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California Policy and Politics Wednesday

Forest fires follow roads. The Trump administration wants to build more -- The Trump administration announced Tuesday it is rolling back a rule prohibiting logging and road construction in undeveloped parts of national forests, including more than 4 million acres of federally managed forest lands in California. Rachel Becker Calmatters -- 8/19/26

 

White House releases damaging Swalwell documents as governor’s race proceeds without him -- Documents released Monday by the Trump White House show former Rep. Eric Swalwell told the FBI he had “occasionally hooked up” with a suspected Chinese spy. The documents provide a glimpse into how different California’s governor race may have been if several women hadn’t come forward with allegations of sexual assault against Swalwell. Sophia Bollag in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/19/26

Becerra pledges to debate Hilton — more than once — between now and Nov. 3 -- Democratic gubernatorial front-runner Xavier Becerra, facing criticism from GOP rival Steve Hilton for a lack of public visibility since the primary election, pledged to face the Republican in multiple debates before the Nov. 3 general election to replace termed-out Gov. Gavin Newsom. Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/19/26

California voters favor progressive candidates, split over democratic socialism, poll finds -- California voters feel most favorably toward progressive political candidates, with less enthusiasm for mainstream Democrats. A generational gap separates Democratic voters who favor mainstream versus progressive candidates. Justine McDaniel in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/19/26

California Democrats rally opposition to voter ID measure, call it Trump-led effort -- Democratic elected leaders reiterated past concerns about Prop. 39 including that the measure would disenfranchise voters, cost the state tens of millions of dollars and is part of a national trend of anti-voter laws spearheaded by Republicans. Mathew Miranda in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 8/19/26

 

Wahab has narrow lead in race to replace Eric Swalwell in Congress -- State Sen. Aisha Wahab had a narrow lead over BART Board President Melissa Hernandez in early returns in the special election Tuesday to serve the remainder of Rep. Eric Swalwell’s term, with votes left to be counted. Wahab had 51.4% of the vote to 48.6% for Hernandez in the first batch of results posted shortly after polls closed at 8 p.m. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/19/26

After bruising loss in Michigan, AIPAC turns to California for win -- AIPAC’s super PAC, United Democracy Project, poured nearly $2.5 million into a Tuesday runoff between two Democrats competing for the House seat vacated by former representative Eric Swalwell (D). The groups have run ads against state Sen. Aisha Wahab, a progressive endorsed by the California Democratic Party, and boosted her moderate opponent, Melissa Hernandez, a San Francisco Bay Area transportation official. Praveena Somasundaram in the Washington Post$ -- 8/19/26

 

Trump’s top federal prosecutor in L.A. could face new challenge after appellate ruling -- A 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling this week has raised new questions about the legality of tactics used by the Trump administration to keep Bill Essayli atop the federal prosecutor’s office in Los Angeles. Brittny Mejia in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/19/26

Workplace

CAA boss warns of threat to California’s film and TV jobs program -- The head of one of Hollywood’s largest talent agencies warned state leaders that a new budget bill threatens job gains from California’s film and TV credit program. Legislators earlier this year passed a provision in the state budget that extends limitations on corporate tax credits, including a $5-million state tax credit cap each year. Wendy Lee in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/19/26

Being an L.A. animator is tough right now — but this group aims to still celebrate the art form -- It’s getting tougher and tougher to make a living in animation, especially in Los Angeles. For years, animation work has moved overseas, major players have slashed jobs and AI has been a growing threat. Marah Eakin in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/19/26

Develop

Inside California Forever’s high-pressure push to fast-track a shipyard -- California Forever pressured Solano County officials to support state legislation to fast-track its shipyard development, newly obtained public records show. Now, during the final weeks of the legislative session, the company is ramping up the pressure again. Yue Stella Yu and Kate Wolffe Calmatters -- 8/19/26

Bay Area city plans 2,300 homes on former Navy base. A dispute over 25 vouchers could stall them -- Over a decade Alameda Point has gone from a mothballed navy base to a bustling waterfront neighborhood. J.K. Dineen in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/19/26

