55Mountain View News Saturday, April 25, 2026 55Mountain View News Saturday, April 25, 2026 
PASADENA APPEALS 
COURT BLOCKS LAW 
BANNING MASKS FOR 
FEDERAL AGENTS 

PASADENA (CNS) - A Pasadena appeals court 
today temporarily blocked California from enforcing 
a law limiting when federal agents can 
wear masks.

 The No Vigilantes Act, passed by the Legislature 
and signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom last year, 
came in response to the Trump administration's 
immigration raids in Southern California over 
the summer, during which masked, unidentified 
federal officers detained people as part of the 
president's mass deportation program.

 A three-judge panel of the U.S. 9th Circuit 
Court of Appeals determined that the state's attempt 
to regulate federal law enforcement violates 
the Constitution.

 ``We conclude that the No Vigilantes Act attempts 
to directly regulate the United States in its 
performance of governmental functions,'' JudgeMark Bennett, a Trump appointee, wrote in the 
court's opinion. ``The Supremacy Clause forbids 
the state from enforcing such legislation. The 
United States is therefore likely to succeed on the 
merits of its Supremacy Clause claim, and the 
other preliminary injunction factors also weigh 
in its favor. Thus, we grant the motion for an injunction 
pending appeal.''

 The No Vigilantes Act requires any non-uniformed 
federal law enforcement officer operatingin California, with narrow exceptions, to visiblydisplay identification while performing official 
duties, and officers who violate the law face criminal 
prosecution by the state. 

Previously, a Los Angeles federal judge rejected 
the Trump administration's claim that U.S. Immigration 
and Customs Enforcement agents 
need to wear masks to prevent doxing, meaning 
the online disclosure of agents' personal information 
that could lead to harassment or targeting.

 However, the judge said in her ruling that California's 
No Secret Police Act, a separate state law, 

appears to discriminate against the federal government 
because its provisions do not apply to 
state or local law enforcement officers.

 But the judge upheld the No Vigilantes Act, 
which requires most local, state and federal law 
enforcement personnel to display their name or 
badge number while on duty.

 First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli of the 
Central District of California applauded the circuit 
court's ruling. ``Huge legal victory this 
morning in the Ninth Circuit, where the court 
permanently enjoined California's unconstitutional 
mask law targeting federal agents,'' he 
posted on social media.

 The U.S. Department of Justice sued California, 
Newsom and state Attorney General Rob 
Bonta in September, challenging what the federal 
government claimed is an ``unconstitutional'' attempt 
to impede federal law enforcement by imposing 
the mask ban and identification requirement 
on 
officers.

 The laws made California the first state in the 
nation to prohibit federal law enforcement, including 
ICE agents, from hiding their identities,
and requiring non-uniformed federal law enforcement 
to visibly display identification information, 
including agency, name or badge number 
duringenforcement duties.

 The laws took effect Jan. 1, but were not beingenforced while their constitutionality was challenged 
in court.

 The DOJ lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles federal 
court, alleges that the No Secret Police Act 
and the No Vigilantes Act threaten the safety of 
officers 
facing harassment, doxing and violence while 
carrying out enforcement duties.

 ``California's anti-law enforcement policies 
discriminate against the federal government and 
are designed to create risk for our agents. These 
laws 
cannot stand,'' according to a statement from the 
department.

 The Trump administration's complaint stated 
that the federal government did not intend to 
comply with the challenged laws. 


LA COUNTY SUPERVISOR KATHRYN BARGER AND 
LA MAYOR KAREN BASS MEET WITH PRESIDENT 
TRUMP REGARDING DISASTER RELIEF FUNDS 

Mayor Karen Bass, President Trump, and Supervisor Barger after their meeting on April 22, 2026.
(Photo credit: The White House) 


LA Mayor Karen Bass and county Supervisor Kathryn Barger had ``very positive'' talks with President 
Donald Trump last week amid efforts to support fire victims and hold insurers accountable.

Bass and Barger are in Washington D.C to advocate for families who lost everything due to the January 
2025 wildfires. The pair of elected officials met with Trump and administration officials Wednesday 
afternoon.

 ``We had a very positive discussion about FEMA and other rebuilding funds as well as the support 
of the president to continue joining us in pressuring the insurance companies to pay what they owe 
-- and for the big banks to step up to ease the financial pressure on L.A. families,'' Bass and Barger said 
in a joint statement, referring to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

 ``Our job is to fight for our communities. When it comes to this recovery, our federal partners are 
essential, and we are grateful for the support of the president,'' the statement continued.

 Bass and Barger's meeting with Trump comes after the president accused insurance companies of 
abandoning Southern Californians impacted by the devastating wildfires in March.

 In a post on Truth Social, Trump's social media platform, he called out State Farm and other insurers. 
Trump described those companies as ``horrendous'' for failing homeowners who had paid their 
premiums.

