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California Policy and Politics Thursday
‘Public execution.’ ‘Trigger happy.’ California lawmakers decry ICE shooting of Minneapolis woman -- Gov. Gavin Newsom took to social media to say President Trump had a role in the violence. “His deliberate escalation of intimidation and chaos has consequences,” he wrote. “His reckless crackdown must end.” Ruben Vives in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 01/08/26
Protesters gather in S.F. after ICE kills 37-year-old woman in Minneapolis -- By 6 p.m., roughly 200 people had gathered outside U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement offices at 630 Sansome St., blowing whistles and chanting slogans including “ICE out of the Bay.” Aldo Toledo in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 01/08/26
‘Active shooter’ or ICE agent’s victim? What happened in L.A. New Year’s Eve killing -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said an off-duty ICE agent was responding to an “active shooter” when he gunned down Keith “Pooter” Porter on New Year’s Eve in Northridge. Porter’s family and their attorney contend he was firing a gun into the air and posed no threat. James Queally, Libor Jany and Christopher Buchanan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 01/08/26
Silicon Valley Plots Against Ro Khanna After His Support for a Wealth Tax -- Representative Ro Khanna has long managed to pull off a seemingly impossible task in his Silicon Valley district: backing the tech industry and Bernie Sanders progressivism at the same time. But now he is starting to feel the squeeze. Theodore Schleifer in the New York Times$ -- 01/08/26
California’s exodus isn’t just billionaires — it’s regular people renting U-Hauls, too -- U-Haul data shows California leads the nation in net out-migration for six consecutive years, with Arizona, Nevada, and Texas attracting the most residents. Nilesh Christopher in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 01/08/26
Newsom proposes that governors control the California Dept. of Education -- More than a half-dozen study commissions and reports dating back to 1920 have urged the idea’s adoption to eliminate confusion and conflicts over who in California is ultimately accountable for education policies and programs. John Fensterwald EdSource Melody Gutierrez in the Los Angeles Times$ Lia Russell in the Sacramento Bee$ Carolyn Jones Calmatters -- 01/08/26
Gavin Newsom’s last State of the State will tout homelessness drop, attack Trump -- In his final State of the State address Thursday, Gov. Gavin Newsom plans to attack President Donald Trump, tout a significant drop in homelessness in California and announce plans to crack down on investment firms buying starter homes. Sophia Bollag in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 01/08/26
Gavin Newsom joins Trump in blaming big investors for housing crisis -- Gov. Gavin Newsom will propose regulating corporate landlords during his State of the State address Thursday, his office said. It’s a pivot toward populism for the governor. Ben Christopher and Jeanne Kuang Calmatters -- 01/08/26
‘He Feels Personally Jilted’: Gavin Newsom’s Grudge -- The California Democratic governor has achieved social media success and 2028 buzz by taking a page out of President Donald Trump’s all-caps social media playbook. But he’s also been following Trump’s lead in making things personal with corporate executives who run afoul of his agenda. Debra Kahn Politico -- 01/08/26
California delayed cancellation of immigrant truckers’ licenses. So feds will withhold $160 million -- After California paused a plan to cancel the licenses of thousands of immigrant truckers, federal officials announced Wednesday they would withhold $160 million in transportation funds from the state. Ruben Vives in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 01/08/26
Lawmakers explore new taxes to fill California’s ongoing budget deficits -- Barring drastic cuts to spending or bringing in additional revenue, the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office estimates the deficit could be as high as $18 billion this year and $35 billion in future years. Nicole Nixon and Andrew Graham in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 01/08/26
Homeless on L.A.’s Skid Row fault of Democrats, says GOP gubernatorial candidate Sheriff Chad Bianco -- GOP gubernatorial candidate Chad Bianco toured Skid Row and blamed Gov. Newsom for homelessness and pledged to clean up the roughly 50-block neighborhood within four years if elected. Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 01/08/26
San Mateo reports child influenza death same week that CDC cuts immunization recommendations -- The child, whose age and name were not released by authorities, is the second flu death in San Mateo County this season, officials say. Katerina Portela in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 01/08/26
Wildfire
