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Updating. . .
California Policy and Politics Friday
Trump says he wants to send federalized troops to L.A., San Francisco -- Courts have ruled against Trump’s use of federalized troops, which were originally deployed to quell protests and protect federal buildings amid major immigration enforcement campaigns last year. The White House did not respond to questions about whether any current plans exist to redeploy troops in California. Gavin J. Quinton in the Los Angeles Times$ Alexei Koseff, J.D. Morris in the San Francisco Chronicle$ --3/27/26
Trump administration threatens to cut funding to Stanford, UCSD, Ohio State medical schools -- The Trump administration is demanding that three medical schools — Stanford, UC San Diego and Ohio State — provide detailed admissions data within the month or risk a loss of federal funding, the U.S. Department of Justice confirmed Thursday. Nanette Asimov in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Jaweed Kaleem in the Los Angeles Times$ --3/27/26
Trump administration to investigate California over trans prisoner policy -- The Trump administration is accusing California of exposing women in prison to violent assaults by allowing trans women to transfer to women’s prison facilities. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ --3/27/26
Treasury plans to put Trump’s signature on U.S. bills in first for sitting president -- It’s the latest instance of Trump putting his name and likeness on American cultural institutions, following his renaming of the U.S. Institute of Peace, the Kennedy Center performing arts venue and a new class of battleships, among other tributes. Fatima Hussein in the Los Angeles Times$ Alyssa Lukpat and Richard Rubin in the Wall Street Journal$ --3/27/26
Becerra, voting rights group challenge GOP sheriff’s ballot seizure in state Supreme Court -- Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco’s seizure of more than 650,000 ballots from the November 2025 state election was challenged Thursday by a voting-rights group and a rival candidate for governor, who asked the California Supreme Court to order Bianco to return the ballots to the county registrar. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ --3/27/26
California sheriff says his seizure of more than 600,000 ballots is ‘normal law enforcement’ -- Riverside Sheriff Chad Bianco says it’s coincidence he got a California ballot seizure warrant from a judge who praised him and whom he endorsed in 2022. Jeanne Kuang Calmatters -- 3/27/26
Lopez: Yes, a Republican could be California’s next governor. And a recall would begin immediately -- Under the rules of California’s top-two primary, the two Republicans could face off in the November election for governor. Experts said a Republican, if elected, would quickly be targeted for recall in a state dominated by Democrats. Steve Lopez in the Los Angeles Times$ --3/27/26
San Francisco’s establishment moves to sink a progressive House candidate -- In the race to succeed Nancy Pelosi, tech centimillionaire Saikat Chakrabarti has power brokers in San Francisco on edge. Dustin Gardiner Politico -- 3/27/26
Gavin Newsom to ban California officials from insider betting on prediction markets -- Newsom framed his plans as a counter to the Trump administration and to growing concerns about insider trading on the fast-growing platforms. Christine Mui and Tyler Katzenberger Politico -- 3/27/26
A tech boom like no other: How AI could save or sink Daniel Lurie’s mayoralty -- The inextricable link between San Francisco and its homegrown artificial intelligence sector is a source of pride for Mayor Daniel Lurie. J.D. Morris in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/27/26
Newsom signs bill officially renaming Cesar Chavez Day -- California will officially celebrate Farmworkers Day on March 31, after Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill Thursday renaming the holiday previously known as Cesar Chavez Day. Sara DiNatale in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Brock Hrehor Politico --3/27/26
Tech giants are spending more than ever to shape California politics -- Tech giants involved in AI and cryptocurrency spent $39 million last year to influence lawmakers and policy. It’s the start of what could be a spending blitz in the upcoming election. Jeremia Kimelman Calmatters -- 3/27/26
California blew a hole in environmental planning law. Now, lawmakers are trying to fix it -- In a last-minute budget deal, California legislators accidentally exempted a broad category of industrial facilities from environmental review. Alejandra Reyes-Velarde Calmatters -- 3/27/26
Walters: Newsom may spend $19 million to sugarcoat California’s stalled economy -- California hasn’t had a truly balanced state budget for four or maybe five years, and the current one continues to overspend its revenues. Dan Walters Calmatters -- 3/27/26
Workplace
Trump Administration Plans to Require Higher Wages for H-1B Visa Holders -- Labor Department proposal is latest effort to wean U.S. tech companies and other employers off skilled foreign labor. Lauren Weber in the Wall Street Journal$ --3/27/26
ICE
