latimes--2020-10-06--L.A. district attorney to review allegation that Villanueva made false report

The Los Angeles County district attorney ’ s office on Tuesday said it is reviewing allegations that Sheriff Alex Villanueva falsely reported a crime when he accused the county ’ s former chief executive of violating conflict of interest laws in a referral to the state attorney general ’ s office .
County lawyers disputed Villanueva ’ s claim against former Chief Executive Sachi Hamai and threatened legal action .
In an Aug. 10 letter obtained by The Times , Lawrence S. Middleton , an attorney representing L.A. County , asked Dist .
Atty .
Jackie Lacey to investigate , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ false .
“ I am writing to report this conduct and to ask that you investigate and prosecute it as appropriate , ” Middleton wrote Prosecutors turned the letter over to the attorney general ’ s office “ to avoid any potential conflict of interest , ” said Greg Risling , a spokesman for Lacey .
Risling said the attorney general ’ s office on Tuesday notified the district attorney ’ s office that no conflict exists .
“ We will review the allegations to determine whether a crime was committed , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not unusual for prosecutors to review a formal complaint against a public official .
Lt. John Satterfield , a Sheriff ’ s Department spokesman , said the matter involving Hamai was properly referred to the attorney general .
“ The circumstances under which this allegation came to light were highly suspicious , and a report was written regarding the facts known at the time , ” he said referring to Villanueva ’ s conflict-of-interest accusations against Hamai .
“ One of the primary roles of the California attorney general is to investigate and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interest arises between the investigatory agency and the parties involved.
” It ’ s the latest development in a lengthy series of clashes and tense relations between Villanueva and other county leaders since he took office in December 2018 .
The saga began in July , when Villanueva from his wife , Vivian , during a live Facebook broadcast about the propriety of Hamai ’ s position on the board of the United Way of Greater Los Angeles .
The nonprofit helped push a proposal to the Board of Supervisors that would redirect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ general fund — which includes part of the Sheriff ’ s Department ’ s budget — to better address the needs of low-income residents in under-resourced communities .
Hamai had stepped down from the United Way board before the supervisors ’ vote on the proposal to avoid the appearance of any conflict .
“ Hey , Viv , sweet pea , ” Villanueva responded before reading aloud his wife ’ s question .
“ Apparently it is a felony if you ’ re receiving money from United Way and you ’ re on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a county officer and you ’ re voting on a measure or you ’ re facilitating a measure which you stand to gain from your position on the other third party .
That is a felony.
” The next day , Skip Miller , an attorney representing Hamai and the county , said in a letter to Villanueva that his “ malicious lies ” amounted to defamation and threatened legal action .
He said Hamai had no financial interest in United Way , serving as an unpaid member of the board .
Middleton @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this information , the sheriff advised the Board of Supervisors of a criminal inquiry referred to the attorney general concerning a subordinate .
The department ’ s letter to board members said the potential charges included breach of public duty , conflicts-of-interest disclosure and a public official with a financial interest attempting to influence a political decision .
“ It is clear that the subordinate referenced in the letters is CEO Sachi Hamai and that Sheriff Villanueva is doubling down on his prior Facebook Live comments , ” Middleton wrote to Lacey .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ notice that his Facebook comments accusing CEO Hamai of having committed a felony were demonstrably false , Sheriff Villanueva reported to the Attorney General that she had violated three different statutes.
” He added : “ Sheriff Villanueva made the criminal referral and the report to the Board of Supervisors knowing that Ms. Hamai had no financial interest in United Way or the ballot measure it supported , and that therefore , no crime had been committed.
” Hamai retired in August , when she secured a $ 1.5 million settlement and full-time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ personal safety after a county attorney said she faced months of alleged “ unrelenting and brutal ” harassment from Villanueva .
Villanueva criticized the settlement , noting it came at a time when the Sheriff ’ s Department is facing budget cuts and potential layoffs .
“ Settling CEO Hamai ’ s allegations without a legitimate inquiry , bypassing standard procedure , gives the appearance of an illegal gift of public funds , ” Villanueva said in a statement at the time .
“ This appears to be a gross mismanagement of tax-payer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Southern Californians are struggling to pay their rent , keep their healthcare insurance , maintain a job , and more importantly survive the COVID-19 pandemic.
” Satterfield said Tuesday that the board ’ s attorneys have “ yet to provide any documentation to explain the possible gift of $ 1.5M to outgoing CEO Hamai , or the circumstances related to her premature departure from county service , nine years before the age other county personnel normally retire .
”

The Los Angeles County district attorney’s office said Tuesday it is reviewing allegations that Sheriff Alex Villanueva falsely reported a crime when he accused the county’s former chief executive of violating conflict-of-interest laws in a referral to the state attorney general’s office.
County lawyers disputed Villanueva’s claim against former Chief Executive Sachi Hamai and threatened legal action.
In an Aug. 10 letter obtained by The Times, Lawrence S. Middleton, an attorney representing L.A. County, asked Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey to investigate, alleging that Villanueva knew his accusations were false.
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“I am writing to report this conduct and to ask that you investigate and prosecute it as appropriate,” Middleton wrote.
Prosecutors turned the letter over to the attorney general’s office “to avoid any potential conflict of interest,” said Greg Risling, a spokesman for Lacey. Risling said the attorney general’s office notified the district attorney’s office Tuesday that no conflict exists.
“We will review the allegations to determine whether a crime was committed,” Risling told The Times.
It is not unusual for prosecutors to review a formal complaint against a public official.
Lt. John Satterfield, a Sheriff’s Department spokesman, said the matter involving Hamai was properly referred to the attorney general.
“The circumstances under which this allegation came to light were highly suspicious, and a report was written regarding the facts known at the time,” he said referring to Villanueva’s conflict-of-interest accusations against Hamai. “One of the primary roles of the California attorney general is to investigate and prosecute cases in which a conflict of interest arises between the investigatory agency and the parties involved.”
It’s the latest development in a lengthy series of clashes and tense relations between Villanueva and other county leaders since he took office in December 2018.
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The saga began in July, when Villanueva fielded a question from his wife, Vivian, during a live Facebook broadcast about the propriety of Hamai’s position on the board of the United Way of Greater Los Angeles.
The nonprofit helped push a proposal to the Board of Supervisors that would redirect 10% of the county’s general fund — which includes part of the Sheriff’s Department’s budget — to better address the needs of low-income residents in underresourced communities. Hamai had stepped down from the United Way board before the supervisors’ vote on the proposal to avoid the appearance of any conflict.
“Hey, Viv, sweet pea,” Villanueva responded before reading aloud his wife’s question. “Apparently it is a felony if you’re receiving money from United Way and you’re on the board, or you’re a county officer and you’re voting on a measure or you’re facilitating a measure which you stand to gain from your position on the other third party. That is a felony.”
Villanueva then cited a government code.
The next day, Skip Miller, an attorney representing Hamai and the county, said in a letter to Villanueva that his “malicious lies” amounted to defamation and threatened legal action. He said Hamai had no financial interest in United Way, serving as an unpaid member of the board.
Middleton reported to Lacey that after Villanueva received this information, the sheriff advised the Board of Supervisors of a criminal inquiry referred to the attorney general concerning a subordinate. The department’s letter to board members said the potential charges included breach of public duty, conflicts-of-interest disclosure and a public official with a financial interest attempting to influence a political decision.
“It is clear that the subordinate referenced in the letters is CEO Sachi Hamai and that Sheriff Villanueva is doubling down on his prior Facebook Live comments,” Middleton wrote to Lacey. “Here, after being put on notice that his Facebook comments accusing CEO Hamai of having committed a felony were demonstrably false, Sheriff Villanueva reported to the Attorney General that she had violated three different statutes.”
He added: “Sheriff Villanueva made the criminal referral and the report to the Board of Supervisors knowing that Ms. Hamai had no financial interest in United Way or the ballot measure it supported, and that therefore, no crime had been committed.”
Hamai retired in August, when she secured a $1.5-million settlement and full-time private security to address concerns for her personal safety after a county attorney alleged she faced months of “unrelenting and brutal” harassment from Villanueva.
Villanueva criticized the settlement, noting it came at a time when the Sheriff’s Department is facing budget cuts and potential layoffs.
“Settling CEO Hamai’s allegations without a legitimate inquiry, bypassing standard procedure, gives the appearance of an illegal gift of public funds,” Villanueva said in a statement at the time. “This appears to be a gross mismanagement of tax-payer dollars during a pandemic where millions of Southern Californians are struggling to pay their rent, keep their healthcare insurance, maintain a job, and more importantly survive the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Satterfield said Tuesday that the board’s attorneys have “yet to provide any documentation to explain the possible gift of $1.5M to outgoing CEO Hamai, or the circumstances related to her premature departure from county service, nine years before the age other county personnel normally retire.”


latimes--2020-10-06--What caused California's rolling blackouts? Climate change and poor planning

