Rough & Tumble ®
A Snapshot of California Public Policy and Politics		  
   
 
 
 

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California Policy and Politics Friday

The fight over the Colorado River has become a political nightmare -- The Trump administration is stuck between two key political swing states and two of the nation’s reddest as they duke it out over access to the West’s most important river. Annie Snider Politico -- 12/19/25

California utilities will keep almost all profits as regulators ease up. They’re still upset -- Regulators on Thursday approved a slight reduction to the profits shareholders are allowed to receive from California’s three major investor-owned utilities. Malena Carollo Calmatters Stephen Hobbs in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 12/19/25

Revealed: FBI opened domestic terrorism investigations into anti-ICE activity across US -- Internal report shared with Guardian shows FBI has launched cases in 23 regions, some linked to Trump memo on thwarting ‘terroristic activities’ Sam Levin The Guardian -- 12/19/25

 

How one anonymous tipster cracked the Brown University shooting case -- Information from a tipster who had a strange encounter with another man on a sidewalk outside Brown University was key to police identifying the suspect they believe killed two students at the school and then two days later gunned down a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor. Kimberlee Kruesi Associated Press -- 12/19/25

 

GOP won’t allow vote on Obamacare premium relief as credits near end. Now what? -- With no hope of preventing Obamacare health insurance premium costs from soaring in two weeks, Democrats and a few Republicans turned to ways to stop the increases when Congress returns in January. But getting any such action next month, or as long as Republicans control Congress, appears difficult. David Lightman in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 12/19/25

What’s next for Medi-Cal? A former state health leader weighs in -- ‘What does the future look like?’: As California braces for Medicaid cuts, former health secretary to lead new commission in creating plan to protect care. Ana B. Ibarra Calmatters -- 12/19/25

Panel: California law lets prosecutors use sexist stereotypes to undermine women’s self-defense claims -- When women are charged with violent crimes, California law allows prosecutors to counter their self-defense claims with stereotypes about their looks, clothing, sexual activity and other factors that could wrongly sway a jury, a state panel said Thursday. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/19/25

Palo Alto Confronts Billionaires Over Their Housing Compounds -- The Silicon Valley college town has changed drastically as Mark Zuckerberg, Larry Page and other tech founders have scooped up multiple properties. Heather Knight in the New York Times$ -- 12/19/25

California braces for showdown as Trump administration targets gender-affirming care -- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Thursday revealed a multipronged plan that would effectively end gender-affirming care for transgender minors in the United States, largely by withholding federal funds from any hospitals that provide such care to young people. Erin Allday in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/19/25

Wildfire

Failed emergency alerts during L.A. firestorms eroded public trust. How to fix a broken system? -- For many, the chaos and uncertainty around evacuations and alerts compounded the terror of the L.A. fires. But the snafus had a more troubling impact: eroding trust. Jenny Jarvie in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/19/25

L.A.’s hydrants ran dry during the fires. Residents are still demanding solutions -- Nearly a year later, residents and experts are weighing solutions that would make more water available for firefighting, including installing cisterns, tapping water from swimming pools, or even turning to mobile pumps and pipes that could quickly route water where it’s needed. Ian James Kayla Bartkowski, Lorena Iñiguez Elebee in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/19/25

U.S. Will Pay $450,000 to Wildfire Fighters With Cancer -- They will be eligible for a one-time payment as well as college tuition for their children. The effort is part of a legislative push to address the dangers of working in toxic smoke. Hannah Dreier in the New York Times$ -- 12/19/25

Workplace

They graduated from Stanford. Due to AI, they can’t find a job -- A Stanford software engineering degree used to be a golden ticket. Artificial intelligence has devalued it to bronze, recent graduates say. The elite students are shocked by the lack of job offers as they finish studies at what is often ranked as the top university in America. Nilesh Christopher in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/19/25

Once a pariah, Saudi Arabia is now Hollywood’s hot cash source -- Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund now backs some of Hollywood’s biggest deals, including a $24-billion financing package for Paramount’s $78-billion Warner bid. Stacy Perman, August Brown and Samantha Masunaga in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/19/25

California’s minimum wage is increasing in 2026 as Los Angeles debates $30 an hour -- California’s minimum wage is adjusted every year for inflation. Some cities have a higher wage floor and unions are advocating increases for specific industries. Cayla Mihalovich Calmatters -- 12/19/25

