Democrats flip seat in California’s Central Valley in nation’s final outstanding House race
LAT's LAURA J. NELSON, MELISSA GOMEZ: "Democrats claimed the final congressional seat in the 2024 election cycle Tuesday as Merced Democrat Adam Gray ousted Republican incumbent Rep. John Duarte in a photo-finish race in California’s Central Valley.
California’s 13th Congressional District was the final outstanding race for the U.S. House of Representatives, and had the closest margin in the country. Gray was ahead by 187 votes when Duarte conceded Tuesday evening."
Former state lawmaker beats progressive rival in Sacramento mayor’s race
Politico's LINDSEY HOLDEN: "Assemblymember Kevin McCarty will become the next mayor of Sacramento after defeating newcomer Flojaune “Flo” Cofer in a fierce battle over homelessness and public safety policy.
Cofer on Tuesday released a statement conceding the race, saying she called McCarty on Monday night to “offer my congratulations” and that the two “had the first of many very forthright conversations about the future of Sacramento.”"
Capitol Briefs: And they’re off.
Capitol Weekly's STAFF: "The 2025-2026 legislative session kicked off on Monday with the swearing in of lawmakers old and new. Both chambers then adjourned until Jan. 6, 2025. In this edition of Capitol Briefs we share a few tidbits from Monday’s festivities.
Meet the new boss, same as the old boss: To the surprise of absolutely no one, Assemblymember Robert Rivas (D-Hollister) and Senator Mike McGuire (D- Geyserville) were re-elected as Assembly Speaker and Senate pro Tempore respectively. Not that Republicans did not at least try to get one of their own into the Speaker’s position. Reeps nominated Assemblymember James Gallagher (R-Yuba City), but supermajority Dems easily swatted that one down on a straight party-line 59-19 vote. (The Assembly District 32 seat is vacant; Democrat Al Muratsuchi of District 66 was not in attendance.)"
Newsom and Schiff sharply criticize president for pardoning Hunter Biden
LAT's JULIA WICK: "Two of California’s most prominent Democrats sharply criticized President Biden’s controversial pardon of his son Hunter, with Sen.-elect Adam B. Schiff and Gov. Gavin Newsom both expressing disappointment Tuesday.
“With everything the president and his family have been through, I completely understand the instinct to protect Hunter. But I took the president at his word,” Newsom told Politico, referencing the fact that Biden had repeatedly and unequivocally vowed not to pardon his son in recent months before issuing the expansive clemency grant on Sunday. “So by definition, I’m disappointed and can’t support the decision.”"
Federal judge denounces President Biden’s pardon, saying he misrepresented son’s criminal case
LAT's MATT HAMILTON: "The judge who presided over Hunter Biden’s federal tax case in Los Angeles rebuked President Biden on Tuesday for pardoning his son this week, saying he misrepresented the facts of his son’s criminal case when he announced the move.
In a brief order, U.S. District Judge Mark Scarsi also called out the president for maligning law enforcement and the justice system in his rationale for issuing the clemency, and the judge even indicated that part of the pardon may be unconstitutional."
‘Nothing is off the table’: Experts weigh in on likelihood of Trump using martial law
LAT's MOLLY BURKE: "A declaration of martial law in South Korea lasted only hours and prompted swift backlash as well as questions over the declaration and whether similar action could take place in the United States, where President-elect Donald Trump has said he’d use the military for domestic purposes.
President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law on Tuesday, for the first time in more than 40 years, before lawmakers voted to overturn military control, prompting Yoon to lift the declaration."
Daniel Lurie stares down dire S.F. deficit: City now faces $876 million shortfall
The Chronicle's JD MORRIS: "Mayor-elect Daniel Lurie will have his work cut out for him when he takes office next month: The political novice must immediately begin work to close a two-year San Francisco budget shortfall now pegged at $876 million.
The latest fiscal update released Tuesday by Mayor London Breed’s office presents a dire outlook for the city budget, suggesting that closing the deficit will be one of the most difficult and time-consuming challenges facing Lurie after he is inaugurated Jan. 8. Breed told departments to plan for permanent general fund spending reductions of 15% starting next fiscal year, though it will be up to Lurie to decide which cuts he will adopt."
Sacramento leaders pass resolutions on reparations and racial equity. ‘Beacon of light’
Sacramento Bee's MATHEW MIRANDA: "Sacramento leaders approved two historic resolutions on Tuesday to continue the city’s efforts toward reparations and racial equity.
The council unanimously passed both items, despite controversy last month that led to a delay in the vote. Councilmember Mai Vang — along with community organizations and residents — had raised concerns of “major changes” by City Manager Howard Chan’s office."
California politicians suddenly discover inflation in aftermath of election (OP-ED)
DAN WALTERS in CALMatters: "It would be fair to say that as voters in last month’s presidential election were giving Republicans control of all three branches of the federal government, they were tacitly rejecting the left-leaning cultural values that California politicians constantly espouse.
Republican Donald Trump’s campaign effectively weaponized Vice President Kamala Harris’ California roots in sweeping the battleground states, most notably in an ad featuring a video clip of her advocating sex-change surgery for transexual prison inmates."
California’s employment safety net is still broken. Will anyone fix it?
CALMatters's LAUREN HEPLER: "Kim Tanner didn’t expect to become a fraud detective when she filed for disability with the California Employment Development Department.
