Rough & Tumble ®
A Snapshot of California Public Policy and Politics
   
   
 
 
 
 

California Policy and Politics Thursday

Former Trump lawyer John Eastman should lose his license, judge rules -- The judge’s recommendation to yank the Trump advisor’s license to practice law in California will go to the state Supreme Court, which has the power to approve it. Christopher Goffard in the Los Angeles Times$ Teri Sforza in the Orange County Register Maegan Vazquez in the Washington Post$ Alan Feuer in the New York Times$ -- 3/28/24

High stakes: Inside the multimillion-dollar battle for gambling rights in California -- California’s powerful tribal casinos and their longtime rivals, privately owned gambling halls, are spending huge sums of money to influence lawmakers. The legislative fight could reshape the state’s multi-billion dollar gambling industry. Ryan Sabalow, Jeremia Kimelman CalMatters Brian Joseph Capitol Weekly -- 3/28/24

America Made a Huge Bet on Sports Gambling. The Backlash Is Here -- Less than six years after a Supreme Court ruling paved the way for widespread legal sports gambling in the U.S., sports leagues face an onslaught of scandals related to betting. Joshua Robinson, Jared Diamond, Robert O'Connell in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 3/28/24

San Francisco Democrats are locked in a race to the right -- San Francisco mayoral candidate Mark Farrell said Thursday that, if elected, he will ask California to send more armed National Guard troops into downtown to fight the city’s open-air drug markets. Dustin Gardiner Politico -- 3/28/24

Daniel Lurie’s campaign to unseat London Breed now has support from this former S.F. mayor -- Frank Jordan, who served as the city’s 40th mayor from 1992 to 1996, announced his support for the Levi Strauss heir’s mayoral bid Wednesday. J.D. Morris in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/28/24

The Broad announces massive expansion that will increase gallery space by 70% -- The $100-million Broad museum expansion will rise directly behind the existing structure and is expected to be complete ahead of the 2028 Summer Olympics. Jessica Gelt in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/28/24

Oakland faces worsening budget deficit, likely triggering cuts in services -- As the city works its way out of a post-pandemic malaise that has slowed development and stoked rising crime, it’s hit with a $177 million budget shortfall that may require major cuts to services. Eli Rosenberg in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/28/24

Smolens: San Diego-area Rep. Mike Levin and a group of bipartisan lawmakers again try to ban deceptive campaign practice -- A move is afoot in Congress to ban a particularly insidious form of political fundraising that has duped people into making larger contributions — sometimes staggeringly so — than they intended. Michael Smolens in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 3/28/24

Walters: When Newsom gives his State of the State, he should be candid about California’s economy -- While much of the nation is enjoying a vigorous economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, California is falling behind with scant job growth. Dan Walters CalMatters -- 3/28/24

Workplace

Higher prices on the menu as fast-food chains brace for California’s big minimum wage jump -- With the state’s mandatory minimum wage for fast-food workers set to increase to $20 an hour, many restaurant chains are preparing to raise prices. Andrea Chang, Don Lee in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/28/24

‘Winners and Losers’ as $20 Fast-Food Wage Nears in California -- The nation’s highest state minimum wage for fast-food workers takes effect on Monday. Owners and employees are sizing up the potential impact. Kurtis Lee in the New York Times$ -- 3/28/24

Fisker had big dreams to compete with Tesla. What went wrong with this Manhattan Beach company? -- Manhattan Beach EV maker Fisker Inc. said it was halting production of its snazzy Ocean SUV, seeking financing and a strategic partner in a further setback for car designer Henrik Fisker. Laurence Darmiento in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/28/24

Homeless Sales Tax

Civic groups launch campaign to double L.A. County’s quarter-cent homelessness sales tax -- The money would fund homelessness programs, including mental health care, substance abuse treatment, affordable housing, rental subsidies, job counseling and services for vulnerable populations including homeless families, veterans, abused women, seniors and disabled persons. Doug Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/28/24

