East County News Service

July 18, 2022 (San Diego’s East County) – Today, Assemblymember Akilah Weber, MD, held a press conference to announce success in securing $51,550,000 dollars in state funds in the budget signed by Governor Gavin Newsom for several projects in her 79^th Assembly district.

By Chris Jennewein, Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association

Photo:  U.S. Rep. Sara Jacobs. Photo by Chris Stone

July 16, 2022 (Washington, D.C.) - Rep. Sara Jacobs of San Diego joined with three other Congresswomen Friday in advancing a bill to protect women’s rights to use contraceptives in the wake of the Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade.

By Elijah McKee

Photo: CC via Bing

July 15, 2022 (El Cajon) — It is no secret that 9-1-1 medical calls are sometimes not placed for life-threatening emergencies — yet for lack of any other system, those moments are often forced to be treated with urgent responses, such as ambulance rides to emergency rooms. 

“This is the smoking gun.” –Solomon Wisenberg, former deputy independent counsel in Ken Starr’s investigation that led to the impeachment of former President Bill Clinton.

“Donald Trump and his allies and supporters are a clear and present danger to American democracy.” –conservative Judge J. Michael Luttig

By Miriam Raftery

Photo, left: White House aide Cassidy Hutchison, a key witness

View videos of all hearings held to date by the Select Committee to investigate the January 6, 2020 attack on the capitol:  https://www.youtube.com/c/January6thCmte

June 29, 2022 (Washington D.C.) – Former President Donald Trump was warned that a mob assembled on January 6 was armed with weapons including semi-automatic rifles, spears, pistols, body armor and bear spray, yet he urged the Secret Service to take down metal detectors at his rally at the Ellipse, since some were refusing to enter.  He then incited the crowd inside and outside the secured area to march to the capitol, according to testimony presented yesterday to the Senate’s committee investigating the January 6 insurrection by White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson, a Republican. (View video of her testimony)

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Mike Pence, cc by NC via Bing

June 28, 2022 (Washington D.C.) – Former Vice President Mike Pence, a potential future presidential candidate, praised the Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision allowing states to outlaw abortion, tweeting, “Life Won.”  Now Pence wants to go farther.  In an interview with conservative news outlet Breitbart News, he pledged support for banning abortion nationwide.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Pro-choice demonstrators tonight at Waterfront Park in San Diego, by Josan Feathers

June 24, 2022 (Washington D.C.) – Ending a half century of women’s rights to end a pregnancy, the U.S. Supreme Court today issued a ruling overturning the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision. 

That means abortion becomes illegal in 26 states immediately due to trigger laws or older statutes on the books, many banning abortion even to save a mother’s life or prevent a rape or incest victim from being forced to give birth. More states are poised to consider banning or restricting abortion, while Republican leaders have pledged to seek a nationwide abortion ban if they regain control of Congress in November.

Today’s decision has sparked protests nationwide, including thousands protesting outside the Supreme Court and justices’ homes this evening, as well as a large crowd gathered in San Diego outside the County adminstration building at Waterfront Park.

By Grace Gedye, CalMatters

CalMatters is a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how California’s state Capitol works and why it matters

Photo CC via Bing

June 23, 2022 (Sacramento) - Come November, Californians will likely face the question: Should sports betting be legalized?

East County News Service

June 21, 2022 (Santee) -- Santee residents are invited to join Vice Mayor Ronn Hall on Thursday, June 30 at Santee City Hall, Building 8 (10601 Magnolia Ave, Santee) from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. for the District 2 Community Meet & Greet event.

By Henri Migala 

June 19, 2022 (Spring Valley) – A change in the state’s funding formula threatens to force Noah Homes in Spring Valley to evict 40 percent of the residents it houses, all with intellectual and development disabilities (I/DD). Now San Diego County Supervisor Joel Anderson and Chairman Nathan Fletcher are joining forces to urge the state to change its policy.

By Mike Allen

June 13, 2022 (Santee) -- After the Santee City Council voted last week to remove the Fanita Ranch project initiative from the November ballot, environmental activist Van Collinsworth called the move not only a slap in the face of local voters, but a clear message that the 3,000-unit development will never go to a vote.

The Council voted unanimously June 8 to take an earlier approved referendum on the project off the ballot because all pf the project’s legal approvals were already rescinded last month. The Council removed those approvals made in 2020 to comply with a judge’s recent ruling, which found the project’s environmental impact report deficient.

That report did not include impacts of a last-minute change by the Council to eliminate a key exit route in case of a wildfire evacuation, a lapse which the court found violated the California Environmental Quality Act requirements.

Some GOP members of Congress sought pardons for their roles in failed coup attempt, refused to testify, Cheney says

View video of the complete hearing

By Miriam Raftery

June 10, 2022 (Washington D.C.) -- The Senate’s Select Committee investigating the violent January 6, 2020 attack on the U.S. Capitol presented several shocking revelations during its first public hearing televised in prime time on June 9.

Chairman Bennie Thompson called the Jan. 6 attack an attempted “coup” (hear audio) and made clear that former President Donald Trump knew that the election was not stolen. He played video of Trump’s Attorney General, Bill Barr, testifying that Barr had repeatedly told Trump that there was no evidence of election fraud, even advising the President that such claims were “bulls**t.”  (hear audio). Thompson said the committee will prove in subsequent hearings that Trump organized a coup in an attempt to violently overthrow the U.S. government.

Next, ranking Republican Liz Cheney provided more evidence that Trump knew his stolen election claims were false. Even Trump’s daughter, Ivanka Trump, told the selection committee that she believed Attorney General Barr.  (hear audio). Top campaign advisors to the President also counseled him that he had lost the election, and 62 judges including some appointed by Trump found no evidence of fraud.

Cheney asserted that Trump oversaw a seven-part plan to overturn the 2020 election.

A committee source told CNN that those seven steps were:

East County News Service

June 9, 2022 (San Diego) – Congresswoman Sara Jacobs (D-San Diego) received over 60% of the vote in the primary election. She will run off on November 8 against Stan Caplan, a small business owner who received just under 38% of the vote. 

By Miriam Raftery

June 8, 2022 (El Cajon) -- Nathan Fletcher, Chairman of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors, fielded questions from East County Chamber of Commerce members during a “Dine and Dialogue” event June 2 at the Chamber’s El Cajon conference room.  Due to redistricting, Fletcher now represents parts of East County including La Mesa, Rancho San Diego and Spring Valley, so for many of his new constituents, this was their first opportunity to meet their new Supervisor.

By CalMatters staff, CalMatters

CalMatters is a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how California’s state Capitol works and why it matters

Photo:  a voter casts their ballot at a voting site at the California Museum in downtown Sacramento on June 7, 2022. Photo by Miguel Gutierrez Jr., CalMatters

June 8, 2022 (San Diego) - The polls are closed, but remember: In California elections, this is just the beginning. 

Update June 8, 2022:  With 21.5% of the vote counted,  Jones' lead has widened. The Senator now has 53.9%; Rocha has 46.1%.  The pair will face off again in November.

By Miriam Raftery

June 7, 2022 (San Diego’s East County) – East County closest election contest is shaping up in the newly redrawn 40^th State Senate District. The incumbent, Republican Senator Brian Jones, has 51.36% of the vote in early election returns. Close on his heels is former Navy veteran and Marine Corps prosecutor Joseph Rocha with 48.64%.