San Jose City Council stops short of endorsing plan to quadruple housing density -- After a proposed plan to quadruple density in San Jose’s residential neighborhoods drew over a hundred residents to speak out on the issue, the City Council held off Tuesday night on choosing a specific path forward on housing density, instead directing staff to explore a range of options. Luis Melecio-Zambrano in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 8/19/26

Education

Book bans, LGBTQ+ outing policy under scrutiny in state candidate Sonja Shaw’s Chino Valley district -- Chino Valley Unified’s book-removal and LGBTQ+ outing policies are under renewed scrutiny. A complaint filed with state officials says the district’s book policy unlawfully targets LGBTQ+-themed titles and bypasses public hearings. The challenges come as Chino Valley board President Sonja Shaw, a Republican, heads into a November runoff for California state superintendent against Democrat Richard Barrera. Howard Blume in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/19/26

Meta

‘The young ones are the best ones’: Meta on trial for alleged effort to hook kids -- The states allege Meta intentionally designed its platforms to hook children and lied about the safety of its products. Attorneys for Meta argue the company has made efforts to protect its youngest users. Sonja Sharp in the Los Angeles Times$ Tyler Katzenberger Politico Ethan Baron in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 8/19/26

Wildfire

Here’s how nearly 2 million California homes must adjust landscaping under final wildfire rule -- After years of delays and pushback, California regulators are set to approve major new rules requiring millions of property owners to limit plants and other flammable materials within 5 feet of homes. Julie Johnson in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/19/26

Water

As Colorado River reservoirs shrink, Arizona warns of a legal fight -- A legal fight could end up before the U.S. Supreme Court and further complicate efforts by seven Western states to agree on how to share water from the shrinking river and its reservoirs, which have fallen to record low levels. Ian James in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/19/26

Climate

Bay Area’s Highway 37 could be underwater by 2050. California could spend $100 million on a fix -- State transportation officials on Thursday will weigh whether to invest $100 million in one of the Bay Area’s most ambitious transportation projects: the effort to raise a 21-mile highway before it sinks into the sea. Rachel Swan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/19/26

Environment

Your car may not be fuel efficient, but your tires have to be now -- California just became the first state in the nation to require that replacement car tires be as energy-efficient as new ones, a move the state says will save drivers a billion dollars annually while reducing gasoline and electricity demand. Blanca Begert in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/19/26

Yosemite

‘Dramatic reduction’ in gridlock? Yosemite claims more visitors, less congestion -- Mark Rose with National Parks Conservation Association says this is the park service being selective in the information it shares, “in a manner that doesn’t square with reality.” The NPS touted July 4 as “one of the smoothest holiday periods in recent memory,” leaving out the fact it was a fee-free weekend. Meaning, no one was stopping cars at the entrance gates. Joshua Tehee in the Fresno Bee -- 8/19/26

Street

LAPD fires on man suspected of holding gun, misses him entirely. Turns out it was a water pistol -- LAPD officers in South Park opened fire on a man whose realistic-looking “gun” turned out to be a water pistol, before arresting him without injuries Monday evening. Police say the man ignored commands to stop and pointed the object toward officers, prompting at least one to shoot; the rounds missed and the water pistol was recovered. Fedor Zarkhin in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/19/26

Also

Excited for big El Niño winter, 3 Tahoe ski resorts announce opening dates -- Heavenly, in South Lake Tahoe, and Northstar, in Truckee, are slated to open Nov. 20 — about a week ahead of Thanksgiving. South of the Tahoe basin, Kirkwood plans to open Dec. 4. Gregory Thomas in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/19/26

Former Sen. Kyrsten Sinema details affair that began in Wine Country -- Former Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema testified that her sexual relationship with a married member of her security detail began during a 2024 trip to California’s Wine Country, according to court filings. Aidin Vaziri, Danielle Echeverria in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/19/26

This clumsy green beetle is buzzing all over L.A. It might just crash into your face -- Parts of Los Angeles are abuzz with hordes of figeater beetles, also known as green fruit beetles or Cotinis mutabilis. About an inch long, they’re hard to miss — and are known for careening into unsuspecting bystanders. Lila Seidman in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/19/26