Cannabis

Trump signs executive order that could reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug -- President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday that could reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug and open new avenues for medical research, a major shift in federal drug policy that inches closer to what many states have done. Lindsay Whitehurst and Bill Barrow Associated Press -- 12/19/25

Garofoli: Biden moved to reclassify marijuana. Now Trump’s taking it over the finish line -- Finally, Donald Trump is potentially making America great when it comes to something close to California’s heart: weed. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/19/25

Develop

Global music HQ in downtown S.F. wins approval -- One of the centerpieces of Mayor Daniel Lurie’s plan to revive San Francisco’s Financial District by injecting it with a blast of arts and culture won a victory Thursday when the biggest independent U.S. record label received approval to turn a long vacant historic bank building into its global headquarters. J.K. Dineen in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/19/25

Housing

Why homeownership in California isn’t nearly the financial slam dunk it once was -- For generations it’s been a near article of faith that homeownership beats out being a renter. In California in 2025, having a landlord has its perks. Ben Christopher Calmatters -- 12/19/25

San Jose housing towers with 700-plus units land final city approval -- Two eye-catching housing towers that would sprout atop the site of a San Jose parking lot have received final city approval in a fresh sign that developers continue to scout for ways to step away from office projects. George Avalos in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 12/19/25

Education

Huge budgets cuts, enrollment drops: Pasadena schools struggle to rebuild after Eaton fire -- Five public or charter schools burned or sustained severe damage in the Eaton fire, and about 1,100 Pasadena Unified students lost homes. Teachers deploy art and music programs to help students cope with the trauma of the January blaze. Daniel Miller, Iris Kwok and Howard Blume in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/19/25

California confronted its sexual abuse claims of the past. Will today’s students pay the price? -- A Times investigation finds that California school districts have paid nearly a half-billion dollars to settle past sexual abuse claims, and could pay billions more. Matt Hamilton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/19/25

Street

Watchdogs warn L.A. County is undermining efforts at oversight of Sheriff’s Department -- After steadily gaining power and influence for more than a decade, the watchdogs that provide civilian oversight of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department face an uncertain future. Connor Sheets in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/19/25

S.F. paramedics are an ‘easy target’ for assault. The city is trying to change that -- In the back of a cramped ambulance parked in San Francisco’s Tenderloin in September, a patient who had agreed to go to the hospital for a psychiatric evaluation suddenly changed his mind. Anna Bauman in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/19/25

Earthquake

This Bay Area city is having its highest number of earthquakes in nearly 50 years -- San Ramon residents have been rattled by dozens of small earthquakes in the last two months. The pattern continued Thursday morning, with two small quakes — a 2.0 and a 2.4 — centered just southeast of City Center Bishop Ranch. Jack Lee in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/19/25

Also

Walters: California’s very odd election year starts with Republicans possibly leading the governor’s race -- The 2026 campaigns for governor, a raft of other statewide offices, 52 congressional seats and 100 slots in the state Legislature officially begin today with the onset of candidate filing. It could be one of the oddest election cycles in California’s 175 years as a state, albeit one that puts the state’s convoluted politics in the national spotlight. Dan Walters Calmatters -- 12/19/25

I Drove 700 Miles Through California’s Absurd New Congressional District -- We sent a reporter to drive the 15-hour and nearly 700-mile journey across the state, traversing mountain ranges and rock slides, dirt roads and agricultural checkpoints, from Marin to Modoc County. Will McCarthy Politico -- 12/19/25

How L.A.’s Richest Man Went From Billions to Bust -- Onetime billionaire Gary Winnick spent his vast fortune on lavish homes in Bel-Air, Malibu and New York City. But the aftermath of his death reveals a dire financial situation. Katherine Clarke in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 12/19/25

CHP officer said his pain warranted retirement. Then investigators saw how he spent his free time -- A California Highway Patrol officer told his physician he couldn’t stand or sit without “significant pain,” authorities say. But he was seen cutting down trees, stacking firewood and operating heavy machinery. Andrew J. Campa in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/19/25

