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California Policy and Politics Thursday
Could Trump really cut off wildfire aid for California? Absolutely -- The threats appear to be founded. Presidents have an extraordinary amount of discretion when it comes to disaster aid, which Trump reportedly wielded as a political cudgel during his presidency. Alex Wigglesworth in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/31/24
Here are the 100 California residents giving the most in the race for the White House -- Vice President Kamala Harris dominates in support from California donors. Ben Poston in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/31/24
Busloads of Californians are heading to swing states. Can they make a difference? -- Californians are heading east to knock on doors ahead of the 2024 election. Democrats in particular are sending busloads of volunteers to Arizona and Nevada. Ana B. Ibarra CalMatters -- 10/31/24
It’s hard to vote in California when you’re homeless. Why it matters when their voices are silenced -- Homeless Californians face many barriers to casting a ballot, even in elections that affect their lives. Some counties and nonprofits are trying to boost turnout. Marisa Kendall and Yue Stella Yu CalMatters -- 10/31/24
Gov. Newsom issues executive order aimed at lowering electric bills -- With Californians angry about their skyrocketing electric bills, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order on Wednesday aimed at giving them some relief. Melody Petersen in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/31/24
Musk’s Tesla backs California electric-car rules opposed by Trump -- As Republicans claim California’s program will raise gas prices, the man who is single-handedly going to the mat for the biggest Republican in America is arguing the policy is good for his car company. Debra Kahn Politico -- 10/31/24
California EV sales inch up but Tesla posts a decline -- Electric vehicle registrations rose 2% in California for the three months that ended Sept. 30 compared with the year-earlier period, but top-selling EV maker Tesla saw a 3.5% decline, according to the latest report from car dealers. Russ Mitchell in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/31/24
Santa Cruz County to ban sale of filtered cigarettes and cigars -- Santa Cruz County will prohibit the sale of filtered cigars and cigarettes, an effort to slash waste from cigarette butts which proponents said litter the coastal county’s beaches and harm marine life. Maliya Ellis in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/31/24
Too many Democrats in Sacramento? The downsides of political dominance in California -- Twelve years ago Democrats won a surprising two-thirds supermajority in the state Legislature, giving themselves the strength to pass any bill without the need for a single Republican vote in California. Taryn Luna in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/31/24
Joining Beverly Hills and Coronado in rebelling against state housing rules: this blue collar city -- The city of Norwalk has passed one of California’s most drastic anti-homeless laws in recent memory. Gov. Gavin Newsom is threatening a lawsuit and homeless people wonder where they will sleep. Liam Dillon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/31/24
Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao sends open letter to major funder of recall effort -- “Oaklanders deserve to know who you are,” the mayor said in a letter to Piedmont hedge fund manager Philip Dreyfuss. Sarah Ravani in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/31/24
Newton: How did Los Angeles voters get stuck with two distressing choices for district attorney? -- Los Angeles residents could be forgiven for feeling that they’d taken a wrong turn some time ago on the question of who should direct criminal prosecutions in the nation’s largest county — and what ideas and policies should drive them. Jim Newton CalMatters -- 10/31/24
Walters: Newsom provides welfare to the wealthy, skimps on anti-homelessness programs -- Gov. Gavin Newsom has played Santa Claus for the last week, promising bigger state subsidies to Hollywood’s film and video industry and giving cities and counties a new tranche of state aid to combat homelessness. Dan Walters CalMatters -- 10/31/24
Can Gavin Newsom help in House races? -- The GOP has been using California’s Democratic governor as a cudgel in battleground districts, tying their opponents to the state’s top official. Lara Korte Politico -- 10/31/24
Skelton: My take on the head-scratching California ballot measures -- Voting early is a mistake, I figure. Take all the time you’re allowed. Something could happen right before the election to change your vote. And those puzzling propositions need extra pondering. George Skelton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/31/24
