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

California Policy and Politics Sunday

AI chatbot safety bills under threat as Newsom ponders restrictions tech groups say would hurt California -- California lawmakers want Gov. Gavin Newsom to approve bills they passed that aim to make artificial intelligence chatbots safer. But as the governor weighs whether to sign the legislation into law, he faces a familiar hurdle: objections from tech companies that say new restrictions would hinder innovation. Queenie Wong in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/28/25

Demonstrators in beach communities protest Trump, call for support of Prop. 50 -- Hundreds of people gathered across Southern California beaches on Saturday for a “Hold the Line” demonstration, a movement protesting Donald Trump’s presidency and promoting Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Proposition 50, which calls for redrawing of California congressional districts to give Democrats more voting power. Katerina Portela in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/28/25

Garofoli: Democratic groups are Trump’s latest target. Will they fight back -- Universities folded. Broadcast media folded. Law firms folded. But there’s a glimmer of hope that the next target on President Donald Trump’s list — left-leaning philanthropic groups — is ready to fight. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 09/28/25

In Trump’s ‘domestic terrorism’ memo, some see blueprint for vengeance that echoes history -- Trump and other administration officials say they are going after liberal supporters they accuse of spreading political violence. Critics of the president, including legal experts and historians, said the campaign and other recent actions evoke past political repression. Kevin Rector in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/28/25

Barabak: Did Kamala Harris just destroy her 2028 chances? Is Gavin Newsom glad she did? -- The former vice president’s campaign diary takes aim at several fellow Democrats, including California’s governor. The party has a history of rejecting repeat candidates, which doesn’t bode well for a Harris comeback. Mark Z. Barabak in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/28/25

Camp Pendleton is an oasis from SoCal urban sprawl. Feds now consider unprecedented development -- In the sweeping Southern California metropolis spanning from Santa Barbara to the Mexico border, Camp Pendleton has long remained the largest undeveloped stretch of the coastline. Hannah Fry in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/28/25

Lower electricity bills? Or more pollution? A new California law is sparking big debate -- Should California strike a deal with 10 other Western states to more easily buy and sell power? Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 09/28/25

Bay Area homebuyers preparing to ‘swoop’ into the market as mortgage rates dip -- Rates are still nearly double their pandemic levels — but agents and lenders say they're already seeing more buyers relaunching their home search. Kate Talerico in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 09/28/25

L.A. buyers scramble to snap up EVs as tax breaks end -- Los Angeles area electric vehicle sales surge as shoppers rush to claim $7,500 federal tax credits before they expire Tuesday under Trump administration policy. Orange County EV sales jumped from 21% to 32% of new vehicles as dealers report “significant increases” ahead of the deadline. Caroline Petrow-Cohen in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/28/25

180,000 Californians rely on federally backed flood insurance. Trump could overhaul the system -- Experts say if the program is eliminated or drastically changed, low-lying homes and businesses could be uninsurable. Ian James in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/28/25

GOP frontrunners in California’s gubernatorial race hail from different worlds -- Sheriff Chad Bianco and former Fox News host Steve Hilton have stark differences but both support President Donald Trump. Linh Tat in the LA Daily News -- 09/28/25

Workplace

‘Workers aren’t going to settle for nothing’: With contract talks stalled, Starbucks baristas rally in L.A. -- Starbucks workers demonstrated at two Los Angeles-area coffee shops over the weekend, hoping to pressure the company to restart contract talks that have been stalled for much of this year. Suhauna Hussain in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/28/25

Laid-Off Tech Workers Say H-1B Crackdown Won’t Help Them Get a Job -- The Wall Street Journal spoke with a dozen recently laid-off tech employees, most of whom are still hunting for work. Most said their biggest problems are a weak domestic job market, the rise of artificial intelligence and a glut of displaced people looking for similar roles. Te-Ping Chen and Lindsay Ellis in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 09/28/25

Rate Cuts Might Not Cure What Ails the Job Market -- The Federal Reserve resumed its interest-rate cutting campaign earlier this month in an effort to reverse a stall in the job market. The problem: The hiring drought can’t be cured by lower interest rates alone, at least not soon. Justin Lahart and Ruth Simon in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 09/28/25

Lilly opens fifth ‘gateway’ lab on Torrey Pines Mesa -- Capable of housing up to 15 up-and-coming biotechnology companies simultaneously, project follows similar hubs in San Francisco, Boston and Beijing. Paul Sisson in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 09/28/25

Education

AI is infiltrating the classroom. Here’s how teachers and students say they use it -- Teachers primarily use AI for lesson preparation while students rely on it for concept explanations, research ideas and article summaries. Educators worry about increased plagiarism by students and students worry about academic misconduct accusations and unreliable AI-generated content. Howard Blume in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/28/25