Locals wanted to rebuild Pacific Palisades, Altadena. Then the big investors moved in -- Investors purchased 40% of lot sales in areas damaged by the L.A. fires during Q3 of 2025, according to an analysis by Redfin. Terry Castleman in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 01/08/26
California bills would tackle wildfire underinsurance and underpayment in wake of Chronicle investigation -- A year after fires razed entire neighborhoods in Los Angeles, California lawmakers unveiled a slate of proposed legislation aimed at protecting wildfire survivors from insurance industry practices that can stall rebuilding and recovery — including at least three bills informed by a Chronicle investigative series that exposed insurers’ hidden cost-cutting practices in L.A. and other fire-ravaged communities across the state. Megan Fan Munce, Susie Neilson in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Laurence Darmiento in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 01/08/26
One Year After the L.A. Fires: Hope, Blame and Debt -- After wildfires destroyed much of Altadena and Pacific Palisades, Southern California is trying to heal, but also struggling with how to move forward. Shawn Hubler, Jill Cowan and Jesus Jiménez in the New York Times$ -- 01/08/26
A year after the Eaton fire, the loss of Altadena is still raw -- In college in Washington, D.C., I always told people I grew up outside of Los Angeles. Pressed further, I’d say near Pasadena. I rarely told people I was from a small town called Altadena. Colleen Shalby in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 01/08/26
On anniversary of Los Angeles wildfires, Bass and Newsom lay low -- Fire survivors in Los Angeles held multiple events to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the blazes. The governor and mayor did not appear in public. Liam Dillon and Melanie Mason in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 01/08/26
Spencer Pratt announces run for L.A. mayor on anniversary of Palisades fire -- Spencer Pratt, a reality television star who lost his home in the Palisades fire and then emerged as a sharp critic of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and Gov. Gavin Newsom, announced Wednesday that he will run for mayor. Noah Goldberg, Hailey Branson-Potts and David Zahniser in the Los Angeles Times$ Liam Dillon and Melanie Mason Politico -- 01/08/26
Homeless
Fentanyl deaths are down across the Bay Area. One county’s harm reduction group says it’s proof their strategy is working -- The governor on Thursday will tout this sign of progress on an issue that has long bedeviled California politicians. Jeremy B. White Politico -- 01/08/26
Education
UC sets new record in California student enrollment as it weathers Trump challenges -- The University of California enrolled a record number of Californians in fall 2025, according to data released Thursday, touting the vitality and popularity of a system under attack by the Trump administration and grappling with federal funding cuts and state budget belt-tightening. Jaweed Kaleem in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 01/08/26
Street
Cartier glasses, stabbings and payouts: ‘Dropout’ gangs sow chaos in California prisons -- A system designed to protect state inmates has led to increased violence involving so-called ‘dropout’ gangs of prisoners who have defected from other groups. Matthew Ormseth in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 01/08/26
California law let a politician avoid jail for child abuse charges. Lawmakers are furious -- Former Kern County Supervisor Zack Scrivner, charged with felony child abuse, will enter mental health diversion instead of facing trial and potential jail time. Melissa Gomez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 01/08/26Fentanyl deaths are down across the Bay Area. One county’s harm reduction group says it’s proof their strategy is working
She was in withdrawal. He was schizophrenic. Both died of neglect in jail, their families say in new lawsuits -- The families of two people who died in San Diego jails last year have filed separate civil rights lawsuits in federal court — both accusing the Sheriff’s Office and its private medical contractors of systemic failures they say took the lives of Callen Lines and Corey Dean. Kelly Davis in the San Diego Union Tribune$ -- 01/08/26
Also
From Halle Berry to Rachael Ray and Arnold Schwarzenegger: How celebrity lobbyists won and lost in Sacramento in 2025 -- The famous regularly throw their influence around the California Capitol. Who lobbied — and how they fared — in 2025. Lindsey Holden Politico -- 01/08/26
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Trump quits pivotal 1992 climate treaty, in massive blow to global warming effort -- President Donald Trump is withdrawing the United States from the world’s overarching treaty on climate change in a move that escalates his attempts to reverse years of global negotiations toward addressing rising temperatures. Sara Schonhardt Politico -- 01/08/26