California suffered its first rolling blackouts in nearly 20 years because energy planners didn ’ t take climate change into account and didn ’ t line up the right power sources to keep the lights on after sundown , according to a damning self-evaluation released Tuesday by three state agencies .
The rotating power outages didn ’ t last long and affected only a small fraction of the state ’ s 40 million people .
Just under half a million homes and businesses lost power for as little as 15 minutes and as long as two and a half hours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ utility customers going dark for anywhere from eight to 90 minutes the following evening .
But officials should have been prepared for the climate-driven extreme heat that caused electricity demand to soar and briefly left the nation ’ s largest state without sufficient power supplies , the state ’ s Energy Commission , Independent System Operator and Public Utilities Commission acknowledged in a preliminary “ root cause analysis ” demanded by Gov .
Gavin Newsom .
The immediate cause of the power shortages was the heat storm , which saw California experience four @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the last 35 years , the analysis found .
Temperature records were shattered across the American West , limiting the Golden State ’ s ability to make up for its energy deficit by importing electrons from other states .
State agencies failed to adequately plan for that type of heat event despite knowing how quickly the world is heating up , the report concluded .
They also failed to direct electricity providers to buy sufficient power supplies to cover the evening hours when solar panels go offline .
And they created complex energy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The combination of these factors was an extraordinary event .
But it is our responsibility and intent to plan for such events , which are becoming increasingly common in a world rapidly being impacted by climate change , ” wrote Independent System Operator President Elliot Mainzer , Public Utilities Commission President Marybel Batjer and Energy Commission Chair David Hochschild .
Careful planning to ensure adequate power supplies will become even more important as California phases out fossil fuels and moves toward 60 % renewable energy by 2030 and 100 % climate-friendly energy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law .
Officials have consistently said that intermittent power sources such as solar panels and wind turbines didn ’ t cause the rolling blackouts .
But gas-burning power plants that can fire up when the sun isn ’ t shining or the wind isn ’ t blowing have been shutting down in recent years , and California has largely failed to replace them with cleaner alternatives such as lithium-ion batteries .
State officials say they ’ ve been working to get more of those clean resources built but were caught off guard by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ August heat wave .
California nearly experienced more rolling blackouts over Labor Day weekend .
“ Our planning processes may have been a year or two off on when we needed to have the resources available , ” said Ed Randolph , director of the Public Utilities Commission ’ s energy division .
“ We ’ ll absolutely need more steel in the ground.
” The root cause analysis also faults market mechanisms put in place by the Independent System Operator , a nonprofit corporation that oversees the power grid for most of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ convergence bidding , in particular , is meant to help keep electricity prices steady but instead “ masked tight supply conditions ” during the August heat wave , the analysis concluded .
Another way markets didn ’ t function as intended : Energy providers collectively under-scheduled the amount of electricity they expected to need .
That allowed power plant operators to sell their juice to customers in other states , resulting in thousands of megawatts being exported even as the Independent System Operator warned that rolling blackouts were imminent .
Mark Rothleder , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for market quality and regulatory affairs .
said it ’ s not yet clear which utilities or other energy providers under-scheduled their demand .
He said the analysis is preliminary , with more to come later this year .
Loretta Lynch , a former president of the Public Utilities Commission , is skeptical that the root cause analysis tells the full story .
Lynch led the utilities commission during the early-2000s energy crisis , which saw Enron and other corporate power traders take advantage of California ratepayers by manipulating a poorly designed electricity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s worried something similar could be happening now , even as the Independent System Operator says its markets are mostly functioning properly .
“ The ISO ’ s preliminary analysis leaves more unanswered questions than answers , ” she said in an email .

Rolling blackouts on Aug. 14 and 15 resulted from an intense heat wave that blanketed the American West, exacerbated by poor planning in the face of climate change.
California suffered its first rolling blackouts in nearly 20 years because energy planners didn’t take climate change into account and didn’t line up the right power sources to keep the lights on after sundown, according to a damning self-evaluation released Tuesday by three state agencies.
The rotating power outages didn’t last long and affected only a small fraction of the state’s 40 million people. Just under half a million homes and businesses lost power for as little as 15 minutes and as long as 2½ hours on Aug. 14, with another 321,000 utility customers going dark for anywhere from eight to 90 minutes the following evening.
But officials should have been prepared for the climate-driven extreme heat that caused electricity demand to soar and briefly left the nation’s largest state without sufficient power supplies, the state’s Energy Commission, Independent System Operator and Public Utilities Commission acknowledged in a preliminary “root cause analysis” demanded by Gov. Gavin Newsom.
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The immediate cause of the power shortages was the heat storm, which saw California experience four of its five hottest August days in the last 35 years, the analysis found. Temperature records were shattered across the American West, limiting the Golden State’s ability to make up for its energy deficit by importing electrons from other states.
State agencies failed to adequately plan for that type of heat event despite knowing how quickly the world is heating up, the report concluded. They also failed to direct electricity providers to buy sufficient power supplies to cover the evening hours when solar panels go offline. And they created complex energy market mechanisms that masked the inadequacies.
“The combination of these factors was an extraordinary event. But it is our responsibility and intent to plan for such events, which are becoming increasingly common in a world rapidly being impacted by climate change,” wrote Independent System Operator President Elliot Mainzer, Public Utilities Commission President Marybel Batjer and Energy Commission Chair David Hochschild.
Careful planning to ensure adequate power supplies will become even more important as California phases out fossil fuels and moves toward 60% renewable energy by 2030 and 100% climate-friendly energy by 2045, as required by state law.
Officials have consistently said that intermittent power sources such as solar panels and wind turbines didn’t cause the rolling blackouts. But gas-burning power plants that can fire up when the sun isn’t shining or the wind isn’t blowing have been shutting down in recent years, and California has largely failed to replace them with cleaner alternatives such as lithium-ion batteries.
State officials say they’ve been working to get more of those clean resources built but were caught off guard by the intensity and region-wide nature of the August heat wave. California nearly experienced more rolling blackouts over Labor Day weekend.
“Our planning processes may have been a year or two off on when we needed to have the resources available,” said Ed Randolph, director of the Public Utilities Commission’s energy division. “We’ll absolutely need more steel in the ground.”
The morning sun rises over solar panels at the Desert Sunlight solar farm in Desert Center, Calif. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
The root cause analysis also faults market mechanisms put in place by the Independent System Operator, a nonprofit corporation that oversees the power grid for most of the state. A program known as convergence bidding, in particular, is meant to help keep electricity prices steady but instead “masked tight supply conditions” during the August heat wave, the analysis concluded.
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Another way markets didn’t function as intended: Energy providers collectively under-scheduled the amount of electricity they expected to need. That allowed power plant operators to sell their juice to customers in other states, resulting in thousands of megawatts being exported even as the Independent System Operator warned that rolling blackouts were imminent.
Mark Rothleder, the grid operator’s vice president for market quality and regulatory affairs, said it’s not yet clear which utilities or other energy providers under-scheduled their demand. He said the analysis is preliminary, with more to come later this year.
Loretta Lynch, a former president of the Public Utilities Commission, is skeptical that the root cause analysis tells the full story.
Lynch led the utilities commission during the early-2000s energy crisis, which saw Enron and other corporate power traders take advantage of California ratepayers by manipulating a poorly designed electricity market to drive profits. She’s worried something similar could be happening now, even as the Independent System Operator says its markets are mostly functioning properly.
“The ISO’s preliminary analysis leaves more unanswered questions than answers,” she said in an email.


latimes--2020-10-07--Changes at California's unemployment agency don't do enough to address problems, lawmakers say

