California Policy and Politics Saturday

Next storm forming off California’s coast could become bomb cyclone as it hits Bay Area -- As the Bay Area braces for an atmospheric river-fueled rainstorm this weekend, a potentially stronger system is on the horizon next week — one that could meet the criteria for a bomb cyclone and bring widespread damaging winds. Anthony Edwards, Brooke Park in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/20/25

 

DOJ releases new Epstein docs on Saturday as lawmakers steam about first release -- But lawmakers are still smarting over the first drop, which was chock full of redactions and revealed little in the way of new information regarding the rise of the financier and his connections to powerful people. Gregory Svirnovskiy and Ben Johansen Politico -- 12/20/25

Democrats float impeachment after Justice Department’s redaction-heavy Epstein release -- After the Trump administration bypassed a deadline Friday to produce all of the records from the investigation into the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, frustrated Democrats said they would consider recommending high-ranking Justice Department officials for prosecution or even pursue impeachment proceedings against them to compel the release of the remaining documents. Alexei Koseff in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/20/25

Trump move to break up atmospheric research center threatens wildfire, storm predictions -- ‘This is only going to hurt Americans.’ Scientists, California state officials say the Trump administration’s plans to dismantle a key climate science hub will put public safety at risk. Rachel Becker Calmatters -- 12/20/25

 

How ‘Turn and Burn’ Immigration Operations Unleash Chaos — and Sweep up U.S. Citizens -- A video analysis of one early morning raid in Los Angeles revealed the vast web of consequences brought by new aggressive Border Patrol tactics. Robin Stein, Shawn Killebrew, Devon Lum, Alexander Cardia, Jeff Bernier, Dmitriy Khavin and Mimi Dwyer in the New York Times$ -- 12/20/25

California’s largest ICE facility just opened. A new report already found dangerous conditions -- California’s attorney general is demanding the federal government immediately address dangerous conditions at the state’s largest immigration detention center, following an inspection that found inexperienced and incomplete staffing and a lack of access to crucial medical care that the California Department of Justice said is endangering the lives of the hundreds of people held there. Sara DiNatale in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/20/25

Jury acquits L.A. man who towed immigration agent’s car during TikTok influencer’s arrest -- Bobby Nunez had faced up to 10 years in federal prison. His attorneys argued he moved the car one block away and that it was returned within 13 minutes. Brittny Mejia and Clara Harter in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/20/25

Feds block California from issuing new commercial licenses to immigrant drivers -- The Trump administration has blocked California’s plan to resume issuing commercial driver’s licenses to asylum seekers, the latest snag in an ongoing battle between the U.S. Department of Transportation and the state Department of Motor Vehicles. Sara DiNatale, Sophia Bollag in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Ruben Vives in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/20/25

Immigration agents arrest 87 with commercial driver’s licenses in California -- Border Patrol agents arrested 42 people with commercial driver’s licenses issued to immigrants, including 31 from California, who were taken into custody at immigration checkpoints and highways. Another federal immigration operation targeting California trucking companies over two days last week led to the arrests of 45 more people with commercial licenses. Rosalio Ahumada in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 12/20/25

 

A California law was supposed to fast-track renewable energy. The state just shot down a key test case -- A high-profile wind energy project proposed in California’s far north, with 48 turbines — some rising 600 feet — and the capacity to power 80,000 homes, was supposed to be a sure thing. Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/20/25

Tech boom fuels S.F.’s best year for office leasing since 2019 -- Companies signed leases for 10.2 million square feet, including renewals, the highest level in six years, according to preliminary data from real estate brokerage CBRE. A quarter of space was leased by artificial intelligence companies, and they accounted for over 80% of newly leased space. Roland Li in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/20/25

California woman led transnational ‘Terrorgram’ group from her home in the suburbs -- A Sacramento County woman who led a transnational terrorist group from the “comfort of her suburban California home” was sentenced this week to 30 years in prison, according to the Department of Justice. Grace Toohey in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/20/25

 

California sees population growth for third consecutive year after pandemic-era exodus -- For the third consecutive year, California’s population has increased, though the Golden State has still not reached its pre-pandemic population high. Terry Castleman in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/20/25

California’s population growth slows as Sacramento increases and San Francisco flattens -- The populations of California and San Francisco saw minimal gains in the 12 months ending in July, while the Sacramento region saw one of the state’s biggest jumps, according to state estimates released Friday. Roland Li in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/20/25

 

Mayor Lurie vowed to clean up S.F.’s troubled neighborhoods. How much has actually changed? -- Almost a year into Lurie’s term, some residents of neighborhoods strained by drug use and homelessness say he’s on track to deliver the safer, cleaner streets he promised — as Slovikoski believes. Others say the citywide recovery he’s touted has yet to reach their corners of San Francisco. Lucy Hodgman, J.D. Morris in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/20/25