What counts as cheating with AI? Teachers are grappling with how to draw the line -- A teacher tells a student not to use AI in a research assignment. But when the student does a browser search, an AI-generated explanation pops up unprompted. Has the student just cheated? What now? Howard Blume and Jocelyn Gecker in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/28/25

Street

Reports of ‘blind mule’ drug couriers grow in San Diego-Tijuana region. ‘It continues to happen.’ -- The use of blind mules to sneak drugs into the U.S. is not a new tactic — and it’s also not one that is often publicly acknowledged by U.S. law enforcement. But in recent months, authorities on both sides of the border have issued warnings to frequent border-crossers about the potential danger. Alexandra Mendoza, Alex Riggins in the San Diego Union Tribune$ -- 09/28/25

Major Bay Area sideshow crackdown: 22 cars seized, felony arrests made in sweep -- Antioch police said they shut down a large sideshow Friday night, seizing more than 20 vehicles and making several arrests in what officials described as one of the city’s most significant enforcement operations against the illegal street gatherings. Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 09/28/25

Also

Waymo driverless car stopped by Bay Area police during DUI operation -- During a grant-funded DUI enforcement operation in San Bruno, officers watched as one of Waymo’s autonomous vehicles made an illegal U-turn at a traffic light. They stopped the car, only to discover an empty driver’s seat. “No driver, no hands, no clue,” the department wrote in a social media post. Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 09/28/25

The iconic Beverly Hills palm tree streets have a tourist problem -- In recent years, several Beverly Hills neighborhood streets have been clogged by tourists standing in the middle of the road for the perfect shot. City officials and neighbors warn of a glaring safety issue. Christopher Buchanan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/28/25

A horse called Maverick was close to death. He found new purpose with the Riverside County mounted deputies -- Maverick, an emaciated Andalusian horse rescued from severe neglect in Riverside County, has gone from near-death to serving as an official sheriff’s deputy. The horse was among 60 animals seized from a Cabazon property in August 2024 after the owner failed to comply with animal welfare violations. Jasmine Mendez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/28/25

POTUS 47

China weaponizes ag imports to target Trump and US farmers -- As the clock ticks down on President Donald Trump’s deadline to seal a trade deal with China, a top U.S. farming industry is becoming collateral damage — again. Phelim Kine, Grace Yarrow and Ari Hawkins Politico -- 09/28/25

Xi Is Chasing a Huge Concession From Trump: Opposing Taiwan Independence -- The Chinese leader views the president’s eagerness for a trade deal as an opportunity to press for his top goal. Lingling Wei in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 09/28/25

Trump’s shutdown plans: Mass layoffs, deregulation, military deployments -- Under the Trump administration’s plans for a government shutdown, the Labor Department would cut off most activities — then fire thousands of employees. National parks would close, and their staffs could face layoffs. Phone help lines at the Internal Revenue Service would go unstaffed, perhaps permanently. Jacob Bogage in the Washington Post$ -- 09/28/25

Trump falsely suggests FBI agents to blame for igniting Jan. 6 violence -- President Donald Trump on Saturday falsely accused the FBI of fomenting the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the Capitol — a sharp escalation of his attacks on the bureau and his effort to downplay the violence a mob of his supporters inflicted that day. Kyle Cheney and Irie Sentner Politico -- 09/28/25

How a major DOE report hides the whole truth on climate change -- The Trump administration recruited five marginalized researchers to challenge the international consensus on global warming. Here’s how it went wrong. Benjamin Storrow, Chelsea Harvey, Scott Waldman and Paula Friedrich Politico -- 09/28/25

Trump’s Repeated Attacks May Undercut Case Against Comey -- The president’s voluble vitriol could provide defense lawyers with an avenue to protect the very people he most wants to punish. Alan Feuer in the New York Times$ -- 09/28/25

How House Republicans plan to rewrite history of Jan. 6 -- Retribution, not reconciliation, appears to be the prime motivation behind the new probe, with the Republicans behind it still bitter over the work of the panel’s previous iteration, which was largely led by Democrats and concluded President Donald Trump was singularly to blame for the violence inflicted by his supporters. Hailey Fuchs and Kyle Cheney Politico -- 09/28/25

What Travelers Need to Know About the Possible Government Shutdown -- Many airport employees, including air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration staff, would be forced to work without pay. The government’s continuing efforts to strengthen the air traffic control system would also be stymied, with some much-needed training and hiring put on ice. Christine Chung and Gabe Castro-Root in the New York Times$ -- 09/28/25

 

California Policy and Politics Saturday

Yosemite and other national parks should close if government shuts down, former leaders say -- More than three dozen former national park superintendents are urging President Donald Trump to close the nation’s 433 park sites if the government shuts down next week, warning that leaving them open with little to no staff would be “reckless” and “dangerous.” Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 09/27/25

