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California Policy and Politics Saturday

California Democrats plan to investigate Trump but leave a third impeachment off the table for now -- California Democrats are poised to lead key congressional committees as their party takes control of Congress, putting them at the center of investigations into President Trump. Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/14/26

Tax the rich — sometimes. California voters sent mixed signals with ballot measures -- California voters shot down a tax on billionaires’ assets but said yes to a high-income tax. They were just two of the five tax questions on the ballot. Kristen Hwang, Yue Stella Yu and Jeanne Kuang Calmatters -- 11/14/26

L.A.’s police union spent big in the city runoff election, only to lose key races -- The Police Protective League poured well over $7 million into efforts to defeat mayoral candidate Nithya Raman over the last seven months, putting out attack ads, text messages and even a multi-page brochure highlighting her support from Democratic Socialists of America. Raman beat Mayor Karen Bass anyway. And that wasn’t the only race where the PPL fell short. David Zahniser, Melissa Gomez and Noah Goldberg in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/14/26

CA Insurance Department accidentally reveals another judge complained about internal misconduct -- California’s Insurance Department reversed course Friday and chose to talk about a lawsuit brought by a former administrative judge against Commissioner Ricardo Lara and others, which accuses them of illegally approving rate increases. Levi Sumagaysay Calmatters -- 11/14/26

Hollywood’s tax credit push runs into a post-midterm wall -- Congressional Republicans are still regrouping from their losses, raising questions about their appetite for legislating in the final weeks of the year — especially on a federal film and television production tax break that would benefit an industry the party has long viewed as an adversary. Daniel Miller and Bernie Becker Politico -- 11/14/26

 

Downtown L.A.’s long-awaited comeback may finally be taking shape -- After years of soaring vacancies, downtown L.A.’s office market posted a modest net gain in leased space, while major tenants are signing long-term deals. Apartment occupancy has topped pre-pandemic levels, and new classrooms, a concert hall and museum expansion are adding residents and cultural life. Roger Vincent in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/14/26

 

Longtime Northern California congressman ousted by political newcomer -- Eric Jones, a self-funded political newcomer, defeated longtime Rep. Mike Thompson in Northern California’s 4th District, winning 52.5% of the vote as the race was called by the Associated Press on Friday night. Nicole Nixon and Karen Garcia in the Los Angeles Times$ Mathew Miranda in the Sacramento Bee$ Blake Jones Politico Hannah Wiley in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/14/26

This was one of California’s GOP strongholds. Even it joined the ‘blue wave’ -- With its seas of oil rigs, wide-open agricultural land and country music heritage, Kern County resembles California’s very own Texas. Danielle Echeverria in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/14/26

California Republican leader loses Central Valley reelection bid -- Assembly Republican Leader Alexandra Macedo, R-Tulare, suffered a stunning upset Friday in her reelection bid for her Central Valley seat, capping off what has been a disastrous legislative election for the party. Stephen Hobbs in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 11/14/26

Voters pass Proposition 42, barring new taxes on personal assets -- The proposition bars any new tax on personal property, such as 401(k) accounts, business interests, digital assets, intellectual property, and personal belongings. Real estate isn’t included. It also prohibits retroactive taxes, except in cases of a state-declared emergency. Dakota Smith and Queenie Wong in the Los Angeles Times$ Ben Paviour in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 11/14/26

 

Thousands of flights affected by FAA ground stop. Here are your rights as a passenger -- Thousands of flights across America were delayed, canceled and stuck on the tarmac Friday after the FAA announced a ground stop. Here’s what to know if you are affected. Clara Harter in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/14/26

 

ICE detention deaths: Lawmakers vow action after Chronicle investigation of medical failures -- Democrats preparing to take charge of Congress vowed to investigate and boost oversight of ICE after the Chronicle revealed immigrants have died at high rates in detention across the country after receiving care that the agency itself deemed inadequate. St. John Barned-Smith, Ko Lyn Cheang in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/14/26

Arellano: Mexican ambassador says ‘it’s business as usual’ after the midterms and Miller’s promotion -- Ambassador Roberto Lazzeri Montaño was confident but clear-eyed, knowing he needs to keep el Norte happy — but not at the expense of his patria. Gustavo Arellano in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/14/26

'Bring him home': San Diego officials, parents, teachers rally for 8-year-old boy detained by ICE -- Hundreds of parents, teachers and elected officials protested in front of the federal building downtown Thursday, demanding the release of the Haitian boy who was taken into federal custody last week. Alexander Nguyen KPBS -- 11/14/26

 

