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Edison told the government that Calderon was an ‘executive.' Now it claims she wasn't.

Edison told the government that Calderon was an ‘executive.' Now it claims she wasn't.

Southern California Edison has repeatedly insisted that its former government affairs manager, state Assemblywoman Lisa Calderon (D-Whittier), was never an executive with the company.
But that's not what Edison told the federal government.
Calderon is sponsoring legislation favored by Edison that would slash the credits that many homeowners receive for generating electricity with rooftop solar panels.
Edison has objected to The Times' identifying Calderon as a former executive for the utility, claiming on its website that the news organization is 'choosing sensationalism over facts.'
But in its official reports to the Federal Election Commission, the political action committee for Edison International — the utility's parent company — listed Calderon's occupation as an executive in more than a dozen filings made before she left the company in 2020 to run for office.
All the filings were signed by the PAC's treasurer saying that 'to the best of my knowledge and belief' the information 'is true, correct and complete.'
Asked to explain the contradiction, Edison spokeswoman Kathleen Dunleavy said that the company was referring in its filings with the commission to a broad class of individuals that met requirements for executive as defined by the commission, but not by Edison itself.
Edison uses the term to 'designate someone in a high position of authority,' she said, such as 'an employee director, vice president or similar title.' Because Edison didn't consider Calderon an executive, she said, others shouldn't either.
Calderon told The Times earlier that she was a senior advisor of government affairs at Edison International. In other biographies, she is described as government affairs director. On Monday, she said her official title was government affairs manager.
For years, she managed the parent company's political action committee.
In a statement, Calderon said she had not filled out the political action committee's reports. Instead they were prepared and filed by the company's law firm, she said.
'Due to her professional responsibilities, she was categorized as an executive for FEC filing purposes,' her office said. 'That does not mean that she was an executive at Edison.'
Calderon's AB 942 would sharply reduce the financial credits that the owners of rooftop panels receive when they send unused power to the grid.
The bill applies to those who installed the panels before April 15, 2023. It would limit the current program's benefits to 10 years — half of the 20-year period that the state had told the rooftop owners they would receive. The bill also would cancel the solar contracts if the homes were sold. It wouldn't apply to customers served by municipal electric utilities.
Edison and the state's other big for-profit utilities have long fought to reduce the energy credits aimed at getting Californians to invest in rooftop solar panels. The popularity of the systems has cut into electricity sales.
Calderon, Edison and other supporters of the bill point to an analysis by the California Public Utility Commission's Public Advocates Office that found the energy credits given to the rooftop owners were increasing the electric bills of those who don't have solar panels.
The bill's first hearing is scheduled for Wednesday.
Edison has been under scrutiny since Jan. 7, when videos captured the devastating Eaton wildfire igniting under one of its transmission towers. The wildfire killed 18 people and destroyed thousands of homes, businesses and other structures in Altadena.
Edison says it is cooperating with investigators working to determine the cause of the inferno.

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5 things to watch in New Jersey's primaries
5 things to watch in New Jersey's primaries