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Trump signs defense bill that forces boat strike video sharing, limits Europe troop reductions -- President Donald Trump on Thursday signed annual defense policy legislation into law that aims to force the Pentagon to release footage of military strikes against boats in Latin America and ties his hands as he reconsiders longstanding U.S. military commitments abroad. Connor O'Brien Politico -- 12/19/25

DOJ won’t meet Friday deadline to release all the Epstein files -- The Department of Justice will not be releasing all of its files on convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein by Friday’s deadline, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said Friday morning. Gregory Svirnovskiy Politico -- 12/19/25

‘Don’s Best Friend’: How Epstein and Trump Bonded Over the Pursuit of Women -- The president has tried to minimize their friendship, but documents and interviews reveal an intense and complicated relationship. Chasing women was a game of ego and dominance. Female bodies were currency. Nicholas Confessore and Julie Tate in the New York Times$ -- 12/19/25

The Junior Congressman Who’s Pushing Republicans on Epstein -- Representative Robert Garcia of California, the top Democrat on the Oversight Committee, is no stranger to media appearances. But he still seemed nervous earlier this month as he got ready to be grilled in a Manhattan television studio. Michael Gold in the New York Times$ -- 12/19/25

 

Kennedy Center to be renamed after Donald Trump -- President Donald Trump is tightening his grip on the Kennedy Center with a huge change to the historic institution. Zara Irshad in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Shawn McCreesh in the New York Times$ Kelsey Ables, Janay Kingsberry, Dan Diamond and Travis M. Andrews in the Washington Post$ -- 12/19/25

Republicans are trying to change the subject on health care affordability — to transgender care -- Republicans in Congress and President Donald Trump are trying to flip the health care script to an issue that’s worked for them in the past: restricting transgender care for children. Simon J. Levien and Jessica Piper Politico -- 12/19/25

Trump’s ‘Warrior Dividend’ for Troops Will Be Paid for by Pentagon Housing Funds -- President Trump promised active duty troops a $1,776 check, citing increased revenue raised by tariffs, but the funding is coming from money for the military included in this year’s domestic spending law. John Ismay and Ali Watkins in the New York Times$ -- 12/19/25

Trump’s Venezuela Campaign Is Fueled by Often Misleading Claims -- The sheer density of false or misleading statements around his administration’s boat attacks and Venezuela pressure campaign is exceptional. Charlie Savage in the New York Times$ -- 12/19/25

Shouting, Ranting, Insulting: Trump’s Uninhibited Second Term -- Many of President Trump’s supporters love his professional-wrestling style of leadership. But some of his recent attacks have sickened even some of his own political allies. Peter Baker in the New York Times$ -- 12/19/25

 

California Policy and Politics Thursday

‘I am afraid that I might die here’: ICE detainee fears ‘imminent death’ without lifesaving care, lawyers say -- A man held at California’s newest and largest immigration detention center could face “imminent death,” attorneys argued in an emergency motion filed late Tuesday, asking a federal judge to order ICE to immediately provide lifesaving medical care to him and another detainee. Brittny Mejia in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/18/25

She was approved for a green card after three decades in the U.S. Then ICE arrested her -- Babblejit “Bubbly” Kaur was approved for a green card and ran a beloved Indian restaurant in Long Beach for decades. Now, she’s in ICE detention. Itzel Luna in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/18/25

Trump Administration Aims to Strip More Foreign-Born Americans of Citizenship -- An official with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services said it would prioritize “those who’ve unlawfully obtained U.S. citizenship.” Hamed Aleaziz in the New York Times$ -- 12/18/25

 

After Palisades failures, is LAFD prepared for the next major wildfire? -- The question remains: Is Los Angeles prepared for the next major wildfire? Some city officials and fire experts don’t think so. Alene Tchekmedyian and Noah Goldberg in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/18/25

Federal watchdog will investigate Energy Department over selective blue state grant cancellations -- The U.S. Energy Department’s Office of the Inspector General will investigate the cancellation of $8 billion in clean energy grants in Democratic-leaning states. California bore the brunt, with 79 canceled grants worth $2.1 billion, plus $1.2 billion in future hydrogen hub funding. Hayley Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/18/25

