Grizzly Bear Project
Editor and publisher of the Grizzly Bear Project, a journalism project dedicated to California politics and policy; former capitol reporter for the Los Angeles Times; former editor of Capitol Weekly and of Political Pulse, a newsletter of California politics
CA Emissions Bills State lawmakers are staying up late this week, wrangling last minute details on some controversial greenhouse gas regulations. Two emissions bills will be voted on by Friday night, when this year’s legislative session ends. There’s a provision in one of the bills calls for cutting gas usage on California roads in half by 2030. And more than a few factions in the state are pushing back.
California GOP Finally Recognizes Gay Republicans The Log Cabin Republicans are a gay political group, and they organized 38 years ago. But it took until this past Sunday for them to be recognized at the State Party convention in Sacramento by a vote of 861 to 293.
Are Democrats about to Stage a Virtual "Coronation?" Since Barbara Boxer announced her retirement from the US Senate, Attorney General Kamala Harris is the only announced candidate. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts has endorsed her. New York's Kirsten Gillibrand says she needs Kamala Harris "by my side." Hispanic leaders are saying, "not so fast." One of them is Tony Cárdenas, the first Latino elected to Congress from the San Fernando Valley and a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.
Governor Jerry Brown: From Moonbeam to Pragmatist Governor Brown has $23 million in campaign money he’s not spending on his campaign for a fourth term in next month’s election. Neel Kashkari came to KCRW for an interview with Which Way, LA? Governor Brown hasn’t responded to our invitation. In 1970, Brown became Secretary of State—on a platform of political reform. He sponsored the Political Reform Act, which was passed by the voters. Brown went on to be elected Governor four years later. But this year, the former reformer vetoed three bills that would have imposed tough restrictions on gifts from lobbyists to legislators.
California Dems Lose Supermajority California Senate Democrats have, at least temporarily, lost two members to corruption charges: Ronald Calderon from Montebello and Roderick Wright from Inglewood. That means the Democrats no longer have their supermajority in the Senate, so they’ll need to get at least some Republican support in order to pass legislation. That hasn’t always been so easy.
Will State Budget Gut Open Records Law? Despite recurring scandals in Bell, Vernon, Commerce, Cudahy, Lynwood, San Fernando and other local cities, Governor Brown is about to sign legislation that could limit access to basic government records — the kind used to scrutinize the actions of bureaucrats and elected officials. He asked for language in the state budget that's passed the Assembly and Senate. Anthony York reports from Sacramento for the Los Angeles Times .
A Look Back at Governor Brown's Trip to China Governor Brown spent a week in China, all paid for by special interests who ponied up $10,000 apiece for the privilege of going along. John Myers went along as political editor for KXTV , the ABC affiliate in Sacramento. Anthony York was also a fellow traveler. He reports from Sacramento for the Los Angeles Times .
The Governor Proposes His State Budget for 2013 Governor Brown today predicted that his latest budget will lead to a surplus at the end of the next fiscal year… Even some Republicans are calling it good news. We’ll hear what it would mean for schools and social programs cut to the bone during the era of deficits. Will there be calls for more spending?
Good News and Bad News for Undocumented Immigrants Before the midnight deadline last night, Governor Brown took action on a raft of legislative proposals, including three with direct impact on Latinos in California. Two involve immigration and one was about new protections for farm workers.
Democrats Hammer Out a Draconian State Budget The legal deadline for California's next state budget is Friday of this week, and it's unlikely the legislature will delay passage as it did for so many years. The voters have decreed that Assembly and Senate members won't get paid until they send a spending plan to Governor Brown. So the work is being done — not in public, but behind closed doors — and by Democrats alone. Anthony York reports from Sacramento for the LA Times .
Update on California's Budget Woes Governor Brown today revised the budget to say that the deficit will approach $16 billion and that there are two ways to whittle that number down. The Governor used the announcement to pitch his plan to raise income taxes on the wealthy and sales tax on everyone else by a quarter percent. Whatever voters say to tax hike idea, Brown will have some big cuts to make with big fiscal and political repercussions. KCRW's Steve Chiotakis has a special report on California's budget woes.
Jerry Brown Closes In on a Tax Deal Governor Brown today announced a political deal he called both "unusual" and "important:" State Assembly members coming together not as Republicans and Democrats but as Californians. There's only one problem. It's not clear that enough Senate Republicans will go along to get the bill passed and sent to the Governor. Anthony York is a staff writer in Sacramento for the Los Angeles Times .
Will Republicans Allow a Vote on Tax Extensions? There's only a week left until state legislators agree on a budget or lose their pay until they do. There is still a $12 billion shortfall and, despite some progress, Republicans and Democrats still disagree over how to close it. Anthony York reports from Sacramento for the Los Angeles Times .
Could Cutting 'Air Time' Be the First Step for Brown’s Pension Reform? California’s public employees’ retirement system is chronically underfunded. Asked how to fix it, Governor Brown told reporters a good place to start would be “getting rid of the ability to buy air time.”
The Race for State Attorney General Los Angeles District Attorney Steve Cooley and San Francisco DA Kamala Harris faced off yesterday in a debate in their race for Attorney General. Republican Cooley and Democrat Harris disagreed over Proposition 23 , which would suspend Governor Schwarzenegger’s new law against global warming; Prop 19 , which would legalize marijuana; California’s unhealthy and overcrowded prison service, which is under the receivership of a panel of three federal judges; and Prop 8 , the ban on same-sex marriage passed two years ago and declared unconstitutional by a federal court.
Schwarzenegger Says He'll Wait the Budget Out Last month, the state legislature failed once again to meet the constitutional deadline to pass a state spending plan. Now Governor Schwarzenegger has repeated his threat to let the process drag on until his successor takes office next year if he doesn't get what he wants. Anthony York reports for Capitol Weekly and the LA Times .
Human Rights in the era of Donald Trump President Trump’s UN Ambassador, Nikki Haley, said today the US might pull out of the United Nations’ Human Rights Council. Serious violators of human rights are members of the Council itself–and a US resignation could make things worse. Later on today’s show, now that he’s into his second term, comedian turned US Senator Al Franken is telling jokes again.
What happens when America retreats from the world? Is President Trump taking his "America First" agenda to extremes, withdrawing the country from the international stage on trade and climate change, distancing America from its traditional allies across the Atlantic and even threatening to physically isolate the country through the building of a wall along its southern border? León Krauze guest hosts.
Replacing Obamacare: Now you see it… now you don’t As the Senate deliberates replacing Obmacare, health coverage for millions of people is at stake. There've been no public hearings, and a draft measure won't be made public. Is the House version so unpopular that that Senate is hiding a version that looks much the same?
Ex-FBI Director Comey tells his side of the story Today, former FBI Director James Comey came close to calling the President who fired him a liar. The White House denied the claim and called it insulting, but Republican Senators did not challenge Comey’s truthfulness. Many questions remain: did the President try to obstruct a federal investigation? Later, we’ll go behind the “velvet rope” for a look at 5-Star health care for the richest Americans.