DHS attorney said agents in Los Angeles should have ‘started hitting’ protesters, emails show -- After an anti-ICE protest last June, the top Homeland Security attorney also said federal agents should have arrested ‘everyone that couldn’t get away.’ His comments were obtained by the nonprofit watchdog American Oversight through the Freedom of Information Act. Andrea Castillo in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/27/26
LAUSD
$22 million siphoned from LAUSD in record-setting scam, D.A. says -- A former LAUSD employee is accused of directing $22 million in district contracts to a tech company owner who allegedly funneled $3 million back to her. L.A. County Dist. Atty. Nathan Hochman called it the largest money laundering scheme in the school district’s history. Clara Harter in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/27/26
Also
The Bay Area’s most expensive cup of coffee costs $105 -- In recent years, Bay Area cafés have made headlines with $16 coffees, $20 flavor-blasted cups and $75 pours. Now, a downtown San Francisco shop has reached what appears to be a new high water mark: a single cup of coffee for $105. Mario Cortez in the San Francisco Chronicle$ --3/27/26
POTUS 47
Stocks fall and oil prices rise after Trump’s latest delay in the Iran war fails to raise much hope -- U.S. stocks are falling Friday as Wall Street stumbles toward the finish of a fifth straight losing week, which would be its longest such streak in nearly four years. Stan Choe Associated Press -- 3/27/26
Trump faces new oil shock threat as Iran eyes second strait -- A major shipping choke point on the Red Sea could come under Iran-sponsored attack to further disrupt global energy supplies. Scott Waldman Politico -- 3/27/26
Global Food Supply Faces a Dangerous Bottleneck as Iran War Persists -- One of the biggest economic casualties of the U.S.-led war in Iran has been the global fertilizer supply. Shipments of it have piled up on the wrong side of the Strait of Hormuz. In India, Algeria and Slovakia, fertilizer plants have shut down or slowed their output because of rising natural gas prices. Ana Swanson in the New York Times$ -- 3/27/26
Senate agrees to end shutdown for most of DHS -- After two months of unyielding negotiations, both parties gave up early Friday on reaching a grand accord to reform and fund the Department of Homeland Security. Instead, Senate Republicans accepted what Democrats have been offering for weeks — cash for all of DHS except for ICE and part of Customs and Border Protection. Jordain Carney and Jennifer Scholtes Politico -- 3/27/26
Trump projects confidence, claims Iran is ‘begging’ for deal, but war exit remains murky -- Trump claims Iran is ‘obliterated’ and seeking a deal, but Iranian forces continue launching attacks and threatening vital oil routes. Republicans on Capitol Hill emerged from war briefings frustrated by a lack of clarity on an exit strategy and ground troop deployment plans. Kevin Rector and Ana Ceballos in the Los Angeles Times$ --3/27/26
Pentagon Weighs Sending 10,000 More Ground Troops to the Middle East -- The Pentagon is looking at sending up to 10,000 additional ground troops to the Middle East to give President Trump more military options even as he weighs peace talks with Tehran, Defense Department officials with knowledge of the planning said. The item is in the Wall Street Journal$ --3/27/26
Trump Says He Will Order T.S.A. Agents Paid as Funding Deal Stalls -- President Trump said on Thursday that he would sign an emergency order to pay Transportation Security Administration agents who have gone without compensation for weeks, as senators struggled to strike a homeland security funding deal that could end the intensifying crisis at airports. Michael Gold and Megan Mineiro in the New York Times$ --3/27/26
‘Because I’m President’: Trump Defends His Use of Mail Voting -- President Trump wants to restrict voting by mail, which he says amounts to “cheating.” But he defended his own use of the practice in a special election this week. Erica L. Green in the New York Times$ --3/27/26
Judge blocks Pentagon order branding Anthropic a national security risk -- The artificial intelligence lab argued that the Trump administration was punishing it for speaking about the risks of its technology. Ian Duncan in the Washington Post$ --3/27/26
Iran images appear to show land mines scattered by U.S. forces, a first in years -- Images posted to social media Thursday show what experts said are U.S. land mines dispersed across a residential area in southern Iran, in what appears to be the first instance in more than two decades of American forces using the weapons. Meg Kelly and Alex Horton in the Washington Post$ -- 3/27/26
California Policy and Politics Thursday
The union man who unleashed a political earthquake in California -- For decades, Dave Regan has used California’s direct democracy system in a relentless campaign to shore up union power — and his own. But his newest mission is on an entirely different scale. Jeremy B. White Politico -- 3/26/26