California ’ s new unemployment benefits application system is experiencing long wait times , and tens of thousands of jobless people who signed in did not complete the process in its first six days , many likely because they were unable to , state officials said Wednesday .
The findings drew concern from state lawmakers who said improvements made by the Employment Development Department don ’ t do enough to address the agency ’ s problems .
The new online system to expedite applications for benefits and verify identities was installed in response to complaints that the EDD ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jammed phone lines and computer glitches , leaving a backlog of 1.6 million applications that had not been approved as of last month .
A “ strike team ” appointed by Gov .
Gavin Newsom indicated two weeks ago that the last remnants of the backlog would not be eliminated until the end of January , and recommended changes including the switch to the new identity verification system provided by a private vendor .
Since it became available last Thursday , the EDD ’ s ID.me system was accessed by 101,159 people seeking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % , or 64,950 people , were able to verify their identity online by late Tuesday , according to the agency .
Of those people , 6,035 needed help from a “ referee ” in a video chat , the agency said .
Another 36,209 people who signed onto the system did not verify their identity or talk to a referee for reasons that the agency said could include abandoning the screen at a point where further action is required , timing out , or not being able to establish their identity .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wednesday , Assemblyman David Chiu ( D-San Francisco ) reminded EDD Director Sharon Hilliard that agency officials said last month that the new system would allow 91 % of claims to be automatically verified .
He noted that he is concerned that only 64 % of those who signed on had achieved verification by Tuesday .
“ That ’ s a very big difference , ” Chiu said .
“ I ’ m not persuaded that this is actually moving things faster.
” The agency said some people seeking help from the ID.me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because of “ longer-than-average hold times Monday that reached at one point over an hour.
” Others who did not follow through on applications may have been trying to file fraudulent claims , the agency said .
Applicants have up to a week to complete the process .
“ It ’ s too soon to draw firm conclusions about why those who did not verify their identity were unable to make it through the process , but we will be looking at this data carefully in the weeks ahead to make sure there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ On balance , we think this tool is already more effective and provides better access to a wide range of Californians than our previous method of verifying identity.
” EDD officials urged patience given the initial rush of applications to the new system and said the best time to get phone help is before 10 am .
The agency said it sent emails and texts last week to 136,000 people who signed up for a notification indicating when they could submit new unemployment claims , but almost 36,000 had not tried @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the end of Tuesday .
Hilliard said the agency will evaluate the new system after two weeks and “ continue to refine this new process and smooth the way for applicants.
” She told legislators that her agency has so far implemented 22 of 111 recommendations of the strike team .
The agency stopped accepting applications during the two weeks before the new system began operating , and Hilliard told legislators Wednesday that by reassigning experienced staff , the agency was able to resolve about 246,000 claims in the backlog .
Republican Assemblyman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is still not doing enough .
“ The ID.me [ system ] does nothing to help the hundreds of thousands of people still waiting to have their identities verified , ” Patterson said Wednesday .
“ These folks are trapped in the old backlogged system that won ’ t be cleared until January 2021 at the earliest.
” Some residents who have waited months for approval of claims held a press conference in front of EDD headquarters in Sacramento to demand swifter action , including April Carlton of Citrus Heights , who was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Carlton said EDD denied her claim based on a name change in 2018 .
She provided the agency with judgment orders for the name change , immigration papers and proof of residence , but is still waiting for backdated payments .
“ Thank God for the support of my family , ” Carlton said .
“ Without them , I would not have been able to handle this financially straining and emotionally infuriating process.
” Sen. Jim Nielsen ( R-Tehama ) , who joined those at the event , said the backlog to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks to 11 weeks .
“ The experiences of out-of-work Californians and EDD ’ s lack of action are shameful , ” he said .
California ’ s unemployment benefit system has been overwhelmed with an unprecedented 13.6 million claims since the state ordered residents to stay at home in March to reduce the spread of the coronavirus , causing many businesses to close or scale back hours and services , and putting millions out of work .
The state has so far paid out more than $ 90 billion in benefits , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ without getting any help .
Yolanda Richardson , head of the strike team and secretary of the state Government Operations Agency , said in testimony to legislators Wednesday that the new system appears to be allowing people to file claims quickly and easily , and is reducing the number requiring manual processing .
The strike team report issued Sept. 19 found that the EDD needed to change an internal culture that is delaying approval of legitimate claims based on fears of fraud .
Agency officials told the strike team that they believed fraud @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claims from people who have not responded to identity verification requests .
Hilliard told lawmakers Wednesday that she could not estimate how much money has been lost to fraud , but Assemblyman Jim Cooper ( D-Elk Grove ) , a retired sheriff ’ s captain , estimated unemployment fraud is “ conservatively in the hundreds of millions if not a billion dollars.
” Assistant Chief Marc Coopwood of the Beverly Hills Police Department told lawmakers at the hearing that his agency has arrested more than 100 people for unemployment fraud in the last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cards potentially worth up to $ 4 million in benefits , and seized $ 500,000 in cash , with those charged coming from as far away as New York and Georgia .
Hilliard told lawmakers that 669 claims have been suspended because of lack of verification of identities , 75 fraud investigations are underway , and additional review is being conducted of 358,000 debit cards issued with payments .
State lawmakers voiced concern that the action could deprive legitimate applicants from access to money they need to pay for rent and groceries .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of EDD ’ s 9,000 employees are devoted to investigating fraud .
“ It strikes me as bureaucratically , criminally negligent that under your leadership there has not been more devoted to this fraud if potentially billions of dollars are being stolen from the people of California , ” Chiu told Hilliard .
She disputed the criticism , but added : “ I think we can always do more .
”

California has a new system for applying for unemployment benefits, but long wait times and other problems persist.
California’s new unemployment benefits application system is experiencing long wait times, and tens of thousands of jobless people who signed in did not complete the process in its first six days, many likely because they were unable to, state officials said Wednesday.
The findings drew concern from state lawmakers who said improvements made by the Employment Development Department don’t do enough to address the agency’s problems.
The new online system to expedite applications for benefits and verify identities was installed in response to complaints that the EDD’s former process was ineffective, plagued by jammed phone lines and computer glitches, leaving a backlog of 1.6 million applications that had not been approved as of last month.
A “strike team” appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom indicated two weeks ago that the last remnants of the backlog would not be eliminated until the end of January, and recommended changes including the switch to the new identity verification system provided by a private vendor.
Since it became available last Thursday, the EDD’s ID.me system was accessed by 101,159 people seeking to file a claim, and 64%, or 64,950 people, were able to verify their identity online by late Tuesday, according to the agency.
Of those people, 6,035 needed help from a “referee” in a video chat, the agency said.
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An additional 36,209 people who signed on to the system did not verify their identity or talk to a referee for reasons that the agency said could include abandoning the screen at a point where further action is required, timing out, or not being able to establish their identity.
During a legislative hearing in Sacramento on Wednesday, Assemblyman David Chiu (D-San Francisco) reminded EDD Director Sharon Hilliard that agency officials said last month that the new system would allow 91% of claims to be automatically verified. He noted that he is concerned that only 64% of those who signed on had achieved verification by Tuesday.
“That’s a very big difference,” Chiu said. “I’m not persuaded that this is actually moving things faster.”
The agency said some people seeking help from the ID.me call center may have also given up because of “longer-than-average hold times Monday that reached at one point over an hour.” Others who did not follow through on applications may have been trying to file fraudulent claims, the agency said. Applicants have up to a week to complete the process.
“It’s too soon to draw firm conclusions about why those who did not verify their identity were unable to make it through the process, but we will be looking at this data carefully in the weeks ahead to make sure there are no barriers,” Hilliard said. “On balance, we think this tool is already more effective and provides better access to a wide range of Californians than our previous method of verifying identity.”
EDD officials urged patience given the initial rush of applications to the new system and said the best time to get phone help is before 10 a.m.
The agency said it sent emails and texts last week to 136,000 people who signed up for a notification indicating when they could submit new unemployment claims, but almost 36,000 had not tried to sign in to the new system by the end of Tuesday.
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Hilliard said the agency will evaluate the new system after two weeks and “continue to refine this new process and smooth the way for applicants.” She told legislators that her agency has so far implemented 22 of 111 recommendations of the strike team.
The agency stopped accepting applications during the two weeks before the new system began operating, and Hilliard told legislators Wednesday that by reassigning experienced staff, the agency was able to resolve about 246,000 claims in the backlog.
Republican Assemblyman Jim Patterson of Fresno said the agency is still not doing enough.
“The ID.me [system] does nothing to help the hundreds of thousands of people still waiting to have their identities verified,” Patterson said Wednesday. “These folks are trapped in the old backlogged system that won’t be cleared until January 2021 at the earliest.”
Some residents who have waited months for approval of claims held a press conference in front of EDD headquarters in Sacramento to demand swifter action, including April Carlton of Citrus Heights, who was furloughed from an office manager job.
Carlton said EDD denied her claim based on a name change in 2018. She provided the agency with judgment orders for the name change, immigration papers and proof of residence, but is still waiting for backdated payments.
“Thank God for the support of my family,” Carlton said. “Without them, I would not have been able to handle this financially straining and emotionally infuriating process.”
Sen. Jim Nielsen (R-Tehama), who joined those at the event, said the backlog to review old claims has increased from eight weeks to 11 weeks.
“The experiences of out-of-work Californians and EDD’s lack of action are shameful,” he said.
California’s unemployment benefit system has been overwhelmed with an unprecedented 13.6 million claims since the state ordered residents to stay at home in March to reduce the spread of the coronavirus, causing many businesses to close or scale back hours and services, and putting millions out of work. The state has so far paid out more than $90 billion in benefits, but many said they have waited months without getting any help.
Yolanda Richardson, head of the strike team and secretary of the state Government Operations Agency, said in testimony to legislators Wednesday that the new system appears to be allowing people to file claims more quickly and easily, and is reducing the number requiring manual processing.
The strike team report issued Sept. 19 found that the EDD needed to change an internal culture that is delaying approval of legitimate claims based on fears of fraud. Agency officials told the strike team that they believed fraud is involved in tens of thousands of claims from people who have not responded to identity verification requests.
Hilliard told lawmakers Wednesday that she could not estimate how much money has been lost to fraud, but Assemblyman Jim Cooper (D-Elk Grove), a retired sheriff’s captain, estimated unemployment fraud is “conservatively in the hundreds of millions if not a billion dollars.”
Assistant Chief Marc Coopwood of the Beverly Hills Police Department told lawmakers at the hearing that his agency has arrested more than 100 people for unemployment fraud in the last 60 days, confiscated 200 EDD-issued debit cards potentially worth up to $4 million in benefits, and seized $500,000 in cash, with those charged coming from as far away as New York and Georgia.
Hilliard told lawmakers that 669 claims have been suspended because of lack of verification of identities, 75 fraud investigations are underway, and additional review is being conducted of 358,000 debit cards issued with payments.
State lawmakers voiced concern that the action could deprive legitimate applicants of access to money they need to pay for rent and groceries.
Chiu complained to Hilliard that only 27 of EDD’s 9,000 employees are devoted to investigating fraud.
“It strikes me as bureaucratically, criminally negligent that under your leadership there has not been more devoted to this fraud if potentially billions of dollars are being stolen from the people of California,” Chiu told Hilliard.
She disputed the criticism, but added: “I think we can always do more.”


latimes--2020-10-07--Katie Hill's alleged former staffers call out film project starring Elisabeth Moss