Senate blocks Schiff bid to have Pentagon release boat strike video -- The Senate blocked a bid Wednesday by Sen. Adam Schiff to require the Pentagon to make public a video of the September U.S. strike that killed two people who had survived an initial attack on an alleged drug boat near Venezuela. David Lightman in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 12/18/25

Judges quiz California and GOP attorneys in Prop. 50 redistricting case -- A trio of federal judges questioned attorneys for Gov. Gavin Newsom and the California Republican Party on Wednesday in a legal case that will decide the fate of California’s new voter-approved congressional districts for the 2026 midterm elections. Jenny Jarvie and Christopher Buchanan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/18/25

The U.S. is committed to cleaning up Tijuana River pollution. Will California follow through? -- San Diego leaders are calling on California to take stronger action to address the ongoing environmental crisis caused by sewage and industrial pollution flowing from the Tijuana River. Deborah Brennan Calmatters -- 12/18/25

Insurance

These hidden rules reveal how California insurers undercut wildfire claims, leaving families in damaged homes -- New Chronicle investigation: California insurers use these hidden rules to slash wildfire payouts. Lawmakers are largely unaware. Susie Neilson and Megan Fan Munce in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/18/25

California’s first elected insurance commissioner says Ricardo Lara has ‘failed’ -- A Democratic congressman and twice-elected state insurance commissioner on Wednesday slammed the current officeholder, Ricardo Lara, who he accused of failing in his duty to California consumers. Nicole Nixon in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 12/18/25

 

How a speeding ticket can be worse than killing someone with your car in California -- A diversion program created by the Legislature in 2020 has allowed some people charged with vehicular manslaughter to keep the case off of their driving record. Robert Lewis and Lauren Hepler Calmatters -- 12/18/25

How Gavin Newsom’s CARE Court lost its teeth in the California Legislature -- Gov. Newsom called for ‘accountability’ on mental health and homelessness when he proposed his CARE Court program. What became law, however, pleased almost no one. Yue Stella Yu and Erica Yee Calmatters -- 12/18/25

‘False hope’: Why families who celebrated Newsom’s new mental health court feel let down by it -- Ronda Deplazes thought Gov. Newsom’s CARE Court could save her son as he struggled with mental illness. Two years later, she and other families say little has changed for them. Jocelyn Wiener Calmatters -- 12/18/25

Homeless

More than $10 million for homeless prevention coming to L.A. County -- The Los Angeles County Affordable Housing Solutions Agency on Wednesday approved nearly $11.5 million in homeless prevention funds, the largest single allocation yet for the new agency. Andrew Khouri in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/18/25

CARE Court was created to help California’s toughest homeless cases. Why that’s been so hard -- CARE Court was supposed to be a new way to help homeless Californians in the grip of psychosis. But people are still falling through the cracks. Marisa Kendall Calmatters -- 12/18/25

 

S.F. report suggests cutting almost half of city commissions. But streamlining fight isn’t over yet -- A committee created to curb the city's overabundance of committees, a very San Franciscan solution to a very San Franciscan problem, will on Thursday begin to consider an initial report from city staff recommending the elimination of nearly half of the city’s 150 commissions. Alyce McFadden in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/18/25

Workplace

Hollywood was built on movie stardom. AI is changing the rules -- Synthetic performers are forcing Hollywood to rethink how fame works and who gets to claim it. Even as the technology races ahead, legal concerns are mounting. Josh Rottenberg in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/18/25

S.F. judge orders Trump administration to rehire 675 workers it fired during shutdown -- The administration violated a resolution by the Republican-controlled Congress, and signed by President Donald Trump, requiring reinstatement of the dismissed workers, U.S. District Judge Susan Illston said in issuing a preliminary injunction requiring their reinstatement through at least Jan. 30. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/18/25

Jobs are down, housing is up: Inside San Francisco’s latest economic report -- A new report from the city’s controller’s office shows job losses picking up again — driven largely by continued tech layoffs — as the long-hoped-for downtown revival lost steam this fall. Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/18/25

Hollywood stars launch Creators Coalition on AI -- A group of 18 people who work in the entertainment industry, including actors Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Natasha Lyonne, launched a coalition that aims to advocate for the rights of creators amid AI’s boom. Wendy Lee in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/18/25

