Barger Praises Massive Animal Rescue
Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger (R-Palmdale, Lancaster, Santa Clarita, San Marino, Pasadena, La Cañada-Flintridge, portions of the San Gabriel Valley) is praising a massive animal rescue operation in Lake Hughes while taking a pointed shot at former District Attorney George Gascón, whose office she says repeatedly declined to act on earlier requests for accountability.
More than 300 dogs and cats were rescued Friday from a Lake Hughes home in a large-scale operation involving more than 70 workers from the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control, the District Attorney’s Bureau of Investigation and partner agencies. The operation strained all seven county animal care centers, forcing officials to seek help from outside rescue organizations.
The animals had been in the custody of Christine De Anda of Rock N Pawz, a nonprofit animal rescue organization.
De Anda disputed the county’s account, saying her animals were healthy and well cared for, and that she intends to contest the seizure in court. No arrests have been made and no charges have been filed, as of Friday.
“This is a heartbreaking situation,” said Barger. “Animals in urgent need of medical attention are being transported to veterinary hospitals for immediate care, while others are being safely relocated to Los Angeles County animal care centers and partner facilities.”
Barger used the moment to contrast the current DA’s responsiveness with what she characterized as prior inaction. “That urgency stands in stark contrast to prior inaction, when requests for accountability were repeatedly met with delays and charges were declined under former District Attorney George Gascón,” she said.
Officials are urging the public to adopt animals currently in county care to create space for the incoming rescues. All seven county animal care centers — located in Agoura, Baldwin Park, Carson/Gardena, Castaic, Downey, Lancaster and Palmdale — are participating in the effort. County animal care centers will be open this Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. for adoptions.
Bass Supports González’s Legislation Cracking Down on Metal Theft
Mayor Karen Bass joined Assemblymember Mark González (D-Downtown Los Angeles, Boyle Heights) on Friday visited BCD Tofu House in Koreatown, a well-known Wilshire Boulevard business to highlight in Koreatown to highlights the real-world consequences of copper theft and to talk up González’s proposed legislation to combat organized metal theft in Los Angeles and across California.
Copper wire theft is a leading cause of streetlight outages in Los Angeles. Assembly Bill 1941 seeks to strengthen enforcement by targeting repeat and organized offenders who steal or traffic stolen materials and establish a statewide data-sharing tool to allow law enforcement, public agencies, and private partners (telecom companies, recycling centers, etc.) to share information and track organized theft operations.
“Copper wire theft isn’t just a nuisance – it degrades our neighborhoods, harms businesses, and is a threat to public safety,” said Bass. “We’re taking action locally to install solar street lights and train LAPD officers in every part of L.A. to go after these criminals, and AB 1941 brings in the full weight of the State of California to back us up. We are committed to fighting this reckless crime and ensure those responsible face serious consequences.”
“Copper wire thieves have taken it too damn far,” said González. “Time and time again, we see news stories of thieves destroying street lighting, cutting phone lines, or even damaging public transportation infrastructure – walking away with scraps worth a couple of hundred bucks, yet costing our cities millions in repairs.
“With this legislation, we shine a light through the darkness and emphasize the real issue. There are bad actors, treating our neighborhoods like scrap yards – taking wires and metal parts from our city infrastructure just to make a quick buck. We need to come together to remind these vandals that endangering our communities with a senseless crime will come with hefty consequences.”
Kamlager-Dove Pushes Minimum Wage for Incarcerated Workers
U.S. Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Culver City, View Park-Windsor Hills, parts of South LA) is again pushing legislation to guarantee incarcerated workers the federal minimum wage, arguing the current system amounts to modern-day exploitation enabled by a loophole in the 13th Amendment.
Kamlager-Dove joined Rep. Emmanuel Cleaver (D-MO) and Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) in reintroducing the Fair Wages for Incarcerated Workers Act, which would require incarcerated workers to be covered under the federal minimum wage, eliminate excessive wage deductions for facility fees and basic living costs, and extend basic labor protections to workers in correctional facilities nationwide.
The bill’s reintroduction comes after incarcerated workers drew national attention battling the devastating Los Angeles wildfires in 2025 — performing the same dangerous work as professional firefighters for just a few dollars a day, while remaining barred from applying for firefighting jobs upon release.
“Incarcerated workers are workers. They deserve fair pay so they can have the resources they need to succeed upon reentry,” said Kamlager-Dove. “Yet while mega-corporations raise prices and squeeze families, they exploit incarcerated people to produce everyday goods — from cereal to hot dogs — paying just pennies an hour.”
The legislation is endorsed by the ACLU, the Brennan Center for Justice, the Economic Policy Institute and several other national criminal justice reform organizations.
Torres Bipartisan Legislation Helps Semi-Trailer Dealers
U.S. Rep. Norma Torres (D-Pomona, La Verne, San Dimas) is co-leading bipartisan legislation to fix what she calls an unfair disparity in the federal tax code that puts semi-trailer dealerships at a financial disadvantage compared to other vehicle dealers.
Torres joined Rep. Blake Moore (R-UT) in introducing the Semi-Trailer Tax Parity Act, which would extend floor plan financing interest deductions to semi-trailer dealerships. Current law allows auto, truck, recreational trailer and camper dealerships to fully deduct interest paid on floor plan financing — but leaves semi-trailer dealers out.
The exclusion has created real financial strain for dealers, according to supporters of the bill. Without the deduction, semi-trailer dealerships face reduced capital for inventory, strained cash flows and — in some cases — federal tax bills in years when they have actually lost money.
“Semi-trailers play a vital part in moving goods through the Inland Empire and to the rest of America,” said Torres. “Yet semi-trailer dealerships are treated differently under the tax code versus other vehicle dealerships, which causes strained finances for business owners and fewer choices for customers.”
The legislation would amend Section 163(j) of the Internal Revenue Code to include truck trailers, semi-trailer chassis and semi-trailer bodies in the definition of “motor vehicle,” putting them on equal footing with the rest of the industry.