Alleged former staffers who claim to have worked for former California Congresswoman Katie Hill took over her inactive government Twitter account late Tuesday to denounce plans to make a film about the workplace abuse scandal that led to Hill ’ s resignation last year .
Hill claims that her old account , which she hasn ’ t used since she stepped down , was hacked .
Identifying themselves as “ Katie ’ s former staff , ” the anonymous commenters wrote a series of tweets explaining why they were “ disappointed in so many folks ” involved in the project @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s star , Elisabeth Moss , and screenwriter Michael Seitzman , who are coproducing with their respective production companies and Blumhouse Television an adaptation of Hill ’ s memoir , “ She Will Rise : Becoming a Warrior in the Battle for True Equality.
” “ This is an incredibly sensitive situation , ” the alleged staffers tweeted Tuesday .
“ We appreciate the instinct to defend our former boss , an LGBTQ+ woman who faced abuse from her husband .
What happened to Katie Hill shouldn ’ t happen to anyone .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as Katie Hill ’ s story — our story — is also one of workplace abuse and harassment.
” The Democrat from Santa Clarita , who is openly bisexual , previously served California ’ s 25th Congressional District after unseating a Republican incumbent in the 2018 midterm elections .
However , the rising star of the Democratic party officially resigned in early November 2019 after a right-wing blog accused her of having an improper sexual relationship with a male congressional staffer — a violation of House ethics rules — compounded by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a female campaign staffer .
Hill denied the affair with the male staffer but later admitted to having an inappropriate relationship with the female campaign staffer .
She also said the explicit photos had been “ weaponized ” by her husband and political operatives .
Hill then wrote a memoir , and her seat was later flipped back to a Republican in a runoff election .
( The seat is back on the ballot in next month ’ s presidential election . )
Tuesday ’ s staffer tweets attempted to dispute the heroic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , instead describing her as “ both a victim and perpetrator.
” The verified government Twitter account had remained inactive since Hill announced her resignation in the House of Representatives nearly a year ago .
It is still unclear who wrote the missives .
“ No one should have to put themselves in harm ’ s way for the public to understand a simple truth : Katie Hill is not a hero for women .
We deserve heroes who embody our values even in the most difficult moments , ” the tweets said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has not been investigated by the House Ethics Committee nor “ held accountable by anyone other than herself , ” encouraging people “ to reflect deeply before taking her word at face value.
” “ Workplace abuse and harassment can take many different forms , but one thing is certain : it is never okay , even if your boss is a woman and/or a survivor , ” they said .
“ Believe us when we say : it ’ s not only about who starts it , it ’ s also about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Katie is certainly the survivor of abuse , we are not confident that she sufficiently acted to end her own patterns of inappropriate and abusive behavior .
“ Enough is enough , ” they concluded .
“ In order to advance the # MeToo movement , we must be willing to acknowledge the problematic behaviors among those in our own communities .
Only then will we see true progress .
# TimesUp # MeToo.
” Hill responded on a separate Twitter account late Tuesday .
She said that her old account was hacked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She said she had immediately handed over control of the government account to the House Clerk when she resigned .
“ Regardless of their author , the content of the hacked tweets is something I have talked about at length in my book , in podcasts and in countless interviews regarding my decision to resign , as well as the constant work and reflection I ’ ve done since then , ” she tweeted .
“ I look forward to continuing to have conversations around these issues and using my platform to support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Blumhouse declined to comment on the tweets .
Reps for Moss and Seitzman did not immediately respond to The Times ’ requests for comment .
According to a statement given to the Hollywood Reporter , Hill said she wrote “ She Will Rise ” to take back her story “ from those who have exploited and twisted it.
” In the same THR story , Moss said : “ Her strength and work to amplify women ’ s voices is incredibly inspiring to me and her experiences could not be more important @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ”

Former Rep. Katie Hill is being called out by alleged former staffers over a forthcoming film based on her memoir.
Alleged former staffers who claim to have worked for former California Congresswoman Katie Hill took over her inactive government Twitter account late Tuesday to denounce plans to make a film about the workplace abuse scandal that led to Hill’s resignation last year.
Hill claims that her old account, which she hasn’t used since she stepped down, was hacked.
For the record: Rep. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Arizona), elected to the House in 2012, was the first openly bisexual congresswoman. This story mistakenly stated that distinction belonged to Katie Hill.
Identifying themselves as “Katie’s former staff,” the anonymous commenters wrote a series of tweets explaining why they were “disappointed in so many folks” involved in the project. That includes the film project’s star, Elisabeth Moss, and screenwriter Michael Seitzman, who are coproducing with their respective production companies and Blumhouse Television an adaptation of Hill’s memoir, “She Will Rise: Becoming a Warrior in the Battle for True Equality.”
“This is an incredibly sensitive situation,” the alleged staffers tweeted Tuesday. “We appreciate the instinct to defend our former boss, an LGBTQ+ woman who faced abuse from her husband. What happened to Katie Hill shouldn’t happen to anyone. But, this moment requires more nuance, as Katie Hill’s story — our story — is also one of workplace abuse and harassment.”
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Opinion Column: Katie Hill messed up, but she should not have resigned Democrat Katie Hill should not have resigned. Male politicians do things that are immeasurably worse and stay on. She took one for the team.
The Democrat from Santa Clarita, who is openly bisexual, previously served California’s 25th Congressional District after unseating a Republican incumbent in the 2018 midterm elections.
However, the rising star of the Democratic party officially resigned in early November 2019 after a right-wing blog accused her of having an improper sexual relationship with a male congressional staffer — a violation of House ethics rules — compounded by the publication of explicit photos of Hill with a female campaign staffer.
Hill denied the affair with the male staffer but later admitted to having an inappropriate relationship with the female campaign staffer. She also said the explicit photos had been “weaponized” by her husband and political operatives.
Hill then wrote a memoir, and her seat was later flipped back to a Republican in a runoff election. (The seat is back on the ballot in next month’s presidential election.)
No one should have to put themselves in harm’s way for the public to understand a simple truth: Katie Hill is not a hero for women. We deserve heroes who embody our values even in the most difficult moments. — Rep. Katie Hill (@RepKatieHill) October 7, 2020
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Tuesday’s staffer tweets attempted to dispute the heroic portrait the streaming-film project paints of Hill, instead describing her as “both a victim and perpetrator.” The verified government Twitter account had remained inactive since Hill announced her resignation in the House of Representatives nearly a year ago. It is still unclear who wrote the missives.
“No one should have to put themselves in harm’s way for the public to understand a simple truth: Katie Hill is not a hero for women. We deserve heroes who embody our values even in the most difficult moments,” the tweets said.
The alleged staffers added that Hill has not been investigated by the House Ethics Committee nor “held accountable by anyone other than herself,” encouraging people “to reflect deeply before taking her word at face value.”
California Democratic Rep. Katie Hill to resign amid allegations of improper relationship with staffer The Democrat from Santa Clarita will step down amid allegations that she engaged in an affair with a congressional aide. She denied the claims but acknowledged a separate relationship with a campaign staffer.
“Workplace abuse and harassment can take many different forms, but one thing is certain: it is never okay, even if your boss is a woman and/or a survivor,” they said. “Believe us when we say: it’s not only about who starts it, it’s also about who ends it. And, while Katie is certainly the survivor of abuse, we are not confident that she sufficiently acted to end her own patterns of inappropriate and abusive behavior.
“Enough is enough,” they concluded. “In order to advance the #MeToo movement, we must be willing to acknowledge the problematic behaviors among those in our own communities. Only then will we see true progress. #TimesUp #MeToo.”
Enough is enough. In order to advance the #MeToo movement, we must be willing to acknowledge the problematic behaviors among those in our own communities. Only then will we see true progress. #TimesUp #MeToo — Rep. Katie Hill (@RepKatieHill) October 7, 2020
Hill responded on a separate Twitter account late Tuesday. She said that her old account was hacked and it was reported to Twitter. She said she had immediately handed over control of the government account to the House Clerk when she resigned.
“Regardless of their author, the content of the hacked tweets is something I have talked about at length in my book, in podcasts and in countless interviews regarding my decision to resign, as well as the constant work and reflection I’ve done since then,” she tweeted. “I look forward to continuing to have conversations around these issues and using my platform to support women in any way possible.”
Regardless of their author, the content of the hacked tweets is something I have talked about at length in my book, in podcasts and in countless interviews regarding my decision to resign, as well as the constant work and reflection I’ve done since then. — Katie Hill (@KatieHill4CA) October 7, 2020
Representatives for Blumhouse declined to comment on the tweets. Reps for Moss and Seitzman did not immediately respond to The Times’ requests for comment.
According to a statement given to the Hollywood Reporter, Hill said she wrote “She Will Rise” to take back her story “from those who have exploited and twisted it.”
In the same THR story, Moss said: “Her strength and work to amplify women’s voices is incredibly inspiring to me and her experiences could not be more important for us to magnify right now.”


latimes--2020-10-07--LAPD officer's body cam video shows suspect grabbing his gun and pistol whipping him