Surfers Scramble to California Hot Spot to Catch Building-Size Waves -- Word had spread quickly among their close-knit surfing community that a swell in the Pacific was traveling thousands of miles across the ocean and was expected to bring mountains of water nearing 50 feet tall to Mavericks, a famed surf spot 20 miles south of San Francisco. Amy Graff in the New York Times$ -- 11/14/26

Also

Silicon Valley plots Jensen Huang’s comeback -- But while national security hawks and tech skeptics in Washington prepare to haul him before Congress to bring further scrutiny of his affair with an alleged Chinese intelligence asset, Silicon Valley leaders are mourning his swift exit and positing ways that he could return. Aaron Mak Politico Rolfe Winkler in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 11/14/26

Silicon Valley Is Used to Scandal. This One Upped the Ante -- As Jensen Huang abruptly departs, the tech community grapples with an eternal question: Why do the smartest and most successful men so often act so stupidly? David Streitfeld in the New York Times$ -- 11/14/26

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Top Democrat Eyes Filibuster-Proof Bill to Unlock Affordability Agenda -- The lawmaker set to lead the House Budget Committee outlined Democrats’ options for forcing a negotiation with President Trump on an economic package to bring down living costs. Catie Edmondson in the New York Times$ -- 11/14/26

Duffy points finger at FAA contractor for nationwide ground stop -- Duffy, at a press conference plagued by audio problems, said it was unclear whether it was an error from L3 Harris, a longtime contractor for the Federal Aviation Administration, or if it was a faulty system. Oriana Pawlyk Politico -- 11/14/26

Nvidia scandal hits Trump’s political vulnerabilities after Democratic sweep -- Sex. Money. Power. Espionage. As Washington scandals go, this one has everything. But what really makes ex-Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang’s affair with a suspected Chinese spy an explosive political problem for the White House is that it brings together the very issues that propelled Democrats to their largest congressional majority since 1990. Isaac Arnsdorf and Cat Zakrzewski in the Washington Post$ -- 11/14/26

 

California Policy and Politics Friday

Mullin doesn't rule out cyberattack in unprecedented nationwide passenger plane grounding -- Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said Friday that he had “no reason to believe” that an unprecedented nationwide grounding of the nation’s air traffic was due to a threat, but he did not rule out a cyberattack. Oriana Pawlyk Politico Alex Fitzpatrick Axios Karoun Demirjian in the New York Times$ -- 11/13/26

 

California voters overhaul recall elections, pass Democratic-backed Prop. 5 -- The recall process will now take place in two parts: Voters will first decide in an election whether an official should be removed from office. If successful, they’ll vote again in a follow-up election on who should replace the recalled official. Under the previous system, voters were asked both questions at the same time. Kate Wolffe Calmatters Ben Paviour in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 11/13/26

Newsom says he’ll decide on presidential run in ‘early January’ -- His comments, made while in Turkey at the Conference of the Parties climate meetings, put his timetable for an announcement in line with the end of his term governing California in early January. That timeline reflects what could become a quickly-developing field of contenders early next year. Blake Jones Politico -- 11/13/26

Newsom’s commutations request invokes victims’ praise, anguish as prosecutors vow to sue -- Two competing camps of victims’ rights advocates have emerged to pressure Gov. Gavin Newsom as the California Supreme Court weighs his request to grant blanket commutation to the 548 people on death row before he leaves office in two months. Liam Russell in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 11/13/26

Another Winner From the Midterms: Crusaders Against Insurance Companies -- California’s incoming insurance commissioner wants to impose profit caps on home and auto insurers. Jean Eaglesham and Laura J. Nelson in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 11/13/26

Bass says her election defeat was part of a national wave, with voters demanding change -- Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said Thursday that she views her defeat in the Nov. 3 election as part of a much larger political phenomenon, with voters across the nation demanding change at every level of government. David Zahniser in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/13/26

Newsom names Nancy Pelosi, Barry Bonds, Robin Williams to California Hall of Fame -- The list includes a total of 18 Californians selected by the governor and his wife, First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom, for their contributions to film, viticulture, sports, dining, art, literature, music, education, politics and business. Taryn Luna in the Los Angeles Times$ Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/13/26

Interior secretary skips Presidio Trust meeting as residents hound board about park’s future -- Interior Secretary Doug Burgum met privately with the Presidio Trust’s new Trump-appointed board Thursday, then was absent from its first in-person meeting that became a largely one-way exchange as residents pressed trustees about the future of San Francisco’s self-funded national park. Laura Waxmann in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/13/26

 

