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California Policy and Politics Saturday
Crypto ‘godfather’ of Bel-Air: Probe widens into L.A. deputies’ alleged links to mogul -- At least six L.A. County sheriff’s deputies have been relieved of duty amid an investigation into their work for a 24-year-old cryptocurrency entrepreneur accused of extortion and hiding millions of dollars from tax collectors. Brittny Mejia and Keri Blakinger in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/16/24
Oakland faces risk of insolvency amid gaping budget deficit, officials warn -- Oakland will have to declare a fiscal emergency if it doesn’t make immediate spending cuts to de al with its budget deficit, according to a city report released Friday. Sarah Ravani in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/16/24
Liberal Berkeley’s Toughened Stance on Homeless Camps Is a Bellwether -- The progressive stronghold in California plans to target large encampments, relying on a Supreme Court decision handed down by a conservative majority. Shawn Hubler in the New York Times$ -- 11/16/24
After high-profile clashes with Trump, Adam Schiff will soon have a new title: Freshman -- Rep. Adam B. Schiff is a darling of the Democrats, a fighter and political veteran accustomed to the limelight on Sunday talk shows and on the House floor. In the Senate, the Burbank Democrat will carry a new title: freshman. Laura J. Nelson and Kevin Rector in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/16/24
A California Republican who’s not afraid to say the T-word -- Many California Republicans had tried to keep Donald Trump at arm’s length. This one wants him on speed dial. Tyler Katzenberger Politico -- 11/16/24
Trump, the 2028 Olympics and what it all means for L.A. -- Trump’s election could be a boon for the 2028 Olympics. It could also spell disaster. Dakota Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/16/24
Why RFK Jr. nomination sets off alarms among many public health specialists -- The anti-vaccine activist could oversee the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration and the National Institutes of Health. Karen Kaplan, Corinne Purtill and Rong-Gong Lin II in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/16/24
Could RFK Jr. affect childhood vaccination in California? Here’s what experts say -- Pediatric vaccination requirements for school children are set by the states. California law, for instance, mandates that children get immunized against MMR (measles, mumps and rubella), polio, DTAP (diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis), hepatitis B and other diseases before attending school. California is among the minority of states that do not allow religious or personal belief exemptions or, as of 2021, most medical exemptions. Catherine Ho in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/16/24
Gavin Newsom to live in $9.1 million Marin County home, split time between Bay Area and Sacramento -- Newsom’s four children are enrolled in Marin County schools this semester, previous reports said. No state funds will be used in Newsom’s move. Roland Li in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/16/24
Democrat Josh Harder wins reelection to U.S. House -- The AP also called California Senate district races for Jerry McNerney and Jesse Arreguin. Jason Green in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 11/16/24
California lawmaker accused of sexual harassment by former staffer countersues -- In the latest development in a salacious Sacramento legal saga, a California state senator this week filed a countercomplaint against her former chief of staff — who alleged she sexually harassed him while he worked for her — claiming that he was involved in the 2001 murder and disappearance of Washington intern Chandra Levy. Anabel Sosa in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/16/24
Bird flu
H5N1 bird flu infects five more humans in California, and one in Oregon -- As H5N1 bird flu spreads among California dairy herds and southward-migrating birds, health officials announced Friday that six more human cases of infection: five in California and one in Oregon — the state’s first. Susanne Rust in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/16/24
Great Highway fallout
Joel Engardio targeted for potential recall over Prop K support -- An early advocate of the recall of progressive District Attorney Chesa Boudin is now targeting Supervisor Joel Engardio, who faces a backlash over his support of a controversial proposition to close the Great Highway to car traffic. Aldo Toledo in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/16/24
Wildfire