Trump team drafting executive order on affordability -- The White House is drafting an executive order broadly targeted at addressing Americans’ frustration with the cost of living, including a push to allow people to dip into their retirement and college savings accounts to afford down payments on homes. Victoria Guida and Meredith Lee Hill Politico -- 01/08/26
GOP lawmakers denounce Trump’s threats to seize Greenland -- Top Republicans on Capitol Hill are publicly breaking with President Donald Trump over his threats to seize Greenland — an unusual show of dissent that underscores how seriously the president’s allies view the situation. Connor O'Brien, Joe Gould and Leo Shane III Politico -- 01/08/26
Trump calls for record $1.5 trillion defense budget, a 50 percent jump -- The president offered few details in his post on Truth Social, other than to say the money would pay for his “Dream Military.” Paul McLeary, Connor O'Brien and Joe Gould Politico Hayley Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 01/08/26
Trump Moves to Ban Big Investors From Buying Single-Family Homes -- It isn’t clear whether congressional approval would be needed for such a ban. Craig Karmin, Rebecca Picciotto and Alyssa Lukpat in the Wall Street Journal$ Maureen Farrell and Matthew Goldstein in the New York Times$ -- 01/08/26
Trump Team Works Up Sweeping Plan to Control Venezuelan Oil for Years to Come -- President believes the effort could lower oil prices to his target of $50 a barrel. Brian Schwartz, Benoît Morenne and Josh Dawsey in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 01/08/26
California Policy and Politics Wednesday
Larry Page, Larry Ellison move business out as California’s proposed ‘billionaire tax’ looms -- Larry Ellison and Larry Page, two of Silicon Valley’s most influential figures, have taken concrete steps to move key business entities out of California as labor groups race to qualify — but have not yet secured — a proposed wealth tax on billionaires for the ballot. Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 01/07/26
Nvidia CEO Says He Doesn’t Care About California’s Proposed Billionaire Tax -- Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said he wasn’t worried about a potential tax on billionaires in California, breaking from a cadre of ultrawealthy residents who have spoken out against the first-of-its-kind proposal. Victoria Albert in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 01/07/26
Garofoli: Will Newsom’s final State of the State speech focus on California’s future or his own? -- What Gov. Gavin Newsom says in his final State of the State speech Thursday will tell Californians a lot about his priorities for his last year in office. Will he focus on California’s future or his own? Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 01/07/26
Newsom challenges Trump to live TV cognitive test after latest insult -- On Tuesday, President Donald Trump told a room full of Republicans that California Gov. Gavin Newsom couldn’t pass a cognitive test. “Let’s do it,” Newsom responded. “Name your time and place.” Sophia Bollag in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 01/07/26
Northern California still has the nation’s lowest ICE arrest rate. Here’s why -- ICE arrests have risen sharply under the Trump administration, but California’s policies have tamped down some of the surge. Christian Leonard in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 01/07/26
What Trump’s vow to withhold federal child-care funding means in California -- Gov. Gavin Newsom and other state Democratic leaders accused President Trump of unleashing a political vendetta after he announced plans to freeze roughly $10 billion in federal funding for child care and social services programs in California and four other Democrat-controlled states. Melody Gutierrez in the Los Angeles Times$ Chase Hunter and Grant Stringer in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 01/07/26
California leaders urge public opposition to Trump’s offshore drilling plan -- Members of the California State Legislature and environmental advocates blasted the Trump administration on Tuesday over proposed offshore drilling expansion plans off the California coast, urging residents to oppose the proposal before the Jan. 23 deadline for public comments to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. Chaewon Chung in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 01/07/26
California’s new Senate leader wants Democrats united. A budget shortfall could divide them -- New Senate President Pro Tem Monique Limón is the first Latina, first mother and only second woman to lead California’s upper legislative chamber. A tough budget year will test her ability to keep the caucus united while whittling its spending priorities. Maya C. Miller Calmatters -- 01/07/26
New California tool can stop brokers from selling your personal online data. Here’s how -- Starting this year, a single request form will allow Californians to demand that data brokers delete their personal information and refrain from collecting or selling it in the future. Karen Garcia in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 01/07/26
