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June 1, 2017, 12:23 p.m.

The California Assembly has decided not to continue its contract with former U.S. Atty. Gen. Eric Holder, even as the Senate says it plans to keep him as outside counsel for legal strategy against the Trump administration.

Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Paramount) said in a statement that Holder's firm, Covington & Burling, has provided "valuable guidance" since itwashired on a short-term contract in February.

"We will continue to seek their guidance as the need arises," Rendon said.

The Senate, meanwhile, said it plans to continue with its high-profile hire, which signaled the aggressive posture California was taking against President Trump.

Dan Reeves, chief of staff to Senate leader Kevin de Len (D-Los Angeles) said the firm's "advice and guidance has been very valuable to the Senate in responding to the Trump administration's sustained attack on California's polices and values."

"We currently have a number of ongoing projects with Covington and plan to continue that valuable relationship," Reeves continued.

He did not specify how the Senate plans to pay to continue its work with Covington. The contract initially from February through April and then extended for one additional month was set at $25,000 per month, split between the operating budgets of both houses, with a limit on 40 hours of attorney work each month.

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California Assembly decides not to retain former US Atty. Gen. Eric Holder as outside counsel, parting from Senate - Los Angeles Times

SOPHIA BOLLAG AND JONATHAN J. COOPER

ASSOCIATED PRESS | June 2, 2017, 9:21AM

| Updated 5 hours ago.

SACRAMENTO California lawmakers took steps to address the state's affordable housing shortage Thursday by passing bills to speed construction and generate money for subsidized housing.

The measures are among hundreds of bills approved by the Legislature this week ahead of a Friday deadline for bills to pass out of the chamber where they originated.

Lawmakers also passed bills to protect immigrants, alter the teacher tenure process and prohibit police from enforcing federal marijuana laws that conflict with state law.

Both the Senate and the Assembly approved measures to speed housing creation by streamlining building regulations, among about a dozen housing bills passed by lawmakers Thursday.

The authors of the bills say they need to pass a combination of measures to address the state's housing crisis. An estimated 1.5 million California families lack access to affordable housing. The state also has disproportionately high rates of homelessness.

SB35 removes some development restrictions in cities that fall behind on housing production goals. It passed 23-12 in the Senate. AB73 rewards cities for streamlining the approval of housing, particularly for developments near public transportation. It passed the Assembly 46-19.

The Senate also voted 30-9 to put a $3 billion bond for affordable housing on the ballot.

"We need a comprehensive solution to address the housing crisis," said Assemblyman David Chiu, a San Francisco Democrat who authored AB73.

The California state Senate also approved a measure that would prohibit the state from contracting with companies that bid to build President Donald Trump's proposed border wall. Senators voted 23-16 Thursday to send the bill to the Assembly.

The state shouldn't do business with companies that work on the project, which is harmful to immigrant families and the environment, said Sen. Ricardo Lara, a Democrat from Bell Gardens.

Sen. Jeff Stone said the bill would "promote political discrimination." The state shouldn't blacklist companies bidding on a lucrative contract, the Temecula Republican said.

The state Assembly also approved measures to train defense attorneys on immigration law and protect college students from federal immigration officials.

The Assembly also voted to keep state and local police from helping enforce federal anti-marijuana laws that conflict with state law.

Californians voted to legalize recreational cannabis in November. Federal law still prohibits marijuana use.

The measure by Assembly Reggie Jones-Sawyer would shield Californians complying with state cannabis regulations, such as those legally operating shops selling marijuana, from being detained, reported or arrested by state or local police.

The Los Angeles Democrat's bill comes amid uncertainty surrounding how President Donald Trump's administration will deal with states that have legalized marijuana.

It has been compared to the so-called "sanctuary state" bill advancing through the Legislature that would prohibit police from cooperating with federal immigration enforcement.

"First it was immigration, now it's enforce of our federal drug laws," said Assemblyman Travis Allen, a Republican from Huntington Beach who opposes the bill. "This is insanity."

Lawmakers passed a bill by Assemblywoman Shirley Weber that would give public school teachers three years to earn a permanent status designation known as tenure. The current two-year process is too short and not flexible enough, said Weber, a San Diego Democrat.

The bill passed the Assembly 59-3 Thursday with bipartisan support. All lawmakers who voted against the bill and most who abstained are Democrats.

Assemblyman Tony Thurmond, a Richmond Democrat who didn't vote on the bill, said it doesn't address the right problems in schools.

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California lawmakers pass bills to address housing shortage - Santa Rosa Press Democrat

NORFOLK

It was legal for the city's Democratic Party chairman to offer a prospective House of Delegates candidate at least $5,000 to run for School Board instead, according to a special prosecutor.

Lynchburg Commonwealth's Attorney Michael Doucette said Linwood Fisher's offer of financial and political support to Joe Dillard Jr. did not amount to bribery. He noted that Fisher wasn't asking Dillard, the head of the NAACP in Norfolk, to perform any special favors for him in office.

"There is absolutely no evidence that any money offered by Mr. Fisher ... was with the intent to influence any act by Dillard in his potentially official capacity as either a member of the Norfolk School Board or the Virginia House of Delegates," Doucette wrote in a two-page letter to Norfolk Circuit Judge Junius Fulton. "Many of us legally contribute money to office candidates with no such intent and with no violation of the bribery laws."