Video from a Los Angeles police officer ’ s body camera provides an up-close view of a bloody life-and-death struggle inside the Harbor Community station in San Pedro as a suspect knocks the officer to the ground , grabs his gun , repeatedly pistol whips him and briefly points it at him .
The LAPD on Wednesday released a 21-minute video that captures the attack on Officer Anthony Freeman , which occurred shortly after 10 p.m. on Sept. 26 .
The video includes footage from surveillance cameras inside and outside the station , along with the officer ’ s body @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bloody splattering across the lobby floor and puddling around him .
The suspect , Jose Cerpa Guzman , 29 , escaped and was eventually captured after a high-speed car pursuit through San Pedro .
He has been charged with two counts each of attempted murder on a peace officer and assault with a semiautomatic firearm , as well as second-degree robbery and evading and resisting an officer , L.A. County Dist .
Atty .
Jackie Lacey ’ s office said .
The officer was treated at a hospital for cuts , bruises and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 36-year veteran has not returned to work .
The LAPD ’ s release of the video comes a week after The Times published footage from a security camera inside the Harbor station that captured one view of the attack .
The footage released Wednesday by the LAPD does not include audio of the attack because the officer had not yet activated his device when it began .
Prior to the activation of a body camera , two or three minutes of footage is saved without audio .
Just before the attack , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in front of the station , then repeatedly opening and closing the tailgate before walking into the station .
The desk officer sees him and approaches near the front glass doors .
After what appears to be an exchange of words , the man , dressed in a white short-sleeved shirt , dark pants and a large hat , walks away and heads out the front door .
As the officer walks toward the door , the man turns around and comes back inside .
Body cam footage shows the man shoving the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him .
The man takes a boxing stance and then continues to move toward the officer , throwing another punch as the officer is backing up .
The officer is knocked off his feet by a blow to the head and falls backward as his feet go in the air .
His equipment belt spills several items across the lobby floor .
The officer , sensing the suspect going for his gun , grabs the man by the throat .
But the suspect manages to yank the officer ’ s service pistol out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comes into the full frame of the officer ’ s camera lens .
The footage shows the man slamming the handgun ’ s butt on the officer ’ s head four times before the officer grabs his right wrist , knocking the gun free .
The man then grabs the weapon again from the floor and points it at the officer ’ s chest .
Two law enforcement sources with knowledge of the incident said investigators believe the man tried to shoot the officer in the chest , stomach , and chin , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prevented it from firing .
The video then shows an LAPD assistant watch commander coming into the lobby from behind the front desk , where she sees her colleague on the floor .
The officer who was attacked yells , “ He ’ s got my gun , he ’ s got my gun.
” As Sgt .
Robin Aguirre rushes toward the door , she stops , draws her handgun and exchanges fire with the attacker .
The attacker ’ s shots force Aguirre to dive for cover behind a part of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s body camera footage captures his blood , now in puddles around him on the lobby floor as he gasps for breath .
As Guzman ’ s truck tires screech away , the officer tries to get up but realizes he is too badly hurt .
He tells a colleague to call for medical help .
“ I am starting to black out , ” he says .
The assistant watch commander immediately radios the attack , alerting officers to a man fleeing in a white truck , reporting shots fired at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help .
Another officer reports that a white truck with the suspect inside was heading south on Harbor Boulevard .
“ We ’ ve got an officer down , conscious , breathing , ” an officer says over the radio .
Several blocks away , police stopped the truck at gunpoint at West 18th Street and Pacific Avenue .
There , the video shows the suspect being ordered out of the truck with officers repeatedly yelling at him to show his hands .
Officers wrestle with the suspect on the ground and Guzman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him .
The officer ’ s handgun was found inside Guzman ’ s truck , according to the LAPD ’ s communications director , Josh Rubenstein .
Police have not yet revealed a possible motive for the attack .
Steve Gordon , a retired LAPD SWAT officer , said after viewing the video that the officer ’ s gun was decocked and could not fire .
“ There ’ s a decent chance that the suspect inadvertently engaged the decocker safety on the pistol as he was striking the officer with it , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if the suspect had attempted to pull the trigger , there would not even have been a click .
Gordon said the man was either able to disengage the decocker or did it by accident as he fled when he fired at the LAPD supervisor .
The LAPD has also launched an investigation into how the station ’ s security camera footage of the attack was leaked initially to The Times and then to other media outlets .
The incident was one of several attacks on law enforcement officers in the Los Angeles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 12 , two L.A. County sheriff ’ s deputies were shot in Compton , and on Sept. 26 , a West Valley LAPD officer came under gunfire after leaving the station while off duty .

In edited video, LAPD officer’s body cam shows suspect grabbing his gun and pistol whipping him with it in attack at Harbor Community station.
Video from a Los Angeles police officer’s body camera provides an up-close view of a bloody life-and-death struggle inside the Harbor station in San Pedro as a suspect knocks the officer to the ground, grabs his gun, repeatedly pistol whips him and briefly points it at him.
The LAPD on Wednesday released a 21-minute video that captures the attack on Officer Anthony Freeman, which occurred shortly after 10 p.m. Sept. 26. The video includes footage from surveillance cameras inside and outside the station, along with the officer’s body camera, which captures Freeman’s blood splattering across the lobby floor and puddling around him.
The suspect, Jose Cerpa Guzman, 29, escaped and was eventually captured after a high-speed car pursuit through San Pedro. He has been charged with two counts each of attempted murder on a peace officer and assault with a semiautomatic firearm, as well as second-degree robbery and evading and resisting an officer, L.A. County Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey’s office said. The officer was treated at a hospital for cuts, bruises and soft tissue injuries and released. The 36-year veteran has not returned to work.
The Los Angeles Police Department’s release of the video comes a week after The Times published footage from a security camera inside the Harbor station that captured one view of the attack.
The footage released Wednesday does not include audio of the attack because the officer had not yet activated his device when it began. Prior to the activation of a body camera, two or three minutes of footage is saved without audio.
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Just before the attack, the suspect is seen parking his truck directly in front of the station, then repeatedly opening and closing the tailgate before walking into the station. The desk officer sees him and approaches near the front glass doors. After what appears to be an exchange of words, the man, dressed in a white short-sleeved shirt, dark pants and a large hat, walks away and heads out the front door. As the officer walks toward the door, the man turns around and comes back inside.
Body cam footage shows the man shoving the officer back and taking a swing at him. The man takes a boxing stance and then continues to move toward the officer, throwing another punch as the officer is backing up. The officer is knocked off his feet by a blow to the head and falls backward as his feet go in the air. His equipment belt spills several items across the lobby floor.
The officer, sensing the suspect going for his gun, grabs the man by the throat. But the man manages to yank the officer’s service pistol out, and the 9-millimeter Beretta handgun comes into the full frame of the officer’s camera lens. The footage shows the man slamming the handgun’s butt on the officer’s head four times before the officer grabs his right wrist, knocking the gun free.
The man then grabs the weapon again from the floor and points it at the officer’s chest. Two law enforcement sources with knowledge of the incident said investigators believe the man tried to shoot the officer in the chest, stomach and chin, but the gun’s decocking lever prevented it from firing.
The video then shows an LAPD assistant watch commander coming into the lobby from behind the front desk, where she sees her colleague on the floor. The officer who was attacked yells, “He’s got my gun, he’s got my gun.” As Sgt. Robin Aguirre rushes toward the door, she stops, draws her handgun and exchanges fire with the attacker.
The attacker’s shots force Aguirre to dive for cover behind a part of the lobby wall. The first officer’s body camera footage captures his blood, now in puddles around him on the lobby floor as he gasps for breath.
As Guzman’s truck tires screech away, the officer tries to get up but realizes he is too badly hurt. He tells a colleague to call for medical help. “I am starting to black out,” he says.
The assistant watch commander immediately radios the attack, alerting officers to a man fleeing in a white truck, reporting shots fired at the station and that an officer needed help. Another officer reports that a white truck with the suspect inside was heading south on Harbor Boulevard.
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“We’ve got an officer down, conscious, breathing,” an officer says over the radio.
Several blocks away, police stopped the truck at gunpoint at West 18th Street and Pacific Avenue. There, the video shows the suspect being ordered out of the truck with officers repeatedly yelling at him to show his hands.
Officers wrestle with the suspect on the ground and Guzman is heard yelling as officers eventually handcuff him.
The officer’s handgun was found inside Guzman’s truck, according to the LAPD’s communications director, Josh Rubenstein. Police have not yet revealed a possible motive for the attack.
Steve Gordon, a retired LAPD SWAT officer, said after viewing the video that the officer’s gun was decocked and could not fire.
“There’s a decent chance that the suspect inadvertently engaged the decocker safety on the pistol as he was striking the officer with it,” Gordon said. He added that if the suspect had attempted to pull the trigger, there would not even have been a click.
Gordon said the man was either able to disengage the decocker or did it by accident as he fled when he fired at the LAPD supervisor.
The LAPD has also launched an investigation into how the station’s security camera footage of the attack was leaked initially to The Times and then to other media outlets.
The incident was one of several attacks on law enforcement officers in the Los Angeles area in recent weeks. On Sept. 12, two L.A. County sheriff’s deputies were shot in Compton, and on Sept. 26, a West Valley LAPD officer came under gunfire after leaving the station while off duty.


latimes--2020-10-07--L.A. County reports highest daily coronavirus case count in 6 weeks

