West
'Woke' DA sued by his own office for allegedly protecting ethics chief charged with felonies
The union representing hundreds of Los Angeles prosecutors is once again suing their boss, District Attorney George Gascon, this time for withholding information on a close ally in alleged violation of the California Public Records Act (CPRA).
The Association of Deputy District Attorneys (ADDA) sought information about Diana Teran, a top Gascon aide who is facing felony charges, in May and received an incomplete response, according to a 200-page court filing unveiled Thursday. Prosecutors sought her emails and information about whether she remained on the county payroll after her indictment. They also wanted to know if county taxpayers were on the hook for her criminal defense.
The lawsuit seeks to force Gascon’s office to disclose the requested records, to declare the DA in violation of the CPRA and to pay the ADDA’s attorney fees for the lawsuit and the denied requests.
“These are public records, and the union and other members of the public have a right to this information,” said Neama Rahmani, a Los Angeles-based former federal prosecutor who now runs a private practice.
PROSECUTOR SUES LOS ANGELES DA FOR RETALIATION AFTER HE WAS PUNISHED FOR ‘MISGENDERING’ CHILD PREDATOR
Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon is running for re-election amid harsh criticism and concerns about crime. (Hans Gutknecht/MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Images)
He said the embattled DA and county lawyers may be trying to delay damaging information from reaching the public until after Election Day.
“Of course, Teran is a high-ranking deputy DA and a close ally of Gascon, who is facing a tough challenger in November, and the union has sued Gascon before during his tumultuous first term,” Rahmani said.
Read the lawsuit. Mobile users click here.
VIDEO SHOWS LA DA GEORGE GASCON’S RIGHT-HAND MAN ARRESTED IN DUI STOP: ‘YOU’VE PULLED OVER THE WRONG PERSON’
California Attorney General Robert Bonta announced a felony indictment against Teran in April for allegedly stealing computer files with information on Los Angeles sheriff’s deputies and improperly using them years after her employment with the department ended. Her defense attorney previously said he expects her to beat the charges, several of which have already been thrown out.
“The California Public Records Act clearly mandates that public agencies must promptly provide access to public records without unnecessary delays,” said Ryan Erlich, vice president of the ADDA. “Yet, George Gascon has consistently violated the law by unlawfully delaying and obstructing the process.”
Diana Teran (Los Angeles County/File)
WOKE CALIFORNIA PROSECUTOR ‘IRONICALLY IN CHARGE OF ETHICS’ CHARGED WITH FELONIES
Gascon’s office has previously denied similar public records requests from Fox News Digital seeking financial information about how much it’s costing Los Angeles taxpayers to defend the DA from a previous lawsuit filed against him by the ADDA.
“They have repeatedly stalled, delayed or outright ignored numerous requests,” said John Lewin, a deputy district attorney who is separately suing Gascon in a whistleblower retaliation lawsuit.
Unlike other states, California’s public records law has no built-in process to appeal a denial to a higher authority, so record seekers are forced to bring the agency to court if they are denied improperly.
This image from jailhouse surveillance video shows Los Angeles Chief Deputy District Attorney Joseph Iniguez, a top Gascon ally, making a phone call from lockup after a 2021 arrest for public intoxication. (Azusa Police Department)
“George Gascon believes that because he is the district attorney, not only does he not have to follow the law, but he is actually above it,” Lewin added. “He’s going to find out in less than two months that he’s not above the law. He’s going to lose this election, and he’ll spend the next several years as a defendant in a courtroom defending the 20-plus lawsuits that are going to cost the county in excess of a hundred million dollars.”
Gascon’s office has a policy against commenting on pending litigation, a spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
LOS ANGELES DA GEORGE GASCON HIT WITH NEW LAWSUIT: ‘REQUIRED PROSECUTORS TO UNLAWFULLY HIDE THE TRUTH’
(Bob Riha Jr./Getty Images/File)
The DA is facing more than 20 lawsuits from individual prosecutors as well as four from their union.