Yahoo

time3 hours ago

  • Yahoo

5 things to watch in New Jersey's primaries

Voters are heading to the polls in New Jersey on Tuesday to choose nominees for the state's gubernatorial race, one of only two in the country this year. The Democratic primary, which features a half-dozen candidates, has remained highly competitive, with Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.) as the front-runner, while the Republican race seems likely settled as President Trump weighed in to endorse front-runner Jack Ciattarelli. Various other primaries are also taking place that could hint at whether the state continues its anti-establishment push that it's seen over the past year. Here are five things to watch for in New Jersey's primaries Tuesday: The Democratic race to succeed term-limited Gov. Phil Murphy (D) has been hotly contested for months, but Sherrill, a four-term House member, enters primary day as the slight favorite. She's consistently led in polling and has started to pull away a bit in the most recent polls, taking as much as a double-digit lead over her next closest opponent. She's also backed by most of the county parties in the population-heavy North Jersey. But there are some reasons for the other candidates, particularly Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, to hope they can secure victory. Even with Sherrill's leads, a quarter or more of voters have said they're undecided, potentially giving someone else an opening, though surveys have shown some late deciders leaning toward Sherrill. An independent poll of the race hasn't been conducted since an Emerson College survey from early last month, possibly obscuring a late shift in the race. And Fulop has received widespread attention for the grassroots campaign he's sought to run, branding himself as an outsider trying to shake things up. He's hoping that message will resonate with voters in the aftermath of the state undergoing a major anti-establishment push last year, which saw the election of Sen. Andy Kim (D-N.J.) on a similar message. Kim and his fellow Democratic Sen. Cory Booker declined to endorse a candidate in the primary. The 2021 GOP gubernatorial nominee, Ciattarelli entered the 2025 race as the favorite to win the nomination again and hasn't given up his advantage since. He's led in polling by significant margins over his next closest opponent, former talk radio host Bill Spadea, and enjoyed a significant fundraising advantage. His likely renomination seems all but assured with Trump formally backing him last month. But Tuesday will still test how unified the GOP is behind Ciattarelli. He's faced attacks from Spadea of not being 'MAGA' enough and supportive enough of Trump. Ciattarelli was once a sharper critic of Trump but has gradually become more favorable toward him. He outperformed expectations four years ago when he came within 3 points of defeating Murphy for reelection, and he and other Republicans are hoping to build on gains they've made in the state recently. But Ciattarelli will need as much backing as he can receive to win in the still blue-leaning New Jersey. Along with his gubernatorial run, Fulop has taken the unusual step of endorsing a slate of progressive candidates in the General Assembly, another test of where the state stands politically. Fulop has thrown his support behind a mix of progressive incumbents and challengers in the primaries under the slogan 'Democrats for Change.' If widely successful, the candidates could significantly reshape the makeup of the Assembly next year. 'The political establishment, they hate that I'm supporting people downballot because it creates accountability, but it's good for you,' he told supporters at one campaign event. Fulop said he's running in a different lane 'that's never been tested in New Jersey.' In many cases, the Fulop-backed candidates are facing off against candidates backed by the county party and Murphy himself. A major statewide candidate simultaneously getting involved in downballot races is a rarity in New Jersey, one with uncertain impacts but part of Fulop's wider vision for the state. Atlantic City is no stranger to its mayors facing legal scrutiny, and its voters will decide the political fate of another one on Tuesday. Mayor Marty Small Sr. (D) is running for reelection to a second term in office, but he's doing so under criminal indictment based on allegations that he physically and emotionally abused his teenage daughter. Prosecutors allege he hit her on the head with a broom multiple times, causing her to lose consciousness, among other incidents. His wife, Atlantic City School District Superintendent La'Quetta Small, has also been accused of abusing their daughter and charged in the case. Marty Small Sr. is facing a primary challenge from Bob McDevitt, a former longtime head of a casino workers union. Small has pleaded not guilty to the charges he faces and told the Philadelphia-based NBC10 that he doesn't think the allegations will be an issue for voters, saying: 'The voters know who I am.' Policy issues like public safety and the city's cleanliness have taken center stage, with Small emphasizing to the outlet the city's progress in reducing crime. McDevitt, meanwhile, has sought to underscore the fear people still have regarding crime. Regardless of the results of the gubernatorial and legislative primaries, Tuesday will be an early test for a new chapter in New Jersey's political history. A political earthquake took place last year when a federal judge struck down the state's long-standing 'county line' ballot design that critics argued gave a preferential ballot spot to the county-endorsed candidate. The judge agreed the ballot design gave party-endorsed candidates a 'distinct advantage,' violating the integrity of the democratic process. The new ballots, in use since last year's primaries, organize candidates by the office they're seeking, but candidates can still run under slogans making clear they're the choice of the county party. The county parties also still exert some influence in candidates receiving critical endorsements from top officials. But an open Democratic gubernatorial primary will be one of the first real tests of county party power. While Sherrill won most county endorsements in the north, former state Senate President Steve Sweeney won most in South Jersey. If Sherrill, Sweeney and the other candidates largely win the counties where they're endorsed, it could signal lingering power of the endorsement even without the line. If they don't, it could indicate a wider shake-up in state political power. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