POTUS 47

Trump tries to quiet his mass deportation campaign. Voters aren’t moving -- New results from The Politico Poll show that half of Americans, including nearly a quarter of Trump’s 2024 voters, still say the president’s mass deportation campaign is too aggressive. Myah Ward and Erin Doherty Politico -- 8/19/26

‘Brazen act of self-dealing’: Democrats seek to block a Trump-linked crypto bank -- Federal regulators have given preliminary approval for a cryptocurrency venture tied to President Trump and his family to operate a digital-asset bank, a decision that has drawn immediate condemnation from Senate Democrats who are now pushing legislation to bar such an action. Ana Ceballos in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/19/26

Supreme Court is urged to block Trump’s huge new ballroom so Congress can decide -- Trump’s lawyer said the ballroom project is ‘65% complete ... and moving quickly toward total completion.’ The preservation trust said Trump is moving quickly so as to bypass the law. David G. Savage in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/19/26

Trump’s Ballroom Is Rising at Breakneck Speed: 20 Hours a Day, 7 Days a Week -- Although the fate of the ballroom is tied up in court, the Trump administration argues that the project is too far along to be stopped now. Luke Broadwater and Ann E. Marimow in the New York Times$ -- 8/19/26

 

California Policy and Politics Tuesday

As L.A. burned, online gamblers bet on how much the fires would destroy. ‘That was fun’ -- While Southern California was burning in January 2025, people online were placing money on potential outcomes. Experts say the possibility of making money on disasters can create dangerous incentives. Hannah Fry in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/18/26

Meta goes on trial in Oakland over alleged harms to children, with up to $1.4 trillion at stake -- Meta goes on trial this week in Oakland over allegations it built Facebook and Instagram to addict children, concealed the resulting harm and illegally collected young users’ data, a case that Meta says could expose it to as much as $1.4 trillion in penalties or force fundamental changes to two of the world’s largest social media platforms. Ethan Baron in the San Jose Mercury$ Tyler Katzenberger Politico Cecilia Kang and Eli Tan in the New York Times$ Scott Nover in the Washington Post$ -- 8/18/26

The Web of Hidden Deals That Snared the Dodgers Owner in a Federal Probe -- Under pressure from investigators and regulators, billionaire Mark Walter is racing to unwind bets and save his sports-and-finance empire. Justin Baer, Margot Patrick, Joe Wallace and Andrew Beaton in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 8/18/26

Jeanie Buss contests family sale of Lakers ownership stake to Bob Iger, Joshua Kushner -- For more than four decades, the Lakers were a family-run business. The sibling rivalries still remain. Jeanie Buss is fighting back after her siblings reportedly voted to sell the family’s remaining stake in the Lakers on Monday. Thuc Nhi Nguyen in the Los Angeles Times$ Greg Beacham Associated Press Sam Amick in the New York Times$ -- 8/18/26

 

Paramount demands $1.9 billion from states, citing Warner deal delays -- Paramount Skydance has asked a federal judge to order California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta, 11 other states and the Writers Guild of America to post up to $1.9 billion for mounting Warner merger “ticking fees.” The states’ antitrust lawsuit is now the only barrier after approvals from Trump’s Justice Department and 68 jurisdictions, with a March trial threatening months of delays and spiraling daily costs. Meg James in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/18/26

 

Poll showing Bass leading Raman by double digits was bogus, company says -- The phony poll by a company called Median Strategies showed Bass leading Raman by a wide margin, but the company acknowledged Monday that it was fake. Median said the “poll” was instead a “short term social experiment” to see how polling information could be distributed without verification. Noah Goldberg in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/18/26

House Ethics Committee announces sexual misconduct investigation into Rep. Jimmy Gomez -- Gomez acknowleged ‘personal mistakes outside my marriage,’ and said he is ‘ready to cooperate’ with the ethics probe. Ben Wieder in the Los Angeles Times$ Michael Gold in the New York Times$ -- 8/18/26