Fisher said Friday he knew from the beginning he did nothing wrong.

"It feels pretty nice to be vindicated," he said.

Dillard is running against attorney Jay Jones for the Democratic nomination in the 89th District race. The seat is held by Del. Daun Hester, who is stepping down to run for city treasurer.

Doucette was appointed to investigate following an unusual chain of events. Without Dillard's authority, activist Michael Muhammad wrote Commonwealth's Attorney Greg Underwood in March alleging Fisher offered Dillard $10,000 to not run for the House. Underwood recused himself from any decision and requested a special prosecutor, prompting Doucette's appointment. Doucette then asked the state police to investigate.

During an April 26 interview with police, Dillard said Fisher offered him between $5,000 and $10,000 on Jan. 27 to run for School Board. Doucette said the House election did not come up, but it would be natural to conclude that he would not be able to run for both seats at the same time.

Dillard said he contacted Fisher on Feb. 9 to turn down the offer, according to Doucette. Dillard contacted Fisher again two days later to say he was running for the House seat.

News of Dillard's candidacy broke Feb. 13.

Dillard told the state police he did not know how Muhammad learned of the offer but said he didn't tell him, Doucette's statement said. Dillard added that he did not ask Muhammad to speak on his behalf and at no time believed Fisher had done anything wrong.

Community activist and onetime mayoral candidate Michael Muhammadmet with supporters near the Park Avenue Market in Norfolk on April 24, 2014.

In an email to Doucette, Muhammad rejected Dillard's statement to police as "unfactual."

Later in an interview,Muhammad said he talked to Dillard about what he'd heard from other Democrats and asked whether it was OK to go public. He said Dillard responded, "Mike, do what you gotta do."

Muhammadalso blasted the quality of the investigation, questioning whether police spoke with anyone besides Dillard.

"This wasn't an investigation. They took a politically advantageous statement from him and shut it down," Muhammad said, arguingDillard is wary of picking fights with the city's political power players.

Muhammad's original letter to Underwood said the offer was made on behalf of Evans Poston, a Democrat and Norfolk's commissioner of the revenue.

Poston, who is running for re-election, and Fisher said in March that Muhammads claims were untrue. Poston described the allegations as "election-year politics at its worst.

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Norfolk Democrat did offer House candidate money to run for School Board, but that's not a bribe, prosecutor says - Virginian-Pilot

First came the photo: comedian Kathy Griffin posing with the severed head of President Trump. Then came the apology and the consequences, with Griffin losing her plum New Years Eve hosting gig with CNN.

Now, Griffin appears in a political ad from a Republican super PAC, attempting to wrangle Georgia Democrat Jon Ossoff into a controversy that had mostly run its course.

Liberal extremists have gone too far, says a narrator in the new spot. Now a celebrity Jon Ossoff supporter is making jokes about beheading the president of the United States.

The Congressional Leadership Fund, a Republican super PAC, released an video attacking Georgia Democrat Jon Ossoff. (Congressional Leadership Fund)

The ad is part of a $6.5 million anti-Ossoff effort waged by the Congressional Leadership Fund, a well-funded outfit tied to House GOP leaders that has previously sought to paint the Democrat seeking to represent Georgias 6th congressional district as a pawn of out-of-state liberal donors and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).

While celebrity support for the Democrat has been a theme of GOP attacks, FEC records show that Griffin has never donated money to Ossoffs campaign. What she did do and what is the only evidence CLF offered of her support is retweet actress Alyssa Milano urging voters to support Ossoff on March 27. That was the first day of early voting for the elections preliminary round and around the time when several other celebrities traveled to Georgia to get out the vote.

Jon Ossoff has refused to denounce his supporter Kathy Griffin for over 48 hours after posting distributing images of her and President Trump. His silence speaks volumes, explained Corry Bliss, CLFs executive director. To disagree with a president, or any elected official, on issues or beliefs is normal and often even celebrated in our democracy, but the actions coming from extreme liberals like Kathy Griffin have absolutely no place in civil discourse.

But Ossoff had not been asked any questions about Griffin, said Ossoff spokeswoman Sacha Haworth. TMZ published the photo on Tuesday at 1:53 p.m. Eastern. Six hours later, Griffin released a short video apologizing for the photo and promising to scrap any future use of it.

The CLF has spent months trying to weaken Ossoffs appeal to swing voters by tying him to left-wing activism and California donors. On March 31, it released an ad that showed anarchists smashing windows to protest Trumps inauguration and warned that they want Ossoff, a message repeated in the Griffin ad.

Jon Ossoff believes what Kathy Griffin did was despicable and for Karen Handels super PAC to say otherwise is a disgrace, said Ossoff spokeswoman Sacha Haworth. Karen Handel should immediately demand this ad be pulled before any more children have to see these disturbing images on TV.

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GOP super PAC tries to tie Georgia Democrat to Kathy Griffin - Washington Post

Democrat to seek Gohmert seat in Congress Longview News-Journal The government should take care of its citizens' collective needs, and the markets need a free hand on the rest, a Democrat hoping to represent East Texas in Congress said Thursday. Political newcomer Brent Beal said he would represent everyone in the ...

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Democrat to seek Gohmert seat in Congress - Longview News-Journal