How the federal immigration raids could disrupt California's economy
How the federal immigration raids could disrupt California's economy

Yahoo

time4 hours ago

  • Yahoo

How the federal immigration raids could disrupt California's economy

President Trump promised a new "golden age" for America, but it's been anything but that for Los Angeles, with its dependence on trade and immigrant labor — two backbones of the region's economy. First, the president's tariffs cut deeply into traffic at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, and now his push to arrest undocumented immigrants at work sites, which has spurred massive protests after Trump deployed the National Guard, threatens a one-two punch to a region just starting its recovery from January's firestorms. "The reality is that the U.S. economy is largely today dependent upon foreign born labor — and in California more so," said Nicholas Eberstadt, a political economist at the American Enterprise Institute, a right-leaning think tank in Washington. "For the country as a whole, we're getting towards 1 out of 5 jobs being filled currently by somebody who was born abroad. In California, it's more like 1 in 3." The crackdown, depending on its scope and scale, could come at a price for industries across Los Angeles and California that have become increasingly dependent on immigrants, here legally or not, economists say. The surge in international migration in the last two decades — both by legal and undocumented workers — has been key to the growth of California's economy. A number of industries such as construction, leisure and hospitality, health care and agriculture rely heavily on immigrant workers. Read more: Home Depot caught in the crosshairs of L.A. immigrations raids Foreign-born Californians account for one-third of all workers at restaurants and warehouses; about 40% in home healthcare and child day care; almost 50% at trucking and lodging businesses; and 60% at services for landscaping and cleaning buildings, according to a Times analysis of 2022 Census Bureau data. Some of the most obvious effects will hit the construction industry, given that the protests began after Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents targeted a Home Depot in Paramount, where casual workers seek employment. Dean Baker, a senior economist at the Center for Economic and Policy Research, a left-leaning think tank in Washington, said the raids will scare off casual workers from congregating in public places, making it more difficult for small contractors to find employees. "This will be a big problem. The question is when does it start to hit," he said. "If you need workers and they aren't there, that really holds up your site. It's going to raise costs. In some cases, projects won't be undertaken. There will be projects they don't bid on." That will raise costs as labor becomes scarce, while undocumented workers might go "underground" where they are less easily detectable, he said. Another sector federal agents have targeted is downtown L.A.'s apparel industry, where some 15,000 workers were employed in 2023 in the Los Angeles Fashion District, designing, making and selling clothes, according a report by prepared for the Los Angeles Fashion District Business Improvement District. On Friday agents took workers into custody at a warehouse operated by Ambiance Apparel, a Los Angeles maker, importer and wholesaler of casual apparel for women and juniors. "You have a lot of garment factories where they're dependent on a lot of immigrant workers," Baker said. "And I'm sure many of those people aren't documented. If these crackdowns continue, you'll see some of those people deported. It's a safe bet that if they didn't have access to the immigrant labor, they'd be out of business." The raids also come at a time when immigration is helping fill a demand for workers as the overall U.S. population ages and baby boomers retire. That's especially true in California because it has been losing many residents to other states, including, more recently, wealthier and higher-income people. California's population, which shrank early in the pandemic, gained 232,570 people from July 1, 2023, to July 1, 2024. Immigrants accounted for 361,057 of those gains, making up for an outflow of 239,375 resident to other states, according to calculations by Brookings demographer William Frey. Eberstadt said the idea that unemployed native-born Americans will somehow pick up the labor slack was given a dry run during the post-pandemic boom in 2022, when there were 12 million open jobs, including 800,000 unfilled