The U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco will rule this morning on whether Proposition 8 is constitutional. Regardless of its content, the ruling is expected to move the voter-approved ban on gay marriage to the U.S. Supreme Court...
After having spent his first month as San Francisco sheriff without an executive board, Ross Mirkarimi has named campaign opponent Paul Miyamoto as Assistant Sheriff. He has yet to name a Chief of Staff. Mirkarimi is making the appointments amid his own legal troubles; his trial for the misdemeanor domestic abuse charges is set for the end of the month...
Others are waiting for action on their own cases. San Jose State University graduate Atul Lall was attacked two months ago in an incident he alleges was racially motivated; however, he was told the hate crime investigation he filed was delayed due to budget cuts in the city of San Jose. At a press conference, San Jose police chief Chris Moore said lack of clear communication between police and Calcutta-born Lall may have also been a factor in the case. Police have a sketch of the suspect and are asking the public for assistance...
City officials in Oakland may also be in need of assistance this morning. The international hacker group Anonymous made public the private contact information of Oakland Mayor Jean Quan, police Chief Howard Jordan and ten other public officials, including all eight city council members. Only council member-at-large Rebecca Kaplan was left alone; Anonymous thanked her for her leadership...
Wealthy civil rights attorney Molly Munger is one of the two proponents of a ballot initiative that would increase taxes, particularly on those with larger incomes, and use the money to fund public education. Advisors to Governor Jerry Brown are concerned the initiative will confuse voters; the Governor is proposing a half-cent sales tax increase as well as raising the income tax on the state's highest earners.
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