“It’s deeply troubling that we are once again forced to take legal action simply to obtain public documents that should be readily available,” said ADDA President Michele Hanisee.
Nathan Hochman, the attorney vying to oust Gascon in the upcoming election, jabbed his rival for the sheer number of court battles he faces from his own office.
“It appears that Mr. Gascon once again needs a civics lesson about how a democracy works,” he told Fox News Digital. “Maybe if Gascon did a better job of standing up for crime victims instead of his own self-interests and extreme political ideology, he wouldn’t have so much to hide. It’s unfortunate that, once again, Gascon’s own prosecutors have been forced to sue him in order to get him to comply with the law.”
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Alaska
Pilot of Alaska flight that lost door plug over Portland sues Boeing, claims company blamed him
The Alaska Airlines captain who piloted the Boeing 737 Max that lost a door plug over Portland two years ago is suing the plane’s manufacturer, alleging that the company has tried to shift blame to him to shield its own negligence.
The $10 million suit — filed in Multnomah County Circuit Court on Tuesday on behalf of captain Brandon Fisher — stems from the dramatic Jan. 5, 2024 mid-air depressurization of Flight 1282, when a door plug in the 26th row flew off six minutes after take off, creating a 2-by-4-foot hole in the plane that forced Fisher and co-pilot Emily Wiprud to perform an emergency landing back at PDX.
None of the 171 passengers or six crew members on board was seriously injured, but some aviation medical experts said that the consequences could have been “catastrophic” had the incident happened at a higher altitude.
Fisher’s lawsuit is the latest in a series filed against Boeing, including dozens from Flight 1282 passengers. It also names Spirit AeroSystems, a subcontractor that worked on the plane.
The lawsuit blames the incident on quality control issues with the door plug. It argues that Boeing caught five misinstalled rivets in the panel, and that Spirit employees painted over the rivets instead of reinstalling them correctly. Boeing inspectors caught the discrepancy again, the complaint alleges, but when employees finally reopened the panel to fix the rivets, they didn’t reattach four bolts that secured the door panel.
The complaint’s allegations that Boeing employees failed to secure the bolts is in line with a National Transportation Safety Board investigation that came to the conclusion that the bolts hadn’t been replaced.
Despite these internal issues, Fisher claims Boeing deliberately shifted blame towards him and his first officer.
Lawyers for Boeing in an earlier lawsuit wrote that the company wasn’t responsible for the incident because the plane had been “improperly maintained or misused by persons and/or entities other than Boeing.”
Fisher’s complaint alleges that the company’s statement was intended to “paint him as the scapegoat for Boeing’s numerous failures.”
“Instead of praising Captain Fisher’s bravery, Boeing inexplicably impugned the reputations of the pilots,” the lawsuit says.
As a result, Fisher has been scrutinized for his role in the incident, the lawsuit alleges, and named in two lawsuits by passengers.
Spokespeople for Boeing and Spirit AeroSystems declined to comment on the lawsuit.
Arizona
Barrel Racers Claim Big Wins in First Weekend of Arizona Legacy Races
The 2026 Arizona Legacy Races in Buckeye, Ariz., are ringing in a new year for futurity horses December 30 – January 6, at the Buckeye Equestrian & Events Center. Formerly known as the MVP Futurity and Greg Olson Futurity, these two races have been a staple in many professional trainers’ schedules for decades. This year, the two events boast $22,000 in added money.
Futurity
Linzie Lindsey and Fame Dancin Yola claimed the Round 1 win with a 17.577 for $1,959. Barbara Merrill rode TKW Eye Am Tess to the 2D win.
After finishing out of the 1D money in Round 1, Loralee Ward and Dark Honey ran the fastest time of the futurity with a 17.030 to claim the Round 2 win. The duo also earned the Futurity Reserve Championship for $1,652.
Lindsey and Fame Dancin Yola finished second in Round 2 with a 17.164, adding $1,603 to their futurity earnings and claiming the Futurity Championship for another $2,019.
