California Policy and Politics Friday

FEMA rejects meeting with Newsom during low-profile push for L.A. fire funding -- Gov. Gavin Newsom was on Capitol Hill on Friday renewing calls for $33.9 billion in federal aid for Los Angeles fire recovery. FEMA denied Newsom’s meeting request, underscoring political tensions surrounding California’s disaster recovery appeal following the January fires. Ana Ceballos and Melody Gutierrez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/05/25

S.F. judge spars with DOJ lawyers arguing ‘a danger of rebellion’ in California -- The federal government says President Donald Trump’s continued deployment of 100 National Guard troops in Los Angeles is lawful because of the “danger of a rebellion” there, attorneys argued during sharp back-and-forth with a judge in San Francisco Friday. Sara DiNatale in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/05/25

 

Netflix agrees to buy Warner Bros. in a $72-billion deal that will transform Hollywood -- Netflix has prevailed in its bid to buy Warner Bros., agreeing to pay $72 billion for the Burbank-based Warner Bros. film and television studios, HBO Max and HBO. The two companies announced the blockbuster deal early Friday morning. The takeover would give Netflix such beloved characters as Batman, Harry Potter and Fred Flintstone. Meg James in the Los Angeles Times$ Joe Flint and Lauren Thomas in the Wall Street Journal$ Brooks Barnes, Lauren Hirsch and Nicole Sperling in the New York Times$ Scott Nover in the Washington Post$ -- 12/05/25

Why the Battle for Warner Bros. Discovery May Not Be Over Yet -- Netflix struck a deal to buy one of Hollywood’s most storied studios. But a scorned rival, and the Trump administration, may put up a fight. Andrew Ross Sorkin, Bernhard Warner, Sarah Kessler, Michael J. de la Merced, Niko Gallogly, Brian O’Keefe and Grady McGregor in the New York Times$ -- 12/05/25

 

California lawmakers flag concerns about World Cup visas, ban threats and ticket prices -- Lawmakers are hopeful the World Cup will be successful but see visa delays, threats of banning some countries and steep ticket prices as big hurdles. Kevin Baxter in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/05/25

Does the World Cup have a Trump problem in the Bay Area? -- This region will host six 2026 World Cup matches, but President Trump has threatened to take away games from cities governed by Democrats. Gabriel Sama, Grace Hase in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 12/05/25

Hate crimes in L.A. County ‘continue at record levels,’ new report finds --Professor emeritus Brian Levin, founding director at the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism, said “socially scapegoated groups” bear the brunt of violent hate crimes. Simple assaults, aggravated assaults and robberies all rose to varying degrees, which — including vandalism — accounted for 88% of all reported hate crimes, according to the commission’s report. Christopher Buchanan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/05/25

 

Poll: Two Republicans and Swalwell top the pack of 2026 CA governor candidates -- The Emerson College survey shows Chad Bianco, the Republican sheriff of Riverside County, with support from 13% of voters. Steve Hilton, a former Fox News host, and Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell, who got into the race last month, both have 12%. Former Rep. Katie Porter had 11% while the rest of the declared candidates pulled single-digit support. Nicole Nixon in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 12/05/25

Jon Slavet, tech entrepreneur and Republican, announces run for governor -- Slavet, 58, a former longtime Democrat who has never run for political office previously, said in an interview on Thursday that he believed that his business background provided the best foundation to fix the state’s problems — poverty, homelessness, unemployment, energy costs — based on conversations with California voters. Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/05/25

 

Federal investigation of Democratic consultants in Sacramento nets guilty plea -- Lobbyist Greg Campbell stood emotionless beside his attorney, Todd Pickles, inside a Sacramento federal courtroom and pleaded guilty to one charge of conspiracy to defraud the United States and one charge of conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud. Katie King in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/05/25

