Jerry Brown

Will Gay Teenagers Be Protected from Mad Therapists and Whacked-Out Parents?

Are you gay and your parents want you to be straight? Have they suggested different "therapies" to make you "normal"? A bill working its way through the California state legislature seeks to protect you from such bad craziness so you can't be forced into shock treatments or any other demented proced ... More >>

Helping the Rich

DREAM Act Signed by California Governor Jerry Brown; Illegal Immigrants to Receive Financial Aid

CHIRLAJerry Brown, after the signing.​Yet another reason for SoCal Republicans to secede, arriving just a couple weeks after gay history was mandated in K-12 textbooks: The first part of the DREAM Act was signed into law today by Governor Jerry Brown, following years of blockage by former Gove ... More >>

California Redevelopment Goes to Wall Street: L.A. Mayor Begs Governor Brown for Mercy, County Supervisor Calls It 'Loan Sharking'

Pretty please, Governor?​Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is intent on saving the L.A. Community Redevelopment Agency -- no matter what it takes. The mayor's latest plea to Governor Jerry Brown (who plans to ax the state's redevelopment agencies unless he's presented with a satisfactory ... More >>

Jerry Brown Sues Sikder Family, Owners Of Koi Restaurant, For 'Worker Exploitation' At Car Washes

​California Attorney General and gubernatorial candidate Jerry Brown is pulling out all the stops in his quest for the Latino vote. After outing challenger Meg Whitman as a former employer of an undocumented housekeeper, on Monday he slapped the owners of TMZ hot-spot restaurant Koi for "worke ... More >>

Should Celebrities Boycott Koi Restaurant After Owners Sued By State For 'Worker Exploitation?'

Koi's dining room, via Facebook.​Koi restaurant on La Cienega Boulevard has become an A-list restaurant, if not in the minds of critics, at least in the minds of celebrities. Along with the Ivy and Mr. Chow, It's a go-to spot to get snapped by paparazzi. Except that its owners, the Sikder Fam ... More >>

Meg Whitman, You've Spent $119 Million On Your Campaign And Jerry Brown Knocked You Down In 48 Hours Flat

whiteafrican via Flickr​Dear Meg (we hope you don't mind -- Mrs. Whitman makes you sound like a little old lady who makes chocolates): You need to look around at your campaign staff and fire someone (maybe two or three people, actually). You've spent $119 million of your own money your run fo ... More >>

Meg Whitman And Jerry Brown First Debate Smackdown; Their Goal: Don't Say Anything Stoopid

​As Jerry Brown and Meg Whitman debate for the first time tonight at 6 on ABC 7 in Los Angeles, advisers are no doubt deep in fear, hoping their candidates avoid: 1)Saying something stupid that can be used in an advertisement, ala, Gerald Ford's gaffe in a 1976 debate that Poland wasn't under th ... More >>

Meg Whitman vs. Jerry Brown Debate, And The Winner Is ...

Meg Whitman.​So what did you think? We think Republican Meg Whitman seemed canned and a little stiff in her first debate with Democratic challenger Jerry Brown in their race for governor of the nation's most-populous state. Brown joked (because of his time in office he said he has put in more ... More >>

Meg Whitman Aims The Stink Of Bell Salary Scandal At Jerry Brown: As Oakland Mayor He Had The State's Highest Paid City Administrator

Randy Bayne via Flickr​This summer Jerry Brown has been all over the Bell salary scandal, calling the millions in pay for city officials there "unbelievable," and "outrageous." He even sued, as Attorney General, to get cash back. His Republican opponent for California governor, Meg Whitman, is ca ... More >>

Jerry Brown To Make Announcement On Bell Salary Scandal; Announces Expansion Of Probe To Include Other Governments

​The office of state Attorney General Jerry Brown announced "a major new development" in its investigation of the exorbitant salaries given to Bell city officials. In July the A.G.'s office announced its investigation; the next month Brown subpoenaed personal financial records of the highly pa ... More >>

Five Reasons Meg Whitman Is Looking Like a Slight Favorite

​Republican candidate for governor and former Ebay doyenne Meg Whitman came to the Weekly's hometown of Culver City Tuesday, and though she didn't stop by the office, she was at nearby Function Drinks, a high-end beverage maker, for a town hall style meeting. (Function Drinks sample product: U ... More >>

Jerry Brown To Sue Bell Officials Over Big Pay; Indictments Could Be Coming

​Attorney General Jerry Brown, who is also the Democratic candidate for governor, announced Wednesday that his office would file lawsuits against eight former Bell officials, including former city manager Robert Rizzo, "to get the money back.'' "We are filing our lawsuit on behalf of the publ ... More >>

Bill Clinton Endorses Jerry Brown

​Monday Jerry Brown made a foolish and gratuitous swipe at Bill Clinton, making a subtle reference to Monica Lewinsky. (Follow the link for the back story.) Clinton decided to be the bigger man and endorse Brown, thereby making it a one-day story. "I strongly support Jerry Brown for governo ... More >>

