California Gov. Gavin Newsom won over South Carolina’s political heavyweights on his buzzy tour of the state this month. But in swing states, his potential presidential candidacy could be more of a liability, Democratic strategists say. “The thing that the electorate wants right now is authenticity, not necessarily agreement, and that’s what Gavin Newsom is...
Democrats say masked ICE agents could create bigger safety issues
The Trump administration says hiding immigration agents’ identities, including by wearing masks, keeps them safe. But critics say it’s a recipe for confusion that escalates the risk of injury for officers and the public. Armed, plainclothes agents with covered faces are taking on a bigger role in the Trump administration’s efforts to meet a 3,000-a-day...
California lawmakers worry AI will hurt entry-level tech jobs
California lawmakers, whose state is home to the most advanced artificial intelligence developers, are concerned that Congress is not prepared to respond to a job market where AI takes over entry-level jobs in the technology sector. It’s not clear yet how often AI is replacing — or will replace — entry-level jobs, but there are...
New building reforms change pace of San Jose development
San Jose officials are celebrating the rollback of a long-standing environmental law, which has been a hurdle for housing production. Gov. Gavin Newsom on June 30 signed two bills, Senate Bill 131 and Assembly Bill 130, which bring significant reforms to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) — allowing many developments to circumvent an environmental...
Federal government punishes San Jose university but keeps it secret
President Donald Trump had already cut hundreds of millions to Columbia University over antisemitism allegations and put 59 other colleges on notice when word came down to staff that he wanted to punish more campuses. “Can we get something going on Twitter in a short bit?” Senior Policy Strategist May Mailman asked several members of the White...
California lawmakers celebrate AI moratorium stripped from bill
Lawmakers from both parties are celebrating the Senate’s decision to cut a provision that would have put a 10-year pause on state-level regulation of artificial intelligence from the reconciliation bill hours before it passed. California lawmakers are among those who are most relieved that they narrowly avoided this provision getting tucked into the legislation. The...
State could strip Silicon Valley’s homeless funding
The progress San Jose and Santa Clara County have made to reduce homelessness could be halted as the state cuts crucial funding for housing and homeless services. The California Legislature on June 13 passed a $325 billion preliminary budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year, and the state’s main source of homelessness funding — the Homelessness...
Lawmakers predict Trump will send troops to more states over immigration
Democratic senators are grappling with the possibility that cities they represent could become the center of the next fight over the military being used against American civilians. President Donald Trump’s weekend post calling for expanded deportation efforts in the biggest U.S. cities raised alarms for the Democratic lawmakers who represent California, Illinois and New York....
Agriculture, hospitality industries unclear on Trump’s deportation plan
The weekend of mixed messages from the Trump administration on the future of immigration crackdowns has left hoteliers, farmers and restaurateurs asking: Are we getting protections or not? Industry lobbyists and advocates are in the dark on details, with the White House keeping its plans close to the chest as President Donald Trump focuses his...
California lawmakers saw Sen. Alex Padilla’s forceful removal as ‘lawless’
California Democrats are calling for committee hearings and an investigation into how Sen. Alex Padilla was treated by federal agents when he was forcibly removed from a press conference held by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. The incident occurred at a press conference Thursday in Los Angeles. It immediately captured the attention of the rest of the...