Los Angeles County on Wednesday reported its highest daily count of coronavirus infections since Aug. 22 , highlighting the continued dangers of the virus even as more businesses are opening up .
Health officials have been warning that another coronavirus wave is possible this fall even as numbers of new cases and deaths have been declining since a serious summer spike .
Los Angeles County has lagged behind other parts of California in reopening because of its continued high numbers of new cases and deaths .
But on Wednesday , indoor shopping centers reopened for the first time in months @ @ @ @ @ @ @ swung open to disturbing news : Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer announced 1,645 new cases and 30 additional deaths in the county .
It ’ s unclear whether Wednesday ’ s count signifies a trend or is a one-off linked to a backlog of cases .
“ While one day of a high number of cases does not indicate a trend , this is something we need to watch closely , ” Ferrer said .
In recent weeks , the county has repeatedly reported fewer than 800 daily hospitalizations and fewer than 1,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ average rate of tests coming back positive has decreased from a summer spike and hit its lowest number since the pandemic began , officials have warned that an ongoing incremental increase in daily case counts could pose a risk of increased transmission .
The numbers underscore the delicate balancing act facing officials , who are trying to reopen the economy without an increase in cases .
That has caused frustration among some businesses .
For example , Gov .
Gavin Newsom on Wednesday said theme parks such as Disneyland must remain closed despite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re going to be led by a health-first framework , and we ’ re going to be stubborn about it , ” the governor told reporters .
“ We don ’ t anticipate in the immediate term any of these larger theme parks opening until we see more stability in terms of the data.
” County officials reported that the state ’ s new health equity metric — the positivity rate of a county ’ s lowest quartile based on the California Healthy Places index , used to ensure that communities disproportionately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the county as a whole — did not prevent the county from moving forward .
The seven-day average positivity rate for L.A. County is 2.8 % .
For those in the lowest-resourced areas , the number is 4.6 % .
Both numbers are considered low and would place the county in Tier 3 of reopening if not for the high daily case count .
L.A. County , like others throughout the state , will face a test of time in its ability to maintain a low infection count as it continues to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ businesses .
The county has toggled between Tiers 1 and 2 — the purple and red tiers , indicating widespread and substantial risk of transmission of the disease .
Though its positivity rate has fallen below 3 % — the lowest since the beginning of the outbreak — the number of positive cases per 100,000 residents is still too high to progress on the state ’ s reopening blueprint .
The latest reopening follows those of nail salons , card rooms , breweries , wineries , malls and playgrounds , which were approved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In Ventura County , several sectors have been allowed to reopen further after the county moved up to Tier 2 on Tuesday .
Zoos , aquariums and restaurants will be allowed to offer limited indoor services , and movie theaters will be allowed to reopen for the first time .
If the county remains in Tier 2 for two consecutive weeks , it would be allowed to reopen schools — the overarching statewide goal to keep infections down .
Any resurgence in activity poses a risk of transmission .
And counties that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still move backward if their numbers spike .
Shasta and Tehama counties regressed Tuesday — the first two in the state to be sent back a level after the reopening strategy launched more than a month ago .

Los Angeles County on Wednesday reported its highest daily count of coronavirus infections since Aug. 22, highlighting the continued dangers of the virus even as more businesses are opening up.
Health officials have been warning that another coronavirus wave is possible this fall even as numbers of new cases and deaths have been declining since a serious summer spike.
Los Angeles County has lagged behind other parts of California in reopening because of its continued high numbers of new cases and deaths. But on Wednesday, indoor shopping centers reopened for the first time in months, with limited capacity.
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The doors swung open to disturbing news: Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer announced 1,645 new cases and 30 additional deaths in the county. It’s unclear whether Wednesday’s count signifies a trend or is a one-off linked to a backlog of cases.
“While one day of a high number of cases does not indicate a trend, this is something we need to watch closely,” Ferrer said.
In recent weeks, the county has repeatedly reported fewer than 800 daily hospitalizations and fewer than 1,000 daily coronavirus cases. And although the average rate of tests coming back positive has decreased from a summer spike and hit its lowest number since the pandemic began, officials have warned that an ongoing incremental increase in daily case counts could pose a risk of increased transmission.
The numbers underscore the delicate balancing act facing officials, who are trying to reopen the economy without an increase in cases. That has caused frustration among some businesses.
For example, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday said theme parks such as Disneyland must remain closed despite intense pressure to reopen.
“We’re going to be led by a health-first framework, and we’re going to be stubborn about it,” the governor told reporters. “We don’t anticipate in the immediate term any of these larger theme parks opening until we see more stability in terms of the data.”
County officials reported that the state’s new health equity metric — the positivity rate of a county’s lowest quartile based on the California Healthy Places index, used to ensure that communities disproportionately affected by the virus progress in step with the county as a whole — did not prevent the county from moving forward. The seven-day average positivity rate for L.A. County is 2.8%. For those in the lowest-resourced areas, the number is 4.6%. Both numbers are considered low and would place the county in Tier 3 of reopening if not for the high daily case count.
L.A. County, like others throughout the state, will face a test of time in its ability to maintain a low infection count as it continues to reopen more sectors and expand capacity at businesses.
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The county has toggled between Tiers 1 and 2 — the purple and red tiers, indicating widespread and substantial risk of transmission of the disease. Though its positivity rate has fallen below 3% — the lowest since the beginning of the outbreak — the number of positive cases per 100,000 residents is still too high to progress on the state’s reopening blueprint.
The latest reopening follows those of nail salons, card rooms, breweries, wineries, malls and playgrounds, which were approved for reopening over the last 10 days.
In Ventura County, several sectors have been allowed to reopen further after the county moved up to Tier 2 on Tuesday. Zoos, aquariums and restaurants will be allowed to offer limited indoor services, and movie theaters will be allowed to reopen for the first time. If the county remains in Tier 2 for two consecutive weeks, it would be allowed to reopen schools — the overarching statewide goal to keep infections down.
Any resurgence in activity poses a risk of transmission. And counties that have progressed on the reopening plan can still move backward if their numbers spike. Shasta and Tehama counties regressed Tuesday — the first two in the state to be sent back a level after the reopening strategy launched more than a month ago.


latimes--2020-10-07--San Francisco firefighter dies during training exercise

A firefighter with the San Francisco Fire Department has died during a training exercise , officials said .
Department spokesman Lt. Jonathan Baxter identified the firefighter as Jason Cortez , a father of two in his early 40s .
Cortez , of Station No .
3 in the Tenderloin , was injured around 10 a.m. Wednesday morning and taken to San Francisco General Hospital , where he died less than an hour later .
Cortez started as a paramedic in 2007 before recently graduating from the fire academy as a firefighter-paramedic assigned to “ the busiest station in America , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wednesday afternoon .
“ Jason is not only a fellow firefighter-paramedic .
He ’ s a friend to all , ” Baxter said .
“ He ’ s an advocate for public safety , a father of two children , a husband to an amazing wife and a child of a retired San Francisco firefighter.
” By Wednesday afternoon , several of Cortez ’ s colleagues had gathered in front of the hospital , where they were planning a procession .
Baxter said Cortez was born in 1978 , making him about 42 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make sure that his family is the number one priority and that they are given all the time necessary to mourn this , along with all his brothers and sisters at the San Francisco Fire Department , ” Baxter said .

A firefighter with the San Francisco Fire Department has died during a training exercise, officials said.
Department spokesman Lt. Jonathan Baxter identified the firefighter as Jason Cortez, a father of two in his early 40s.
Cortez, of Station No. 3 in the Tenderloin, was injured around 10 a.m. Wednesday morning and taken to San Francisco General Hospital, where he died less than an hour later.
Cortez started as a paramedic in 2007 before recently graduating from the fire academy as a firefighter-paramedic assigned to “the busiest station in America,” Baxter said at a press conference Wednesday afternoon.
“Jason is not only a fellow firefighter-paramedic. He’s a friend to all,” Baxter said. “He’s an advocate for public safety, a father of two children, a husband to an amazing wife and a child of a retired San Francisco firefighter.”
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By Wednesday afternoon, several of Cortez’s colleagues had gathered in front of the hospital, where they were planning a procession. Baxter said Cortez was born in 1978, making him about 42 years old.
“We are trying to make sure that his family is the number one priority and that they are given all the time necessary to mourn this, along with all his brothers and sisters at the San Francisco Fire Department,” Baxter said.


latimes--2020-10-07--On brink of COVID-19 regression, Riverside County revises reopening plan

After a lengthy and at times tense public meeting , the Riverside County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday in favor of a revised COVID-19 reopening plan , a modified version of a proposal that would have put the county on a faster track to reopening than the state recommends .
The modified plan is still a risky move for Riverside : The county is teetering on the brink of regressing to the most restrictive purple tier of the state ’ s four-part color-coded reopening blueprint , indicating a widespread risk of local infection .
The county remained in Tier 2 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were announced Tuesday .
With a positivity rate — the rate of positive results among all COVID-19 tests performed — of 5 % and an adjusted case rate of 7.6 positive infections per 100,000 people , the risk of spreading the illness is substantial , according to state metrics .
The decision passed in a 4-1 vote , with Supervisors Karen Spiegel , Kevin Jeffries , Manuel Perez and Chuck Washington in favor of the move .
Supervisor Jeff Hewitt was the lone vote against the plan — because he wants even more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put forth by the state .
“ If there ’ s too many cooks , it spoils the broth , ” Hewitt said during the meeting .
“ We don ’ t need the state , who knows nothing about Riverside County .
... We can do the things we need .
We have that ability.
” The new , more watered-down guidelines are in almost complete alignment with the state ’ s , said Brooke Federico , public information officer for Riverside County .
The only deviation affects two business-related activities not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said : hotel meetings , such as conferences and conventions , and wedding receptions .
“ Those two activities are not in the current framework for reopening , however they are very similar to dine-in restaurants , ” she said .
“ [ The board ] directed county staff to work with the state ... for additional guidance and approval.
” Hotel and tourism groups have testified that current closures are jeopardizing business , said Perez , who noted that the “ meeting industry ” had begun moving to other states that allow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Coachella Valley was particularly hard-hit by the pandemic .
Reached by phone Wednesday , Hewitt said it was supervisors ’ responsibility to weigh public health information along with the needs of businesses and the community .
“ We ’ re destroying our way of life , our standard of living , and putting so many people into abject poverty and despair , ” he said of the current shutdown orders .
Still , local public health officials are concerned that reopening could continue to increase the county ’ s rate of infection .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ said during Tuesday ’ s meeting that red tier conditions were expected to last through the end of the week but noted the county was inching toward dangerous territory .
“ There is no good way to say it , but both our positivity rate and case rate are still rising , ” Kaiser said .
“ If the trend continues , we are informed by the state , we will face the possibility of going backward.
” Jose Araballo , spokesman for the county ’ s Public Health Department , said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regardless of any fluctuations or increases in COVID-19 case rates , and that it would gear its efforts toward whatever the board decided .
But the battle between the virus and the economy that has been playing out across much of the nation was very much present during the 5½-hour meeting , when numerous residents pleaded with supervisors to reopen the county .
“ The people who oppose the reopening are still getting paid , so how long for the rest of us ?
” said one resident who identified herself as Tina @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , how long for our churches ?
...
The governor ’ s bar keeps rising .
We the people feel like we ’ ve been sold out as you ’ ve given into this fear.
” Helen Joy , a 23-year emergency room nurse , said she knew COVID-19 was “ not a hoax ” but also argued in favor of reopening .
“ I choose not to be selfish , ” she said .
But the original , more aggressive reopening plan some residents wanted could have jeopardized up to $ 114 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to Riverside County CEO George Johnson .
“ If there is a deviation from following the state ’ s guidance , ” Johnson said , “ that ’ s where the risk comes into play.
” Spiegel also expressed concern that reopening could provide businesses with a “ false sense of hope , ” particularly if they reopen and are then forced to close .
Many business licenses , such as liquor licenses and cosmetic licenses , are state-issued , she said , and any deviations from state guidelines could expose them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off the governor , we can ’ t help any business who loses its liquor license by going against the state , ” Spiegel said .
“ I just hope that everybody understands that.
” The newer version of the reopening plan should help keep the county in compliance with state guidelines and prevent the loss of funds , officials said .
And although Spiegel emphasized that Riverside ’ s reopening plan was mostly in line with the state ’ s , she also noted that there would be a continued emphasis on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ owners overwhelmingly want to open , while people who are health-oriented tend to be more fearful of possible spreading , ” Spiegel said on the phone Wednesday .
“ But we have always said that we need to wear masks , keep our distance , wash our hands .
If you don ’ t like it , do it for somebody else .
Do it for businesses to open .
Do it for your family.
” Hewitt , who drafted the original proposal two weeks ago , said the motion to remove target @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what ultimately pushed him to vote against it .
“ Am I the person that is pushing more for opening up than anybody else ?
By far , ” he said .
“ But this is the single biggest issue of our time .
We have got to get back to being prosperous .
”