D.A. supports Menendez brothers’ bid for clemency after nearly 35 years behind bars -- Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. George Gascón said Wednesday that he supports the Menendez brothers’ bid for clemency from Gov. Gavin Newsom, a move that could set them free. Richard Winton and James Queally in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/31/24
Gender identity document changes can be kept sealed, California court rules -- A state appeals court says a transgender woman who took action to change her name and gender identity at age 19 has a right to keep those records confidential in order to avoid threats and harassment. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/31/24
Metro bus set on fire, vandalism, burglaries and arrests in L.A. as Dodgers win World Series -- Ecstatic fans took to the streets of Los Angeles after the Dodgers won the franchise’s eighth World Series title, but the joy turned into scattered unrest downtown and nearby areas overnight, where vehicles were burned and businesses burglarized. Clara Harter, Gustavo Arellano and Joseph Serna in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/31/24
Plaschke: The Greatest! Historic Dodgers overpower Yankees for 8th World Series championship -- The Dodgers did it. They really did it. The hallowed New York Yankees stood frozen in their dugout, stripped of their aura and bludgeoned at their essence, painfully demolished pinstripe by pinstripe. Bill Plaschke in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/31/24
Workplace
Boeing is looking to jettison the space business. Why it might hold on to its El Segundo satellite operation -- Analysts expect that struggling Boeing Co. will hold on to its El Segundo satellite programs if it exits the space industry amid stiff competition from SpaceX. Laurence Darmiento in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/31/24
Robots can make your fries, salads and guacamole. Is this the future of fast food? -- Miso Robotics in Pasadena is one of several tech startups betting their robots will appeal to fast-food chains searching for new ways to save money. Queenie Wong in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/31/24
Top of the ticket
We fact-checked some of Trump’s most common claims on immigration -- The former president says migrants are voting illegally, eating pets in Springfield, Ohio, and coming from jails and mental institutions. Andrea Castillo in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/31/24
Trump falsely claims newspapers not endorsing shows poor view of Harris, ‘great’ one of him -- Former President Trump on Wednesday falsely claimed that decisions by the Los Angeles Times and Washington Post to not endorse any candidate in the presidential race reflected a poor opinion at the newspapers of Vice President Kamala Harris and a favorable opinion of him. Kevin Rector in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/31/24
‘Put this junk behind us’: Arnold Schwarzenegger endorses Kamala Harris -- Schwarzenegger, who followed in the footsteps of former President Ronald Reagan as California’s second actor-turned-governor, said another Trump presidency would continue to divide and anger the American people. Shira Stein in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Ben Brasch in the Washington Post$ Kevin Rector in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/31/24
How Arnold endorsed Kamala -- Schwarzenegger in recent days connected over the phone with Vice President Kamala Harris herself. Christopher Cadelago Politico -- 10/31/24
Harris Doesn’t Campaign on Her Gender. Is That a Sign of Progress? -- This time eight years ago, much of the nation’s focus was on a glass ceiling that ultimately didn’t break. This year, as another woman stands on the brink of potential history, the country is talking about everything else. Elizabeth Findell in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 10/31/24
Mike Johnson vows major changes to Affordable Care Act if Trump wins election -- The House speaker said Republicans would seek to overhaul the law, which provides health coverage to tens of millions and has been a frequent target of GOP repeal efforts. Dan Diamond in the Washington Post$ -- 10/31/24
Companies ready price hikes to offset Trump’s global tariff plans -- Producers of a range of items, including clothing, footwear, baby products, auto parts and hardware, say they will pass along the cost of the tariffs to their American customers. David J. Lynch in the Washington Post$ -- 10/31/24
Trump Allies Draw Up Plans Targeting Legal Immigration -- On the campaign trail, Donald Trump routinely promises he will end illegal immigration. Behind the scenes, his closest advisers and allies are also drawing up plans that would restrict many forms of legal immigration, some of which could affect the ability of businesses to hire foreign workers. Michelle Hackman in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 10/31/24
Did Biden mean to call Trump supporters ‘garbage,’ or just stumble defending Puerto Rico? -- Did President Biden just call former President Trump’s supporters — nearly half the American electorate — “garbage”? That’s what it sounded like he said in an interview Tuesday, and Republicans have been hammering him for doing so. Kevin Rector in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/31/24