‘No smoking gun’: Why Eaton fire report didn’t name names or assign blame -- Consultants who reviewed the delayed Altadena evacuation orders said their report wasn’t designed to investigate wrongdoing or assign blame, something that fire victims and some experts worry will help officials dodge accountability. Grace Toohey, Jenny Jarvie and Rebecca Ellis in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/27/25

Lopez: Nine months after the Eaton fire, ‘moments of wavering, or wanting to give up’ on ever returning -- Nearly nine months after the Eaton fire destroyed something unique, something beloved, something cherished even more in death, the mountains remain scarred and dusty streets criss-cross the vanished neighborhoods of what is still, essentially, a ghost town. Steve Lopez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/27/25

This side of the Prop 50 fight has 500 times more donors than the other, new numbers show -- In the battle over redistricting in California, supporters led by Gov. Gavin Newsom have amassed a huge network of more than 65,000 individual donors, campaign finance filings released Friday show, compared with about 130 donors reported by opponents. Sophia Bollag, Joe Garofoli, Christian Leonard in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 09/27/25

Trump’s tariffs cause ‘absolute chaos’ as Bay Area builders absorb latest hit on cabinets, furniture -- Already struggling with lofty construction costs that make projects economically unfeasible, Bay Area real estate industry players ranging from developers to contractors to interior designers are bracing for the impact of a fresh round of tariffs that President Donald Trump announced on Friday. J.K. Dineen in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 09/27/25

Sen. Alex Padilla visits San Diego immigration court: ‘This should not be a trap’ -- When Sen. Alex Padilla attended an immigration hearing at the federal courthouse in San Diego Wednesday, there were no confrontations with federal officials and no public arrests of people attending immigration check-ins. Deborah Brennan Calmatters -- 09/27/25

Bay Area attorneys are helping free asylum-seekers using a centuries-old legal doctrine -- Meyer, who provides pro bono legal representation to immigrants, didn’t hesitate to take on the case. She relied on a legal procedure known as “habeas corpus,” which has roots almost 1,000 years ago in English law, to win the woman’s release. Ko Lyn Cheang, Jessica Flores in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 09/27/25

Central Valley congressman caught in the middle in a bitterly divided Washington -- Rep. Adam Gray once again is in the lonely political middle as Congress and President Donald Trump barrel toward a potential government shutdown. It’s a shaky place he can’t escape. The Merced Democrat won his Central Valley congressional seat last year by 187 votes in a district Trump won easily. David Lightman in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 09/27/25

Trump administration probes alleged antisemitism in Cal State University system -- The Trump administration has launched an investigation into allegations of antisemitism across the California State University system, prompting concerns about the chilling of free speech on campus and the violation of staff members’ privacy. Clara Harter and Jaweed Kaleem in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/27/25

UCSD faculty fear student, employee information may have been shared with Trump administration for investigation -- Neither UCSD nor the University of California would say whether San Diego students and staff were affected, and if so how many, what information about them was shared or when their information may have been shared. UCSD declined to comment, deferring instead to the UC Office of the President. Kristen Taketa in the San Diego Union Tribune$ -- 09/27/25

California braces for a health insurance meltdown -- Health care regulators here are raising alarms that a government shutdown could knock the bottom out of the nation’s largest health insurance market. Rachel Bluth Politico -- 09/27/25

Is Kamala Harris Staging a 2028 Comeback? -- In an interview, the former vice president says she still views herself as a leader in the Democratic Party. Tarini Parti and Emily Glazer in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 09/27/25

U.S. attorney said she was fired after telling border patrol to follow a court order -- Top prosecutor in Sacramento said she was fired after telling the border patrol they could not carry out indiscriminate immigration raids around Sacramento this summer Michele Beckwith, a career prosecutor, said she reminded a border patrol chief that a judge had issued an injunction in California’s Central Valley. Jessica Garrison in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/27/25

Pokémon company protests Department of Homeland Security ‘Gotta Catch ’Em All’ post -- Earlier this week, the Department of Homeland Security posted a video montage, using the Pokémon theme song and the show’s animations. The Japanese gaming company makes it clear they weren’t involved. Cerys Davies in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/27/25

He was body-slammed by immigration agents. Now a car wash owner has filed a $50-million claim against DHS -- The 79-year-old car wash owner claims federal agents used excessive force and repeatedly ignored his pleas for medical treatment, violating his civil and constitutional rights. Ruben Vives in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/27/25

Feds indict three women for alleged ‘doxing’ of ICE agent in Los Angeles -- According to the indictment, the three women followed an ICE agent from the federal building on 300 North Los Angeles Street in downtown L.A. to the agent’s residence in Baldwin Park. James Queally in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/27/25