After a lengthy and at times tense public meeting, the Riverside County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday in favor of a revised COVID-19 reopening plan, a modified version of a proposal that would have put the county on a faster track to reopening than the state recommends.
The modified plan is still a risky move for Riverside: The county is teetering on the brink of regressing to the most restrictive purple tier of the state’s four-part color-coded reopening blueprint, indicating a widespread risk of local infection.
The county remained in Tier 2, the red level, when changes were announced Tuesday. With a positivity rate — the rate of positive results among all COVID-19 tests performed — of 5% and an adjusted case rate of 7.6 positive infections per 100,000 people, the risk of spreading the illness is substantial, according to state metrics.
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The decision passed in a 4-1 vote, with Supervisors Karen Spiegel, Kevin Jeffries, Manuel Perez and Chuck Washington in favor of the move. Supervisor Jeff Hewitt was the lone vote against the plan — because he wants even more local control over reopening guidelines than those put forth by the state.
“If there’s too many cooks, it spoils the broth,” Hewitt said during the meeting. “We don’t need the state, who knows nothing about Riverside County. ... We can do the things we need. We have that ability.”
The new, more watered-down guidelines are in almost complete alignment with the state’s, said Brooke Federico, public information officer for Riverside County. The only deviation affects two business-related activities not yet addressed by the state, Federico said: hotel meetings, such as conferences and conventions, and wedding receptions.
“Those two activities are not in the current framework for reopening, however they are very similar to dine-in restaurants,” she said. “[The board] directed county staff to work with the state ... for additional guidance and approval.”
Hotel and tourism groups have testified that current closures are jeopardizing business, said Perez, who noted that the “meeting industry” had begun moving to other states that allow larger gatherings and that hospitality in the Coachella Valley was particularly hard-hit by the pandemic.
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Reached by phone Wednesday, Hewitt said it was supervisors’ responsibility to weigh public health information along with the needs of businesses and the community.
“We’re destroying our way of life, our standard of living, and putting so many people into abject poverty and despair,” he said of the current shutdown orders.
Still, local public health officials are concerned that reopening could continue to increase the county’s rate of infection.
Riverside County Public Health Officer Cameron Kaiser said during Tuesday’s meeting that red tier conditions were expected to last through the end of the week but noted the county was inching toward dangerous territory.
“There is no good way to say it, but both our positivity rate and case rate are still rising,” Kaiser said. “If the trend continues, we are informed by the state, we will face the possibility of going backward.”
Jose Araballo, spokesman for the county’s Public Health Department, said the agency couldn’t make policy, regardless of any fluctuations or increases in COVID-19 case rates, and that it would gear its efforts toward whatever the board decided.
But the battle between the virus and the economy that has been playing out across much of the nation was very much present during the 5½-hour meeting, when numerous residents pleaded with supervisors to reopen the county.
“The people who oppose the reopening are still getting paid, so how long for the rest of us?” said one resident who identified herself as Tina D. “How long for our kids, how long for our churches? ... The governor’s bar keeps rising. We the people feel like we’ve been sold out as you’ve given into this fear.”
Helen Joy, a 23-year emergency room nurse, said she knew COVID-19 was “not a hoax” but also argued in favor of reopening.
“I choose not to be selfish,” she said.
But the original, more aggressive reopening plan some residents wanted could have jeopardized up to $114 million in state and federal funding, according to Riverside County CEO George Johnson.
“If there is a deviation from following the state’s guidance,” Johnson said, “that’s where the risk comes into play.”
Spiegel also expressed concern that reopening could provide businesses with a “false sense of hope,” particularly if they reopen and are then forced to close.
Many business licenses, such as liquor licenses and cosmetic licenses, are state-issued, she said, and any deviations from state guidelines could expose them to retaliation.
“If we tick off the governor, we can’t help any business who loses its liquor license by going against the state,” Spiegel said. “I just hope that everybody understands that.”
The newer version of the reopening plan should help keep the county in compliance with state guidelines and prevent the loss of funds, officials said.
And although Spiegel emphasized that Riverside’s reopening plan was mostly in line with the state’s, she also noted that there would be a continued emphasis on public health and safety.
“Businesses owners overwhelmingly want to open, while people who are health-oriented tend to be more fearful of possible spreading,” Spiegel said on the phone Wednesday. “But we have always said that we need to wear masks, keep our distance, wash our hands. If you don’t like it, do it for somebody else. Do it for businesses to open. Do it for your family.”
Hewitt, who drafted the original proposal two weeks ago, said the motion to remove target dates from the revised reopening plan was what ultimately pushed him to vote against it.
“Am I the person that is pushing more for opening up than anybody else? By far,” he said. “But this is the single biggest issue of our time. We have got to get back to being prosperous.”


latimes--2020-10-07--Chinese developer agrees to pay $1 million in City Hall bribery and corruption case

The subsidiary of a China-based real estate company has agreed to pay $ 1.05 million to resolve a federal investigation into its involvement in the ongoing City Hall bribery and corruption scandal , federal prosecutors said Wednesday .
In a deal struck with the U.S. Attorney ’ s Office in Los Angeles , Jia Yuan USA Co. Inc. will pay the penalty and continue cooperating with the federal government in its probe of Councilman José Huizar and other figures , according to a copy of the agreement .
In exchange , the government agreed not to pursue criminal charges against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. Attorney ’ s Office said it had decided not to prosecute because company officials had taken responsibility for its conduct in a “ timely ” way , fired a real estate consultant who later pleaded guilty in the corruption probe and cooperated with investigators .
The agreement does not prevent prosecutors from charging individuals who work at Jia Yuan USA or its Chinese parent company , Shenzhen Hazens .
Jia Yuan USA , based in Arcadia , was set up to redevelop the Luxe City Center Hotel in downtown Los Angeles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a much taller hotel and residential towers .
Huizar , as head of the City Council ’ s powerful planning committee , helped secure approval of the project , which was located in his district , after receiving benefits from the company and some of its employees , prosecutors said .
In the agreement , Jia Yuan admitted that Shenzhen Hazens partially paid for the Huizar family ’ s trip to China , covering such costs as transportation , meals and theme park tickets .
The developer also confirmed that a Jia Yuan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concert tickets after he and and former Deputy Mayor Ray Chan — identified in the filing as Individual 1 — helped resolve an issue at a Hazens hotel involving compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act .
The three tickets were valued at $ 1,000 , according to the agreement .
Chan ’ s attorney , Harland Braun , said Wednesday that his client was not involved in the alleged bribery scheme and had “ nothing to do with anything corrupt.
” Braun portrayed Chan , who worked for Mayor Eric Garcetti in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ servant who was “ stuck in the middle ” between Huizar and the hotel developer .
Huizar has pleaded not guilty to racketeering , bribery and other federal charges .
His attorney had no comment on the filing .
A lawyer for Jia Yuan USA did not immediately respond .
The wide-ranging criminal probe has netted guilty pleas from Councilman Mitchell Englander , former Huizar aide George Esparza and Justin Jangwoo Kim , a former city planning commissioner who raised money for Huizar and others .
In its agreement , Jia Yuan also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. political candidates by hosting reduced-cost fundraising events at the Luxe hotel .
Some of those events took place at the direction of a foreign national barred from participating in U.S. elections , investigators said .
On three occasions , the hotel provided fundraising events for free , receiving payment only after the candidates became aware of the federal corruption probe , prosecutors said .
Although the candidates were not named , The Times reported last year that several politicians , including U.S. Rep. Judy Chu and Los Angeles City Council members Herb @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fundraisers at the Luxe without paying the hotel for those services .
All three said they never received invoices from the hotel and paid the bill after being contacted by The Times .
Jia Yuan employees also made campaign contributions to U.S. political candidates that were later reimbursed by the company at the direction of a foreign national , who was prohibited from participating in U.S. elections , prosecutors said .
Those candidates also were not named in the agreement .
However , the document does provide some specifics on Huizar .
At @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the councilman boasted in a text that his office told Garcetti ’ s staff to have the planning commission “ calm down ” when reviewing the hotel project .
Planning commissioners , Huizar wrote , “ throw a lot of junk at projects these days , ” according to the agreement .
Jia Yuan USA also said Huizar attempted to get the company to make a $ 100,000 donation to a political action committee , or PAC , supporting his wife ’ s bid for City Council .
Huizar voted in June 2018 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agreement for the Luxe project .
Six days later , he wrote a text message to a consultant for Shenzhen Hazens saying he and the developer needed to finalize PAC “ stuff , ” according to the agreement .
Prosecutors described that message as an attempt by Huizar to lock down a donation for his wife .
Huizar raised the contribution issue again with the consultant a month later , according to the agreement .
And he did again in October 2018 , prosecutors said , telling the consultant they needed to “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Luxe .
Fuer Yuan , chairman of Shenzen Hazens , asked the company ’ s real estate consultant , George Chiang , whether such a contribution would be proper and said Chiang needed to determine whether such a move would be permitted , the company said in its agreement with federal prosecutors .
Yuan ultimately opted not to provide the $ 100,000 , prosecutors said .
Nevertheless , Chiang told Huizar that the company had agreed to make the donation , prosecutors said .
Chiang pleaded guilty in June to a racketeering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ February .