Jerry Brown With Gaffe Of Gaffes About Bill Clinton

​Suddenly a question that's always been asked about Jerry Brown is back in the forefront: What planet is he living on? This time, he's decided that publicly insulting former President Bill Clinton would be a good idea in a year when Democrats are dispirited and need some rousing from such pa ... More >>

Jerry Brown Wants Wronfully Convicted Man Back In Jail

Attorney General Jerry Brown​ Attorney General Jerry Brown filed papers Wednesday seeking to return a man to prison who spent 26 years in jail for being wrongfully convicted of killing his mother, according to court documents. The motion, filed in U.S. District courts, requested that Bruce Li ... More >>

Bruce Lisker Case: Attorney General's Office Reconsiders Bid To Put Innocent Man Back In Jail

Attorney General Jerry Brown​ The California Attorney General's office on Thursday stated it was reconsidering a bid to put Bruce Lisker, the man wrongly convicted in the murder of his mother, back in prison. "We're certainly reviewing the motion," A.G. spokesman Jim Finefrock told the Weekly. ... More >>

Meg Whitman May Have Broken Through Against Jerry Brown; Up In New Poll

​The California governor's race has been fairly stable this summer. Jerry Brown has a long history and celebrity in this state, has spent barely a dime of his campaign money but has a campaign operation that hasn't always been stellar (the other day Obama made a fundraising pitch for him and i ... More >>

Mahmoud Karkehabadi, Producer Who Made Flavor Flav Movie, Charged In $9 Million Ponzi Scheme

​A Laguna Niguel B-movie producer who made, among other things, a film starring Flavor Flav, was charged this week with masterminding a $9 million Ponzi scheme that promised 35 percent returns for investors in his flicks. Alliance Group Entertainment owner Mahmoud Karkehabadi, the 53-year-old ... More >>

Jerry Brown And Steve Cooley Merge Bell Investigations; Bipartisan Camera Mugging

Bell residents​Attorney General Jerry Brown and Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley put out a terse statement that was nevertheless incredibly intriguing: They'll be coordinating their investigations of potential voter fraud and public corruption in the city of Bell. The small ci ... More >>

Pot Advocates Have High Hopes For Jerry Brown In Gubernatorial Race: Meg Whitman Harshes Their Mellow

​Medical marijuana advocates who want to end the practice of eliminating job candidates and firing employees who use pot with a doctor's okay have high hopes that gubernatorial candidate Jerry Brown will get elected and sign a law that stops the practices. In 2008 the legislature passed a bil ... More >>

Jerry Brown Or Meg Whitman? Your Phone Is A 'Tell'

Gizmodo​It might be a little scary knowing that pollsters and political operatives can take one look at you or, rather, at your mobile phone, and have some idea of who you will vote for in California's November gubernatorial race. That is, at least if you have one of the two most-popular smart ... More >>

Salaries Gone Wild: Attorney General Jerry Brown Subpoenas Bell Salary Documents

Jerry Brown.​California Attorney General Jerry Brown on Monday "subpoenaed hundreds of employment, salary, and contract records from the city of Bell and its top officials" as part of a state investigation into the city's extraordinary salaries for top officials, according to an statement from ... More >>

Jerry Brown Calls Bell City Salaries 'Unbelievable,' 'Outrageous'

​Speaking on Fox Business Network's Cavuto (to air at 6 p.m.) show Monday, Attorney General Jerry Brown called the oversize salaries of some Bell city officials "unbelievable and outrageous." Brown announced Monday that he has "subpoenaed hundreds of employment, salary, and contract records ... More >>

Attorney General Jerry Brown To Investigate Astonishing Salaries Earned By Some Bell City Officials

​Attorney General Jerry Brown on Thursday announced that his office would investigate the sky-high salaries of some Bell city officials, according to KNX 1070 Newsradio. Brown's announcement came as the Bell City Council went into a closed session meeting that could result in the firings or r ... More >>

Meg Whitman's Uphill Battle

She's fashionable as an outsider, but that guarantees nothing against Jerry Brown

Jerry Brown Joins Bill O'Reilly In Support Of Family's Suit Against Anti-Gay Protesters

Jerry Brown.​California Attorney Jerry Brown has joined a lawsuit brought by the family of a late Twentynine Palms Marine whose funeral was protested by anti-gay demonstrators, and Brown's move puts him on the same page as conservative commentator Bill O'Reilly, who has backed the family. "Di ... More >>

Jerry Brown Aims $40 Million Fraud Suit At Former California Retirement Plan Head, 'Middle Man'

Jerry Brown.​Attorney General Jerry Brown announced he has filed a fraud lawsuit against the former head of the California Public Employees' Retirement System and a middleman accused of wining and dining him in order to procure $40 million in commissions from the massive investment pool based ... More >>

200 Pounds Of Meth And Heroin Seized In SoCal

Yuma County Narcotics Task ForceThis is your face on meth.​What does 119 pounds of meth look like? Oh, about yay-high, lives in a trailer park, missing some teeth. But seriously, that's a lot of country crack, and it was seized right here in Southern California. Attorney General Jerry Brown, ... More >>

