Newsletter: Today: Which Hunt?
How do you view special counsel Robert S. Mueller III’s investigation?
TOP STORIES
Which Hunt?
One year into the special counsel’s Russia investigation, Robert S. Mueller III has been mostly silent, letting the guilty pleas and indictments speak for themselves. Meanwhile, President Trump and his allies have turned up their attacks, with “witch hunt!” being their battle cry. In the court of public opinion, Team Trump’s approach seems to be yielding some success: A CBS News poll this month found 53% believed the case is politically motivated, up from 48% in December. That reflects growing skepticism among Republicans. At the same time, Democrats and some legal experts have accused the president of undermining the rule of law.
More Politics
-- Trump distanced himself from a remark made by his national security advisor, John Bolton, that figured in North Korea’s threat to cancel the summit meeting planned for June and said if the U.S. reaches a deal, Kim Jong Un will “get protections that will be very strong.”
-- Will a revamped North American Free Trade Agreement be completed and approved by lawmakers this year? Hopes are fading fast.
-- Gina Haspel was confirmed as the first woman to lead the CIA. Now the hard part begins.
-- Jared Kushner’s family’s company is nearing a deal with a Qatar-backed firm to save its investment in the troubled high-rise at 666 5th Ave. in Manhattan.
-- A new lawsuit accuses Michael Avenatti, the attorney for porn actress Stormy Daniels, of breaking his promise to make a $2-million payment under the settlement of his law firm’s bankruptcy.
The Final Three
Who will be the next LAPD chief? Robert Arcos, Michel Moore and Bill Scott are the three finalists being considered by L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti. Each has had a long career in a department that has evolved over the years from a harsh style of policing to one that tries to project a kinder, gentler image. A detailed look at the candidates reveals their similarities and differences.
A Bond Is Tested
USC’s extensive efforts in China have delivered high-quality students and tuition dollars to the university. But the unique bond between China and USC has been strained this week amid allegations of misconduct on the part of a longtime campus gynecologist, including claims that he targeted Chinese students. The revelations have sparked deep concern among students from the mainland as well as the Chinese government.
Royally Painstaking
The pageantry! The family drama! The facial recognition software scanning the crowds! Outside Windsor Castle, the final preparations are being made for Saturday’s wedding of American actress Meghan Markle and Prince Henry of Wales, sixth in line to the British throne. To get yourself ready, check out our blog, which explains why Markle will not officially become “Princess Meghan,” where you can watch, and how past royal weddings have played out.
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FLASHBACK FRIDAY
Every third Saturday in May, the United States celebrates Armed Forces Day to honor members of the military. In Torrance, a parade will mark the occasion, just as it has for nearly six decades. On May 17, 1969, Army Gen. Omar N. Bradley served as grand marshal and gave a speech dedicated to President Eisenhower, who had died earlier that year.
MUST-WATCH VIDEO
-- “These aren’t people, these are animals”: Watch Trump’s remarks and the comment that prompted them.
-- Film critic Justin Chang says “First Reformed,” starring a superb Ethan Hawke as a New York reverend, resurrects director Paul Schrader’s career.
CALIFORNIA
-- A judge has ruled that attorneys can name a Los Angeles politician accused of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl in a recent lawsuit. U.S. Rep Tony Cárdenas identified himself as the target of the suit earlier this month. His attorney called the allegations “100%, categorically untrue.”
-- Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia was removed from all of her committee posts as an investigation into sexual harassment accusations closed.
-- Authorities say they discovered two “complete” improvised explosive devices in the home of the former boyfriend of the woman killed in an explosion at an Aliso Viejo day spa.
-- The bullet train is the state’s biggest infrastructure project, yet it is seldom discussed in the governor’s race. Why are the candidates so mum?
YOUR WEEKEND
-- Check out these 11 chicken wing recipes: chipotle, Thai peanut, ginger soy and more.
-- Go for a hike in the Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve, and you’ll quickly forget the city sprawl nearby.
-- A last-minute escape: The Catalina Island Silent Film Festival on Saturday will show the 1920 movie “Terror Island,” featuring Harry Houdini.
HOLLYWOOD AND THE ARTS
-- At Cannes, director Ron Howard strikes back with “Solo: A Star Wars Story” and has nothing but praise for Phil Lord and Chris Miller, the directors who were removed by Lucasfilm.
-- A new documentary offers an unflinching look at Whitney Houston’s triumphs and tragedies, some of which have remained untold until now.
-- What to make of the new David Henry Hwang play “Soft Power”? Theater critic Charles McNulty calls it smart, splashy, wonderfully funny and excessively complicated.
NATION-WORLD
-- An explosive eruption at Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano created an enormous ash plume that prompted the closure of schools and forced residents to remain indoors.
-- A New York attorney who threatened to call immigration enforcement on restaurant workers who were speaking Spanish has had a complaint filed against him with a disciplinary committee.
-- Authorities in Ukraine have arrested a journalist with a Kremlin-funded news agency who they said “justified” Crimea’s annexation and “supported” pro-Russian separatists.
-- The U.S. birthrate has hit another record low. Even women in their 30s are having fewer babies.
BUSINESS
-- Chief Executive Leslie Moonves helped make CBS a TV juggernaut, but the brawl with Viacom could lead to his exit.
-- Consumer columnist David Lazarus says Uber and Lyft made some laudable changes to their fine print regarding sexual assault and harassment, but they could do a whole lot better.
SPORTS
-- Columnist Bill Plaschke ponders what to do with this bad Dodgers team: sacrifice for now, or save for later?
-- A judge came close to declaring a mistrial in former USC coach Todd McNair’s defamation trial against NCAA. Instead, a juror who said she didn’t know enough English to understand the case was replaced.
OPINION
-- Tougher work rules for food stamps won’t help poor people or save much money.
-- The terminology of American democracy has been disappearing down Trump’s equivalent of George Orwell’s infamous Memory Hole.
WHAT OUR EDITORS ARE READING
-- A renowned heart transplant program is losing its luster with data showing a low survival rate. (Houston Chronicle)
-- “Mad” genius: Is creativity inherently related to mood disorders? (Aeon)
-- Just how did the buffalo roam to a new home in Switzerland? (Atlas Obscura)
ONLY IN L.A.
In 1998, a jogger found a newborn baby buried alive in the foothills of Altadena, his umbilical cord still attached. The baby, not more than a few hours old, was near death. For decades, Azita Milanian would wonder what became of the boy. This week, 20 years to the date of when she found him, the two were reunited. Get out your handkerchief and read how it happened.
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