Questions Emerge Over Statement Brian Williams Made In Southland

Here is a link to my appearance on the local CBS news.

"Rod Wright’s jail time goes from 90 days to less than 90 minutes"

Wonderful to talk to Laurel Rosenhall of the Sacramento Bee for this piece. 

Californians scratching their heads over Wright’s quick release could see it as a tangible example of the impacts of prison crowding – or as a sign that powerful people get treated better than everyone else, said Jessica Levinson, a professor of political law at Loyola Law School.

“When there is a high profile person … and we know they serve an infinitesimal fraction of their sentence, it really hits home for us. It is a minor part of a bigger discussion about what overcrowding means, and the supply and demand of prisons,” Levinson said.

“But a lot of people will get from that: ‘I always knew Rod Wright was never really going to serve, because he is a VIP and would get special treatment.’”

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article3509632.html#storylink=cpy

LA County Sheriff's Race: Jim McDonnell v. Paul Tanaka

Here is my interview on ABC7.

What does Leland Yee tell us about the political culture of Sacramento?

You can read my latest op-ed in the Sacramento Bee here.

"California Democrats Face New Calculus After Scandals"

Quoted in this one in the Wall Street Journal. 

Members of both parties agree the scandals have left a stain on the capitol. The charges faced by Mr. Yee in particular may be damaging, said Jessica A. Levinson, a law professor at Loyola Marymount Law School in Los Angeles who focuses on the intersection of law and government.

"It is very troubling; this is the type of scandal that makes it look like all politicians are crooked," Prof. Levinson said of the allegations. "If you are trying to get people to engage in the political process, it is very difficult to do that now."

"Calif. Sen. Yee's staff keeping office open for now"

Quoted in this one in the San Francisco Chronicle. 

"This is a guilt-by-association moment for them," said Loyola Law School Professor Jessica Levinson of the staffers left behind by Yee and two other Democrats suspended last week by the state Senate following separate criminal scandals.

Replacing Filner: With Election, San Diego Looks To Move Past Scandal

Quoted in this one re the mayoral race in San Diego, CA. 

“I think that everyone wants to be the anti-Filner,” said Jessica Levinson, a professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles who specializes in ethics and governmental reform. “You show that every aspect of your life is open and that you don’t perform sexual assaults.”