 

Republicans won the redistricting competition. Don’t tell that to this California congressman -- One thing Anne Smull, a retired feedstore owner, was looking forward to on Election Day was voting for the man who currently represents her in Congress, conservative Rep. Kevin Kiley. Now she can’t. Nicholas Riccardi Associated Press -- 8/18/26

Kiley, Pan put each other’s records on trial in first 6th District debate -- In their first general election debate Monday evening, U.S. Rep. Kevin Kiley, I-Rocklin, and former state Sen. Richard Pan offered competing explanations for the problems facing voters in California’s newly redrawn 6th Congressional District. Kiley pointed to Sacramento, while Pan pointed to Washington. Naomi Taxay in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 8/18/26

State Farm

State Farm defense lawyers admit AI generated fake cases in LA lawsuit -- The homeowner’s lawyers discovered in motions filed by State Farm “cases that do not exist, quotes that do not exist, and holdings that do not exist,” according to a filing by Eric Khodadian, who is representing Fa’alagilagi Meni-Siliga. Levi Sumagaysay Calmatters -- 8/18/26

 

Will California vote ‘progressive’ in insurance commissioner race? -- Jane Kim, backed by Bernie Sanders, could ride the progressive wave. Ben Allen has the CA Democratic party’s endorsement for the insurance commissioner job. Levi Sumagaysay Calmatters -- 8/18/26

Donald Trump made historic gains in California in 2024. Can Steve Hilton build on that? -- In his decisive 2024 presidential victory, Donald Trump achieved the best result for a Republican in the Golden State in 20 years — in part by attracting younger voters, Latino voters and less-educated voters to his camp in droves, flipping 10 counties in the process. Olivia Borgula in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/18/26

Garofoli: Do Democrats have ‘SWAMP’ disease? A major S.F. donor thinks so -- There’s been no shortage of critiques of the Democratic Party — not surprising given its 39% approval rating — but a new outside “audit” of the party’s funding priorities is taking a different angle. It has diagnosed the party with “Straight White American Male Preference — SWAMP,” an affliction that “imperils the Party’s chances of winning the 2026 midterm elections.” Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/18/26

Walters: How California’s midterm election could shape national political conflicts -- When a professional political operative describes an election as “nationalized,” it means the outcome could have consequences far beyond the locality in which it occurs and therefore is drawing outside attention and resources. This year’s congressional elections in California are a prime example, with two distinct and unusual aspects. Dan Walters Calmatters -- 8/18/26

HSR

‘More and more’ regulation at root of High-Speed Rail delays, CEO says in Fresno speech -- The head of the California High-Speed Rail Authority told a Fresno crowd Monday that a history of increasing regulation is at the root of the project’s slow movement since the state’s voters approved it nearly 20 years ago. Erik Galicia in the Fresno Bee -- 8/18/26

ICE

ICE gives detention centers high marks for health under Trump even as deaths climb, report finds -- Regular reports out of immigrant detention facilities, some as recent as last month, indicate a pattern of complaints: Bad water, untrained staff and slow response times to acute and chronic medical conditions. Nigel Duara Calmatters -- 8/18/26

San Diego County Supervisors want to kick ICE out of the county firing range -- San Diego County is considering banning federal immigration agencies from using county firearms training facilities, as two supervisors argued that local firing ranges should not be “a training ground for President Trump’s mass deportation agenda.” Deborah Brennan Calmatters -- 8/18/26

Workplace

Disney sues FCC over challenge to broadcast licenses, claiming retaliation over ‘Jimmy Kimmel’ -- Disney filed a lawsuit Tuesday against the Trump administration’s Federal Communications Commission alleging a violation of its First Amendment rights. Mike Catalini Associated Press -- 8/18/26

Hollywood strikes first AI copyright truce with ByteDance -- The Motion Picture Assn. has struck its first agreement with an artificial intelligence company, saying Monday that BytWendy LeeeDance has strengthened copyright guardrails into its AI video and image tools that drew legal threats from every major Hollywood studio in February. Wendy Lee in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/18/26

