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California Policy and Politics Tuesday

How Nithya Raman went from last-minute candidate to the L.A. mayor runoff -- With just 115 days to campaign after a surprise entry, Councilmember Nithya Raman secured a spot in the Nov. 3 mayoral runoff against incumbent Karen Bass. Raman relied on a ground game that targeted renters and younger voters, while painting Spencer Pratt as too radical for L.A. Noah Goldberg and David Zahniser in the Los Angeles Times$ Liam Dillon Politico Alyssa Lukpat in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 6/9/26

Many Californians feared federal meddling in elections before Trump’s latest baseless attacks, poll finds -- Even before President Trump’s latest baseless fraud claims, 41% of California voters lacked confidence that this year’s elections would be free of federal meddling, a new poll found. The survey exposes a sharp partisan divide in trust of local vote counting: 79% of Democrats express confidence in election officials, while 55% of Republicans say they are not confident. Phil Willon, Justine McDaniel and Nicole Nixon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/9/26

S.F. Overpaid CEO Act fails, a big setback for unions at City Hall -- A union-backed San Francisco ballot measure that would have raised taxes on big businesses to bolster funding for cash-strapped city services has failed. J.D. Morris in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 6/9/26

Walters: Egged on by Trump, right-wing ecosystem makes baseless claims of California voter fraud -- In the immediate days after last week’s primary election, the vast community of right-wing bloggers, X users, podcasters and YouTuber influencers trumpeted that California, the state they love to hate, was turning red. Dan Walters Calmatters -- 6/9/26

Why Ro Khanna is standing by Graham Platner -- Ro Khanna has attached himself to risky political causes before. Few carry as much political consequence as the Maine Senate race. Melanie Mason Politico -- 6/9/26

Wildfire

New evidence confirms Edison’s idle line ignited Eaton fire, lawyers say -- New surveillance video and utility data bolster claims that a century-old, idle Edison transmission line ignited last year’s Eaton fire, which killed 19 people and displaced thousands in Altadena, lawyers say. Melody Petersen in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/9/26

In-home support

Disability rights advocates protest Newsom’s proposed cuts to in-home support services -- H.D. Palmer, deputy director for external affairs for the California Department of Finance, on Monday said some of the proposed cuts are a byproduct of the federal government’s changes in funding and eligibility for health and human services programs. The so-called “Big, Beautiful Bill” signed by President Trump last year shifted federal funding away from safety-net programs, he said. Palmer stressed that state budget negotiations are ongoing. Katie King in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/9/26

AI

Musicians shortchanged by AI deals with labels, lawsuit alleges -- The American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada (AFM), which has 70,000 members, said Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group “received significant compensation” from the AI companies for past copyright violations and licensed “substantial” portions of their music catalogs to them, but haven’t shared that with the musicians. Wendy Lee in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/9/26

‘We were just being ripped off’: Musicians lost thousands after AI bootleggers stole their song -- A viral hit called “Run Run River” turned out to be an AI-tweaked clone of SoCal reggae band Stick Figure’s 2019 song, earning bootleggers thousands without credit or consent. The case exposes a flood of cheaply made, often fraudulent AI tracks on major streaming platforms, siphoning royalties, overwhelming detection systems and blurring the line between fan remix and scam. August Brown in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/9/26

Who Will Actually Thrive in the Hybrid A.I.-Human Work Force -- A panel of experts explains how job seekers should prepare for the future of work. The item is in the New York Times$ -- 6/9/26

Workplace

Paramount blasts Netflix, pushes back on Teamsters’ warnings about Warner Bros. deal -- In a letter obtained by Politico, Paramount Skydance accused Netflix of trying to “poison” its acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. Daniel Miller Politico -- 6/9/26

Housing

This new law could create a million new apartments and condominiums in California -- A sweeping new state law will force cities to allow taller apartments near rail and rapid bus stops, unlocking zoning for more than 1 million homes in urban California. Roger Vincent in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/9/26

Education

What Newsom’s proposed budget means for education in California -- Public school districts would receive $2.4 billion in ongoing special education funding, what Gov. Newsom calls the largest such investment in California’s history. Los Angeles Unified would likely be able to afford recent union salary raises thanks to increased state education funding and cost-of-living adjustments. Howard Blume, Jaweed Kaleem and Kate Sequeira in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/9/26

Street

Push to install license plate readers comes amid questions about how data are shared -- Since its creation more than a century ago, the Los Angeles Bureau of Street Lighting has been in the lamppost business and little else. Libor Jany in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/9/26

FIFA

Kurtenbach: Bait, switch, and subpoenas — FIFA shows the beautiful game’s ugly side at 2026 World Cup -- The foundational rule of soccer is simple: you cannot use your hands. But if FIFA has its way, attending a 2026 World Cup match will cost you an arm and a leg. Welcome to the grandest grift in global sports, arriving in our backyard this week. Dieter Kurtenbach in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 6/9/26

