California Policy and Politics Sunday

F.B.I. Letters Send Shivers Through California’s Political Inner Circle -- The indictment of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s former chief of staff shocked many power players in California. Now, some wonder how far the investigation will spread. Laurel Rosenhall in the New York Times$ -- 11/23/25

‘We’re basically pushers’: Court filing alleges staff at social media giants compared their platforms to drugs -- Top Meta staff allegedly compared Instagram to a drug and worked for years to obscure the social media platform’s potential dangers from parents and children, even as they appeared to acknowledge their technology was harmful, according to newly unsealed internal communications cited in a court filing. Tyler Katzenberger Politico -- 11/23/25

 

Day laborer organizers protest Home Depot, pressuring it to “scrape ICE out of their stores.” -- Nearly one hundred people had just one item on their list as they entered the Home Depot in Monrovia on Saturday: a small ice scraper worth a little less than a dollar. Itzel Luna in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/23/25

This L.A. car wash depends on immigrant labor. Can it survive Trump? -- In recent months, at least 340 workers have been detained in raids on over 100 Southern California car washes, devastating an industry reliant on immigrant labor. Kate Linthicum in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/23/25

Deaths in ICE custody raise serious questions, lawmakers say -- Southern California lawmakers are demanding answers from U.S. Homeland Security officials following the deaths of two Orange County residents and nearly two dozen others while in federal immigration custody. Meg James in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/23/25

 

House budget-writers ‘ready to go’ on wildfire aid — but White House isn’t asking -- House Republican budget writers say they are “ready to go” as soon as the Trump administration asks for billions in aid to areas ravaged by the Los Angeles-area wildfires — but 10 months after the fires, there’s still no request. David Lightman and Chaewon Chung in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 11/23/25

CA spent over $450 million on a new 911 system. It’s now scrapping the flawed design -- In 2018, as California was laying the groundwork to build a new 911 system for the state, a massive fire ripped through Butte County, decimating several Northern California communities and killing over 80 people. William Melhado in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 11/23/25

Snow-starved California ski resorts delay openings despite powerful recent storms -- It may have felt like the recent rain would never end in Los Angeles, but the record-breaking precipitation in Southern California has failed to translate into a much-desired dumping of snow at ski resorts across the state. Clara Harter in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/23/25

Santa Monica to pay $350,000 to family of displaced Black entrepreneur as part of larger reparations effort -- The Santa Monica City Council agreed earlier this week to pay a settlement to the family of a Black entrepreneur whose land the city acknowledged was unfairly taken through eminent domain during the 1950s. Jasmine Mendez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/23/25

San Diego County police agencies access many private license plate readers with minimal oversight -- The nondescript black cameras are mounted near each entrance of the Las Americas Premium Outlets, capturing the license plate, make and model of every car that enters the mall parking lot. Scott Rodd, Gustavo Solis, Carlos Castillo KPBS -- 11/23/25

Home births rise in Madera as services disappear, increasing risks for moms and babies -- In the case of an emergency where Warner has to be transferred to a hospital, she could be left with nothing but hope, and too-long of a drive to the nearest hospital maternity ward. In the case of childbirth, many Madera County residents must make the nearly 30-minute drive from Madera to a Fresno hospital to receive proper reproductive care. Anahid Valencia in the Fresno Bee -- 11/23/25

Workplace

H-1B visa: Canada launches another program to poach foreign talent from Silicon Valley -- As vicious infighting in President Donald Trump’s Make America Great Again movement over the controversial H-1B visa magnifies uncertainty for foreign workers in the U.S., Canada last week approved a new fast track program to entice holders of the visa into taking their skills northward. Ethan Baron in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 11/23/25

UC registered nurses ratify contract that guarantees a minimum 18.5% increase in pay -- The deal restricts the use of floating nurses between facilities, caps healthcare cost increases and strengthens workplace violence prevention policies. Nurses also secured a central role in selecting and validating new technology, including artificial intelligence systems used in patient care. The item is in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/23/25

Housing

One California city’s idea to tackle the housing crisis: Take the stairs -- Culver City becomes first California city to allow six-story apartment buildings with just one staircase, a bold move to ease housing construction and affordability. Single staircases reclaim 7% of space for actual homes while creating wider units with better light—and fitting on smaller urban parcels. Fire officials oppose the design citing safety concerns. Ben Christopher Calmatters in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/23/25