Jenna Duhon and PMC AintSheBeautiful earned the Round 2 2D win. In the 2D Average, it was Estella Martin and Quanahs Kingdom claiming the win.
Derby
Round 1 of a very tough Derby went to Jana Bean and Feature This Goodbye with a 17.268. 2025 futurity standout Blissful Version and Lora Nichols finished second in Round 1 with a 17.282, won Round 2 with a 17.032, and claimed the Average win.
“Buddy” and Nichols were in contention for the highest money-earning futurity horse of the previous season, before the cancellation of the last two major events of the season due to EHV-1. By $7 million sire Winners Version, Buddy banked over $300,000 in his futurity year.
Big Paydays
Megan McLeod-Sprague and Seis Corona (“Jagger”) were hot off the 2025 National Finals Rodeo. The duo won the Roohide Hot Rod with a 17.004 for $1,368. They also earned the Friday Open 1D win for $1,083.
With the first 16-second run of the weekend, Sherry Cervi and MP Meter My Fame won the Saturday Open 1D with a 16.969.
Rita Cheeney and HP Dash Ta Fairfax ran the only other sub-17-second run of the weekend, with a 16.996 that took the top spot in Sunday’s Open 1D.
Nichols and Buddy doubled down on their derby earnings, placing deep in the Open 1D both days, as well as the Roohide Hot Rod, and Big Time Boss.
Youth competitor Tabitha Dyal also had an outstanding weekend, earning Open 1D money Friday, Saturday, and Sunday aboard Slym Shady. She swept the Youth 1D on Slym Shady and earned Open 1D, Open 2D, and Youth 1D checks on Promise Me Fame Guys and Smooth Operraider. Dyal wrapped up her weekend with several checks in the Big Time Boss.
More Rodeo On SI
California
Disneyland, California Adventure has new treats, drinks to try in 2026
Siblings with hearing loss have magical ASL chat with Buzz Lightyear
A trip to Disneyland in Anaheim, CA, turned magical for siblings Jabez and Evelyn when they met Buzz Lightyear, who knew American Sign Language.
A boozy matcha beverage and pork belly bao buns are among the many new treats coming to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure, adding to the dizzying number of things you’ll want to try amid events like the return of Sweetheart’s Nite to the debut of “Bluey.”
Disney Parks Blog unveiled the lineup of dishes, desserts and drinks coming to both barks in Anaheim beginning on different dates throughout January. Among the major news is a menu change at Flo’s V8 Cafe at Cars Land at California Adventure; that includes a cheeseburger topped with caramelized onions and a pepperoncini cheese sauce and chicken and waffles.
The new items across both parks take inspiration from cuisines across the globe. Here’s a look at just some of the new options coming to both parks and where you’ll be able to find them, plus a look at the calendar of events for both parks in 2026.
Disneyland food coming in 2026: 8 options to know
- Lemon chiffon tea: A sweet tea topped with lemon chiffon foam at the Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe at Main Street, U.S.A.
- Yuzu lemonade: Lemonade with a “touch” of floral yuzu juice and a rainbow jelly topping at the Harbour Galley in New Orleans Square.
- Sweet heat beignet chicken sandwich: A fried chicken sandwich with buffalo sauce and slaw on beignets served with collard greens and house-made pickles at Tiana’s Palace in New Orleans Square.
- Andouille sausage po’boy: Roasted andouille sausage, lettuce, tomatoes, mayonnaise and a rémoulade sauce served with collard greens and house-made pickles at Tiana’s Palace in New Orleans Square.
- Duo tacos with carne asada or chicken: Corn tortillas with tomatillo sauce and pickled onion habanero served with tortilla chips and salsa fresca at the Rancho del Zocalo Restaurante in Frontierland.
- Gaston burger: A beef patty with pastrami, cheese, pickles, sauteed onions and bell peppers with pepperoncini at the Red Rose Taverne in Fantasyland.