Also

Uber liability fight spreads to new front: A critical federal transit bill -- Last month, California U.S. Rep. Vince Fong, R-Bakersfield, introduced a controversial amendment into a key funding bill for the nation’s highways and public transit infrastructure to sharply limit ride-hailing companies’ responsibility for damages caused by their drivers. Andrew Graham in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 6/9/26

A Mayor, Her Boyfriend and China’s Mysterious Propaganda Machine -- Eileen Wang pleaded guilty to acting as a foreign agent. But what could Beijing want from the mayor of a small California city known as the “Chinese Beverly Hills”? Amy Qin in the New York Times$ -- 6/9/26

 

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The White House is digging in on tariff refunds -- The administration has processed more than half the $166 billion it illegally collected but is resisting paying back billions more. Ari Hawkins Politico -- 6/9/26

Trump Previews Fall Strategy With Baseless Claims of California Vote Fraud -- The president is using the slow count of mail ballots in California to renew his effort to cast doubt on election outcomes he doesn’t like, despite a lack of evidence of any widespread fraud. Jonathan Swan and Maggie Haberman in the New York Times$ Louise Radnofsky and Laura J. Nelson in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 6/9/26

Donald Trump booed by the crowd during the anthem prior to Game 3 of the NBA Finals -- Trump was shown for several seconds giving a military salute. The boos ended when the U.S. flag followed him on the screens, and fans cheered when New York Knicks players were shown. Mentions of the San Antonio Spurs also elicited loud boos. Stephen Whyno, Michelle L. Price Associated Press -- 6/9/26

Attorney General Bonta declares victory in battle against Trump’s H-1B visa fees -- A Trump-era increase to employer applicant fees for the country’s H-1B visa program to $100,000 is unlawful, a federal judge ruled on Monday. Haley Parsley in the Sacramento Bee$ Louise Radnofsky in the Wall Street Journal$ Zach Montague in the New York Times$ Lauren Kaori Gurley and Maria Sacchetti in the Washington Post$ -- 6/9/26

 

California Policy and Politics Monday

Progressive Nithya Raman advances to November runoff against Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass -- Progressive city council member Nithya Raman has advanced to a November runoff against Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, setting up an unexpected matchup between two Democrats and former political allies to run the struggling city of nearly 4 million. Michael R. Blood -- 6/8/26

Court blocks Trump’s $100K visa fee -- A federal judge has blocked President Donald Trump’s bid to slap a $100,000 fee on employers who seek to hire foreign workers for specialized roles, labeling the policy an unauthorized “tax” that required congressional approval. Kyle Cheney Politico Louise Radnofsky in the Wall Street Journal$ Zach Montague in the New York Times$ Lauren Kaori Gurley in the Washington Post$ -- 6/8/26

Nithya Raman surges past Spencer Pratt in L.A. mayor’s race, closing in on runoff with Karen Bass -- Nithya Raman is now in second place in the mayor’s race, with 27.1% of the votes counted so far compared to 26.7% for Spencer Pratt. Mail-in ballots will continue to be accepted through Tuesday, but analysts say the trend favors Raman moving into a Nov. 3 runoff with incumbent Karen Bass. David Zahniser and Noah Goldberg in the Los Angeles Times$ Shawn Hubler in the New York Times$ -- 6/8/26

Skelton: The secret to Xavier Becerra’s success -- Winning elections — or achieving any success — often is about being in the right spot at the right moment. Getting lucky and capitalizing. Xavier Becerra is a textbook example. George Skelton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/8/26

Trump, after baselessly alleging fraud in California vote again, storms out of NBC interview -- During a lengthy interview in Wisconsin that aired on “Meet the Press” on Sunday, Trump echoed claims he made in recent days — without providing evidence — that officials in California were “cheating,” because after four days, they “aren’t even close” to finishing the ballot counting. Alene Tchekmedyian in the Los Angeles Times$ Cheyanne M. Daniels Politico -- 6/8/26

Military-like training in California cities part of FIFA World Cup preparation, FBI says -- Recent training scenarios that rattled communities in Los Angeles and Orange counties with unexpected low-flying helicopters and sounds of explosions and simulated weapon fire could likely be observed over the next two years in Southern California, an FBI official said. Erika I. Ritchie in the Orange County Register$ -- 6/8/26

ICE

Deaths in ICE custody have surged. The Chronicle is tracking them here -- Deaths in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention have surged since President Donald Trump returned to office in January 2025 and launched an aggressive deportation effort. The 33 people who died in ICE custody last year represented a record high since the agency’s creation in 2003, federal records show. Ko Lyn Cheang and St. John Barned-Smith in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 6/8/26

 

California immigration advocates amp up lobbying ahead of budget deadline -- Advocates are holding town hall meetings, driving buses around the state and organizing thousands of phone calls to leaders in the California Legislature to convince them to reject changes to immigrant healthcare coverage proposed by Gov. Gavin Newsom ahead of looming deadlines. Stephen Hobbs and Andrew Graham in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 6/8/26

