California Policy and Politics Sunday

S.F. teachers strike imminent with no additional talks scheduled -- Contract talks failed to lead to an agreement Saturday between San Francisco teachers and district officials, despite several concessions to the union with no additional talks scheduled for Sunday. Jill Tucker in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/8/26

Epstein files show post-conviction ties to Silicon Valley power players -- The latest release of the Jeffrey Epstein files includes years of email exchanges between the late convicted sex offender and some of Silicon Valley’s most well-known tech billionaires — with much of the correspondence coming after Epstein’s 2008 guilty plea for soliciting prostitution from an underage girl. Ethan Varian in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 2/8/26

Trump, California and the multi-front war over the next election -- California election officials are preparing for scenarios where Trump administration officials demand ballots or place agents at voting sites. State Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta vows to seek restraining orders within hours if the administration interferes. Kevin Rector, Hailey Branson-Potts and Ana Ceballos in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/8/26

In the race for governor, Steve Hilton has a new target: fellow Republican Chad Bianco -- It’s ‘gut check time’ for the Republican candidates for California governor, if they want at least one of them to make it past the primary, one expert says. Kaitlyn Schallhorn in the Orange County Register$ -- 2/8/26

Barabak, Chabria: Fix the potholes or fight the power? That’s the choice facing California’s next governor -- California’s gubernatorial race features a large field of Democrats and Republicans with no clear front-runner. Most candidates have struggled to articulate distinct policies or break through the political noise. Mark Z. Barabak and Anita Chabria in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/8/26

From A’s games to Sur La Table: What lawmakers’ campaign finance filings reveal -- Campaign funds are not taxpayer dollars but are given by companies or organizations that would like to have a say in how state laws are crafted. Assembly Republican Leader Heath Flora, R-Ripon, raised $663,459.56 in 2025, 163% more than the average legislator, according to the CalMatters Digital Democracy database. Kate Wolffe and Stephen Hobbs in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/8/26

Karen Bass draws last-minute challenge from progressive ally in LA -- Nithya Raman, a progressive Los Angeles councilmember, announced her mayoral run on Saturday, three hours before the filing deadline for the June election and less than two weeks after endorsing Bass’ reelection. Melanie Mason in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/8/26

Lopez: A political earthquake in mayor’s race makes election a referendum on L.A.’s future -- L.A. Mayor Karen Bass was having a really bad week. But then it turned into a pretty good week, and she must have breathed a sigh of relief. Until the Saturday morning surprise. Steve Lopez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/8/26

 

‘Thank you, billionaires’: S.F. march defends the ultrarich in face of ridicule -- From his pulpit at a corner of a Pacific Heights park in San Francisco, AI startup founder Derik Kauffman explained why he decided to organize a March for Billionaires. Ko Lyn Cheang in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Katie King in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/8/26

How to Organize a Pro-Billionaire March: First Prove It’s Not a Joke -- The March For Billionaires, held Saturday in San Francisco, was a response to a controversial proposal to impose a new tax on the state’s wealthiest residents. In the days since he announced it—anonymously—Kauffman has been accused of having a “peasant feudal lord mindset” and satirizing the city’s posture toward the tech industry and its leaders. Laura J. Nelson in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 2/8/26

Workplace

United front: California teachers unions raise stakes in contract talks -- Teachers in San Francisco have announced they’re walking off the job on Monday. Their counterparts in San Diego are set for a one-day work stoppage later in the month and the behemoth United Teachers Los Angeles is making noise it could be the next to strike. Eric He in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/8/26

This Is Why It’s So Hard to Find a Job Right Now -- Uncertainty over tariff policy has made it difficult for many companies to plan ahead, leading them to hold off on hiring. For some—particularly small businesses—tariffs have raised costs, making it more difficult to take on new employees. High short-term interest rates are another pressure, particularly for smaller firms, which often rely on credit card borrowing to meet financing needs. Justin Lahart in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 2/8/26

Water

CA Sierra Club backs Alex Padilla’s water bill, worries about Delta tunnel risk -- The Sierra Club California says it “adamantly” supports the bill’s big emphasis on water recycling. But it wants to ensure the money will not be diverted to conveyance projects such as the controversial Delta tunnel — a proposed water-export tunnel intended to move water beneath the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta to supply farms and cities farther south. Chaewon Chung in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/8/26

Housing

‘Pathway to nowhere’: This loophole stalled a San Francisco affordable housing project for months -- Lawmakers and housing advocates say San Francisco residents are exploiting a loophole in city rules to appeal affordable housing projects after they’re approved. A change could be on the horizon. Alyce McFadden in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/8/26