Biden’s Gaffes Complicate Harris’s Final Stretch, Worrying Democratic Insiders -- President Biden did not attend Vice President Kamala Harris’s speech on Tuesday night, but his ill-timed flub in a video interview caused headaches for her campaign. Peter Baker in the New York Times$ -- 10/31/24
What Muslim Ban? Trump Tries to Sidestep Years of Islamophobia -- Former President Donald J. Trump is trying to persuade a potentially decisive group of Arab and Muslim voters that they should vote for him, even though he has spent years insulting and demonizing them. Hamed Aleaziz in the New York Times$ -- 10/31/24
The Next President Inherits a Remarkable Economy -- Whoever wins the White House next week will take office with no shortage of challenges, but at least one huge asset: an economy that is putting its peers to shame. Greg Ip in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 10/31/24
Inflation Is Basically Back to Normal. Why Do Voters Still Feel Blah? -- Consumers still give the economy poor marks, though the job market is strong and price increases have faded for months. Jeanna Smialek in the New York Times$ -- 10/31/24
Why the Right Thinks Trump Is Running Away With the Race -- Skewed polls and anonymous betting markets are building up Republicans’ expectations. Donald Trump could use that to challenge the result. Ken Bensinger and Kaleigh Rogers in the New York Times$ -- 10/31/24
California Policy and Politics Wednesday
Election and law enforcement officials brace for Nov. 5 as early voter L.A. turnout is slow so far -- Fewer Los Angeles County voters are turning in early ballots compared to the last presidential race, but officials said Tuesday that given the heated national election they are stepping up security measures to prevent voter tampering or intimidation. Rachel Uranga in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/30/24
S.F. judge sentences Paul Pelosi attacker David DePape to life in prison -- David DePape, the man who bludgeoned House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi’s husband with a hammer in San Francisco, offered a rambling, tearful statement about his conspiracy theories just before he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Annie Vainshtein in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/30/24
Bird flu jumped from cows to people. Now advocates want more farmworkers tested -- A strain of bird flu that imperiled California poultry and cattle has jumped to people. In humans, the symptoms are mild and the virus has not been transmitted among people. Kristen Hwang CalMatters -- 10/30/24
Undecided on California propositions? Here’s what the major editorial boards recommend -- The six major newspaper editorial boards unanimously agreed on two ballot measures, but disagreed on the rest. While most followed ideological lines, there were a few exceptions. Jenna Peterson CalMatters -- 10/30/24
Here’s why so many Black and Latino voters are backing Breed for mayor -- With less than a week until Election Day, retaining and increasing that support will be critical for Breed’s chances to remain mayor. Christian Leonard, Jessica Flores in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/30/24
Catholic hospital agrees to provide abortions after California sues over miscarriage care -- A Catholic hospital in rural California agreed to provide emergency abortions after the state sued it, alleging it denied care to a woman who miscarried. Kristen Hwang CalMatters -- 10/30/24
Arellano: How an ‘American Cholo’ went from Hillary Clinton fan to Trump voter -- Welcome to ‘American Cholo,’ a podcast Gill Tejada has hosted since 2018 that initially aired stories about gang life and Chicano culture but has now turned full Trump bro. Gustavo Arellano in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/30/24
Walters: California’s transition off carbon fuels could upset gasoline supply, prices -- California motorists buy and consume a billion gallons of gasoline each month and are very sensitive about pump prices, which are markedly higher than those in other states. Naturally, they are a political football. Dan Walters CalMatters -- 10/30/24
Housing
She fights for affordable housing in the Inland Empire. Now she’s fighting to keep a roof over her head -- For years Laurel LaMont has fought for better options for what she calls the “missing middle,” often referred to as workforce housing. Now she is being evicted. Deborah Brennan CalMatters -- 10/30/24
L.A. moves to prohibit landlords from evicting tenants in order to remodel units -- The Los Angeles City Council on Tuesday voted in support of eliminating a rule that allows renters to be evicted when landlords remodel their buildings. Paloma Esquivel in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/30/24
Homeless