Historic homes gain new life in Sacramento — and tax relief — under state law -- Gjeltema turned to a program enacted under a California state law, the Mills Act that could give her home a reduction in property tax in exchange for a contractual commitment to do work to preserve the property. Graham Womack in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 11/23/25

Education

How one California school district tackled chronic absenteeism, suspensions -- A small Merced County district cut chronic absenteeism to 14.2% in spring 2024 through expanded school counselor services. Counselors meet with every student, identify root causes of struggles, and provide targeted interventions. Vani Sanganeria EdSource in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/23/25

Shutdown proves how much Department of Education is needed, experts say -- Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said the 43-day shutdown proves the benefit of returning education to the states, but experts warn it’s a sign of what’s to come. Molly Gibbs in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 11/23/25

Also

Barabak: California is having its most wide-open governor’s race in decades. Why’s that? -- Nearly a dozen serious candidates are running, with perhaps more on the way. Billionaire Tom Steyer is among the newest entrants, but California has not been kind to super-rich candidates. Mark Z. Barabak in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/23/25

A sheriff, a billionaire, a tinge of scandal. California governor's race packs drama, uncertainty -- The race for California governor features former presidential wannabes, a county sheriff, two women who could become the first female to hold the office, House members current and former, an ex-Cabinet secretary and at least one billionaire with another in the wings. The contest has been singed by scandal and witnessed one campaign nearly melt down. And it hasn't officially started yet. Michael R. Blood Associated Press -- 11/23/25

Hoeven: Running a small business in S.F. just got a little easier. Let’s keep it that way -- Dislodging one nonsensical rule grafted onto San Francisco’s permitting process won’t magically fix its small-business climate overnight. But it’s a start. Emily Hoeven in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/23/25

Why do cars keep crashing into one part of the Golden Gate Bridge? -- The crashes rarely result in injuries and almost never serious ones. But the spike in collisions has some bridge authorities concerned and has revived questions over the future of the tollbooths, which haven’t housed toll staff since they were automated in 2013. Brooke Park in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/23/25

Second tragedy off Big Sur coast when three people swept into ocean, one still missing -- Three people climbing on the rocks of the Big Sur coastline were swept into the ocean by rough surf Saturday afternoon, and while two women made it back to shore, a male companion remained missing late Saturday. Julia Prodis Sulek in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 11/23/25

POTUS 47

What Trump’s Mamdani praise — and MTG’s ouster — says about MAGA’s future -- Donald Trump has long claimed that he — and he alone — dictates the future of the MAGA movement. And a topsy-turvey Friday will put that to the test. Adam Wren and Lisa Kashinsky Politico -- 11/23/25

Trump Shows His Power, and Greene Reveals His Weakness -- As the president forced a onetime loyalist from Congress, her defiant departure signaled a coming debate over Republican identity in a post-Trump era. Lisa Lerer and Reid J. Epstein in the New York Times$ -- 11/23/25

The surprising issue driving a wedge between Trump and his MAGA base -- President Donald Trump’s attempt to block states from regulating AI sparked pushback from Republicans concerned the tech will displace workers and harm kids. Gerrit De Vynck in the Washington Post$ -- 11/23/25

Trump Says Ukraine Peace Plan Isn’t Final After Criticism It Favors Russia -- President Trump said Saturday he could be open to changes in the administration’s 28-point plan for ending the war in Ukraine after Kyiv, European governments and even some Republican lawmakers denounced it as far too heavily weighted in Moscow’s favor. Robbie Gramer, Alexander Ward and Thomas Grove in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 11/23/25

Patel Under Scrutiny for Use of SWAT Teams to Protect His Girlfriend -- The F.B.I. director’s travel on government jets has contributed to growing questions inside the administration about whether he is using taxpayer-funded resources inappropriately. Alan Feuer, Adam Goldman and Glenn Thrush in the New York Times$ -- 11/23/25

Why Republicans Are Fighting About the Nazis -- For years, Jewish Republicans often denied that the right had a serious problem with antisemitism, pointing instead to anti-Jewish bigotry on the left and celebrating President Trump’s support for Israel. But now that problem is staring them directly in the face. Katie Glueck and Jennifer Medina in the New York Times$ -- 11/23/25

Tumulty: Is the past week a turning point for Trump’s second term? -- The resignation of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a MAGA hard-liner, is just one sign of a possible rebellion in the president’s party as Trump struggles with low poll numbers. Karen Tumulty in the Washington Post$ -- 11/23/25