Insurance

California wants to raise insurance rates faster. Why the plan is being criticized -- The Department of Insurance wants companies to be able to raise their prices for home and auto policies more quickly in the state. Yet major companies aren’t a fan of how it plans to do so. Stephen Hobbs in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/28/24

California sees record-high health insurance sign-ups, record-low uninsured rate -- Nearly 1.8 million people enrolled in Covered California plans during the most recent open enrollment period from November 2023 to February, according to Covered California. Catherine Ho in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/28/24

Owls

Will killing thousands of invasive owls save threatened ones? That’s the government’s plan -- The federal government has proposed a plan to shoot 500,000 barred owls to save another owl species that inhabits California. Foes say it’s a reckless plan. Lila Seidman in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/28/24

Desert Pupfish

Endangered desert pupfish delays Colorado River conservation plans for Imperial Valley -- Plans to scale back water usage from the imperiled Colorado River have been hindered by a tiny fish no bigger than an index finger. Hayley Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/28/24

Education

Furious Oakland parents declare war on status quo in schools. Here’s how they’re fighting back -- Parents are fed up with administrative dysfunction, low test scores, strikes and other upheaval. Now, they are organizing to refocus funding and political priorities on academics. Jill Tucker in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/28/24

San Jose charter school closes as Bay Area districts face declining enrollment and million dollar budget deficits -- More than 200 students at DCP Alum Rock High School, a small charter school in San Jose, will have to transfer when the campus closes this summer — a victim of declining enrollment and a hefty budget deficit it cannot overcome and keep the campus open. Molly Gibbs in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 3/28/24

California’s disabled students left behind during emergencies: ‘They just weren’t ready for someone like me’ -- After bringing his story all the way to the University of California Board of Regents, a disabled UC Berkeley student has prompted the UC to ensure emergency evacuation chairs are in every multi-storied building in the 10-university system. Amelia Wu CalMatters -- 3/28/24

Street

Seventh Dublin prison officer sentenced for sex crimes, gets 6 years -- Nakie Nunley, who pleaded guilty in September to 10 felony charges involving five women at the Federal Correctional Institution, was sentenced to six years in federal prison Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/28/24

4/20

There will be no Hippie Hill 420 festival. Some San Francisco weed gurus say, so what? -- San Francisco’s Hippie Hill will not host the annual pungent, hazy and packed cannabis 420 festival whose roots trace back to the Summer of Love, event organizers announced Monday. Andrew J. Campa in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/28/24

Also

When Martin Luther King Jr. came to L.A., only one white politician was willing to greet him -- The Rev. Fred O. Doty had invited the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. to speak at his church in January 1961, and he was looking for an official to greet the civil rights leader at the airport. But the L.A. mayor had an apparent scheduling conflict. Council members wanted to spend time with their families. Senators couldn’t be reached. And assembly members were too busy. So Doty called L.A. County Supervisor Kenneth Hahn. Jaclyn Cosgrove in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/28/24

Hoeven: I just moved to San Francisco. Yes, it has issues, but this city is still a dream -- It’s undeniable that this city is special. And yet San Francisco’s intrinsic allure — and the sense that it is too singular to fail — can also feed complacency. Emily Hoeven in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/28/24

A CEO’s mansion was set to destroy historic Napa Valley grapevines. Then a winemaker had an idea -- Spottswoode Winery came up with an unusual solution to preserve a section of a 119-year-old vineyard. Esther Mobley in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/28/24

 

California Policy and Politics Wednesday

Former Sen. Joe Lieberman, Democrats’ VP pick in 2000 -- Former U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, who nearly won the vice presidency on the Democratic ticket with Al Gore in the disputed 2000 election and who almost became Republican John McCain’s running mate eight years later, has died, according to a statement issued by his family. Associated Press -- 3/27/24

Betty Yee officially enters the 2026 California governor’s ra ce -- Former state Controller Betty Yee on Wednesday launched her campaign for California governor in 2026, joining a crowded field of Democratic candidates nearly a year after she initially said she planned to run for the job. Taryn Luna in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/27/24