The House GOP confronts a shocking loss and a difficult road ahead -- Most members learned about California Rep. Doug LaMalfa’s overnight passing as they boarded buses outside the Capitol to head to the Kennedy Center for their annual policy meeting. That news — as well as word that another Republican, Rep. Jim Baird of Indiana, had been badly hurt in a car crash — cast an immediate pall. Meredith Lee Hill Politico -- 01/07/26
The Doug LaMalfa I covered: Authentic, cranky and deeply caring -- Love or hate his hardline, far-right Republican politics – President Donald Trump praised him Tuesday for voting “for me 100% of the time” — LaMalfa was as unique a political figure as you’ll find in Washington, D.C. or in Sacramento. When he said he was “one of us,” it wasn’t an act. LaMalfa, a fourth-generation rice farmer from Butte County, was as engaged with and emblematic of the people in his district as any politician I’ve known. Ryan Sabalow Calmatters -- 01/07/26
California bill increases penalties for fake liens used to harass politicians, businesses -- A California bill introduced Monday would increase penalties for fraudulent liens filed against politicians, businesses and court employees as a form of harassment. Fake filings cost just $5 to submit, but often cost thousands of dollars in court and legal fees to remove. The bill would make bad actors liable for triple court fees if their filings are found fraudulent. Melody Gutierrez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 01/07/26
California bill would help renters lower electricity bills by easing rules for plug-in solar panels -- Widely used in Germany, portable solar panels plug into standard electrical outlets and can be hung from balconies or set up in backyards. Julie Johnson in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 01/07/26
When Bay Area PG&E substations caught fire, inspectors had already raised red flags -- The utility, which serves 16 million customers from Eureka to Bakersfield and made a record profit of $2.47 billion last year, has faced accusations for years that it has prioritized paying billions of dollars to shareholders over safety. Ethan Baron in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 01/07/26
Wildfire
House committee report questions distribution of FireAid’s $100 million for L.A. wildfire relief -- FireAid promptly released a comprehensive document detailing its fundraising and grant dispersals. After reaching out to every named nonprofit in the document, The Times reported that the groups who successfully applied for grants were quickly given money to spend in their areas of expertise, as outlined in FireAid’s public mission statements. A review conducted by an outside law firm confirmed the same. August Brown in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 01/07/26
A Florida senator wants answers on the Palisades Fire. What’s he really after? -- Why does a former Florida governor whose experience is mostly with hurricanes care so much about one fire that took place across the country? Alexei Koseff in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 01/07/26
One year after the LA fires, survivors’ big question: Where’s the accountability? -- Government failures worsened the disasters that killed 31 people and destroyed 13,000 homes in Los Angeles last year. Muddled investigations have compounded frustrations. Liam Dillon Politico -- 01/07/26
Many L.A. fire survivors face insurance delays and can’t return home a year later -- Despite billions in dollars of claims paid out, fires exposed problems in California’s beleaguered insurance market. All policyholders are likely to see premiums rise. Levi Sumagaysay in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 01/07/26
New lawsuits blame suicide, terminal illness deaths on Palisades fire -- ‘Our clients’ family members say that after the fire, their loved ones went downhill rapidly and died months after the fire,’ said an attorney for plaintiffs. Tony Saavedra in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 01/07/26
LAFD chief admits Palisades fire report was watered down, says it won’t happen again -- Los Angeles Fire Chief Jaime Moore admitted Tuesday that his department’s after-action report on the Palisades fire was watered down to shield top brass from scrutiny. Noah Goldberg in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 01/07/26
Newsom Waives a Fire-Rebuilding Hurdle for Businesses in State Park -- The order targets leases and concessions in Topanga State Park, an 11,525-acre expanse of hills and canyons overlooking the Pacific Ocean that was home to several small businesses before the fire. Newsom’s order will let the state Department of Parks and Recreation extend contracts with businesses for up to 30 years without them having to go through a competitive bidding process. Paul Kiernan and Ruth Simon in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 01/07/26