Gov. Newsom joins local officials in unveiling a new round of homeless funding -- Gov. Gavin Newsom came to Skid Row Tuesday to announce new state funding that will bring $380 million to the Los Angeles region for homeless housing, shelter, rental assistance, outreach and prevention. Doug Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/30/24
After seeking homeless spending cuts, Newsom announces $170 million to bring Bay Area residents off the street -- Months after Gov. Gavin Newsom sought unsuccessfully to cut a $1 billion program to help local governments combat homelessness, the governor on Tuesday touted the latest round of funding from the initiative now going to cities and counties across the state. Ethan Varian in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 10/30/24
Port power
Port of Los Angeles receives unprecedented $400-million grant to electrify operations -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded the Port of Los Angeles more than $400 million to support its transition to electric cargo-moving equipment — a major boost to efforts aimed at curbing pollution at America’s busiest container port. Tony Briscoe in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/30/24
Wildlife 101
The world’s largest wildlife crossing is finally standing. Here is what’s coming next -- The Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing over the 101 Freeway will be completed in 2026. “Engineered” soil will cover the crossing, and native shrubs and wildflowers will be planted. Jeanette Marantos in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/30/24
Education
CSU to shift the endgame for student success: A good job and a four-year degree -- The California State University system plans to shift the endgame for student success, boosting efforts to help students get not only a four-year degree but also a good job in a reset of years of focus on graduation rates as the ultimate goalpost. Teresa Watanabe in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/30/24
Teachers, conservatives battle for sway on school boards -- California school board races, largely ignored by voters until the 2022 election, are again taking center stage. The California Teachers Association(CTA), the California Republican Party and other organizations have significantly ramped up efforts to help their favored candidates win local school board seats on Nov. 5. Diana Lambert EdSource -- 10/30/24
Street
South American crew used signal jammers, blowtorches and disguises on California crime tour, feds say -- They arrived in construction vests and surgical masks, armed with signal jammers, sledgehammers and blowtorches. The bank heist crew, made up of mainly Chilean nationals, hit multiple banks across California, according to federal prosecutors, and made off with $2.5 million. Nathan Solis in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/30/24
What type of LAPD chief will Jim McDonnell be? Clues may lie in the past -- Jim McDonnell’s single term as L.A. County sheriff from 2014 to 2018 involved dealing with powerful union resistant to major disciplinary reforms. He’ll face a similar challenge as the LAPD’s next chief. Libor Jany and Keri Blakinger in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/30/24
Top of the ticket
In Closing, Harris Casts Herself as the Unifier and Trump as a ‘Petty Tyrant’ -- In a plain-spoken but forceful speech at the Ellipse in Washington, Kamala Harris presented herself as a protector of the public good and used the arc of history to attack her Republican rival. Katie Rogers and Reid J. Epstein in the New York Times$ Yasmeen Abutaleb and Matt Viser in the Washington Post$ -- 10/30/24
Harris’s Mission: Disqualify Trump, but Extend a Hand to His Voters -- Kamala Harris, in her closing argument to voters, acknowledged an inescapable political reality: Donald Trump is not a fringe figure within his own party or the nation. Lisa Lerer and Shane Goldmacher in the New York Times$ -- 10/30/24
Once Top Advisers to Trump, They Now Call Him ‘Liar,’ ‘Fascist’ and ‘Unfit’ -- Many of those who served in former President Donald J. Trump’s administration — especially his generals, ambassadors and other national security officials — have since turned on Mr. Trump. Michael D. Shear and June Kim in the New York Times$ -- 10/30/24
‘The suburbs — that’s the whole deal’: How the suburbs became Harris’ clearest path to victory -- Kamala Harris is counting on suburban voters to do what they’ve done since Donald Trump won the presidency in 2016: reject him. Elena Schneider Politico -- 10/30/24
Elon Musk Sees Trump’s Economic Plans Causing ‘Temporary Hardship’ -- Mr. Musk agreed with an X post saying there would be an “initial severe overreaction in the economy” before returning to sustainable growth if Mr. Trump is elected and follows through on his plans. Alan Rappeport and Theodore Schleifer in the New York Times$ Tony Romm in the Washington Post$ -- 10/30/24
Trump Treasury Contender Pledges to Work With Musk to Slash Spending -- Investor John Paulson, a Trump ally, says he would also work on trade and energy if he became Treasury secretary. Brian Schwartz in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 10/30/24