bratton Resigns as Chief of the LAPD At a surprise news conference today at LA City Hall, Mayor Villaraigosa announced that Bill Bratton has resigned as Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department. Villaraigosa credited Bratton, who was appointed by former Mayor James Hahn, with transforming the LAPD into "a beacon of progress and professionalism…a partner, not an adversary, no longer bound by the misdeeds of the past, no longer a roadblock to building a more tolerant and inclusive city." Civil rights leader and Police Commission President John Mack acknowledged Bratton for "reducing crime, especially violent crime" while "really developing a true partnership between the LAPD and, particularly, communities of color."
A City Tax on Medical Marijuana? Because of a legal loophole, the number of medical marijuana dispensaries in the City of Los Angeles has risen into the hundreds. The City Council is trying to reduce that to a manageable number. At the same time, Councilwoman Janice Hahn has suggested that medical marijuana provides an opportunity for taxation in tough times.
Mayor Goes to War on Gangs Mayor Villaraigosa's speech this week on the State of the City was devoted heavily to the fight against crime, with special focus on gangs. After two weeks of dispute, the City Council recently voted to centralized anti-gang initiatives in his office. And, despite cuts in other departments, he wants to increase funding from 19 to 24 million dollars a year.
Has LA Gang Violence Turned into Ethnic Cleansing? After a brief dip several years ago, gang violence in Los Angeles is rising again. On Monday, the Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously to put a new property tax on the ballot to provide $50 million a year for anti-gang programs. Council members and police have been alarmed by the recent killings of several young blacks for no reason other than race. The killings appear to be the acts of Latino death squads trying to push black residents out of their neighborhoods. Even with the new tax, can the police stop the violence before it spirals out of control? Guest host Jim Sterngold speaks with gang experts, law enforcement and state and local politicians.
Hotel Fires Workers before Living-Wage Law Takes Effect Today's Daily News reports that Los Angeles City Hall is outraged over the firing of a dozen workers by new owners of the Four Points Sheraton Hotel , near Los Angeles International Airport. On December 30, the Four Points will be one of the hotels covered by a new living wage ordinance passed by the City Council.
How was the trip? President Trump's travels got less fun as he went from the Middle East to Europe.
Who's to blame for the opioid crisis? Some of the lawyers who took on Big Tobacco are now going after Big Pharma. It’s all about the deadly epidemic of opioid use. Are the drug companies to blame? What about the users? Later, on today’s Talking Point: making sense of Britain’s upset election.
Janesville and the American Dream Janesville, Wisconsin is the hometown of Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan. But he couldn’t prevent the closing of the General Motors factory after 100 years. On this Memorial Day rebroadcast of To the Point, we hear what’s happened to what once was a model of American middle-class unity.
Trump's new look at civil rights and global warming President Trump is reportedly ready to pull the US out of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. We look at the possible consequences. On the second half of the program, we hear about cuts in Obama-Era civil rights programs called for by the Trump Administration's first budget plan.