Education

UCSF buys former biotech headquarters in Mission Bay expansion -- UCSF is doubling down on San Francisco’s Mission Bay, snapping up two adjacent buildings in a strategic expansion that will relocate its School of Dentistry near its vast health-sciences hub in the booming waterfront neighborhood. Laura Waxmann in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/18/25

Also

Walters: Newsom relaxed his pro-housing stance for certain Democratic locales -- When Gavin Newsom was running for governor he made many promises, one of which was to ramp up housing production, which had been in the doldrums for a decade. Dan Walters Calmatters -- 12/18/25

One of the Bay Area’s most scenic spots reopens after 15-year renovation -- Hawk Hill in the Marin Headlands, known for having one of the most spectacular views of San Francisco Bay, has fully reopened after a 15-year makeover of its popular trails, military relics and lookout points. Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/18/25

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‘Don’s Best Friend’: How Epstein and Trump Bonded Over the Pursuit of Women -- The president has tried to minimize their friendship, but documents and interviews reveal an intense and complicated relationship. Chasing women was a game of ego and dominance. Female bodies were currency. Nicholas Confessore and Julie Tate in the New York Times$ -- 12/18/25

Trump Delivers Attacks and Deflects Blame for Americans’ Economic Worries --The president gave a televised speech that featured repeated rants against Democrats and his predecessor, Joseph R. Biden Jr., along with boasts about gains that many Americans have said they are not experiencing. Luke Broadwater in the New York Times$ Natalie Allison in the Washington Post$ Meridith McGraw and Annie Linskey in the Wall Street Journal$ Josh Boak Associated Press -- 12/18/25

‘We want it back’: Trump asserts U.S. claims to Venezuelan oil and land -- President Trump’s order of a partial blockade on oil tankers going to and from Venezuela and his claim that Caracas stole “oil, land and other assets” from the United States mark a significant escalation of Washington’s unrelenting campaign against the government of President Nicolás Maduro. Patrick J. McDonnell, Ana Ceballos and Kate Linthicum in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/18/25

Trump administration asking US oil industry to return to Venezuela — but getting no takers -- The administration’s outreach to the industry, previously unreported, is the latest sign the White House is dreaming of a post-Maduro future for Venezuela. Ben Lefebvre, Sophia Cai and James Bikales Politico -- 12/18/25

Americans skeptical of Trump’s executive authority, military action in Venezuela, poll finds -- Sixty-three percent of respondents told Quinnipiac they are against military action against Caracas, with just 25 percent expressing support. Gregory Svirnovskiy Politico -- 12/18/25

Senate passes defense bill that defies Trump and forces sharing of boat strike videos -- The Senate on Wednesday delivered a clear rebuke of President Donald Trump’s authority, signing off on legislation that could force the Pentagon to turn over footage of strikes against suspected drug smugglers and rein in the administration’s ability to limit troops abroad. Connor O'Brien Politico -- 12/18/25

Trump’s dismantling of climate research center is a ‘destruction of knowledge,’ critics say -- The White House’s planned elimination of a major scientific research center is the latest step in the Trump administration’s quest to obliterate federal climate change programs. Robin Bravender Politico -- 12/18/25

Trump admin broke spending deal agreement to halt mass layoffs, judge says -- A federal judge said Wednesday that the Trump administration appears to have violated both her orders and Congress’ directives by proceeding with mass government layoffs. Hassan Ali Kanu Politico -- 12/18/25

The Trump Family Business Empire Is Growing. We Mapped Out 268 Pieces of It -- Ventures launched since Trump’s re-election generated at least $4 billion in proceeds and paper wealth for the family as of December, according to company statements and securities filings. David Uberti, Juanje Gómez and Kara Dapena in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 12/18/25

Inflation Eased to 2.7% in Report Distorted by Government Shutdown -- Inflation eased unexpectedly in November, but economists cautioned against reading too much into the report because of gaps in data collection during the long government shutdown. Chao Deng and Matt Grossman in the Wall Street Journal$ Colby Smith in the New York Times$ -- 12/18/25

Trump will use military housing money for $1,776 Pentagon bonuses -- The Trump administration will repurpose $2.6 billion in military housing assistance to pay $1,776 “warrior dividend” bonuses to service members, according to a senior administration official. Jacob Bogage in the Washington Post$ -- 12/18/25