After devastating fires, L.A. made one part of rebuilding easy. There’s much more to do -- While few victims of last year’s fires are back in their homes, that’s not unusual following natural disasters; permitting changes appear to be helping. Ben Christopher Calmatters -- 01/07/26
Housing
Will California legislators make changes to contentious new housing law? -- Changes could soon be coming to a hotly-debated new California law meant to encourage denser housing developments near transit stops before it even goes into effect. Stephen Hobbs in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 01/07/26
Workplace
Small-scale farmers of color in Fresno hurt by USDA cuts to food bank program -- Sherman grows everything from onions and kale to strawberries, squash and melons. In recent years, orders from Central California Food Bank and a food hub called Farm2People in Los Angeles have become a major part of his income, giving him stable prices and predictable demand. Hyeyoon Cho in the Fresno Bee -- 01/07/26
Education
This change could deliver billions of more dollars to California schools. Here’s the tradeoff -- By basing funding on enrollment, not attendance numbers, schools would lose the incentive to get students to show up every day, a new report finds. Carolyn Jones Calmatters -- 01/07/26
Paused: A court ruling that let teachers tell parents about a child’s ‘gender incongruity’ -- A federal judge ruled California teachers must disclose students’ gender identity to parents, but an appeals court has paused the decision. Howard Blume in the Los Angeles Times$ Ryan Macasero in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 01/07/26
Judge weighs whether First Amendment lawsuit against Trump officials can proceed -- Lawyers clashed Tuesday in a federal courtroom in San Jose over whether student newspaper The Stanford Daily can proceed with a First Amendment lawsuit alleging the Trump administration used immigration law to punish student speech — a case that could set a legal precedent for the constitutional rights of noncitizen journalists and students nationwide. Ryan Macasero in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 01/07/26
Caltech, a Science Powerhouse, Hires a Communicator as Its New President -- Ray Jayawardhana, the incoming president, is an astrophysicist, but leaders at the California Institute of Technology also praised his credentials as a communicator at a time when science is under attack. Vimal Patel in the New York Times$ -- 01/07/26
Street
Cars are vanishing from driveways. Mystery tow truck thefts leave SoCal drivers angry, uneasy -- At 6 a.m. in early December, an unlabeled white tow truck cruised into Jesse Roller’s Chino neighborhood. Roller had saved up for four years to buy his prized Cadillac CTS-V coupe, and in 30 seconds, it was gone. Katerina Portela in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 01/07/26
L.A. sees lowest homicide rate in decades — but why killings are down is up for debate -- The city of Los Angeles just recorded its lowest homicide total in more than half a century, mirroring precipitous drops in many other large cities nationwide last year — and sparking a range of theories about what’s going on. Libor Jany and Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 01/07/26
Also
Walters: Critics draw iffy link between Gavin Newsom’s record and Minnesota’s food fraud scandal -- Last month, as required by law, State Auditor Grant Parks published an annual report on state programs and agencies that his office deems to be at “high risk” of costly inefficiency, waste or fraud. Dan Walters Calmatters -- 01/07/26
San Francisco Battles Skateboarders Over the City’s Ugliest Fountain -- Critics call it a ‘jumble of nothing’ and the concrete deposit of a giant dog with square intestines. To skaters, Vaillancourt Fountain is hallowed ground. Robert McMillan in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 01/07/26
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Rubio Tells Lawmakers Trump Aims to Buy Greenland, Downplays Military Action -- Secretary of State Marco Rubio told lawmakers that recent administration threats against Greenland didn’t signal an imminent invasion and that the goal is to buy the island from Denmark, according to people familiar with the discussions. Alexander Ward, Lara Seligman and Dustin Volz in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 01/07/26
Stephen Miller Offers a Strongman’s View of the World -- President Trump’s trusted adviser is casting his hard-right gaze abroad, saying the world must be governed by “force.” Katie Rogers in the New York Times$ -- 01/07/26
Trump warns of third impeachment if House Republicans lose midterms -- The president urged GOP congressmen to focus on drug prices, transgender athletes in women’s sports and cracking down on violent crime to win the 2026 midterm elections. Emily Davies, Marianna Sotomayor and Cleve R. Wootson Jr. in the Washington Post$ -- 01/07/26