Housing

Can you buy a home with Anthropic stock — and see tax benefits? Here’s the reality -- In a sign that artificial intelligence hysteria may be nearing a peak, some people who are desperate for stock in OpenAI and Anthropic before they go public are offering to sell their Bay Area homes for privately held shares in those San Francisco companies. Kathleen Pender in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 6/8/26

Investors appear to be buying up a record share of S.F. homes. The truth is more complicated -- These entities have especially expanded their market share in the condominium market. Christian Leonard in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 6/8/26

Homeless

This affluent Bay Area region is booming. So is its homelessness crisis -- The rise in homelessness in one Tri-Valley city and other neighboring areas comes as the region grapples with a population boom. Maggie Angst, Sarah Ravani in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 6/8/26

Workplace

California wants to cap business tax credits, alarming life sciences and tech industries -- California’s life sciences industry is sounding the alarm over a proposal from Gov. Gavin Newsom that would permanently cap corporate tax credits. Levi Sumagaysay Calmatters -- 6/8/26

California wine giant Gallo announces another facility closure, layoffs -- Modesto-based alcohol producer and distributor Gallo announced it will close one of its facilities and lay off 20 workers, industry publication Wine Business reported, the latest in a string of shutdowns the company has enacted during a troubling period for the wine industry. Susie Neilson in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 6/8/26

It’s a high-demand job with lots of openings. How LAUSD trains adults for a role in child care -- An experiment involving preschool children is unfolding in South Los Angeles, one that aims to solve a persistent problem in the region’s stressed day-care industry: the lack of workers. Kate Sequeira in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/8/26

Driverless Trucks Are Here—and They’re Delivering Bags of Doritos -- A 26,000-pound box truck loaded with Doritos and Frito-Lay chips rolls out of a distribution center, bound for a Walmart store about 4 miles away. It looks like any other truck, but there is no one at the wheel. Esther Fung, Johnny Kompar in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 6/8/26

Education

‘They’re going to try to get her’: What awaits S.F. schools chief Maria Su when she faces Congress -- When San Francisco’s Superintendent Maria Su sits in front of congressional committee in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday she is expected to face an onslaught of baiting questions about parental rights, inappropriate classroom content and the indoctrination of children. Jill Tucker in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 6/8/26

Wildfire

Few roads out, higher wildfire risk: New study maps Bay Area evacuation danger -- In scenic Alhambra Valley south of Martinez, where forest and grasslands surround large homes, wildfire risk is high, and for retired technology executive Kevin Lewis and his wife, there’s only one road out. Ethan Baron in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 6/8/26

Street

San Diegans voted for far more police oversight. Little has materialized, a new report finds -- The Commission on Police Practices still lacks many of the powers voters approved nearly six years ago. Kelly Davis in the San Diego Union Tribune -- 6/8/26

Also

‘It’s a hurricane warning’: Guardrails around powerful AI models may be too late -- The U.S. is scrambling to strengthen guardrails around increasingly powerful artificial intelligence models before China can catch up. It may already be running out of time. Dana Nickel and Maggie Miller Politico -- 6/8/26

Authorities draw down massive search for missing Tahoe hiker presumed dead -- Authorities vowed to continue the search for a hiker who went missing near Lake Tahoe on Memorial Day, despite sending nearly all rescue crews home last Monday amid fears the man had died. Sonja Sharp in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/8/26

Grisly affair: SoCal man survives grizzly bear attack in Glacier National Park -- A San Diego man said he felt lucky to be alive and recovering at home this week after surviving a grizzly bear attack at Glacier National Park on May 28. “I’m honestly grateful I still have an arm,” said Daniel Crago, 32, in an interview Sunday with The Times. “It’s pretty painful, but I’m making progress day by day.” Sonja Sharp in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/8/26

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Iran and Israel Move to De-Escalate After Cease-Fire Breaks Down -- Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps signaled that it had concluded its latest military operation against Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pulled back from preparations for another attack after pushback from President Trump, two Israeli military officials said. Aaron Boxerman, Farnaz Fassihi and Ronen Bergman in the New York Times$ -- 6/8/26

Lawsuit seeks to stop the UFC fight on the White House South Lawn for Trump’s birthday -- The lawsuit says such approval violated National Park Service regulations prohibiting sporting events on federal parklands, Congress did not consent to the towering arch overlooking the event space and no environmental review was conducted before the construction. Melissa Goldin Associated Press -- 6/8/26

Trump continues defense of 'Anti-Weaponization Fund' -- President Donald Trump on Sunday defended his $1.8 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund” and urged Congressional leaders to approve the controversial settlement between him and the IRS. Cheyanne M. Daniels Politico -- 6/8/26

Trump Says He Never Promised No New Wars, and Defends Compensation Fund -- President Trump, who campaigned on a central promise to keep the United States out of overseas wars, denied in an interview aired on Sunday that he’d ever made the pledge. Katie Rogers in the New York Times$ -- 6/8/26