California prison towns grasp for new jobs after closures: ‘No one is coming to save us’ -- California prison towns made a grim bargain decades ago. They built their economies around an industry that relied on an ever-growing prison population, mostly from California’s major metropolitan areas. Nigel Duara Calmatters -- 8/18/26

Blow to Westside child care: UCLA to close infant and toddler centers charging $3,000 a month -- Parents and advocates say the closures deepen an already dire child-care shortage in the Westside, where licensed spaces serve just a fraction of infants and soaring costs strain both families and underpaid educators. Kate Sequeira and Jaweed Kaleem in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/18/26

Housing

Why S.F. neighborhoods are up in arms over new environmental rankings that could cost them money -- California recently updated the system it uses to decide which communities get top priority for state environmental cleanup funding, and dozens of groups in the Bay Area aren’t happy with it. Alejandra Reyes-Velarde Calmatters -- 8/18/26

Aging Californians aren’t leaving their longtime homes. It’s worsening the housing crisis -- California‘s aging population is driving down the state’s average household size, as senior residents are increasingly staying in their single-family homes well after their children move out. The declining birthrate is also contributing to this trend of shrinking households. Grace Toohey in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/18/26

Guns

Trump Administration Moves to Restore Felons’ Gun Rights -- The Justice Department expects 330,000 people to apply to reclaim ability to own firearms under a new regulation Dave Michaels in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 8/18/26

Also

Trump praises 16-year-old lifeguard who saved a drowning boy in Santa Cruz -- A 16-year-old lifeguard, whose viral video rescue of a boy at a Santa Cruz beach last month drew widespread praise, met with President Trump at the White House on Monday afternoon. Ryder Williams, 16, met with Trump at the Oval Office, after the president announced that Ryder would receive a “High Civilian Honor” for the rescue. Summer Lin in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/18/26

Man who fell from personal watercraft off Long Beach found next day — alive — off Seal Beach’s coast -- A 53-year-old man floating more than two miles off Seal Beach’s coast — and 12-plus hours after going missing — was rescued by a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter after its crew spotted his neon-green life vest and noticed him moving his legs as they got closer, officials said. Nathaniel Percy in the Orange County Register$ -- 8/18/26

POTUS 47

As Iran Truce Expires and Options Shrivel, Trump Lashes Out -- As a crumbling truce with Iran officially collapsed on Monday, President Trump signaled his frustration at his inability to resolve a war that he started but cannot seem to end. In an interview with Fox News, the president lashed out at an American ally, Oman, that has been trying to mediate negotiations with Iran. Luke Broadwater in the New York Times$ Cleve R. Wootson Jr. and Rachel Chason in the Washington Post$ -- 8/18/26

Trump threatened to bomb Oman because he’s unhappy with country’s deal with Iran, officials say -- U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to bomb Oman because he is unhappy the country is close to a deal with Iran to manage ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, two regional officials said Tuesday, a day after Trump leveled the threat. Samy Magdy Associated Press -- 8/18/26

Trump’s rosy Hormuz claims collide with tanker data -- The Trump administration has said the Strait of Hormuz is open for business and oil is flowing. Market trackers suggest a less rosy picture. Scott Waldman Politico -- 8/18/26

Trump votes by mail again in his home state of Florida -- President Donald Trump voted by mail in Florida’s Republican primary, according to local voting records, even as he continues to rail against mail-in voting with wide-ranging allegations of fraud. Gary Fineout Politico Chris Cameron in the New York Times$ -- 8/18/26

U.S. Airman Says He Would Accept Punishment for Protesting Iran War -- Major Watson characterized the war in Iran as an act of American aggression and compared the U.S. military actions to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Minho Kim in the New York Times$ -- 8/18/26

Supreme Court rebuffs Trump’s bid to overturn $5 million verdict in Carroll case -- The Supreme Court on Monday again rebuffed President Donald Trump’s bid to overturn a $5 million verdict against him in a case in which he was found liable for sexually abusing former advice columnist E. Jean Carroll. Justin Jouvenal in the Washington Post$ -- 8/18/26