As Trump calls affordability a ‘con job,’ Democrats unveil an affordable housing plan -- Sen. Adam Schiff is proposing legislation to boost the supply of affordable housing for low-income and middle-income families. President Trump has accused Democrats of pushing a ‘fake narrative’ on the issue of affordability and blamed President Biden for Americans’ economic pains. Ana Ceballos in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/05/25

Issa will run for reelection in California rather than move to Texas -- Republican Rep. Darrell Issa announced Thursday that he would run for reelection next year in his San Diego area district instead of moving to Texas to run in friendly GOP territory. Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/05/25

Recalled Alameda County DA Pamela Price says she plans to run again -- Former Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price, who was ousted last year in a historic recall, on Thursday announced she plans to run again in an attempt to reclaim the top prosecutorial position next year. David Hernandez in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/05/25

Porn advertisers target California secretary of state’s website -- The breach is part of a nationwide cyberattack pattern; a researcher has tracked at least 38 government agencies across 18 states targeted by similar attacks in recent weeks. Dakota Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/05/25

Metro votes to approve Dodger Stadium gondola project despite protests -- Hundreds of community members packed a meeting room Thursday to tell the Metro board of directors whether they favored or opposed Frank McCourt’s proposed gondola to Dodger Stadium. Bill Shaikin in the Los Angeles Times$ Lucas Robinson in the San Diego Union Tribune$ -- 12/05/25

ICE

‘We may be deporting the wrong people’: New poll shows doubts about immigration crackdown -- A new poll shared exclusively with CalMatters adds to a slate of recent surveys suggesting Californians’ support is waning for Trump’s harshest immigration enforcement policies. Wendy Fry Calmatters -- 12/05/25

Most Immigrants Arrested in City Crackdowns Have No Criminal Record -- In high-profile Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in Los Angeles; Chicago; Washington, D.C.; and across Massachusetts, more than half of those arrested had no criminal record, compared with a third of immigrants arrested nationwide. Albert Sun in the New York Times$ -- 12/05/25

Why a longtime Berkeley diner put up a sign barring law enforcement without a warrant -- Outrage — and confusion — spread on social media Thursday about a sign posted in the window of a beloved Bay Area diner stating that law enforcement officials can’t enter the business without a warrant. Elena Kadvany in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/05/25

Advocates warn Afghan community of ICE immigration arrests in Sacramento -- Several members of the Afghan community living in the Sacramento area have been detained by federal immigration agents as part of a nationwide crackdown on refugees from Afghanistan, according to community advocacy groups. Rosalio Ahumada in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 12/05/25

Workplace

To protect underage farmworkers, California expands oversight of field conditions -- California officials said they are launching new enforcement actions to protect underage farmworkers, including enhanced coordination among two state agencies charged with inspecting work conditions in the fields. Robert J. Lopez Capital & Main in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/05/25

The University of California says it wants justice for messy rollout of pension system. Contractors call it revenge -- The university sued contractors it hired to overhaul one of the largest pension plans in the country. Eric He Politico -- 12/05/25

Wildfire

California is drafting new rules for wildfire smoke cleanup. Are home insurers calling the shots? -- A state-led task force assembled to issue smoke damage guidelines includes technical experts who have spent years helping insurers dispute consumers’ smoke-damage claims. Sara DiNatale, Megan Fan Munce, Susie Neilson in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/05/25

Water

California water wars reignite as Trump administration plans to send more water to farms -- The Trump administration is pressing forward with its pledge to send more Northern California water south to farms, even as state officials warn that the move could cut vital supplies for cities and fish. Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/05/25

‘A bit like poker,’ California’s wet winter brings La Niña/El Niño confusion -- Southern California has experienced a record-breaking wet start to the rainy season, contradicting typical La Niña patterns. Rong-Gong Lin II in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/05/25

AI

A safety report card ranks AI company efforts to protect humanity -- As AI plays an increasingly larger role in the way humans interact with technology, the potential harms are becoming more clear — people using AI-powered chatbots for counseling and then dying by suicide, or using AI for cyberattacks. There are also future risks — AI being used to make weapons or overthrow governments. Wendy Lee in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/05/25

