Council backs mayor’s veto in race bias case

The career of Los Angeles Fire Chief William Bamattre dangled in the balance Wednesday as the City Council backed away from a settlement offered to a black firefighter who accused the department of racial discrimination.

After a lengthy closed session with city attorneys, only six of the 15 council members voted to buck Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s veto of the deal. Janice Hahn, Tom LaBonge and President Eric Garcetti joined the council’s three black members in an attempt to keep the settlement in place. But at least 10 votes would have been needed to override the mayor.

Firefighter Tennie Pierce, a robust personality whom some firefighters called Big Dog, sued the city after dog food was slipped into his firehouse meal two years ago by several firefighters. . .

Noncitizens key issue in state’s health debate
GOP balks at covering undocumented workers

(11-30) 04:00 PST Sacramento—Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s ambition of extending health care insurance to all Californians already faces a challenge from members of his own party over concerns the governor might propose spending tax dollars to extend coverage to illegal immigrants.

Leading Republican lawmakers in both houses said this week that there is no support in their caucus for subsidized care for noncitizens because they believe such services will encourage more illegal immigration.

“California is not responsible for paying for the medical care of the undocumented—people who are here illegally, period,” said Sen. Dave Cox, R-Fair Oaks (Sacramento County). “We are not the health maintenance organization for Mexico. . .

Assemblyman Chuck DeVore will be on at 4:00

2 officials blamed in molester shuffle

SACRAMENTO — Two top parole administrators ordered a group of high-risk child molesters shuffled among several Los Angeles County motels earlier this year after agents could not find them housing compliant with a new law, the state inspector general reported Tuesday.

The report by Inspector General Matt Cate, a nonpartisan watchdog over the correctional system, said the administrators then lied to investigators and lawmakers, denying any knowledge of the episode.

Moving the 11 parolees among motels near schools in Los Angeles, Pico Rivera, Norwalk, South Gate and El Monte clearly violated the intent of a law barring high-risk child molesters on parole from living within half a mile of a school, Cate said. . .

Assemblyman Todd Spitzer will be on the show at 6:00