- Tropical slushy: A passion fruit, orange, guava and lychee syrup with a chile-lime rim beverage at Bengal Barbecue in Adventureland.
- Peanut butter brownie slice: A brownie slice topped with peanut butter mousse, melted peanut butter and chocolate at the Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe at Main Street, U.S.A.
California Adventure food coming in 2026: 7 options to know
- Strawberry, hazelnut, chocolate & pistachio Mickey Shake: A strawberry shake with pistachio whipped topping, fried kataifi and chocolate sauce at Schmoozies! in Hollywood Land.
- Soju-matcha cocktail: Topped with honey cold foam and honey cereal at Schmoozies! in Hollywood Land.
- Mickey-shaped cinnamon roll macaron: A cinnamon roll macaron shell filled with cream cheese buttercream and cinnamon caramel at the Cappuccino Cart at San Fransokyo Square.
- Infinity cream puffs: Six mini cream puffs in different flavors, from raspberry, cotton candy and key lime, at Terran Treats in the Avengers Campus.
- Pork belly bao bun: A bao bun with pickled onions, crispy chicharron and calamansi citrus aioli at the Lamplight Lounge at Pixar Pier.
- Frozen banana mudslide cocktail: A cocktail of vanilla vodka, Kahlua, Baileys Irish Cream, banana liqueur and half and half at Wine Country Trattoria in the Performance Corridor.
- Chocolate Japanese-style fluffy cheesecake: Topped with cherry sauce and available at Aunt Cass Café at the San Fransokyo Square.
Lunar New Year, Sweetheart’s Nite and ‘Bluey.’ Disneyland, California Adventure 2026 events
The Disneyland Resort is continuing its 70th anniversary celebration through Aug. 9. Here’s a look at just some of the new and returning events coming throughout the year:
- Sweetheart’s Nite at Disneyland: The Valentine-themed event that brings out specialty treats and drinks and late-night festivities returns on Jan. 22, 25, 27 and Feb. 3, 5, 8, 10, 12, 17. This is a separately ticketed event.
- Lunar New Year at California Adventure: Ring in the Lunar New Year Jan. 23-Feb. 22.
- Anaheim Ducks Day at California Adventure: Hockey fans can celebrate the Anaheim Ducks at this themed day, complete with appearances by players from the NHL team on Feb. 22.
- 70 Years of Favorites at Disneyland: Experience “nostalgic entertainment” and “iconic Disney characters” on March 3 and 5. This is a separately ticketed event.
- California Adventure Food & Wine Festival: Enjoy limited-time food offerings, culinary demos and other foodie-themed experiences from March 6-April 27.
- “Bluey” at Disneyland: “Bluey’s Best Day Ever!” debuts March 22 at the Fantasyland Theatre, where the popular children’s show “Bluey” is brought to life in an interactive show.
- Disney Channel Nite at Disneyland: “Pay tribute to iconic childhood shows and characters” on April 12, 14 and 16. This is a separately ticketed event.
- “Star Wars” Nite at Disneyland: Celebrate “Star Wars” with this after-hours event on April 28 and 30 and May 4 and 6. This is a separately ticketed event.
- Pride Nite at Disneyland: Celebrate Pride Month at Disneyland on June 16 and 18. This is a separately ticketed event.
- D23 Day at Disneyland Resort: D:23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event kicks off with D23 Day at the Disneyland Resort on Aug. 13.
- Oogie Boogie Bash at California Adventure: Show up in costume for a Halloween party on select nights throughout August, September and October. This is a separately ticketed event.
- Halloween Time at Disneyland: Festive decor and seasonal attractions ahead of Halloween returns Aug. 21-Oct. 31.
- Plaza de la Familia at California Adventure: The annual celebration of Día De Los Muertos returns Aug. 21-Nov. 2.
- Holidays at the Disneyland Resort: Festive, seasonal decor and foods return Nov. 18.
Paris Barraza is a reporter covering Los Angeles and Southern California for the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at pbarraza@usatodayco.com.
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