Is fire season over? Depends where you live, experts say -- Rains have begun to lower fire risk, but they haven’t been spread out equally. Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 11/16/24
Wildfire retardant is laden with toxic metals, USC study finds -- The discovery of high levels of heavy metals in a popular fire retardant has added to long-running concerns from environmentalists. Alex Wigglesworth in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/16/24
Eyes in the sky: How AI-powered satellites could help fight California wildfires -- After the Camp Fire killed 85 people in the town of Paradise, the U.S. Department of Defense quietly reached out to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, commonly known as Cal Fire, offering a powerful new tool: high-resolution satellite imagery to accurately track and attack fires as if they were advancing enemy troops. Chase DiFeliciantonio in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/16/24
Firefighters faced low water pressure when battling Mountain fire. Here’s what happened -- Firefighters battling the devastating Mountain fire faced issues with water availability and pressure. Officials confirmed two water pumps went out. Grace Toohey in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/16/24
A massive California wildfire destroyed their town. Here’s what it’s been like to return -- After the 2018 Camp Fire, a photojournalist visited a Paradise couple while they were displaced in Chico, shortly after they returned home, and again early this year. This is their story. Florence Middleton in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/16/24
Aliso Canyon
California regulators propose plan that could close Aliso Canyon. Or is it just ‘kicking the can’? -- The California Public Utilities Commission unveiled a proposal that could potentially close the Aliso Canyon gas storage field in the coming years, but local activists and politicians say it doesn’t provide a fast or clear enough timeline. Clara Harter and Andrew J. Campa in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/16/24
Education
UC tuition to jump for nonresident students as regents confront budget gap -- The University of California system will increase annual tuition by $3,402 for out-of-state undergraduate students who enter school next fall, under a plan approved Thursday by the system’s Board of Regents. That will bring the total cost of tuition for nonresident students to $52,536. Michael Burke EdSource -- 11/16/24
POTUS 47
Under the Chandelier at Mar-a-Lago, Trump Makes Picks at Breakneck Speed -- President-elect Donald J. Trump chose his attorney general almost on a whim, in the sky between Washington and Palm Beach, Fla. He scoffed at a candidate for the Department of Homeland Security, then abruptly changed his mind. His defense secretary pick was a snap judgment during a slide presentation at Mar-a-Lago. Jonathan Swan and Maggie Haberman in the New York Times$ -- 11/16/24
The Resistance Is Not Coming to Save You. It’s Tuning Out. -- The first Trump administration sparked waves of public activism and aggressive media coverage. This time, not so much. Michael Schaffer Politico -- 11/16/24
Democrats Draw Up an Entirely New Anti-Trump Battle Plan -- The party’s early preparations to oppose the next Trump administration are heavily focused on legal fights and consolidating state power, rather than marching in the streets. Reid J. Epstein and Lisa Lerer in the New York Times$ -- 11/16/24
Democrats, reeling from election losses, cast blame on each other -- The internal ideological divisions burst into public view after Donald Trump beat Vice President Kamala Harris in the presidential race. Meryl Kornfield in the Washington Post$ -- 11/16/24
Trump’s Top Team Sets Stage for White House Power Grab -- In naming a set of unconventional nominees to run federal departments, Donald Trump this week also took steps to push for a broader goal: realigning the balance of power among Washington’s major institutions so that more authority flows from the White House. Aaron Zitner and Siobhan Hughes in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 11/16/24
Matt Gaetz, Once a Justice Department Target, Now Targets Justice Department -- As attorney general, former lawmaker would be in charge of agency that probed sex-trafficking allegations; criticizes ‘lawfare’. Sadie Gurman, Aruna Viswanatha and Kristina Peterson in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 11/16/24
10 programs that could be on the ‘government efficiency’ chopping block -- Vivek Ramaswamy, Elon Musk’s partner at Donald Trump’s planned spending panel, suggested defunding programs that Congress no longer authorizes. Here are some of those. Jacob Bogage in the Washington Post$ -- 11/16/24
