In the days after the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, Rep. Kevin McCarthy told associates he was appalled by President Trump’s incitement and would push for him to resign. “I’ve had it with this guy,” he told a group of Republicans, according to an article drawing on reporting from a forthcoming book by New York Times reporters Jonathan Martin and Alex Burns. Yet the California politician never followed through. When only 10 House Republicans voted for impeachment, McCarthy changed course. By the end of the month, he was in Mar-a-Lago posing with Trump for a picture. N.Y. Times (gift article)

After the book excerpt was published early Thursday, McCarthy’s spokesman issued a denial. Then the reporters released the audio. YouTube

The L.A. Times editorial board endorsed a Republican for statewide office. Many Californians may balk at the idea, the board wrote, but the state needs an independent controller, the state’s chief fiscal officer, to check Democrats who have fallen short on goals for education, health care, and homelessness. “It’s time for a fresh lens,” they wrote. The board’s choice, Lanhee Chen, a public policy expert at Stanford University, vowed to use the office’s audit power to give programs letter grades.

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See Chen rip into the Newsom administration over unemployment fraud. 👉 @CARebelBase

No state does more to protect abortion access than California — and it’s going even further. Starting in 2023, all abortion-related services, including follow-up care, will be fully covered as a new law prohibits insurance policies from imposing copays or deductibles for the procedure. It’s the first of more than a dozen bills that state Democrats plan to pass this year in anticipation of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that could overturn Roe v. Wade. One proposal would fund travel and lodging for abortion patients. CalMatters

Sometimes, lakes are best enjoyed from a distance. A parking area and viewpoint just down the way from Mammoth Mountain in the Eastern Sierra gazes out on two of the prettiest lakes in California. Twin Lakes, at 8,600 feet, is really one lake with a narrow choke point, filled with emerald water and surrounded by towering peaks. You can stay a while at picnic tables or spend the night at a lakeside campground. Mammothtrails.org

Suzie Dundas, a Tahoe-based writer, designed her “perfect itinerary” for 48 Hours in Mammoth Lakes. TripSavvy

Sheryl Sandberg, Meta’s chief operating officer, pressured the digital edition of the Daily Mail to bury a story about an old restraining order against her then-boyfriend, Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick, according to a Wall Street Journal report that cited unnamed sources. Sandberg was worried that the story could harm her reputation as an advocate for women. Accounts conflicted about whether she invoked Facebook when communicating with the Mail, but executives said any intervention could be perceived as a threat. Wall Street Journal (free) | TechCrunch

On April 19, 2021, police officers in Alameda knelt on Mario Gonzalez’s back for nearly four minutes until he died. In December, the county coroner ruled the death a homicide. Yet this month, the district attorney announced that none of the officers would be charged. Gonzalez’s 5-year-old son still asks for him, said Edith Arenales, Gonzalez’s mother. “How do I explain that he’s not coming back. That they killed him?” she said. “It’s something they’ll never understand.” HuffPost

“My boy just got beat up by Mike Tyson.”

TMZ published video showing Mike Tyson pummeling a fellow passenger on a plane at San Francisco International Airport Wednesday night. Prior to the beating, the unidentified passenger could be seen harassing the former heavyweight champion. Another passenger told SFGATE that she had seen the man making a commotion before boarding. “When I boarded the flight, I thought, ‘Oh no, that drunk guy is on our flight,'” she said. Police said they were investigating. SFGATE | TMZ

On this week’s California Sun Podcast, host Jeff Schechtman chats with John Markoff, a former New York Times technology writer and author of a new book on Stewart Brand, best known as editor of the “Whole Earth Catalog.” Brand, now 83, has been a serial visionary — an Army veteran, photographer, writer, and business consultant who came to define a California state of mind that holds sway to this day.

Los Angeles County officials on Thursday reinstated mandatory masking on public transport, adopting rules that go beyond those set by the state. The mask order applies to trains, buses, taxis, and ride-hailing services, as well as airports, bus terminals, and train stations. Barbara Ferrer, the county public health director, said the policy adhered to guidance from the CDC, which has objected to a judge’s order voiding the federal mask mandate. “They are experts,” Ferrer said. L.A. Times | LAist

Florida lawmakers on Thursday voted to revoke Disney World’s long-held designation as a special tax district, a gift to Gov. Ron DeSantis in his feud with the Burbank company over a Florida law that critics call “Don’t Say Gay.” It was a stunning turn for a company that employs 38 lobbyists in Florida’s capital, gives generously to candidates of both parties, and annually generates more than $5 billion in local and state tax revenue. “If Disney wants to pick a fight, they chose the wrong guy,” DeSantis wrote. N.Y. Times | A.P.

A Los Angeles health care company agreed to pay more than $20 million to settle accusations that it handed out hundreds of faked coronavirus test results. Prosecutors said Sameday Technologies sent hundreds of phony negative results when unable to deliver on promised quick turnaround times. Los Angeles City Atty. Mike Feuer called the conduct “beyond outrageous.” Sameday said it “failed to meet the standards for excellence our customers deserve.” L.A. Times | City News Service

Five items that got big views over the past week: