Most states have had a woman serve as governor, but California is in the minority despite its progressive-minded electorate. Women who have reached the top elsewhere saw familiar roadblocks.

© Gabriela Bhaskar/The New York Times

The Trump administration is creating a $1.8 billion fund to compensate people it says were wronged by the federal government, a group that could be largely made up of the president’s allies.

© Eric Lee for The New York Times

Readers praise the opposition from some Republicans, call the fund a legal “travesty” and discuss the culture of corruption. Also: Living with dementia.

Trump’s proposed $1.8 billion compensation fund tied to Jan. 6 is drawing scrutiny. On “The Opinions,” David French explains why he sees a double standard between how rioters and ordinary Americans would be treated under the system.

The president’s $1.8 billion slush fund is causing further cracks in the Republican Party.

There should be no payouts to Jan. 6 rioters.

There’s no telling where this leads.

The president’s corruption and subversion of democratic tradition risk becoming the norm.