Former L.A. Deputy Mayor Raymond Chan found guilty in sprawling City Hall corruption case -- Former Los Angeles Deputy Mayor Raymond Chan was found guilty Wednesday of racketeering, bribery, fraud and giving false statements to investigators in a sprawling corruption case targeting pay-to-play schemes involving developers with business at City Hall. David Zahniser, Dakota Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/27/24

Would California bridges stand up to a direct hit? We asked experts -- Robert Dowell, an associate professor of structural engineering at San Diego State University, said California’s major bridges are less at risk of being toppled by errant cargo ships because their support columns have been retrofitted to make them withstandß major earthquakes. Jenny Jarvie, Grace Toohey, Rachel Uranga in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/27/24

What happens if a cargo vessel hits the Bay Bridge as in the Baltimore collapse? -- A major bridge crash, reminiscent of Tuesday’s incident in which a cargo ship hit the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, could happen in the Bay Area. But would it cause devastation on the same scale? To state and regional transportation officials, that’s a tough question. Rachel Swan, Jessica Flores in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/27/24

Baltimore bridge disaster: Could it happen here? -- There are eight major bridges across San Francisco Bay, and more than 2,800 large ships come into the bay every year. Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 3/27/24

Policy & Politics

How bashing California became a requirement for conservative politicians -- Conservative animosity toward California has evolved from 1960s jabs at the counterculture in the Bay Area and the cultural influence of Hollywood to a more hard-edged partisanship. Noah Bierman in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/27/24

Why Democrats say drug screening welfare recipients isn’t a GOP wish come true -- Leaders like San Francisco Mayor London Breed say the requirement is about preserving lives as overdose deaths skyrocket. But there’s more at play. Dustin Gardiner, Maya Kaufman Politico -- 3/27/24

Barabak: She can’t stand Trump or Biden. Don’t tell this ‘double-hater’ she’s crazy voting for someone else -- Most of those known as ‘double haters’ will come around to support one of the two major party presidential nominees. But some, like Victoria Thompson, won’t back Trump or Biden under any circumstances. Mark Z. Barabak in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/27/24

California is preparing to defend itself — and the nation — against Trump 2.0 -- California officials are dusting off the playbook that made them a bulwark against former President Donald Trump from 2016-2020. Blanca Begert Politico -- 3/27/24

Garofoli: London Breed’s first big fundraiser offers a hint at election strategy: Win over women -- The Breed campaign is making outreach to women a central part of its focus, as London Breed is likely to be the only major female candidate in the race. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/27/24

Rural California can finally claim both legislative leaders as its own -- The last time both legislative leaders came from rural districts was more than 50 years ago. Camille Von Kaenel Politico -- 3/27/24

Challenged ballots and a potential recount. Here’s how the Congressional District 16 race could play out -- Joe Simitian and Evan Low are in a tight race for second place. Grace Hase in the San ßJose Mercury$ -- 3/27/24

RFK Jr. names California tech lawyer Nicole Shanahan as his vice presidential choice -- With no experience holding or running for elected office, Shanahan epitomizes the kind of nontraditional choices Kennedy has said he would bring to the White House if his long shot bid for the presidency succeeds. James Rainey in the Los Angeles Times$ Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/27/24

RFK Jr. steps into contentious Bay Area tribal dispute -- Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said Tuesday that if elected president, he would support a local Bay Area tribe’s controversial bid for federal recognition. Shira Stein in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/27/24

Drug-testing kits to be offered to patrons in California bars this summer -- California bars and nightclubs will be required starting July 1 to offer or sell drug-testing kits to patrons who suspect someone has tampered with their drink. Karen Garcia in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/27/24

Walters: California’s liberal government has a long history caving to special interests -- California is a liberal state where politicians enact laws and regulations aimed at improving Californians’ lives, but that also makes them susceptible to influence. Dan Walters CalMatters -- 3/27/24