Street

The LAPD sent officers to train in Israel. Officials can’t explain what they learned -- The Police Commission’s Office of the Inspector General found that the LAPD lacks a system for tracking employees who train with foreign law enforcement agencies. Since 2014, 18 LAPD employees took trips to Israel at a total cost of $87,000. Officials have said the intent was to learn from Israeli counterterrorism experts. Los Angeles police also traveled to France and Italy to prepare for hosting the Olympics. Libor Jany in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/8/26

‘We’re held hostage’: Snow tourists are pushing a rural California county to the brink -- They park along highway shoulders and jam up traffic. They trespass on private property. They litter the woods with broken sleds, fast food wrappers and soda cans. Gregory Thomas in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/8/26

Green Day tells ICE agents to ‘quit your job,’ calls out Epstein files at Super Bowl week party in San Francisco -- Green Day wasted no time in again taking aim at the Trump administration and its policies during an invite-only Super Bowl week concert at San Francisco’s Pier 29. Zack Ruskin in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/8/26

Also

Italian police fire tear gas in clash with anti-ICE protesters near Olympics venue -- The brief confrontation came at the end of a peaceful march by thousands highlighting the environmental impact of the Games and the presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Italy. Colleen Barry and Andrea Rosa Associated Press -- 2/8/26

Kane: Adam Schiff is a leader of Democrats’ opposition to Trump. He also has to govern -- Six years after leading Trump’s first impeachment trial, Schiff reflects on the balance Democrats must strike between opposing Trump and lawmaking. Paul Kane in the Washington Post$ -- 2/8/26

A Super Bowl in Silicon Valley Filled With Valley Billionaires -- A who’s who of celebrities will join them. Just a little over 25 percent of the seats for the game will be for regular fans, with the cheapest ticket now selling for more than $4,000. Ken Belson and Mike Isaac in the New York Times$ -- 2/8/26

Should some L.A. beaches be a national park? It’s being studied. Here’s how you can weigh in -- Northern California has Point Reyes National Seashore. New York has Fire Island National Seashore. And North Carolina has Cape Hatteras National Seashore. But should some of L.A.’s most famous beaches also receive such a designation? Ian James in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/8/26

POTUS 47

Gabbard Whistleblower Complaint Based on Foreign Call About Person Close to Trump -- A whistleblower complaint against DNI Tulsi Gabbard stems from an intercepted conversation involving individuals linked to a foreign government discussing someone close to President Trump. The complaint alleges Gabbard limited sharing of this intelligence within the U.S. community for political reasons after meeting with White House chief of staff Susie Wiles. Dustin Volz in the Wall Street Journal$ Julian E. Barnes in the New York Times$ -- 2/8/26

Reaction to Trump’s Racist Post Shows He Is Not Always Immune to Politics -- With the midterm elections nearing, President Trump has found himself in the uncomfortable position of backtracking, even if only by degrees, at key moments. Erica L. Green in the New York Times$ -- 2/8/26

‘The sugar high will be short lived’: Trump’s big bet on tax refunds might not pay off -- While Trump and his top advisers have been banking on the increased refunds as a pocketbook proof point to voters, skeptics caution the money could be quickly swallowed up by stubbornly-high prices elsewhere. Megan Messerly and Sam Sutton Politico -- 2/8/26

One Generation Runs the Country. The Next Cashed In on Crypto -- Sons of top Trump administration officials made billions for their families, but their investors didn’t always fare so well. Angus Berwick and Eliot Brown in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 2/8/26

For $1 Million, Donors to U.S.A. Birthday Group Offered Access to Trump -- A new organization blessed by the president is raising money for events and projects that will put a Trumpian spin on the nation’s semiquincentennial. Kenneth P. Vogel, Lisa Friedman and David A. Fahrenthold in the New York Times$ -- 2/8/26

Demanding Support for Trump, Justice Dept. Struggles to Recruit Prosecutors -- Some offices are so decimated that the Justice Department has sent in military lawyers. More recently, officials asked for volunteers from other offices who can quickly deploy to places in desperate need. Glenn Thrush, Alan Feuer, Mimi Dwyer, Ernesto Londoño and Michael S. Schmidt in the New York Times$ -- 2/8/26

The Chinese Factory That Opened in the U.S. and Clobbered Its Rivals -- President Trump has pressured trading partners for investment in U.S. manufacturing plants. What if local industries can’t compete? Gavin Bade, Maddie McGarvey in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 2/8/26