Phil Washington returns for his recurring visit with AirTalk to discuss the latest MTA news. We also analyze the Trump administration's planed rollback on the country’s clean water rules and their potential impact on California; examine the latest Tejon Ranch developments; and more.
Michael Cohen sentenced to three years in prison
Michael Cohen, who as President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer and fixer once vowed he would “take a bullet” for his boss, was sentenced Wednesday to three years in prison for an array of crimes that included arranging the payment of hush money to two women that he says was done at the direction of Trump.
The sentence was in line with what federal prosecutors asked for. Sentencing guidelines called for around four to five years behind bars, and prosecutors asked in court papers that Cohen be given only a slight break. He is ordered to surrender March 6.
With files from the Associated Press
Guest:
Chris Megerian, Los Angeles Times reporter based in Washington, D.C. where he reports on the special counsel investigation; he tweets
Breaking down today’s no-confidence vote on Theresa May in British Parliament, and what it all means for Brexit
British Conservative lawmakers forced a no-confidence vote in Prime Minister Theresa May today, throwing U.K. politics deeper into crisis and Brexit further into doubt.
May vowed to fight for the leadership of her party and the country "with everything I've got" after opponents who have been circling for weeks finally got the numbers they needed to spark a vote among Conservative Party lawmakers later in the day.
The leadership challenge marks a violent eruption of the Conservative Party's decades-long divide over Europe.
The threat to May has been building as pro-Brexit lawmakers within the Conservative Party grew increasingly frustrated with the prime minister's conduct of Brexit and the divorce deal she has agreed with the European Union.
The challenge throws Britain's already rocky path out of the EU, which it is due to leave in March, into further chaos. It comes days after May postponed a vote to approve the divorce deal to avoid all-but-certain defeat.
The BBC’s Gary O’DOnoghue joins AirTalk to talk about the political future of Teresa May.
With files from the Associated Press.
Guest:
Gary O’Donoghue, Washington correspondent for the BBC and former chief political correspondent in London for the BBC; he tweets
AirTalk checks in with Metro CEO Phil Washington: Congestion pricing, an early earthquake warning system and more
Phil Washington returns for his recurring visit with AirTalk to discuss the latest MTA news. Topics include:
Development of gondola from Union Station to Dodger Stadium
Congestion pricing on L.A. freeways
E-scooter latest
The New Blue Project
Proposed Crenshaw/Green Line operations
Metro receives federal grant for Purple Line extension
Shake alert in Los Angeles
Metro buying electric buses
Renaming of LA Metro lines
Have a question for Phil? Call us at 866-893-5722.
Guest:
Phil Washington, CEO of Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro)
Nearly 20 years later, the Tejon Ranch development has been approved. What next?
On Tuesday, the L.A. County Board of Supervisors approved a 19,000 home development near the Tejon Pass.
The decision comes after almost 20 years of planning and tensions. Proponents of the project pointed to the need for housing and development, while opponents cited the exacerbation of urban sprawl, the risk of building in a fire prone area and the environmental impacts of the project.
Now that the project has been approved, we look to what’s ahead for the development, the environmental implications and whether it may face legal challenges.
Guests:
Barry Zoeller, vice president of corporate communications and investor relations at Tejon Ranch Co.; the company is behind the Centennial development project
J.P. Rose, staff attorney for the Center for Biological Diversity; he tweets
As Trump admin plans rollback on country’s clean water rules, a look at the California impact
On Tuesday, the Trump administration rolled back Clean Water Act federal protections for acres of wetlands and waterways, including nearly two-thirds of inland streams in California.
One of the more controversial parts of the proposal is the stripping of protections from seasonal waterways. The proposal would alter the Environmental Protection Agency’s definition of U.S. “waters,” shrinking it to major waterways, as well as a few other categories. This is a change from the Obama-era definition, which had broadened protections to smaller streams, garnering backlash from developers and farming groups who saw it as overreach.
The new proposal will have implications for agriculture, drinking water quality, development and the environment. We gather stakeholders to discuss what the new plan would mean for California.
Guests:
Kari Fisher, senior counsel for the California Farm Bureau Federation; she specializes in the Clean Water Act and other water quality issues
Jon Devine, director of federal water policy for the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)
Peter Tateishi, CEO of the Associated General Contractors of California
LA City Council approves controversial homeless shelter in Venice Beach
Under a plan approved by the Los Angeles City Council yesterday, Venice Beach will be the site for a 154-bed temporary homeless shelter.
The $5 million project will be erected at the site of an unused MTA yard on Sunset Avenue. Once constructed, it’ll house 100 adults and 54 younger homeless people.
The Venice homeless shelter is part of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti’s Bridge Home program that aims to provide homeless shelters in each of the city’s 15 council districts. Yesterday’s vote by the City Council capped a contentious debate in Venice on what the city should do to address the problem of rampant homelessness in the beach community.
While proponents of the shelter project applauded the approval, opponents said they might file lawsuits against the city.
Guest:
Dakota Smith, reporter for the Los Angeles Times who’s been following the story; she tweets