California Policy and Politics Monday

Feds arrest alleged noncitizen voters in California amid broader election fight with state -- Federal authorities charged 28 people across California with illegally registering or voting in federal elections; 11 were arrested as of Monday, weeks before the Nov. 3 midterms. Kevin Rector and Brittny Mejia in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/19/26

 

San Francisco’s shuttered downtown mall is being eyed for an AI data center -- According to records obtained by the Chronicle, Maryland-based KG Growth Partners asked the city in June about data center permitting, saying the firm is working with an unidentified potential buyer for 845 Market St., the address of the 350,000-square-foot portion of the mall formerly occupied by Bloomingdale’s. Laura Waxmann in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/19/26

 

Becerra’s muted gubernatorial campaign comes to life in home stretch -- After months absent from the campaign trail, Democrat Xavier Becerra has increased public appearances and began airing television ads as mail ballots reach California voters. Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/19/26

California billionaire tax falling short of majority support, poll finds -- A proposed tax on billionaires remains short of majority support as Californians begin casting ballots, according to a new Citrin-Politico poll. Jeremy B. White Politico -- 10/19/26

The race to succeed Pelosi has tightened — at least in terms of fundraising -- Millions of dollars are flowing through California’s 11th congressional district race. These charts show you what you need to know. Christian Leonard and Hanna Zakharenko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/19/26

A forgotten ballot measure? Union behind billionaire tax spends little on Prop. 44 -- The union that put the billionaire tax on the ballot has put little money behind its other measure, Proposition 44, a low-polling measure focused on health clinic spending. Ben Paviour in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/19/26

The Frenzy Behind Getting an Initiative on the California Ballot -- An army of signature gatherers made plenty of cash hitting the streets to qualify various November initiatives. Laurel Rosenhall in the New York Times$ -- 10/19/26

 

The 2028 Presidential ‘Shadow Primary’ Descends on the Midterms -- Gov. Gavin Newsom of California spent his Saturday weaving through New Hampshire, campaigning with midterm candidates as he faced questions about his presidential ambitions. Next weekend, former Vice President Kamala Harris, who is weighing another White House bid, plans to be in the state with the Democratic Senate nominee. And days after that, Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona, who is also considering a run, will appear there, too. Evan Gorelick in the New York Times$ -- 10/19/26

California officials who process ballots from suspected noncitizens risk prosecution, US warns -- The Trump administration is escalating its fight with California ahead of next month’s midterm election, warning that local officials who process and tabulate ballots submitted by suspected noncitizen voters are putting themselves at risk of criminal investigation and potential prosecution. Eric Tucker Associated Press -- 10/19/26

Skelton: CEQA needs reform, but not like this -- When does positive reform become negative regression? That’s what Californians need to answer before voting on Proposition 45, which would substantially change the state’s landmark environmental protection law. George Skelton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/19/26

Climate

A California town’s beaches are washing away. Can its residents turn the tide? -- San Clemente is one of southern California’s most picture-perfect beach towns – a capital of American surf culture since the 1950s. In two years, 2028 Olympic surfers will compete at Lower Trestles, a world-class surfing beach. Lois Beckett in The Guardian -- 10/19/26

Southern California fires ease as Santa Ana winds die down. But rain could bring new risks -- Strong Santa Ana winds that fueled a rash of wildfires in Southern California have abated, and crews were turning a corner Sunday on the blazes that closed highways, damaged a military base and destroyed multimillion-dollar homes. But an incoming storm system could pose new risks for the region as crews continue to brace for more wild weather this fall. Hayley Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/19/26

Latest Climate Report Warns of Major Upheaval to California Way of Life -- The dire projections come from the state’s Climate Change Assessment, which analyzes the impacts of changing weather patterns on the nation’s most-populous state. Soumya Karlamangla in the New York Times$ -- 10/19/26

Marketplace

Can art help bring downtown San Francisco back? Mid-Market festival makes its case -- ‘We are the Broadway of the West Coast,’ Supervisor Bilal Mahmood told a UN Plaza crowd at Market Street Arts & Theater Festival. Lily Janiak in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/19/26