Landmark L.A. jury verdict finds Instagram, YouTube were designed to addict kids -- A Los Angeles jury found Instagram and YouTube liable for designing their platforms to addict young users. The landmark verdict is potentially setting precedent for thousands of other pending lawsuits nationwide. Sonja Sharp in the Los Angeles Times$ Colin Lecher Calmatters -- 3/26/26
Newsom: Social media verdict should be ‘moment of reckoning’ for Big Tech -- Newsom said two recent rulings against Meta and YouTube are “two big, tectonic decisions that will have profound impact.” Tyler Katzenberger and Lindsey Holden Politico -- 3/26/26
San Diego diesel prices blow past the $7 mark. You will likely feel the effects soon -- Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy.com, posted on X that the $7 mark is “not just a milestone — it’s a warning. Trucking and agriculture run on diesel. Higher costs are coming, and they won’t just stay in California.” Rob Nikolewski in the San Diego Union Tribune -- 3/26/26
Trump Says the Energy Shock Will Be Short-Lived. CEOs Paint a Scarier Picture -- Some oil and gas executives are privately expressing frustration with the administration’s optimistic messaging and say the disruption is already far-reaching. Benoît Morenne and Collin Eaton in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 3/26/26
Latino Support for Trump Is Fading in California Farm Country -- As in other Hispanic areas of the country, voters shifted toward Republicans in 2024. But there are increasing signs that this was a blip more than a durable trend. Jennifer Medina, Ariana Drehsler in the New York Times$ -- 3/26/26
He’s an election skeptic. And he’s in charge of elections in Shasta County -- From rural Shasta County, Clint Curtis has solidified his position as a torchbearer of the election denialism movement. Curtis, the county registrar of voters, has eliminated nine of the county’s 13 ballot drop boxes and hung cameras everywhere to capture election workers’ every move. Hailey Branson-Potts, Jason Armond in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/26/26
California bill would crack down on communities that suppress voting -- California Democrats are attempting to fight efforts by Republicans to restrict voting by introducing a big update to the California Voting Rights Act Wednesday meant to expand voter access. Sophia Bollag in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/26/26
Man pardoned for Jan. 6 riot runs for Madera supervisor. Incumbent is ‘not worried’ -- Benjamin Martin told The Bee he is proud to have stood up for Trump. He said he is focused on his campaign for Madera County supervisor and is not dwelling on the past. Liliana Fannin in the Fresno Bee -- 3/26/26
Feds ramp up scrutiny in yearslong dispute over California airport money -- The FAA wants California to prove it’s allocating jet fuel tax revenue to aviation. Hundreds of millions of dollars are at stake. Levi Sumagaysay Calmatters -- 3/26/26
ICE
Mass deportations could jolt Bay Area economy and trigger job losses, report warns -- Mass deportations proposed by the Trump administration could strip as much as $67 billion from the Bay Area economy, hitting key industries and worsening an already fragile job market, according to a new report released Wednesday. George Avalos in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 3/26/26
San Jose council wrestles with investments tied to ICE contracts -- Critics are calling on the city of San Jose to divest from companies they say are enabling federal immigration enforcement. Officials, however, say that is easier said than done. Ryan Macasero in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 3/26/26
Environment
California regulators obscured records in hazardous waste rulemaking -- California’s hazardous waste regulator added hundreds of pages of federal road accident reports to a rulemaking record — then gave the public a broken link to access them and directed anyone who wanted to read them to submit a public records request. Alejandra Reyes-Velarde Calmatters -- 3/25/2
Workplace
Meta lays off hundreds of workers amid huge AI spending -- Meta is laying off hundreds of workers, according to a person familiar with the company’s plans, adding another wave of layoffs in big tech amid huge spending on artificial intelligence. Roland Li in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/26/26
S.F. firefighters to get 14% raises under contract deal with City Hall -- The San Francisco firefighters union has secured a deal with City Hall to grant its members a 14% pay increase over four years, mirroring a similar agreement recently secured by city police officers. J.D. Morris in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/26/26
Marketplace
Los Angeles, Miami and San Diego Are Shrinking as Immigration Slows -- Big metros depend on immigrants for growth, and people moving away are draining populations. Paul Overberg, Harriet Torry and Max Rust in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 3/26/26
Supreme Court makes it harder for music and movie makers to sue for online piracy -- In a 9-0 decision, the justices threw out Sony’s lawsuit and a $1-billion verdict against Cox Cable for copyright infringement. Sony’s lawyers pointed to hundreds of thousands of instances of Cox customers sharing copyrighted works. David G. Savage in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/26/26