Corey Haim Went 'Doctor Shopping' For Prescription Drugs

Corey Haim.​Attorney General Jerry Brown said Tuesday that an investigation revealed actor Corey Haim went doctor shopping and obtained 533 prescription doses in the month before his death, including more than 195 tablets of Valium, 194 tablets of Soma, 149 tablets of Vicodin and 15 tablets of ... More >>

Jerry Brown Says He'll Consider A Legal Challenge To 'Obama Care'

Attorney General Jerry Brown.​California Attorney Jerry Brown said late Tuesday he'd consider challenging President Obama's "universal coverage" health-care law at the behest of some of the state's Republican leaders, but he didn't sound enthusiastic about it (to say the least). Ever the team ... More >>

Corey Haim's Death Tied To Illicit Prescription Drug Ring

​The death of actor Corey Haim this week was tied to an illegal prescription drug ring, California Attorney General Jerry Brown announced Friday afternoon. Brown's office stated an "illegal and massive prescription-drug ring" was linked to the death of Corey Haim" after an "unauthorized" pres ... More >>

Attorney General Jerry Brown Slows Down Early Releases

Jerry Brown.​California Attorney General Jerry Brown effectively tapped the brakes on early releases from local jails by issuing an opinion that a parole reform law designed to get convicts out earlier does not apply retroactively to time served. As a result, those behind bars will have to wai ... More >>

It's The '70s Again: Pot Is Everywhere, Our Pocketbooks Are Stagflated, And Jerry Brown Is On His Way To Gubernatorial Sequel

Get out your bell-bottom pants. Attorney General Jerry Brown is aiming for a gubernatorial sequel, and he's tapping his old pals in Hollywood for the dough. Moguls obliged to the tune of more than $1 million at a local event over the weekend, and Brown hasn't even officially thrown his hat in the ri ... More >>

L.A. City Council Members Set To Earn More Pay Than The Governor Of California

​Thats right folks. If the a state pay commission has its way the governor's salary and those of other state elected officials will get an 18 percent reduction starting next month, putting the pay for Los Angeles City councilmembers in a rarified air above that of the governor of 36 million pe ... More >>

Pot Topic: Selling Marijuana Out Of Storefronts Simply Illegal, Attorneys Say

At the core of the battle in City Hall to regulate some 800 or so registered medical marijuana dispensaries is the concept of "over-the-counter sales." When the term is brought up, what's really meant is retail, storefront sales -- in contrast with the kind of nonprofit, smoke-what-you-grow "collect ... More >>

Will Mayor Be Emboldened To Dive Into Gov's Race?

A Los Angeles Times/USC poll over the weekend stated that California Democrats are not happy with having only one major gubernatorial candidate, Jerry Brown, who has not even officially announced his intent to run in 2010. San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom's withdrawal from the race last month made t ... More >>

Don't Get Burned by Fake Fire Charities

Zach Behrens at LAist picks up on the warnings already coming out of Jerry Brown's office. Cyclical disasters breed cyclical scams. Behren's notes the state attorney general has set up a pair of Web sites to deal with fraudsters -- one for Giving Wisely and another for Complaints about bogus chariti ... More >>

The Economist: "Villaraigosa Is Not Finished Yet"

"Mr. Villaraigosa is not as Latino as he seems," opines Britain's The Economist. "Intellectually he is no match for Mr. Brown, nor ideologically for Mr. Newsom. But he is a Machiavellian politician, ready to make or cross allies."And these are the mayor's good points, according to the article's uncr ... More >>

All Jerry Brown, All the Time

At Jerry Brown's March L.A. news conference, in which he called the late Anna Nicole Smith's former companion, Howard K. Stern, her "principal enabler," the Attorney General sounded very much like a man making a campaign speech. As in, the 2010 governor's race. His rambling, 17-minute talk denounced ... More >>

The Anna Nicole Smith Indictments and Jerry Brown's Contact High With the Political Power Grid

With a probable run for governor in sight for the A.G., a high-profile celebrity drug case couldn't hurt

Jerry Brown Smashes Doctors' Plot: Anna Nicole Smith Figures Charged

"My hope is that the message goes out that doctors do not have a license to pump innocent and often vulnerable people full of dangerous chemicals."Photo: Steven Mikulan This was Jerry Brown at Friday morning's news conference that had been called to answer questions about the indictment of three ... More >>

Grim Sleeper Returns: He's Murdering Angelenos, as Cops Hunt his DNA

The most elusive serial killer west of the Mississippi took a 13-year break. Now he's back

How Not to Fight Global Warming

Will Sacramento’s “ready, fire, aim” approach backfire?

Prop. 93: Nunez's Term-limits Scam

Voters are clueless that one-third of California's termed-out legislators could stay on

Wake Up and Vote

L.A. Weekly endorsements for next Tuesday’s primary

We Endorse

L.A. Weekly’s choices for June 6

What Would Jerry and Rocky Do?

The Million-Dollar March

Farm workers want Gray Davis to expand their rights and shun big growers/donors

Watt Now, Jerry?

The 'Era of Limits' returns