Workplace

Scores of women, teen workers were groped, grabbed at this restaurant chain, feds say -- California-based Il Fornaio will pay $3 million to settle an EEOC lawsuit alleging widespread sexual harassment and retaliation affecting at least 100 female employees, many of them teenagers. Hayley Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/19/26

AI

Anthropic commits 5% of its stock to a new ‘public benefit’ fund -- Anthropic said Sunday it is committing 5% of its shares to a new “public benefit” fund, with the fund’s worth potentially increasing as its shares grow in value. The shares will go to the Anthropic Public Benefit Fund, a new entity within the company. Associated Press -- 10/19/26

Musk Vows to Give Each U.S. Child a SpaceX Share -- Pledge comes after Anthropic promised to commit 5% of its shares to new ‘public benefit fund’ Gareth Vipers in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 10/19/26

Transit

L.A.’s next mayor will face transit challenges. Troubled LAX people mover is Exhibit A -- The Skylink people mover train is just one of many transit challenges Los Angeles’ next leader will face, as voter-approved street improvements and road safety initiatives lag. It has become one of the more contentious battlegrounds between the two candidates. Colleen Shalby in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/19/26

Environment

Why an ambitious 300-mile trail in Northern California distresses some Native Americans -- The 307-mile Great Redwood Trail planned along a defunct Northern California rail line is colliding with the Wailaki tribe, as members decry hikers trampling ancestral villages and graves. Lila Seidman, Andrew Cullen in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/19/26

California creates first tribal-led marine protected areas -- California has designated its first tribal-championed marine protected areas, often described as underwater parks. While environmentalists celebrate the historic move, commercial fishers warn they will lose access to key waters. Lila Seidman in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/19/26

Street

They killed people with their big rigs, and California let them keep driving -- A CalMatters investigation finds that nearly half of commercial drivers had a valid license after being charged with vehicular manslaughter. Lauren Hepler and Robert Lewis Calmatters -- 10/19/26

‘Put them down with gas’: Abuse and retaliation inside a California women’s prison -- More than a dozen current and formerly incarcerated women spoke to KQED about a pattern of sexual abuse and retaliation that persists at the largest women’s prison in California. Madi Bolaños and Sukey Lewis of KQED Calmatters -- 10/19/26

Also

Serial rapist and cosmetics heir is free. San Gabriel Valley community is outraged, mayor says -- Andrew Stuart Luster, the great-grandson of Max Factor, was convicted in 2003 on 86 felony counts of poisoning, rape, sodomy and oral copulation of unconscious victims. A jury viewed video he made of himself engaging in sexual acts with women rendered unconscious by GHB, the so-called date-rape drug. Suhauna Hussain in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/19/26

POTUS 47

Putin Floats a Summit With Trump and Xi to Discuss Ukraine Deal -- Ukraine’s Zelensky would not be included in the proposed talks, as Russia’s leader seeks to negotiate an end to the conflict that favors Moscow. Lingling Wei, Alex Lear, Thomas Grove and Josh Dawsey in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 10/19/26

On the Campaign Trail, Trump Tries to Outrun a Bad Week in Washington -- President Trump continued to sell himself as the Republican Party’s savior as he crisscrossed the country in recent days, making it clear in words and sheer presence that this midterm election is about him. But back in the nation’s capital, Mr. Trump’s White House was consumed by dramas that reinforced why polls show that his presidency itself has become a drag on Republican tickets. Tyler Pager in the New York Times$ -- 10/19/26

The Race Is On for Trump Staffers to Hire Lawyers in Case Democrats Win Midterms -- Trump administration officials are lawyering up. From cabinet secretaries to midlevel staffers, people who work for President Trump are calling law firms in search of legal advice as they brace for an avalanche of investigations next year if Democrats take one or both houses of Congress in the midterms. Lydia Wheeler, Meridith McGraw and Louise Radnofsky in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 10/19/26

Tehran seeks to punish Trump in midterms with oil price pain, Iranian officials say -- For Iran’s leadership, the next few weeks are a critical window. Susannah George in the Washington Post$ -- 10/19/26