Sony and Honda pull plug on the $100,000 EV that was set to debut in California -- The move by Sony Honda Mobility comes weeks after Honda announced a $15.7-billion writedown of its EV business and said it would cancel planned production for three of its own electric models. Caroline Petrow-Cohen in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/26/26
Street
L.A. tries to close off manhole where people live, nearly sealing someone inside -- City crews were on the verge of welding a manhole cover shut in South Los Angeles Wednesday morning when a surprise discovery stopped them in their tracks. Fedor Zarkhin and Allen J. Schaben in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/26/26
Marin congressman pushes bill to regulate e-bikes and e-motos -- A Marin County congressman is pressing a bill that would set consistent federal standards for e-bikes and other electric two-wheeled vehicles, following a rash of collisions in the Bay Area and other parts of the country. Rachel Swan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/26/26
S.F.’s downtown safety ambassadors were about to disappear until a $5 million lifeline arrived -- In vests and windbreakers bright as traffic cones — or, just as often, in dark navy layers — San Francisco’s safety ambassadors fan out across downtown, from Union Square to the Montgomery BART station, the Embarcadero and the edges of Moscone Center, radios crackling as they scan the shifting crowds of commuters, conventioneers and tourists. Laura Waxmann in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/26/26
Also
America’s Fanciest Restaurant Enters the Fight Over Affordable Housing -- In Napa Valley, the French Laundry and others say a planned apartment complex isn’t a good fit. Project supporters cite ‘a fear of riffraff.’ Jim Carlton in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 3/26/26
Bay Area startup’s robot joins Melania Trump at the White House -- A humanoid robot developed by a Silicon Valley startup made a rare and carefully choreographed appearance at the White House on Wednesday, a symbol of the growing prominence of artificial intelligence in education and public policy. Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/26/26
Walters: California’s budget bleeds red ink with added pressure to cover Trump’s cuts -- Nine months into the 2025-26 fiscal year, state tax revenues are running several billion dollars ahead of projections in the budget that Gov. Gavin Newsom signed last June. Dan Walters Calmatters -- 3/26/26
POTUS 47
The war will push U.S. inflation above 4 percent this year, according to a new forecast -- The war in Iran will lead to a surge in inflation this year, as the closure of the Strait of Hormuz pushes up prices for oil, gas and other commodities, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development said on Thursday. Eshe Nelson in the New York Times$ -- 3/26/26
Trump’s move to send ICE to airports fails to break impasse or end long lines -- Airport slogs continue to put pressure on lawmakers and the White House, but a deal remains elusive as Senate Democrats hold out for restraints on immigration agents. Isaac Arnsdorf, Dan Diamond and Theodoric Meyer in the Washington Post$ -- 3/26/26
Biden-era DOJ memo: Trump hoarded classified documents relevant to his businesses -- President Donald Trump maintained government documents relevant to his business interests after he left office, according to an internal memo from former special counsel Jack Smith’s office. The memo, viewed by Politico, was transmitted by the Justice Department to the House and Senate Judiciary Committees earlier this month. Hailey Fuchs Politico -- 3/26/26
Trump showed classified map to passengers on his plane in 2022, memo says -- President Donald Trump showed a classified map he retained from his first term in office to passengers on a 2022 private plane flight and retained another record so sensitive that only six high-ranking government officials had access to it, according to a prosecution memo released to Congress this week. Jeremy Roebuck and Maegan Vazquez in the Washington Post$ -- 3/26/26
Allies and Congress are about to lose a key window into US military plans -- The Pentagon, for the first time in decades, has no plans to release a much-anticipated review of its troop placement abroad — a move that snubs lawmakers and U.S. allies, who use the analysis to determine budgets and discern American military policy. Paul McLeary, Leo Shane III and Chris Lunday Politico -- 3/26/26
Trump’s ‘absurdly incoherent’ Iran pleas leave allies befuddled -- European countries have ruled out helping secure the Strait of Hormuz until the conflict is over — but also haven’t received any specific requests for assistance from the U.S. Victor Jack, Chris Lunday and Esther Webber Politico -- 3/26/26
‘Freaked people out’: Iran war could crimp Gulf allies’ US investments -- Any pullback on investments from Middle Eastern governments will limit the amount of capital available to U.S.-based tech startups, investment firms and big businesses. Sam Sutton, Megan Messerly and Dasha Burns Politico -- 3/26/26