The subsidiary of a China-based real estate company has agreed to pay $1.05 million to resolve a federal investigation into its involvement in the ongoing City Hall bribery and corruption scandal, federal prosecutors said Wednesday.
In a deal struck with the U.S. attorney’s affice in Los Angeles, Jia Yuan USA Co. will pay the penalty and continue cooperating with the federal government in its probe of Councilman José Huizar and other figures, according to a copy of the agreement. In exchange, the government agreed not to pursue criminal charges against the company.
In a statement, the U.S. attorney’s office said it had decided not to prosecute because company officials had taken responsibility for its conduct in a “timely” way, fired a real estate consultant who later pleaded guilty in the corruption probe and cooperated with investigators. The agreement does not prevent prosecutors from charging individuals who work at Jia Yuan USA or its Chinese parent company, Shenzhen Hazens.
Jia Yuan USA, based in Arcadia, was set up to redevelop the Luxe City Center Hotel in downtown Los Angeles, replacing the existing nine-story hotel with a much taller hotel and residential towers.
Huizar, as head of the City Council’s powerful planning committee, helped secure approval of the project, which was located in his district, after receiving benefits from the company and some of its employees, prosecutors said.
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In the agreement, Jia Yuan admitted that Shenzhen Hazens partially paid for the Huizar family’s trip to China, covering such costs as transportation, meals and theme park tickets.
The developer also confirmed that a Jia Yuan employee had provided Huizar with Katy Perry concert tickets after he and former Deputy Mayor Ray Chan — identified in the filing as Individual 1 — helped resolve an issue at a Hazens hotel involving compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act.
The three tickets were valued at $1,000, according to the agreement.
Chan’s attorney, Harland Braun, said Wednesday that his client was not involved in the alleged bribery scheme and had “nothing to do with anything corrupt.” Braun portrayed Chan, who worked for Mayor Eric Garcetti in 2016 and 2017, as a civil servant who was “stuck in the middle” between Huizar and the hotel developer.
Huizar has pleaded not guilty to racketeering, bribery and other federal charges. His attorney had no comment on the filing. A lawyer for Jia Yuan USA did not immediately respond.
The wide-ranging criminal probe has netted guilty pleas from Councilman Mitchell Englander, former Huizar aide George Esparza and Justin Jangwoo Kim, a former city planning commissioner who raised money for Huizar and others.
In its agreement, Jia Yuan also admitted providing in-kind campaign contributions to several U.S. political candidates by hosting reduced-cost fundraising events at the Luxe hotel. Some of those events took place at the direction of a foreign national barred from participating in U.S. elections, investigators said.
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On three occasions, the hotel provided fundraising events for free, receiving payment only after the candidates became aware of the federal corruption probe, prosecutors said.
Although the candidates were not named, The Times reported last year that several politicians, including U.S. Rep. Judy Chu and Los Angeles City Council members Herb Wesson and Monica Rodriguez, held political fundraisers at the Luxe without paying the hotel for those services. All three said they never received invoices from the hotel and paid the bill after being contacted by The Times.
Jia Yuan employees also made campaign contributions to U.S. political candidates that were later reimbursed by the company at the direction of a foreign national, who was prohibited from participating in U.S. elections, prosecutors said.
Those candidates also were not named in the agreement. However, the document does provide some specifics on Huizar.
At one point, the agreement says, the councilman boasted in a text that his office told Garcetti’s staff to have the planning commission “calm down” when reviewing the hotel project. Planning commissioners, Huizar wrote, “throw a lot of junk at projects these days,” according to the agreement.
Jia Yuan USA also said Huizar attempted to get the company to make a $100,000 donation to a political action committee, or PAC, supporting his wife’s bid for City Council.
Huizar voted in June 2018 to approve the city’s development agreement for the Luxe project. Six days later, he wrote a text message to a consultant for Shenzhen Hazens saying he and the developer needed to finalize PAC “stuff,” according to the agreement.
Prosecutors described that message as an attempt by Huizar to lock down a donation for his wife.
Huizar raised the contribution issue again with the consultant a month later, according to the agreement. And he did again in October 2018, prosecutors said, telling the consultant they needed to “tie up some loose ends” on the Luxe.
Fuer Yuan, chairman of Shenzen Hazens, asked the company’s real estate consultant, George Chiang, whether such a contribution would be proper and said Chiang needed to determine whether such a move would be permitted, the company said in its agreement with federal prosecutors. Yuan ultimately opted not to provide the $100,000, prosecutors said.
Nevertheless, Chiang told Huizar that the company had agreed to make the donation, prosecutors said.
Chiang pleaded guilty in June to a racketeering charge. His sentencing is scheduled for February.


latimes--2020-10-07--Rep. Salud Carbajal of Santa Barbara tests positive for COVID-19

Rep. Salud Carbajal ( D-Santa Barbara ) has tested positive for the coronavirus as an outbreak centered on the White House and Capitol Hill continues to widen .
Carbajal announced Monday that he had been exposed to an infected person , but an initial test came back negative .
That person appears to have been Sen. Mike Lee ( R-Utah ) , who said Friday that he had the virus .
Carbajal had recently interacted with Lee a few times in passing , according to Carbajal ’ s office .
After experiencing mild symptoms , Carbajal got tested again on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ result .
In a written statement , he pledged to quarantine for 14 days and to work from home in Washington , D.C. “ I hope this serves as a reminder of how easily this virus can spread .
I followed every precaution , including wearing a mask , social distancing , and hand-washing and unfortunately was still exposed , ” Carbajal said in the statement .
“ It is incumbent on every single one of us to take careful precautions in order to protect the health and safety of those around us.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ staff were already working remotely .
Those he saw in person have tested negative “ or are pursuing a test , ” according to the statement .
Carbajal joins more than 30 officials in Washington , including President Trump , who have been infected with the coronavirus .
Most are Republicans .
Lee was more than 100 people who attended the announcement of Judge Amy Coney Barrett ’ s in the White House Rose Garden almost two weeks ago .
widely circulated on social media shows Lee , who is not wearing a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Trump , those who have tested positive since attending the ceremony include Sen. Thom Tillis ( R-NC ) , former New Jersey Gov .
Chris Christie , former Trump senior advisor Kellyanne Conway and First Lady Melania Trump .

Rep.-elect Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) speaks with Telemundo outside the U.S. Capitol in 2016.
Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) has tested positive for the coronavirus as an outbreak centered on the White House and Capitol Hill continues to widen.
Carbajal announced Monday that he had been exposed to an infected person, but an initial test came back negative. That person appears to have been Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), who said Friday that he had the virus.
Carbajal had recently interacted with Lee a few times in passing, according to Carbajal’s office.
After experiencing mild symptoms, Carbajal got tested again on Tuesday, this time with a positive result. In a written statement, he pledged to quarantine for 14 days and to work from home in Washington, D.C.
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“I hope this serves as a reminder of how easily this virus can spread. I followed every precaution, including wearing a mask, social distancing, and hand-washing and unfortunately was still exposed,” Carbajal said in the statement. “It is incumbent on every single one of us to take careful precautions in order to protect the health and safety of those around us.”
Most members of Carbajal’s staff were already working remotely. Those he saw in person have tested negative “or are pursuing a test,” according to the statement.
Carbajal joins more than 30 officials in Washington, including President Trump, who have been infected with the coronavirus. Most are Republicans.
Lee was among more than 100 people who attended the announcement of Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s Supreme Court nomination in the White House Rose Garden almost two weeks ago. A video widely circulated on social media shows Lee, who is not wearing a mask, hugging people.
Besides Lee and Trump, those who have tested positive since attending the ceremony include Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC), former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former Trump senior advisor Kellyanne Conway and First Lady Melania Trump.