Washington’s lobbyists are stunned Trump chose RFK Jr. -- Lobbyists expecting a more conventional pick to lead the government’s $3 trillion health agency than Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the brash contrarian President-elect Donald Trump named on Thursday to take charge, are plotting how to stop the Senate from confirming him. They’re also currying favor in case they can’t. Daniel Payne Politico -- 11/16/24
Kennedy’s Views Mix Mistrust of Business With Unfounded Health Claims -- President-elect Donald J. Trump’s pick for health secretary opposes fluoride in water, promotes unproven Covid therapies and has threatened to prosecute medical journals. Sheryl Gay Stolberg and Susanne Craig in the New York Times$ -- 11/16/24
Global health experts sound alarm over RFK Jr., citing Samoa outbreak -- Experts and officials said a 2019 measles outbreak in Samoa, which came after a visit by Kennedy, exemplified the dangers of his rhetoric. Sammy Westfall and Lena H. Sun in the Washington Post$ -- 11/16/24
Trump team weighs Pentagon pick after sexual assault allegation surfaces -- Trump’s pick for defense secretary was investigated in a 2017 incident in California, Monterey police said. Hegseth’s lawyer said police found no evidence of wrongdoing. Michael Kranish, Josh Dawsey, Jonathan O'Connell, Dan Lamothe and John Hudson in the Washington Post$ -- 11/16/24
Trump Wants to Kill the E.V. Tax Credit. Here’s What to Know -- President-elect Donald J. Trump wants Congress to repeal a $7,500 electric vehicle tax credit. Doing so would hurt American automakers. Lisa Friedman in the New York Times$ -- 11/16/24
Slash First, Fix Later: How Elon Musk Cuts Costs -- Mr. Musk dug into his companies’ budgets, preferring to cut too much rather than too little and to deal with the fallout later. Under Donald Trump, he is set to apply those tactics to the U.S. government. Ryan Mac, Kate Conger, Jack Ewing and Eric Lipton in the New York Times$ -- 11/16/24
Centrist Dems seize opening at the DNC: ‘I don’t want to be the freak show party’ -- Recriminations over Kamala Harris’ defeat are shaping the early stages of the race for DNC chair. Adam Wren, Holly Otterbein and Lisa Kashinsky Politico -- 11/16/24
Biden and his team struggle to escape questions about Trump’s return -- On his final trip to a major global summit, Biden’s aides face a barrage of media questions about Trump’s looming presidency. Matt Viser in the Washington Post$ -- 11/16/24
California Policy and Politics Friday
Elon Musk’s X sues to block California law that aims to combat election deepfakes -- X, the social media app owned by Elon Musk, has sued California in an attempt to block a new law requiring large online platforms to remove or label deceptive election content. Queenie Wong in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/15/24
California to rename 43 places with ‘squaw’ in the name --The California Natural Resources Agency said it would remove the word from dozens of streets, bridges, buildings and cemeteries around the state and replace it with names that prioritize Indigenous cultures and languages. Camille Von Kaenel Politico -- 11/15/24
Trump’s defense secretary pick, Pete Hegseth, was named in Monterey sex assault probe -- Seven years ago, Monterey police officers investigated an alleged sexual assault involving Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of defense, at a hotel in the seaside city, but the inquiry did not lead to any criminal charges. Matthias Gafni in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Joseph Serna in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/15/24
Garofoli: Forget Joe Rogan. The bro-iest podcast belongs to Gavin Newsom -- Anybody who’s listened to at least 30 seconds of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s podcast, “Politickin’,” with NFL great and Oakland native Marshawn Lynch and their mutual friend, Lynch’s agent Doug Hendrickson, must be asking: “Why the hell is Newsom doing this?” Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/15/24
These prisoners from Southern California could be freed under Trump’s promised Jan. 6 pardons -- Southern California-based defendants who took part in the attack on the U.S. Capitol following Donald Trump’s 2020 electoral loss could be among the winners of Trump’s imminent return to the White House if the president-elect follows through on promises of clemency related to the Jan. 6 riot. Sean Emery in the Orange County Register -- 11/15/24
‘A pivotal moment?’ Why many Latino voters in California chose Trump -- In part due to economic and border security concerns, Latinos in California appear to have moved toward Donald Trump. But that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re abandoning the Democratic Party. Yue Stella Yu CalMatters -- 11/15/24