California doctors can now prescribe abortion anonymously -- California will allow doctors to anonymously mail abortion drugs after Gavin Newsom signed legislation Friday designed to shield health care providers and their patients from legal threats or disciplinary action. Rachel Bluth Politico Lia Russell in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 09/27/25

Supporters of redrawing California’s congressional districts raise tens of millions more than opponents -- Supporters of Proposition 50 have raised $77.5 million compared to $35.3 million raised by opposition campaigns ahead of November’s special election. Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times$ Ethan Varian in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 09/27/25

Trump warns he’ll move World Cup soccer games out of ‘unsafe’ cities like … Santa Clara? -- It would appear the president has something in common with TV producers, out-of-state NFL fans and others, conflating San Francisco, the city by the Bay, with Santa Clara, the home of Levi’s Stadium, some 45 miles south, where the games are scheduled to take place in June and July next year. Rick Hurd in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 09/27/25

Workplace

Starbucks plans to close hundreds of stores and lay off close to 1,000 people -- In a message to employees, Chief Executive Brian Niccol said the cost-cutting moves were necessary. Store closures will begin immediately, and the affected employees will be notified on Friday, Niccol said. Caroline Petrow-Cohen in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/27/25

Walmart CEO Issues Wake-Up Call: ‘AI Is Going to Change Literally Every Job’ -- Walmart executives aren’t sugarcoating the message: Artificial intelligence will wipe out jobs and reshape its workforce. Now the country’s largest private employer is making plans to confront that reality. Sarah Nassauer and Chip Cutter in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 09/27/25

Wildfire

Fire victims get one year of mortgage relief under new law -- Assembly Bill 238 enables borrowers to put a stop to their mortgage payments for up to 12 months with no late fees or penalties, by attesting without documentation that the fires caused a financial hardship. Laurence Darmiento in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/27/25

Palisades, Eaton wildfires destroyed 11,000 homes. Less than 10% have permits to rebuild -- As Southern California nears the heart of wildfire season, rebuilding is merely inching forward in areas hit by the most destructive conflagrations in Los Angeles County history. Michelle Ma and John Gittelsohn Bloomberg News in the LA Daily News -- 09/27/25

Also

Robert Barnett, power lawyer for politicos and TV news stars, dies at 79 -- Robert Barnett, a Washington attorney who represented powerful politicians and many of the biggest stars in the TV news business, died Friday after a long, unspecified illness. He was 79. Barnett’s death in a Washington hospital was confirmed by his wife, retired CBS News correspondent Rita Braver. Stephen Battaglio in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/27/25

POTUS 47

Trump orders troops to Portland, Oregon, in latest deployment to US cities -- President Donald Trump said Saturday he will send troops to Portland, Oregon, “authorizing Full Force, if necessary” to handle “domestic terrorists” as he expands his controversial deployments to more American cities. Claire Rush and Chris Megerian Associated Press -- 09/27/25

Legal experts say Trump’s indictment of Comey is a test of justice -- Legal experts see a weak case wielded as a cudgel in a political persecution of Trump’s perceived enemy. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended Trump’s vocal advocacy for criminal charges against political foes as a matter of ‘accountability.’ Michael Wilner in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/27/25

Why the case against James Comey may end in humiliation for Trump’s DOJ -- But the case against the former FBI director and longtime Trump nemesis may quickly end in disappointment — and even humiliation — for the prosecutor who was conscripted by the president to bring the charges. Josh Gerstein and Kyle Cheney Politico -- 09/27/25

Shareholders question Disney about decision to suspend Jimmy Kimmel -- Shareholders question whether Disney violated fiduciary duties by bowing to political pressure over the comedian’s reinstatement Tuesday. Samantha Masunaga in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/27/25

Trump signs executive order to keep TikTok operating in U.S. -- TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, had been under pressure to divest its ownership in the app’s U.S. operations or face a nationwide ban, due to security concerns over the company’s ties to China. Wendy Lee in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/27/25

Trump asks Supreme Court to let him end birthright citizenship -- The president’s Day 1 executive order purporting to end birthright citizenship has not taken effect because four federal judges ruled it violates the 14th Amendment. Josh Gerstein Politico -- 09/27/25

Musk, Bannon and Thiel named in new Epstein estate documents -- The House Oversight Committee is continuing to release redacted materials in its ongoing Jeffrey Epstein investigation. Hailey Fuchs Politico -- 09/27/25

Trump Expands Tariffs Beyond Supreme Court’s Reach -- The president’s tariffs on foreign drugs and furniture rely on national security laws outside the scope of current lawsuits. Ana Swanson in the New York Times$ -- 09/27/25

Trump demands Microsoft fire Lisa Monaco -- The president continues his pursuit of retribution by targeting Biden’s former deputy AG, who oversaw investigations into Trump’s conduct. Aaron Pellish Politico -- 09/27/25