New York Times Escalates Battle Against Perplexity With New Lawsuit -- The New York Times is suing generative-AI startup Perplexity for copyright infringement, expanding its legal fight against artificial-intelligence companies that it says steal and then profit off its content. Alexandra Bruell in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 12/05/25

Coal

Los Angeles says so long to coal -- Los Angeles has officially broken up with coal. City officials on Thursday announced that the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power has stopped receiving coal-powered electricity from its last remaining coal source, the Intermountain generating station in Utah. Hayley Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/05/25

Develop

Marina’s reaction to Safeway tower plans: ‘Along comes this behemoth right on the waterfront’ -- The audacious proposal to convert a Marina district Safeway into a 25-story, two-tower, U-shaped apartment complex with a jagged gray wall of bricks on one facade and nearly 800 apartments was heaped with scorn and mockery in the waterfront San Francisco neighborhood on Thursday, even by some local residents and elected officials who typically back the “build baby build” agenda popular with the YIMBY movement. J.K. Dineen in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/05/25

Education

Struggling Bay Area university receives $50 million donation from MacKenzie Scott -- Billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott donated $50 million to Cal State East Bay, a record-setting donation for a university struggling with steep enrollment declines. Aldo Toledo in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/05/25

Homeless

With state pushing back, Oakland delays vote on controversial homeless encampment policy -- The Oakland City Council has again delayed a vote on a controversial policy to crack down on the city’s homeless encampments after state officials warned the proposal could jeopardize $45 million in homelessness funding for Oakland and Alameda County. Kate Talerico in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/05/25

Tijuana River

Tijuana River sewage still pollutes the San Diego Coast. She’s fighting to clean it up -- The Tijuana River’s sewage contamination continues to sicken communities in southern San Diego County. San Diego County Supervisor Paloma Aguirre has become a leading force in pushing for binational fixes and emergency funding to protect public health. Deborah Brennan Calmatters -- 12/05/25

Street

SoCal 70-year-old filmed himself killing a homeless man. But his case ends in a mistrial -- Craig Sumner Elliot was charged with involuntary manslaughter after he recorded himself fatally shooting a homeless man. The jury could not reach a unanimous verdict in his trial this week. Salvador Hernandez in the Los Angeles Times$ Sean Emery in the Orange County Register$ -- 12/05/25

ShakeAlert sends false alarm about magnitude 5.9 earthquake in California, Nevada -- The ShakeAlert system that warns about imminent shaking arriving from earthquakes sent a false alarm across California on Thursday morning for a magnitude 5.9 temblor that did not happen. Rong-Gong Lin II in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/05/25

Also

Annual Christmas tradition honoring fallen military heroes is coming to a close -- 'When they do a ceremony like this, and they call out their names, they're alive. They're still there for that family.' Kaitlyn Schallhorn in the Orange County Register$ -- 12/05/25

Walters: Assembly Speaker Rivas promises to scrutinize how California’s new laws work -- The California Legislature not only habitually passes legislation without considering downside risks, it also only rarely examines whether those new laws deliver the promised results. Dan Walters Calmatters -- 12/05/25

Arellano: Trump has this Latino mother and daughter divided. But the silent treatment won’t do -- The setting: a two-story home in Whittier prettied with holiday decorations, pet beds, American flags and a shelf of tchotchkes dedicated to John Wayne. The face-off: 63-year-old Gloria Valles and her daughter, 33-year-old Brittney Valles-Gordon. Gustavo Arellano in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/05/25

‘The Snake’ is back: Dangerous, thrill seekers’ Mulholland Highway reopens after 6 years -- For more than six years, adrenaline junkies have yearned for the moment that, once again, they can careen around the serpentine corners of a stretch of Mulholland Highway with the crisp mountain air rushing through their hair. Clara Harter in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/05/25

