John Perez

San Francisco state Sen. Mark Leno's fake campaign generating real money for Democrats

By: Melissa Griffin 04/10/13 9:53 PM

In early February, state Sen. Mark Leno of San Francisco quietly opened a campaign account called Mark Leno for Lieutenant Governor 2018. He told me he wouldn’t run when the position is next up for election in 2014 because he plans to serve out his current and final term as state senator, which ends in 2016. Read More

John Perez tries to block media from the Assembly

By: Melissa Griffin 01/13/13 5:00 AM

This year, state Assembly Speaker John Perez reversed a protocol in the chambers by announcing a rule banning media interviews on the Assembly floor. He later amended it to require all conversations to be held in the back of the Assembly in a designated area, though he left intact a new rule that prevents reporters from approaching assembly members after the session has ended, leaving media to stand outside the chambers. Read More

Please save us from another lieutenant governor term by Gavin Newsom

By: Melissa Griffin 12/06/12 9:05 PM

Assembly Speaker John Perez (D-Los Angeles) has opened an account to collect funds for a run to be Lieutenant Governor in 2018. Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento) has already collected over $500,000 in contributions to run for the same position, but it’s unlikely that the Democratic Party powerhouses will run against each other. Read More

Former SF District Attorney Kamala Harris lays down the law in Sacramento

By: Melissa Griffin 03/28/12 6:10 PM

Former San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris has been one busy lady. As California’s attorney general, she has made online dating sites agree to safety measures, wrestled $2.1 million dollars from Wal-Mart for overcharging customers, and is even going after Bernie Madoff’s estate. One of my favorite legal moves by her office so far is the defense of State Controller John Chiang in a lawsuit brought by State Senator Darrell Steinberg and Assemblyman John Perez. Read More

Middle class being squeezed by college tuition

By: Amy Crawford 03/15/12 7:32 PM

Chad Richards is the oldest of three children in a family that is comfortably middle-class. But with three college tuition bills to pay, they are no strangers to sacrifice. Read More

Card-check tricks in the California Capitol

By: Katy Grimes 04/24/11 8:30 PM

Last week Assembly Speaker John Perez suspended the public notice rule for legislative hearings, allowing an Assembly committee to conduct a surprise hearing on a “card check” bill, and voted to pass it to the next committee. That is not the only sleight of hand going on in the quest to eliminate the secret ballot for union representation. Read More