Scott Walker recalled himself from the Republican Presidential market. Then, a class-action complaint has been filed against Volkswagen on behalf of drivers over its emissions scandal. Also, a bill that would provide subsidies for seismic retrofitting of apartment buildings across California now lacks only a signature from Governor Jerry Brown before it’s able to be considered law.
Walker implores fellow candidates to suspend campaigns: the latest strategy to dump Trump
Scott Walker recalled himself from the Republican Presidential market.
The Wisconsin governor's first two debate performances were so lackluster, he sank in the polls.
If you wonder whether debates matter - here's exhibit A. Few would have predicted earlier in the year that Walker would be one of the first candidates to bail. He seemed in a good position to attract support from establishment and movement Republicans. Didn't happen.
Are other Republicans likely considering dropping out soon?
Guests:
Kevin Wagner, Associate Professor of Political Science at Florida Atlantic University. He tweets
Carol Swain, Professor of Political Science and Law at Vanderbilt University. Her specialty is in campaigns and elections. She tweets
Mulling criminal charges, fines, consumer torts against Volkswagen for smog-test cheat
A class-action complaint has been filed against Volkswagen on behalf of drivers over its emissions scandal.
And there are unconfirmed reports that the U.S. Department of Justice has opened a criminal investigation into Volkswagen over its admission it installed "defeat devices" to fake nitrogen oxide emissions during smog tests on nearly half a million of its diesel cars.
If the investigation finds egregious wrongdoing, the redress is an open question. Could it lead simply to the payment of additional fines on top of the fines for violating the Clean Air Act, or could VW executives face jail time? How long will it take for consumers to pursue a legal remedy?
Guests:
Laura Antonini, Attorney with Consumer Watchdog
Elaine Kusel, "Of Counsel" with McCune Wright is based in Redlands; Kusel represented consumers in the Hyundai fuel economy class action
Mayor Garcetti responds to homeless ‘state of emergency’ plan
Members of Los Angeles City Council on Tuesday will declare homelessness in the city an emergency and dedicate $100 million to fixing the crisis.
L.A. Council President Herb Wesson and members of the council's Homelessness and Poverty Committee are expected to put forward this proposal. The first allocation of funds would come in January and promote shelters and permanent housing.
The initiative from city leaders come as they face cresting criticism for failing to contain the growing numbers of homeless Angelenos — more than 25,000, according to a count conducted in January.
Read Josie Huang's full story here.
Guests:
Eric Garcetti, Mayor of Los Angeles
Charter foes, boosters weigh in on leaked plans to vastly increase charter schools
A new memo indicates there's a $490 million plan to place half of L.A. students into charter schools over the next 8 years.
The memo reported by the L.A. Times indicates charter school advocates including the Broad Foundation hope to create 260 such schools and enroll at least 130,000 students. Says school board president Steve Zimmer: the plan is a blueprint for a hostile takeover of the LAUSD. United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) staged a protest over the weekend in front of the new Broad museum, but charter advocates champion the leaked plans.
The Great Public Schools Now Initiative
Guests:
Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times education reporter who’s been covering the leaked plans
Gabe Rose, Chief Strategy Officer, Parent Revolution, a non-profit, pro-charter group
Stephanie Farland, executive director of Collaborative Solutions for Charter Authorizers, a consulting firm for charter oversight
Bill to subsidize seismic retrofitting for apartments in limbo on Governor Brown’s desk
A bill that would provide subsidies for seismic retrofitting of apartment buildings across California now lacks only a signature from Governor Jerry Brown before it’s able to be considered law.
But questions still remain about whether Governor Brown, who has been somewhat unpredictable in the past when it’s come to financial decisions, will actually sign the legislation.
AB 428 uses tax credits to provide 30% of the cost of retrofitting buildings that aren’t up to current seismic standards. Building owners would get the tax credits on a first-come, first-served basis, and would receive the money over a five year period after completing the retrofit. Every $100 spent on a retrofit would create a $30 tax break. The credit would cap at $12 million every year, in addition to any leftover money from the previous year that is rolled over.
Opponents of the bill aren’t against it on a fundamental ground, but a financial one. Their concern is that a first-come, first-served tax credit isn’t the smartest way to fund the retrofits.
Guests:
Debra Carlton, senior vice president of public affairs for the California Apartment Association
Lenny Goldberg, executive director of the California Tax Reform Association
PETA lawsuit claims Whole Foods' rating system for humane animal treatment is misleading
If you’ve ever shopped at Whole Foods’ butcher counter, you’ve likely noticed the numbered rating system the store uses to let customers know how humanely the animals raised for sale in their stores are treated.
But the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals Foundation (PETA) have filed a lawsuit in federal court, alleging that system is bunk and that the store is misleading customers about how it treats its animals.
Animal suppliers who work with Whole Foods are given number grades, one through five, for how well animals are treated while they’re being raised for slaughter. A “Step 1” is the lowest level, which says that animals are raised with “no cages, no crates, no crowding.” “Step 5” is the highest, with animals at this level being raised on “animal-centered, entire life on same farm with extensive outdoor access.”
PETA’s lawsuit alleges that this grading system is used infrequently and that if a supplier violates the standards, they don’t lose certification.
Whole Foods said Monday that while they had not been formally served with the lawsuit, they were aware of its filing.
Guests:
Jared Goodman, director of animal law for the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals Foundation (PETA)
Michelle Pawliger, farm animal policy associate with the Animal Welfare Institute, a nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing the pain and suffering of nonhuman animals