Whistleblowers Eye 6-Figure Gov't Retirees

Prop 19 would make state a 'laughingstock,' Governator writes

(NEWSER) - Arnold Schwarzenegger, who just last year called for debate on legalizing pot, has come out against Proposition 19, a ballot initiative that would do just that. “Any patrol officer, judge or district attorney will tell you that Proposition 19 is a flawed initiative that would bring about a host of legal nightmares and risks to public safety,” the Governator writes in an op-ed piece for the LA Times . “It would also make California a laughingstock.” More»

State controller refuses to cut smaller checks

(NEWSER) - Arnold Schwarzenegger upped the ante in his budget standoff with the state legislature yesterday, ordering almost all state workers' pay cut to the federal minimum wage—$7.25 per hour—effective immediately. The State Controller, Democrat John Chiang, says he won’t obey that order, the LA Times reports, but the Department of Personnel Administration says he doesn’t have a choice. The last time Chiang refused to cut worker benefits, in 2008, Schwarzenegger took him to court and won. More»

Expect an all-out campaign brawl that could make history

(NEWSER) - A proposition to legalize pot in California is all but certain to garner enough signatures to appear on the ballot in November by today’s deadline. Supporters and opponents are already gearing up for the campaign, the LA Times reports. Proponents believe that California’s new, promiscuous medical marijuana culture has changed public perception about the drug, and they expect to raise loads of money through online contributions. More»

State seeks $200M from State Street Bank of Boston

(NEWSER) - California sued a Boston bank today and accused it of ripping off $56.6 million from two state pension funds. It wants all that money back, plus another $150 million in penalties. Attorney General Jerry Brown accused State Street Bank of "unconscionable fraud" and called it "just the latest example of how clever financial traders violate laws and rip off the public trust." More»

(NEWSER) - A group of Facebook users has sued the social networking company for violating consumer privacy laws by harvesting personal information for commercial purposes and failing to compensate clients, reports CNET. "Plaintiffs and the general public desire and expect a level of privacy, which Facebook has failed to satisfy," states the California lawsuit, which includes two children, a model, photographer and actress. Facebook officials insist the case has no merit. Canadian courts are currently cracking down on Facebook's access to user data. More»