in manufacturing — despite the availability of more than 6 million men ages 25 to 54 who had dropped out of the labor force. "It didn't bring a lot of those men on the couch back into the labor force," he said. Surveys have indicated about half of those men say that they're using pain medication daily, with some help other people or around the house. Many spend their day watching screens, he said: "How much of that is health? How much of that is pain? How much of that is psychic pain? It would be great if we had more reportage on this." Read more: Why California's surge in immigration is lifting our economy In the longer term, there also may be a paradoxical effects on wages, especially in California, Texas and Florida, according to a forthcoming research paper in the American Economic Review titled "Immigration, Innovation and Growth." If all undocumented immigrants in the U.S. were deported, after five years, California would see average annual wages decrease by $970, with Florida seeing a decrease of $560, according to the paper. Texas would see a decrease of $187, according to the paper. The theory is that the more productive people you have in an economy, the more it grows, said Tarek Hassan, a professor of economics at Boston University. With immigrants filling jobs, it frees up others to invent, create new patents and figure out ways to make the economy more efficient, which generates wealth. "Immigration in general is good for economic growth," said Hassan, who is a co-author of the paper. "This idea that immigrants take away Americans' jobs is not correct." Read more: Fear and loathing grip L.A. hotels as Trump deportation threats loom Meanwhile, the local economy already has taken a hit from the on-and-off tariffs Trump announced in April, with the Port of Los Angeles processing 25% less cargo than forecast for May, Gene Seroka, executive director of the Port of Los Angeles, said in an interview. That has resulted in dwindling job opportunities at the port, which along with the neighboring Port of Long Beach — the largest port complex in the country — provide jobs for thousands of dockworkers, heavy equipment operators and truck drivers. Nearly half of the longshoremen who support operations at the Los Angeles port went without work over the last two weeks. Over the last 25 work shifts, only 733 jobs were available for 1,575 longshoremen looking for work, he said. 'They haven't been laid off, but they're not working nearly as much as they did previously,' Seroka told The Times. 'Since the tariffs went into place, and in May specifically, we've really seen the work go off on the downside,' Seroka said. The decline in shipping has ripple effects on L.A.'s economy. A 2023 report found that the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach contributed $21.8 billion in direct revenue to local service providers, generating $2.7 billion in state and local taxes and creating 165,462 jobs, directly and indirectly. The slowdown in activity also has spread into surrounding communities. Businesses near the ports rely on a robust community of workers to frequent their establishments. 'We're starting to hear from small businesses and restaurants in the harbor area that their customer patronage is trending downward,' Seroka said. 'Outside of COVID, this is the biggest drop I've seen in my career.' Then there's the effect that deploying the National Guard and the turmoil it is having on the tourism industry, even though the disruptions have been limited to certain locales, said Jackie Filla, president of the Hotel Assn. of Los Angeles. 'I'm hearing there have been just significant cancellations all across the city," Filla said, though she noted it's too soon to have hard data. 'People are nervous to come to Los Angeles.' International travelers also may be concerned about being detained, with Los Angeles clearly a target of the federal government for immigration enforcement actions, she said. And even if the immigration turmoil ends soon, the federal crackdown hurts L.A.'s brand as a tourist destination, which heavily leans on status as a global hub, with its diversity of cuisine, people and experiences, Filla said. 'People rightfully have a lot of questions. They are calling hotels and wondering what the environment and atmosphere is like, and if they're going to be safe,' she said. Time staff writers Suhauna Hussain and Caroline Petrow-Cohen contributed to this article. Sign up for our Wide Shot newsletter to get the latest entertainment business news, analysis and insights. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