Hoeven: Republicans are an endangered minority in California. So how does this right-wing lawmaker get so much done? -- Here in California, no GOP lawmaker has exploited Democrats’ blind spots more successfully than state Sen. Shannon Grove of Bakersfield, who has somehow convinced her colleagues to add a new crime to California’s three-strikes law for the first time in decades and embrace expanded in-state oil drilling. Emily Hoeven in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/20/25

Workplace

TikTok creators welcome deal to keep app in the U.S. -- Only a few years ago, Keith Lee was a professional MMA fighter, doing food delivery and making social media videos to ease his social anxiety. Katerina Portela in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/20/25

U.S. Space Force awards $1.6 billion in contracts to South Bay satellite builders -- The Space Force awarded $1.6 billion to Rocket Lab and Northrop Grumman for building satellites designed to detect hypersonic missile threats. Rocket Lab’s $805 million contract is the company’s largest ever, marking its evolution from a launch provider to a vertically integrated space contractor. Laurence Darmiento in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/20/25

Pricey Christmas gift about to arrive for 115,000 sailors and Marines in San Diego County -- Many of the sailors and Marines who will receive the $1,776 checks from the Trump administration have struggled to pay for food and housing. Gary Robbins in the San Diego Union Tribune$ -- 12/20/25

Street

The high-tech tools used to track down Nick Reiner after his parents’ slayings -- Police used geotracking, cellphone data and surveillance cameras to locate Nick Reiner hours after his parents were found fatally stabbed Sunday morning in Brentwood. The suspect, who struggled with substance abuse and had argued with his parents at a holiday party, was arrested in South Los Angeles that night. Richard Winton, Hannah Fry and Gavin J. Quinton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/20/25

Four times as many: Shootings by LAPD officers far outpace L.A. County deputies -- LAPD officers fired their weapons in 46 incidents so far this year — killing 14 people and wounding 23 others. The statistics mark a roughly 70% increase in police shootings compared to 2024 and the highest annual total by the LAPD since 2015. L.A. County sheriff’s deputies have shot 11 people so far in 2025, killing nine. Libor Jany in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/20/25

AI

This Is What the World’s Smartest Minds Really Think About AI -- This year’s conference was attended by more than 24,000 people, who invaded San Diego earlier this month and made it the epicenter of the tech world. After spending much of the year racing to remake civilization, they packed a giant convention center and marveled at displays flaunting the latest AI research between bites of Auntie Anne’s pretzels. Berber Jin, Meghan Bobrowsky and Ben Cohen in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 12/20/25

Also

S.F. voters closer to weighing in — again — on fate of Great Highway -- Sunset Supervisor Alan Wong said Friday that he supports creating a ballot measure to reopen the Upper Great Highway to cars on weekdays, bringing the idea first floated by Supervisor Connie Chan one step closer to reality. Ko Lyn Cheang, J.D. Morris in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/20/25

American Airlines stops awarding miles on basic economy tickets -- Starting this week, customers who buy basic economy fares will no longer earn frequent-flyer miles or credit toward elite status in the airline’s AAdvantage program, the carrier confirmed. Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/20/25

Lou Cannon, Post reporter and preeminent Reagan biographer, dies at 92 -- Lou Cannon, a Washington Post reporter who became the preeminent biographer of Ronald Reagan, chronicling the former actor’s election as California governor, his long pursuit of the presidency and his two terms in the White House, died Dec. 19 at a hospice facility in Santa Barbara, California. He was 92. Adam Bernstein in the Washington Post$ -- 12/20/25

POTUS 47

'The most important documents are missing', Ro Khanna says -- “What we found out is the most important documents are missing,” Khanna said. “They’ve had excessive redactions, and the central question that Americans want to know – who are the other rich and powerful men on the island, raping these young girls or covering up – has not been answered.” Robert Mackey, Lucy Campbell The Guardian -- 12/20/25

What’s missing from the Epstein files release -- The Justice Department’s long-awaited release Friday of documents related to the federal government’s investigation into Jeffrey Epstein was perhaps most notable for what it lacked. Erica Orden Politico Devlin Barrett, Alan Feuer and Michael Gold in the New York Times$ Mark Berman, Jeremy Roebuck and Perry Stein in the Washington Post$ -- 12/20/25

Epstein files put Bill Clinton under scrutiny – and the White House wants him there -- The Trump administration, initially wary over the Justice Department’s release of Jeffrey Epstein documents, pounced on go-to villain Bill Clinton’s appearance in Friday’s trove of pictures, emails and interviews. Liz Crampton and Andrew Howard Politico -- 12/20/25

Federal judge temporarily blocks HUD permanent housing cuts for homeless -- The U.S. district judge questioned whether "chaos" is the point in homelessness funding overhaul. Cassandra Dumay Politico -- 12/20/25

A Memorial to Kennedy? It’s Trump’s Now, To. -- President Trump’s name was affixed to the front of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Friday morning, transforming what was constructed as a living memorial to the slain 35th president into another Trump-branded property in the capital. Shawn McCreesh in the New York Times$ Janay Kingsberry, Kelsey Ables and Kadia Goba in the Washington Post$ -- 12/20/25