Hollywood’s tax credit push runs into a post-midterm wall -- Congressional Republicans are still regrouping from their losses, raising questions about their appetite for legislating in the final weeks of the year — especially on a federal film and television production tax break that would benefit an industry the party has long viewed as an adversary. Daniel Miller and Bernie Becker Politico -- 11/13/26

Jensen Huang is out at Nvidia. What his exit means for the Bay Area AI industry -- His absence has fueled speculation that competitors Google and Amazon, who have invested in the development of their own chips, could use this opportunity to cut into Nvidia’s market share. Roland Li in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/13/26

AI

Even business-friendly Vernon is souring against data centers -- Just south of downtown L.A., the anti-data center pushback has reached Vernon, amidst pressure from LAUSD and neighbors over diesel pollution. Blanca Begert in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/13/26

Climate

Fearmongering or fair warning? A fierce debate over how bad California’s El Niño winter will get -- For all the concerns about a historic El Niño fueling epic storms striking California this winter, there is still a surprising amount of debate among experts about how bad it will actually be. Rong-Gong Lin II in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/13/26

El Niño: Record ocean temperatures and big waves have arrived, with winter’s first storms coming this week -- Unusually warm ocean waters and elevated sea levels are increasing California’s coastal flooding risk as El Niño strengthens, scientists said Thursday, with dangerous surf and the Bay Area’s first substantial rain of the season arriving this weekend. Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 11/13/26

The historic El Niño is bringing huge waves — and could reshape California beaches -- The California coast could see its highest waves in years Saturday, when 30-foot breakers slam against shores from Crescent City to San Francisco to Big Sur. Waves as high as 50 feet could crash at Mavericks near Half Moon Bay. Anthony Edwards in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/13/26

Paddleboarder disappears off Sausalito as Bay Area faces dangerous surf -- Rescue crews were searching Thursday afternoon for a person who disappeared from a paddleboard about 100 yards offshore near Sausalito, as the Bay Area coast faces hazardous surf conditions. Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/13/26

Housing

What happens when real estate agents have split allegiances -- A Sonoma County lawsuit alleges that one of northern California’s largest real estate brokerages shunted buyers into “dual agency” contracts. Ben Christopher Calmatters -- 11/13/26

BART

BART’s San Jose extension is getting more expensive. Officials may change the plan -- He attributed the financial strain to tariffs and the war in Iran, which have jolted prices for diesel and core construction materials such as steel and concrete. Labor expenses are also rising and adding strain for monumental infrastructure projects like this one. VTA has not yet released a new cost estimate for the BART extension. Rachel Swan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/13/26

 

Troubled LAX people mover drops further into junk bond status as key deadline nears -- The rating on $1.2 billion in bonds for the Skylink people mover train has plunged four notches, from BB to B- since July, moving the project deeper into junk bond territory. The downgrade by Fitch Ratings reflects heightened concerns that the city’s airport department will default on the debt. Colleen Shalby in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/13/26

Education

Left-leaning California school board candidates ride ‘blue tsunami’ to big leads in local races -- In Orange Unified, four moderate incumbents fended off conservative challengers. Unofficial results show progressive candidates ahead in several races in the Inland Empire. Thomas Peele EdSource -- 11/13/26

Gov.-elect Xavier Becerra says he wants to improve childcare, fueling high expectations -- As California’s next governor, Xavier Becerra will inherit a childcare system that remains unaffordable for many families and financially unstable for many providers. Betty Márquez Rosales EdSource -- 11/13/26

Also

Walters: By emptying death row, Newsom broke a promise and disregarded the will of voters -- Gov. Gavin Newsom’s decision to commute the death sentences of 548 inmates just weeks before he leaves office is the latest episode in California’s 70-year-long political, legal and philosophical debate over capital punishment. Dan Walters Calmatters -- 11/13/26

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Lutnick Fights for His Job as Trump Aides Blame Him for Nvidia Fallout -- As the fallout from Jensen Huang’s affair with a suspected Chinese intelligence source continues to consume the West Wing, some of President Trump’s top advisers have started shifting blame for the political mess toward one man: Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. Brian Schwartz, Meridith McGraw and Josh Dawsey in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 11/13/26

Trump’s top economic advisers clash over Lutnick’s handling of Nvidia -- Singapore’s Megaspeed is at the heart of former Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang’s spy-sex scandal. The Commerce Department had been investigating if Megaspeed breached U.S. export restrictions. Ian Duncan, Isaac Arnsdorf, Nancy Cook and Riley Beggin in the Washington Post$ -- 11/13/26