5 things to watch in New Jersey's primaries
5 things to watch in New Jersey's primaries

The Hill

time5 hours ago

  • The Hill

5 things to watch in New Jersey's primaries

Voters are heading to the polls in New Jersey on Tuesday to choose nominees for the state's gubernatorial race, one of only two in the country this year. The Democratic primary, which features a half-dozen candidates, has remained highly competitive, with Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.) as the front-runner, while the Republican race seems likely settled as President Trump weighed in to endorse front-runner Jack Ciattarelli. Various other primaries are also taking place that could hint at whether the state continues its anti-establishment push that it's seen over the past year. Here are five things to watch for in New Jersey's primaries Tuesday: The Democratic race to succeed term-limited Gov. Phil Murphy (D) has been hotly contested for months, but Sherrill, a four-term House member, enters primary day as the slight favorite. She's consistently led in polling and has started to pull away a bit in the most recent polls, taking as much as a double-digit lead over her next closest opponent. She's also backed by most of the county parties in the population-heavy North Jersey. But there are some reasons for the other candidates, particularly Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, to hope they can secure victory. Even with Sherrill's leads, a quarter or more of voters have said they're undecided, potentially giving someone else an opening, though surveys have shown some late deciders leaning toward Sherrill. An independent poll of the race hasn't been conducted since an Emerson College survey from early last month, possibly obscuring a late shift in the race. And Fulop has received widespread attention for the grassroots campaign he's sought to run, branding himself as an outsider trying to shake things up. He's hoping that message will resonate with voters in the aftermath of the state undergoing a major anti-establishment push last year, which saw the election of Sen. Andy Kim (D-N.J.) on a similar message. Kim and his fellow Democratic Sen. Cory Booker declined to endorse a candidate in the primary. The 2021 GOP gubernatorial nominee, Ciattarelli entered the 2025 race as the favorite to win the nomination again and hasn't given up his advantage since. He's led in polling by significant margins over his next closest opponent, former talk radio host Bill Spadea, and enjoyed a significant fundraising advantage. His likely renomination seems all but assured with Trump formally backing him last month. But Tuesday will still test how unified the GOP is behind Ciattarelli. He's faced attacks from Spadea of not being 'MAGA' enough and supportive enough of Trump. Ciattarelli was once a sharper critic of Trump but has gradually become more favorable toward him. He outperformed expectations four years ago when he came within 3 points of defeating Murphy for reelection, and he and other Republicans are hoping to build on gains they've made in the state recently. But Ciattarelli will need as much backing as he can receive to win in the still blue-leaning New Jersey. Along with his gubernatorial run, Fulop has taken the unusual step of endorsing a slate of progressive candidates in the General Assembly, another test of where the state stands politically. Fulop has thrown his support behind a mix of progressive incumbents and challengers in the primaries under the slogan 'Democrats for Change.' If widely successful, the candidates could significantly reshape the makeup of the Assembly next year. 'The political establishment, they hate that I'm supporting people downballot because it creates accountability, but it's good for you,' he told supporters at one campaign event. Fulop said he's running in a different lane 'that's never been tested in New Jersey.' In many cases, the Fulop-backed candidates are facing off against candidates backed by the county party and Murphy himself. A major statewide candidate simultaneously getting involved in downballot races is a rarity in New Jersey, one with uncertain impacts but part of Fulop's wider vision for the state. Atlantic City is no stranger to its mayors facing legal scrutiny, and its voters will decide the political fate of another one on Tuesday. Mayor Marty Small Sr. (D) is running for reelection to a second term in office, but he's doing so under criminal indictment based on allegations that he physically and emotionally abused his teenage daughter. Prosecutors allege he hit her on the head with a broom multiple times, causing her to lose consciousness, among other incidents. His wife, Atlantic City School District Superintendent La'Quetta Small, has also been accused of abusing their daughter and charged in the case. Marty Small Sr. is facing a primary challenge from Bob McDevitt, a former longtime head of a casino workers union. Small has pleaded not guilty to the charges he faces and told the Philadelphia-based NBC10 that he doesn't think the allegations will be an issue for voters, saying: 'The voters know who I am.' Policy issues like public safety and the city's cleanliness have taken center stage, with Small emphasizing to the outlet the city's progress in reducing crime. McDevitt, meanwhile, has sought to underscore the fear people still have regarding crime. Regardless of the results of the gubernatorial and legislative primaries, Tuesday will be an early test for a new chapter in New Jersey's political history. A political earthquake took place last year when a federal judge struck down the state's long-standing 'county line' ballot design that critics argued gave a preferential ballot spot to the county-endorsed candidate. The judge agreed the ballot design gave party-endorsed candidates a 'distinct advantage,' violating the integrity of the democratic process. The new ballots, in use since last year's primaries, organize candidates by the office they're seeking, but candidates can still run under slogans making clear they're the choice of the county party. The county parties also still exert some influence in candidates receiving critical endorsements from top officials. But an open Democratic gubernatorial primary will be one of the first real tests of county party power. While Sherrill won most county endorsements in the north, former state Senate President Steve Sweeney won most in South Jersey. If Sherrill, Sweeney and the other candidates largely win the counties where they're endorsed, it could signal lingering power of the endorsement even without the line. If they don't, it could indicate a wider shake-up in state political power.

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