California Policy and Politics Monday

Man charged with attempted assassination of Trump in White House correspondents’ dinner shooting -- The man who authorities say tried to storm the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner with guns and knives was charged Monday with the attempted assassination of President Donald Trump and will remain at least temporarily behind bars as the case moves forward. Eric Tucker, Michael Kunzelman, Alanna Durkin Richer Associated Press -- 4/27/26

D.C. gala gunman wrote ‘manifesto,’ traveled from California before attack, officials say -- Cole Tomas Allen, the suspected gunman who rattled Washington’s leaders by exchanging gunfire with officials just outside a press gala late Saturday, had made a long journey from Southern California and written a “manifesto” threatening Trump administration officials before the attack, officials said. Kevin Rector, Alene Tchekmedyian, Connor Sheets and Tony Briscoe in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/27/26

Caltech, Dominguez Hills, Torrance — accused Washington, DC attacker’s apparent past -- That trail, according to interviews and social media posts, shows a 31-year-old, highly educated tutor and amateur video game developer from Torrance who studied at one of the most elite learning institutions in the world, Caltech. Ryan Carter, Sean Emery, Tony Saavedra, Madeline Armstrong in the Orange County Register$ -- 4/27/26

 

Becerra’s surge in California governor race draws fresh attention to candidacy, long government record -- After winning his first race for Congress in 1992, 34-year-old Xavier Becerra credited a wave of community supporters in Los Angeles, many Latino, for backing his upstart campaign, saying he hoped his win was proof that grassroots politics was more valuable than “heavy dollars.” Kevin Rector in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/27/26

Becerra’s surge draws progressive backlash in California governor’s race -- Activists on the left are resurfacing past fights over immigration, oil-industry donations and healthcare as the former HHS secretary gains ground in the contest. Dustin Gardiner Politico -- 4/27/26

Skelton: After Swalwell scandal, a ‘safe choice’ for Democrats emerges -- Xavier Becerra seems like the type of steady, trustworthy fellow you’d like your daughter to marry. But she’s attracted to a charming party animal. Then the flashy dude does something really stupid and repulsive. Daughter is jarred into her senses and decides to size up the unexciting but reliable guy. George Skelton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/27/26

Billionaire-tax backers say they have enough signatures — times two — to qualify for ballot -- Opponents of the proposal argue that it already has driven wealthy Californians — crucial to funding the state’s volatile budget — to other parts of the nation. Advocates, however, say the proposed tax is critical to compensate for federal healthcare funding cuts that will harm the state’s most vulnerable residents. Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times$ Juliet Chung and Paul Kiernan in the Wall Street Journal$ Laurel Rosenhall in the New York Times$ -- 4/27/26

Could a change to environmental law reduce California costs? -- California voters will face a number of high-stakes races this November, including choosing a governor and helping decide control of Congress. They are also heading toward a major showdown over one of the state’s most powerful and controversial environmental laws. Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/27/26

Newsom renews $50,000 rewards for six Bay Area cold cases -- Urging tipsters to come forward, Gov. Gavin Newsom renewed $50,000 rewards for information in more than two dozen cold cases across California, including six in the Bay Area. The cases included the death of a 12-year-old girl who disappeared in Sonoma County in 1997 and the ambush of a Hillsborough police officer in San Mateo County last year. David Hernandez in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/27/26

Who wants to be California’s insurance commissioner? Your guide to the candidates -- CalMatters interviewed five leading candidates who want to regulate one of the world’s biggest insurance markets. Here’s what they said. Levi Sumagaysay Calmatters -- 4/27/26

Suing Spree

One man has filed 1,800 disability lawsuits against SoCal shops. Store owners are fed up -- Anthony Bouyer has been on a suing spree around the San Fernando Valley. On Sept. 24, the 55-year-old internet marketer confronted a counter at a hole-in-the-wall Mexican spot that was difficult to reach over in his wheelchair. He sued the business for violating the Americans with Disabilities Act. In L.A. County, it was at least his 231st case of the year. Rebecca Ellis in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/27/26

