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State of Affairs: Ron Calderon, fracking ban, prostitution crackdown and more
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Feb 27, 2014
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State of Affairs: Ron Calderon, fracking ban, prostitution crackdown and more
It's Thursday and that means it's time for State of Affairs, our look at politics and government throughout California. To help us with that we're joined in studio by KPCC political reporter Alice Walton and political editor Oscar Garza.
FILE - In this Monday June 10, 2013, file photo State Sen. Ron Calderon, D-Montebello, left, holds a brief news conference during first appearance at the Capitol since the FBI investigators raided his offices in Sacramento, Calif. Sen. Calderon was a no-show with an unexcused absence after at least a half-dozen FBI agents carted boxes from his Sacramento offices following a more than six-hour search in June 2013. Sen. Calderon did not answer any questions and no details have been given for the search and no charges have been filed. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)
FILE - In this Monday June 10, 2013, file photo State Sen. Ron Calderon, D-Montebello, left, holds a brief news conference during first appearance at the Capitol since the FBI investigators raided his offices in Sacramento, Calif.
(
Rich Pedroncelli/AP
)

It's Thursday and that means it's time for State of Affairs, our look at politics and government throughout California. To help us with that we're joined in studio by KPCC political reporter Alice Walton and political editor Oscar Garza.

It's Thursday and that means it's time for State of Affairs, our look at politics and government throughout California. To help us with that we're joined in studio by KPCC political reporter Alice Walton and political editor Oscar Garza.

This week state Senator Rod Wright took a leave of absence from the Senate. This follows his conviction on eight counts of perjury and voter fraud for living outside of his district. What is the political future for Wright?

Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg has given another colleague, Ron Calderon, a week to take a leave of absence or resign from office. This is comes of the heels of Calderon's federal indictment on bribery and corruption charges. Why is Steinberg calling for Calderon's resignation when he's still at the start of his criminal case?

The Fair Political Practices Commission is investigating the mayor of Santa Ana for a real estate deal. It's a conflict of interest case involving a city contract. What are the details of this case?

The Los Angeles City Council is expected to vote tomorrow to ban fracking in the city. Council members will also be asking state agencies to look at oil drilling techniques in Los Angeles. 

A councilwoman from San Fernando Valley is working with the City Attorney's Office to crack down on street prostitution. Sun Valley and Van Nuys will get additional police patrols and Councilwoman Nury Martinez says she'll bring social services programs to the area. Why is the councilwoman making this her first priority in office?

Let's look at a Congressional race for a moment in the Inland Empire. Democrats are split there between Colton attorney Eloise Gomez Reyes and Redlands Mayor Pete Aguilar.  

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted this week to look at creating a civilian oversight board for the Sheriff's Department. Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas wants something akin to the LAPD's Police Commission. How much power could this board have over an elected official?