 ``People have been paying them large premiums for years, only to find that when tragedy struck, 
these horrendous companies were not there to help!,'' Trump wrote on social media.

 Trump tasked Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin with conducting a report 
on insurers that acted ``swiftly, courageously, and bravely'' to honor their legal obligations, and those 
who didn't.

 Trump has previously criticized Gov. Gavin Newsom and Bass for their response to the wildfires,
blaming them for the disaster and slow-paced efforts to restore Pacific Palisades and Altadena.

 Under Trump's direction, Zeldin visited Southern California earlier this year. During his trip, he met 
with Bass, Barger and county Supervisor Lindsey Horvath.

 Discussion between elected officials and the Trump administration, in part, resulted in recognizing 
the challenges fire survivors face with dealing with insurers.

 Fire survivors have described dealing with insurers and filing claims as the biggest hurdle to recovery.

 Meanwhile, fire survivors, consumer advocates and state legislators conducted a news conference in 
Sacramento Wednesday morning to highlight a package of insurance reforms bills.

 State Sen. Sasha Renée Pérez, D-Pasadena, led the group. She discussed the four bills that expected 
to heard by the Senate Insurance Committee. Senate Bill 877 aims to bring transparency to loss estimates, 
while SB878 aims to penalize insurers for making unnecessary delays in paying claims.

 SB 1076 seeks to ensure access to coverage for homeowners who make their homes fire-safe. Lastly,
SB 1301 aims to give consumers more time to correct any problems before losing coverage, according 
to officials. 

CHRIS ESKINE, FORMER LOS ANGELES 
TIMESCOLUMNIST TO ADDRESS 
WOMEN OF EAGLE SCOUTS AT 
TWENTY-SIXTH ANNUAL SILVER JUBILEE 
LUNCHEON 

Guests at the twenty-sixth annual Silver Jubilee Womenof Eagle Scout Brunch, Wind Under Their Wings, will betreated to an entertaining and motivating event on Saturday,
May 16, 2026 at a private location in Pasadena. A reception willbe held at 10:30 a.m. followed by a brunch, entertainment, andthe program at 11:15 a.m. The celebration will conclude at 1:30 
p.m. 

Local Boy Scouts from Troop 359 in the San Gabriel Valley willgreet guests during the hosted reception and will usher theminto the venue by a scout bugler for a delicious brunch. Troop359 will post the colors and l lead the pledge of allegiance. 

An Eagle Scout will present the Scout message and will sharehow their mother influenced their life and encouraged themthroughout the road to becoming an Eagle Scout. They will alsoshare information on their Eagle Project. 
The Invocation will be presented by Reverand Susanne Wright-Nava, an Associate Rector of St 
Edmunds Episcopal Church.
Capping the brunch will be a motivating talk presented by Chris Erskine. Chris worked for thirtyyears at the Los Angeles Times as an editor and writer, covering sports, travel, politics, family andentertainment. He was part of three Pulitzer Prize-winning teams for breaking news for his graphicswork on the Northridge quake and the North Hollywood bank robbery. His weekly humor pieceson life in suburban Los Angeles are probably his best-known work. In 2018, he released “Daditude,”
a collection of his favorite Times columns on fatherhood. He has also written “Man of the House”. 
“Surviving Suburbia” and “What the Bears Know,” released in 2023, made The Los Angeles Times’best-seller list. He also contributed to the Vin Scully book, “Perfect Eloquence.” He is a native of 
Chicago and also worked at papers in New Orleans and Miami. He still pens weekly columns for eightpapers around the Los Angeles, including The Outlook Newspapers in the San Gabriel Valley. He is 
the father of four and has been a La Canada resident since 1993. He also organizes local hikes and gintastings. His humor and wit delights all audiences.


This year’s committee under the leadership of Chairman, Robin Puri of Pasadena includes 
Avery Barth, Janice Conzonire, Vicki Elliott, Mary Falkenbury, Mona Mapel, Patricia Tom Mar,
Valerie Gumbiner Weiss, and Julie Wong Tam, Jocelyn Go Young of San Marino; Judith Din, JulieFoong, Jane Laudeman, of Pasadena; Ellen Chiechi, of Arcadia; Vivian Chan of San Gabriel; SukoGutoh of Glendale, Cindy Sercel of Lakeview Terrace, and Linda Vazquez. The committee welcomesthe community to attend and honor the Women Behind the Eagle Scouts. The cost is $80 per personfor brunch, mementos, an Opportunity Drawing, and supports the Greater LAScouting. Reservations,
sponsorships, and underwriting opportunities are being taken at HTTP://GREATERLASCOUTING.
ORG/WINGS. Additional information may be obtained by contacting committee member Robin at 
(626) 673-7874. 

Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com