Workplace

L.A. Times reporters attacked by Minnesota troopers will settle lawsuit for $1.2 million -- The journalists sued the Minnesota State Patrol in 2021 after being cornered and attacked by officers while covering a protest of George Floyd’s slaying. Hannah Wiley in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/27/24

The Fight for AI Talent: Pay Million-Dollar Packages and Buy Whole Teams -- The artificial-intelligence boom is sending Silicon Valley’s talent wars to new extremes. Katherine Bindley in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 3/27/24

San Francisco proposes strongest-in-the-nation ban on ‘forever chemicals’ in firefighter clothing -- Firefighters are more likely to develop cancer and die from it than the general population, and it’s not just smoke from burning buildings that’s suspected of making them sick. Julie Johnson in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/27/24

After unionized strippers accused club owner of violating deal, federal labor board intervenes -- After strippers at Star Garden, a topless dive bar in North Hollywood, won the right to unionize last year, the club’s owner agreed to reopen the club, hire back dancers he had fired, and run the club as it had been before the labor dispute. Suhauna Hussain in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/27/24

Downtown Oakland

Oakland’s downtown is struggling — and experts worry the outlook could be worse than in S.F. -- There’s concern that the struggle of Oakland’s commercial real estate market could be more long term than in San Francisco. Laura Waxmann in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/27/24

Housing

‘Simply too few homes available’: San Diego home prices rising fastest in nation for 2nd month -- The San Diego metropolitan area’s annual home price increased 11.2 percent annually in January, according to the S&P Case-Shiller Indices report released Tuesday, up from 8.8 percent the previous month. Phillip Molnar in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 3/27/24

S.F. Mayor Breed loses latest housing fight as supervisors override her veto of controversial legislation -- The battle over San Francisco housing policy took center stage at City Hall Tuesday when the Board of Supervisors overturned Mayor London Breed’s veto of legislation that will impose housing development restrictions on 15 to 20 blocks in historic areas of San Francisco. Aldo Toledo in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/27/24

Condos on this S.F. island are as high as $4.4 million. What life is like for the first residents -- “It’s like I’m always on vacation,” said one resident who commutes to San Francisco by ferry. “It’s so relaxing. It’s so clean.” J.K. Dineen in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/27/24

Skid Row

A controversial AIDS charity seeks to acquire a Skid Row housing portfolio. State officials want to stop it -- The Hollywood-based AIDS Healthcare Foundation is in line to acquire homeless housing developments owned by a failed Skid Row landlord. State housing officials are objecting to the deal, citing the foundation’s troubled track record. Liam Dillon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/27/24

PACE Loans

L.A. County settles PACE loan lawsuits; affected homeowners to receive millions -- Under a $12-million settlement, L.A. County agreed to resolve allegations its PACE lending program saddled borrowers with loans they couldn’t afford. Andrew Khouri in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/27/24

Diddy

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs faces sweeping sex-trafficking inquiry: What the feds have, need to prove -- Legal experts say it could take time to build a criminal case against the hip-hop mogul but note that civil lawsuits against him could offer investigators a road map. Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/27/24

Berkeley Private Security

UC Berkeley parents hired private security, fearing for their kids -- For 17 days, a private security force patrolled UC Berkeley on foot and on bicycles but did not step onto the campus or coordinate with campus police. Salvador Hernandez, Nathan Solis in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/27/24

Climate

‘Humbling, and a bit worrying’: Scientists fail to fully explain record global heat -- Blistering global temperatures have one NASA scientist warning: “We could be in uncharted territory.” Others aren’t so sure. Hayley Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/27/24

Also

Trump’s Newest Venture? A $60 Bible --Before he turned to politics, former President Donald J. Trump lent his star power and celebrity endorsement to a slew of consumer products — steaks, vodka and even for-profit education, to name just a few. Michael Gold, Maggie Haberman in the New York Times$ -- 3/27/24