Second act for a queer icon: San Francisco’s Castro Theatre relaunches at pivotal moment -- At the start of the pandemic, when live entertainment was shut down across California, Gregg Perloff — chief executive of Another Planet Entertainment — told his team to use the downtime to find a new project that excited them. Kevin Rector in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/05/25

In Altadena bear country, homeowner struggles to evict 550-pound unwanted tenant -- The bear that squeezed through a small opening and made himself at home is tagged by wildlife officials as 2120 and has been trapped and moved from Altadena before. Sandra McDonald in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/05/25

POTUS 47

Trump Administration Says Europe Faces ‘Civilizational Erasure’ -- The Trump administration said on Friday that Europe was facing the “stark prospect of civilizational erasure” and pledged that the United States would support like-minded “patriotic” parties across the continent to prevent a future in which “certain NATO members will become majority non-European.” Michael D. Shear, Jeanna Smialek and Lara Jakes in the New York Times$ Nahal Toosi Politico -- 12/05/25

Trump’s Approval Rating Dips as Views of His Handling of the Economy Sour -- As Americans voice broad concerns about the economy, Mr. Trump is facing discontent from across the political spectrum, with even some of his longest-serving allies raising complaints and urging the administration to refocus on economic issues. Ruth Igielnik and Tyler Pager in the New York Times$ -- 12/05/25

Supreme Court rules for Texas Republicans, allowing new election map to go into effect -- The Supreme Court vote was 6-3 along the usual lines, with the conservatives in the majority and the three liberals in dissent. David G. Savage in the Los Angeles Times$ Josh Gerstein and Hassan Ali Kanu Politico Louise Radnofsky, James Romoser and Elizabeth Findell in the Wall Street Journal$ Abbie VanSickle in the New York Times$ Justin Jouvenal, Julian Mark and Patrick Marley in the Washington Post$ Nicole Nixon in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 12/05/25

Justice Department urges judge to jail former Jan. 6 defendant after alarming return to DC -- A man pardoned by President Donald Trump for his role in the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol returned to Washington in recent days and has been wandering the neighborhood of Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin — alarming police and prosecutors, who urged a judge to immediately jail him. Rachel Umansky-Castro and Kyle Cheney Politico -- 12/05/25

Lawmakers sharply divided as Congress probes killings at sea -- The first classified briefings of a deadly U.S. strike in the Caribbean produced a striking split screen on Capitol Hill, with a top Republican saying the unedited video showed nothing illegal while a senior Democrat called the recording “one of the most disturbing” he had ever witnessed. Joe Gould, Connor O'Brien and John Sakellariadis Politico Alexander Ward, Lindsay Wise and Shelby Holliday in the Wall Street Journal$ Megan Mineiro, Julian E. Barnes and Dave Philipps in the New York Times$ Maegan Vazquez and Noah Robertson in the Washington Post$ -- 12/05/25

Second Strike Scrutiny Obscures Larger Question About Trump’s Boat Attacks -- Congress is focusing on two deaths in one strike. But nine other people died in that same attack, and the United States has killed 87 in all. Were any of those killings legal? Charlie Savage and Julian E. Barnes in the New York Times$ -- 12/05/25

Grand jury refuses to reindict Letitia James in mortgage fraud case -- The ruling in Virginia marks a defeat for the Justice Dept. and the Trump administration, which had sought a new indictment after a judge dismissed the case against the New York attorney general last week. Perry Stein and Gregory S. Schneider in the Washington Post$ -- 12/05/25

‘Signalgate’ report contradicts Hegseth’s claim of ‘total exoneration’ -- The defense secretary’s actions “created a risk to operational security,” according to an independent assessment by the Pentagon’s inspector general. Dan Lamothe in the Washington Post$ John Ismay in the New York Times$ -- 12/05/25

Agency Officials Removed by Trump Administration Allege Racial Discrimination -- Two men are first among a group of fired federal board members to allege they were removed based on their race. Esther Fung in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 12/05/25