But in mid-July, $3,161 vanished from her online account with the state’s new debit card contractor, Money Network, according to Tanner’s complaints to government regulators. Someone had gotten access to her online debit card account, added a new bank account and transferred out her money, all without any notifications, she wrote in the complaints."
Black California students want more support. A new law names colleges that serve them best
CALMatters's LYLAH SCHMEDEL-PERMANNA, JASMIN SHIRAZIAN: "Seeing is believing — at least, that is how Jae’Shaun Phillips feels about attending Sacramento State, the California State University with the largest Black student body, with over 2,000 students. He is in the inaugural class of the Black Honors College, a new initiative created to support future Black scholars and leaders.
Now, Sacramento State is leading similar charges statewide. For one, the university is hosting the Cal State system’s new Office for the Advancement of Black Student Success, which oversees efforts to better serve Black students throughout the Cal State system. Secondly, on a wider scope, this office will soon manage a special designation for California colleges and universities that demonstrate a strong dedication to their Black students."
Conflict over race, LGBTQ issues cost schools more than $3 billion last school year
EdSource's DIANA LAMBERT: "Conflicts between parents, teachers and school leaders over parental rights policies focusing on LGBTQ+ students, limitations on teaching about race and racism, and book bans have come with a cost — both socially and financially.
The conflicts are disrupting school districts, negatively impacting schools and classrooms, and costing districts money that could be used to better serve students, according to “The Costs of Conflict, The Fiscal Impact of Culturally Divisive Conflicts on Public Schools in the United States,” released last month."
Newly elected L.A. school board members vow to defend vulnerable students, staff against Trump
LAT's HOWARD BLUME: "Newly elected Los Angeles school board members say they are united in a mission to protect the district’s most vulnerable — students and staff who are immigrants or LGBTQ+ — following wins that are generally a plus for Supt. Alberto Carvalho and the teachers union and a setback for privately managed charter schools.
All three of the newly elected or reelected board members are focused with apprehension on President-elect Donald Trump, who has stated his intent to deport immigrants, end diversity programs, limit the teaching of history he deems “woke” and unpatriotic, curtail rights recently extended to transgender students and shut down the U.S. Department of Education."
How the FDA allows companies to add secret ingredients to our food
LAT's KAREN KAPLAN: "It’s a U.S. Food and Drug Administration rule that most Americans know little about, yet gives corporations the license to add potentially harmful ingredients to foods without regulatory oversight or public notice.
For decades, the FDA’s “generally recognized as safe,” or GRAS, designation has allowed food makers to decide for themselves whether certain novel ingredients are safe or not — even without providing evidence to agency scientists."
This tech company moved its HQ out of California. Now it’s signed the biggest Bay Area lease in years
The Chronicle's JK DINEEN: "In the biggest office real estate leasing deal in the Bay Area since the pandemic, Snowflake Inc. has subleased a 773,000-square-foot campus in Menlo Park from Meta, the parent company of Facebook.
The cloud-based data storage giant, which employs 7,000 workers, said it will take over the four-building campus at 125-135 Constitution Drive and 100-150 Independence Drive, part of the Menlo Gateway project owned by Bohannon Cos."
In the Mojave Desert, a gold rush sparks a mini real-estate boom for old mines
LAT's JACK FLEMMING: "It’s a brisk day in Johannesburg, a tiny mining town tucked among the Rand Mountains in the Mojave Desert.
The landscape is vast and rugged, a mish-mash of rock, dirt and creosote bushes, swaths of gray and brown under a deep blue sky. The terrain appears completely untouched by man, but a closer look reveals dozens of cavities pocked across the rolling hills. They look like monster snake holes."
S.F. needs to create 82,000 homes in 8 years. At the current pace, it’s not even close
The Chronicle's JK DINEEN: "San Francisco’s long pandemic hangover continued to suppress new housing construction in 2024, with the city on track to produce fewer units than any year since the aftermath of the Great Recession.
So far in 2024, just 1,205 units have been completed, of which 624 are deed restricted affordable units, according to the city. That is about half the 2,593 homes produced in 2023 and well below the boom years of 2016 to 2021 when unit completions ranged from 4,500 to 5,250. The two lowest years for new units were 2011 and 2012, which brought a combined 1,300 new homes in an economy that was still recovering from the 2008 crash."
California shorted prisoners on money for their release. It’s ending the practice
CALMatters's CAYLA MIHALOVICH: "California prisons are no longer withholding money they are supposed to give people at the time of their release, according to a California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation memo obtained by CalMatters.
The policy change is meant to ensure that thousands of people leaving California prisons will receive their full $200 “gate money” allowance that they are entitled to under a 51-year-old state law. The stipend is intended to help people cover basic necessities in their initial days of freedom."
Bob Lee murder trial: Defense drops bombshell video during closing arguments
The Chronicle's KEVIN FAGAN, ANNIE VAINSHTEIN: "Defense attorneys for Nima Momeni, the man accused of stabbing tech mogul Bob Lee to death last year, dropped a bombshell Tuesday in their closing arguments — a video showing Lee holding what they say is the knife he would later pull out to try to kill their client.
In the defense’s version of events, Momeni acted quickly in self-defense and turned the small paring knife on Lee and fatally stabbed him instead. It was the first time jurors had seen the potentially damning — but grainy — video during Momeni’s six-week trial in San Francisco Superior Court."