Who is S.F. tech exec Jeff Lawson, owner of the Onion and, maybe, Infowars? -- While many of San Francisco’s tech leaders have fled the city in recent years or criticized its troubling street conditions, Lawson has been a notable exception. St. John Barned-Smith in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/15/24
‘He should leave’: Garamendi says Lara fails to take on insurance firms amid crisis -- U.S. Rep. John Garamendi said in an interview with a Bay Area TV station that state Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara should step down if he’s unwilling to take on insurance companies, becoming the latest outspoken critic of Lara during the state’s ongoing insurance crisis. Jordan Parker in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/14/24
California lawmaker countersues former staffer, rebutting claims of forced sex acts -- State Sen. Marie Alvarado-Gil, a Central Valley Republican, says her former chief of staff, Chad Condit, threatened her by saying he knows “how to make people disappear,” in court papers filed Tuesday in Sacramento Superior Court. She also alleges that Condit, who was later fired, stole $50,000 from her campaign. Dustin Gardiner Politico -- 11/15/24
Walters: Los Angeles County approves historic governance reform. San Francisco backs a study -- It got lost in the massive attention paid — with good reason — to Donald Trump’s triumphant return to the presidency, but a quiet revolution occurred in Los Angeles County. Dan Walters CalMatters -- 11/15/24
UCLA protest
UCLA slammed for ‘chaotic’ response to protest melee in UC independent review -- UCLA failed to stem a violent protest melee last spring, as a “highly chaotic” decision-making process, lack of communication between administrators and police and a shortage of campus safety personnel led to institutional paralysis, according to a University of California independent review. Teresa Watanabe and Jaweed Kaleem in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/15/24
Ocean Beach
California regulators approve huge Ocean Beach seawall to avert prospect of ‘major emergency’ for S.F. -- On Thursday, California’s main coastal protection agency approved a $175 million climate-related project that will transform the southern portion of San Francisco’s Ocean Beach despite fierce opposition from some members of the public. A sticking point is a massive seawall that some surfers fear could make the beach disappear. Tara Duggan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/15/24
Water
Expansion of San Luis Reservoir set to boost California’s water-storing capacity -- The federal government and California water agencies announced an agreement to raise a dam and expand San Luis Reservoir, increasing its water-storing capacity. Ian James in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/15/24
Workplace
This Central Valley program helps Californians get six-figure jobs -- ValleyBuild is a workforce development program that helps applicants into apprenticeships for construction trades. Fiona Kelliher CalMatters -- 11/15/24
Housing
Will Trump evict mixed-status families? -- One in five California children comes from a mixed-status family, in which at least one member is undocumented, according to the California Immigrant Data Portal. Concern is growing among housing advocates that those families risk losing access to federal housing assistance once President-elect Donald Trump takes office. Felicia Mello CalMatters -- 11/15/24
Education
Fewer kids are going to California public schools. Is there a right way to close campuses? -- Declining enrollment, the end of pandemic relief funding and uncertain state funding are forcing school districts to make some difficult decisions. Carolyn Jones CalMatters -- 11/15/24
Higher monthly payments loom for many student loan borrowers -- President-elect Donald Trump’s victory last week should bring some clarity to Americans with student loans, but probably not in the way they’d hoped. Jon Healey in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/15/24
Street
New LAPD chief says people aren’t calling the police enough — and that needs to change -- Crime is trending down in Los Angeles, with homicides alone on track to fall 15% compared to last year, but newly sworn-in LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell is concerned that statistics aren’t telling the full story. Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/15/24