Housing

This Bay Area affordable housing project is finally rising. The real test is what comes next -- On a quiet stretch of Harrison Street in downtown Oakland, a chain-link fence has long guarded a surface parking lot, one of several gaps in a neighborhood where investment seems to come in waves. This month, construction finally began to fill it. Laura Waxmann in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/27/26

California governor candidates race to claim pro-housing mantle -- As California’s housing crisis continues to dominate state politics, candidates for governor are increasingly positioning themselves as pro-housing, a shift driven in part by the growing influence of the Yes In My Backyard movement. Grace Hase in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/27/26

Street

Plans to fix gaps in Newsom’s mental health court reopen divisions over involuntary care -- Gov. Gavin Newsom’s CARE Court struggles to serve Californians in acute mental health crises. Two bills are moving forward to change that. Marisa Kendall Calmatters -- 4/27/26

Also

California climber survived a 500-foot fall and freezing night out, forcing a dramatic air rescue -- It was a high-stakes rescue — one of the most challenging the helicopter aircrew had ever performed in the High Sierra. Gregory Thomas in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/27/26

POTUS 47

The Simple Security Flaws That Exposed Trump to Another Gunman -- With 1,107 guest rooms and suites, 47 meeting rooms and four on-site dining venues, the facility in the heart of the nation’s capital can’t be fully sealed off for a high-security event. One of those rooms was booked by the 31-year-old gunman, who checked in the day before the shooting, law-enforcement officials said, giving him an even deeper awareness of the Hilton’s contours. Sadie Gurman, C. Ryan Barber and Isabella Simonetti in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 4/27/26

Suspect Is Said to Have Written of Anger at Trump Officials Before Charging Gala -- The roughly 1,000-word note shared by officials does not mention Mr. Trump by name. But it indicates that the suspect, who was detained after a shooting involving federal agents on Saturday night, bore deep anger at the administration and the president himself. According to the note, the suspect said he could no longer allow a “traitor to coat my hands with his crimes.” Luke Broadwater, Michael M. Grynbaum, Shawn McCreesh, Tyler Pager, Devlin Barrett, Maggie Haberman and Amy Qin in the New York Times$ -- 4/27/26

Trump lashes out at ‘60 Minutes’ anchor for reading alleged gunman’s manifesto -- Any detente between the president and the press after the shared horror of Saturday’s dinner appears to be short-lived. Eli Stokols Politico -- 4/27/26

We were there: Hearing gunfire and ducking for cover at the D.C. dinner shooting -- Directly outside the Washington Hilton ballroom, as the yearly White House Correspondents’ Assn. dinner got underway Saturday, a Times reporter had just entered the men’s room when he heard a handful of loud pops ring out. “Shooter!” someone shouted. “Get down! Shots fired!” Gavin J. Quinton and Andrea Castillo in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/27/26

Critics slam Trump’s purge of National Science Board: ‘Wholesale evisceration of American leadership in science’ -- The future of the National Science Foundation is in question after a slew of scientists who serve on the National Science Board, an independent body that promotes the progress of American science and provides advice to the U.S. president and Congress, were abruptly dismissed from their positions Friday by the White House. Jenny Jarvie in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/27/26

U.S. may soon target Mexican politicians in anti-corruption campaign -- The crackdown could expand beyond visa revocations to include federal indictments of Mexican politicians. The U.S. has already revoked the visas of some Mexican leaders, including Sinaloa Gov. Rubén Rocha Moya, who has repeatedly denied any links to cartels. Steve Fisher in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/27/26

Corporate America Is Minting Money—and Not Just in Tech and Finance -- With just over one-fourth of S&P 500 companies reporting results for the first quarter, Wall Street’s expectations for earnings suggest big U.S. companies are far healthier than wider economic concerns might indicate. Theo Francis in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 4/27/26