The California legislature is reviewing its sexual harassment policies today on the heels of state Senator Mendoza’s removal from his leadership position and Assemblyman Bocanegra’s resignation. We also preview this month’s SCOTUS calendar; should California’s last operating nuclear power plant remain open?; and more.
Sexual harassment in the CA Capitol: Latest on Bocanegra resignation, Mendoza suspension and Assembly hearing
After weeks of sexual misconduct allegations in the California legislature leading to the resignation of Assemblyman Bocanegra and suspension of state Senator Mendoza, the Assembly is having a hearing today to review its sexual harassment policies.
The harassment reporting and investigation process has been criticized by some women in California politics as cumbersome, slow and inefficient.
Meanwhile, Senate leader Kevin De León has called for an independent investigation. De León has faced some criticism for having shared a house with Mendoza, though he’s said he was unaware of Mendoza’s misconduct.
What will be discussed in today’s public Assembly hearing? What does this mean going forward for sexual misconduct complaints in the California legislature?
Guest:
Melody Gutierrez, political reporter at the San Francisco Chronicle; she’s been following this story; she tweets
December SCOTUS calendar features sports betting, immunity in terrorism cases and a same-sex marriage cake
While the nine justices on the U.S. Supreme Court are hearing important cases this week regarding digital privacy and corporate whistleblowing, there are several cases to watch for next month as the high court’s calendar continues into 2017’s final month.
Cases of general interest include Christie v. National Collegiate Athletic Association, in which the court will consider whether states besides Nevada should be allowed to regulate sports betting. The State of New Jersey and its outgoing governor, Chris Christie, brought the case and are backed by 18 other states who also want a piece of a market estimated to be worth $150 billion a year. The NCAA, along with the NFL, MLB, and other pro sports leagues argue that the federal ban must be kept intact in order to preserve the games’ integrity.
The same day as the sports betting case is heard, the court will also hear a case involving the rights of victims of terrorism to collect damages from the Iranian government, which is accused of providing support to Hamas, the group that carried out the attack. However, foreign states cannot generally be sued in court, with a few exceptions. One of those is if the state sponsors terrorism. Rubin v. Republic of Iran will center around the ability of those victims to collect on a $71.5 million judgment against Iran.
The high court will also hear a case involving free speech and religious liberty. Masterpiece Cake Shop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission pits a cake shop that refused to make a cake for a same-sex couple’s marriage on the grounds that it violated their religious beliefs.
Guest:
Lawrence Hurley, reporter covering the U.S. Supreme Court for Reuters; he tweets
KPCC IN PERSON explores the line between hate speech and free speech on college campuses
The violence in Charlottesville is one recent inflection point in the long-held discussion about the challenges of racial inequity and tension.
Southern California is experiencing rising tensions and more protests at colleges and universities. Conversations about what’s acceptable speech on campus have been heightened by elevated tensions around the Trump administration.
What are the experiences of students of color and immigrant students on campus? How have they changed in the current climate?
KPCC IN PERSON is holding a panel discussion on the line between hate and free speech on college campuses. Larry speaks to KPCC education correspondent Adolfo Guzman-Lopez for a preview of the event.
The KPCC IN PERSON event, “Free speech vs. hate speech on college campuses” takes place at the University of Redlands campus on Thursday, November 30. The discussion starts at 7:30pm.
Guest:
Adolfo Guzman-Lopez, education correspondent at KPCC, who is moderating the event
As World AIDS day approaches, a look at the generational response to the epidemic
Once thought a death sentence, HIV is now considered manageable and non-transmittable with the proper use of medication.
This year, both the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated that people with undetectable viral loads cannot transmit the virus, though the idea has been slower to catch on among health care providers.
To many younger people coming of age now, HIV is not the pall it once was, but those who lived through the ‘80s remember its toll on the communities and culture of Los Angeles, especially in cities such as West Hollywood and Silverlake.
With World AIDS Day coming up this week, we want to hear from you. If you are HIV positive or were affected by the AIDS epidemic in the ‘80s, how have medical advancements changed your life, both physically and socially? What is your recollection of this period in L.A. history? Have you seen a generational shift in how HIV and AIDS are perceived?
Call us at 866-893-5722.
Guest:
Stephen Inrig, associate professor of health policy and management at Mount Saint Mary’s University; he recently co-wrote the book “The AIDS Pandemic: Searching for a Global Response” (Springer, 2018)
US Supreme Court to look at who should get whistleblower protections in corporate America
When Dodd-Frank was passed in 2010, one of the provisions contained in the law was a protection against retaliation for corporate whistleblowers who expose wrongdoing to the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Now, in a case that has made its way to the U.S. Supreme Court, the wording of that provision and whether it can be applied to whistleblowers who report wrongdoing up the corporate ladder rather than to the SEC will be up for interpretation.
Digital Realty Trust inc. v. Paul Somers deals with a lawsuit that Mr. Somers filed against real estate investment trust Digital Realty back in 2014. He argues he was fired in retaliation for reporting wrongdoing by a supervisor. While the Dodd-Frank provision only specifies protection for people who report wrongdoing to the SEC, a 2011 commission rule redefines the term “whistleblower” to include those who report in-house. Courts at the federal and district level agreed with Mr. Somers, saying the definition was ambiguous and that the 2011 rule redefining the term should be applied.
In addition to its implications for corporate whistleblowers, the case also has implications for a legal concept called Chevron deference. Taken from the 1984 U.S. Supreme Court case Chevron U.S.A. Inc. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, it’s a principle stating that the courts should defer to agencies interpretations of ambiguous laws, unless they are unreasonable.
Guests:
Ilya Shapiro, senior fellow in constitutional studies at the Cato Institute and editor-in-chief of the ‘Cato Supreme Court Review’; he filed an amicus brief on behalf of the petitioner, Digital Realty Trust Inc.
Sean McKessy, partner at Phillips & Cohen, a law firm representing whistleblowers; for five years, he served as the first chief at the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Office of the Whistleblower
Should California’s last operating nuclear power plant remain open?
The fate of California’s last remaining nuclear power plant will soon be decided.
The California Public Utilities Commission will hear closing arguments today on whether to close the Diablo Canyon Power Plant in San Luis Obispo.
The plant, opened since 1985, provides power for some 3 million people. Seismic safety is one concern critics of Diablo cite in wanting to see the plant closed. But proponents say nuclear remains one of the more efficient alternative energy sources out there.
A decision is expected by the end of the year.
Guests:
Ralph Cavanagh, energy program co-director of the Natural Resources Defense Council; he is arguing for the retirement and replacement of the Diablo Canyon Power Plant at the California Public Utilities Commission hearing today
Gene Nelson, government liaison for Californians for Green Nuclear Power, an advocacy group that aims to promote carbon-free energy and supports the Diablo Canyon Power Plant; he has a Ph.D. in radiation biophysics
The mustang: a contradicting symbol of the American West
New York Times and Pulitzer-winning journalist David Philipps explores the changing symbolism of wild horses in the U.S.
As Philipps details in his new book, “Wild Horse Country,” the mustang is worshipped for being an expression of unfettered freedom, but also tightly managed by federal and state agencies for the destruction it can wrought on the ecosystems.
But the answer for these wild horses may lie in a wild horse region in California. The area, with its thriving population of mountain lions, has demonstrated that predators might provide a key in naturally managing the wild horse populations.
Guest:
David Philipps, Pulitzer Prize-winning national reporter for the New York Times; author of the book, “Wild Horse Country: The History, Myth, and Future of the Mustang” (W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2017)