A sheriff is mired in scandal, sending shock waves across California. She refuses to step down -- When San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus ran for office two years ago, she promised to clean up the scandal-plagued department, dubbing her campaign “Team Revolution.” Rachel Swan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/15/24
POTUS 47
Gaetz Nomination Seen as Doomed by Some Senate Republicans -- GOP lawmakers say Trump’s attorney general pick will face scrutiny over sexual-misconduct allegations. Lindsay Wise, Xavier Martinez and Siobhan Hughes in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 11/15/24
Gaetz nomination brings new focus on underage sex allegations -- The DOJ, which Gaetz seeks to lead, dropped an investigation last year, but House Ethics Committee was set to release report Friday. Michael Kranish, Perry Stein and Ann E. Marimow in the Washington Post$ -- 11/15/24
How Trump Picked Gaetz -- President-elect Donald J. Trump still hadn’t settled on his pick for attorney general when he boarded his plane in Washington on Wednesday afternoon, bound for West Palm Beach, after spending a triumphal day in the capital meeting with President Biden at the White House and with Republicans on Capitol Hill. Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan in the New York Times$ -- 11/15/24
Scientists fear what’s next for public health if RFK Jr. is able to ‘go wild’ -- Many scientists at the federal health agencies await the second Donald Trump administration with dread as well as uncertainty over how the president-elect will reconcile starkly different philosophies among the leaders of his team. Arthur Allen KFF Health News -- 11/15/24
10 RFK Jr. conspiracy theories and false claims, in his own words -- The ascension of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime anti-vaccine activist, to the nation’s top health post has alarmed medical experts, who point to his history of trafficking in conspiracy theories as disqualifying to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. Lauren Weber, Lena H. Sun and David Ovalle in the Washington Post$ -- 11/15/24
Tulsi Gabbard Questioned U.S. Intelligence. Now She Is Trump’s Pick for Top Intelligence Role -- From blaming NATO for Ukraine war to echoing Russian propaganda, the former congresswoman has ruffled feathers inside the spy agencies she could soon lead. Warren P. Strobel in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 11/15/24
Trump Pentagon pick dismissed military diversity drive, demonized Islam -- A Washington Post review of Pete Hegseth’s writing shows he rejected steps to integrate women and transgender troops across the military, and called for a ‘crusade’ to protect ‘Judeo-Christian’ values. Missy Ryan and Evan Hill in the Washington Post$ -- 11/15/24
Trump Says He Will Nominate North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum as Interior Secretary -- Former rival for GOP nomination endorsed president-elect’s campaign. Vivian Salama and Alex Leary in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 11/15/24
What to know about Elon Musk’s contracts with the federal government -- Elon Musk’s ties to the Trump administration pose potential conflicts of interest for his various businesses that have extensive contracts with the federal government. Laurence Darmiento and Queenie Wong in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/15/24
Tech Elite Push Tech Elite to Elon Musk for Cabinet Positions -- Tech leaders are recommending their own brethren to Mr. Musk and others, as they aim to leave a Silicon Valley imprint on Donald Trump’s new administration. Theodore Schleifer and Mike Isaac in the New York Times$ -- 11/15/24
Inside the Republican false-flag effort to turn off Kamala Harris voters -- A multipronged dark money effort by advisers to Elon Musk targeted liberals, Jews, Muslims and Black voters with ads that were not quite what they seemed. Michael Scherer and Josh Dawsey in the Washington Post$ -- 11/15/24
The New Driving Force of Identity Politics Is Class, Not Race -- The nation is increasingly voting along class lines, not racial ones. That could upend how we have thought about politics for decades. Jeanne Whalen, Valerie Bauerlein and Arian Campo-Flores in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 11/15/24
The Biden economy is about to get a new salesman: Donald Trump -- Trump hammered the administration for creating an “economic catastrophe,” but some of his favorite gauges for assessing economic performance have been humming. Sam Sutton Politico -- 11/15/24
Also
A 150-million-year journey from the Jurassic to Exposition Park -- She’s big, she’s green, and she’s L.A.’s newest icon. Meet Gnatalie the dinosaur. Corinne Purtill in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/15/24