Transgender trailblazer Sarah McBride heads to her debut in Congress
DOVER, Del. — It was her last day in session as a Delaware state senator, and Sarah McBride sat in her tiny office at the state…
Why Mike Johnson’s bid to remain House speaker could be a struggle despite Trump’s support
WASHINGTON — Mike Johnson is fighting for his political life, again. The Louisiana Republican’s hold on the House speaker’s gavel and his position as second in…
‘Fiery’ Jen Psaki ending tenure as a top White House messenger
WASHINGTON — Jen Psaki had been White House press secretary less than two weeks when a reporter asked whether Twitter’s ban of Donald Trump had made…
How did Trump hurt democracy and boost GOP extremism?
BERKELEY — It’s not as if Tom Mann is happy to say I told you so.After decades as a leading expert on Congress and our fragile…
Jimmy Carter redefined ‘evangelical’ in campaigns, race, women’s rights
PLAINS, Ga. — Before reaching the 1978 peace deal between Egypt’s Anwar Sadat and Israel’s Menachem Begin, Jimmy Carter managed months of intense preparation, high-stakes negotiations…
Three ways cutting the IRS will hurt the U.S. economy
Donald Trump’s election with Republican House and Senate majorities has put the Internal Revenue Service back in the spotlight. The agency lost $20 billion in…
L.A. County HQ should stand, Janice Hahn says. And not because of her dad
I drove around downtown Los Angeles on a recent Friday morning looking for one of the Civic Center’s ugly ducklings. The Kenneth Hahn Hall of…
Raw, angry and aggrieved, President Trump’s inaugural speech does little to heal political wounds
There was no pivot. There was no olive branch, no binding of wounds, no lofty summons to the better angels of our nature.The 16-minute inaugural…
California has ended money bail. Who will bail out the industry?
Reporting from Sacramento — Under the glare of neon signs and unforgiving fluorescent office lights, bail agents are spending time processing a new California law signed…
California state senators passed a single-payer healthcare bill, but it’s going nowhere fast
Reporting from Sacramento — Don’t delude yourself that legislation to create a California universal healthcare system passed the state Senate last week. All that passed was…
FBI investigating deadly Cybertruck explosion at Trump hotel
One person was killed and seven others injured after a Cybertruck burst into flames Wednesday morning just outside the glass entrance doors of Trump International…
Chief Justice John Roberts says judicial independence under threat in several ways
WASHINGTON — Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. issued a defense Tuesday of judicial independence, which he said is under threat from intimidation, disinformation and the…
Bentley Tries to Refocus Campaign Against Killea
The fates, political and otherwise, have not been particularly kind to Assemblywoman Carol Bentley recently in her special state Senate campaign.Several weeks ago, her father…
Feinstein slammed by liberals over Amy Coney Barrett hearing
WASHINGTON — It was a hug that quickly cast a shadow over Dianne Feinstein’s long career in the U.S. Senate.The California Democrat embraced Republican Lindsey Graham…
Clinton’s Problems With Congress–as Old as the Constitution : Separation of powers ensures tension between executive, legislative branches. Today, challenges are more daunting.
WASHINGTON — “I’ve watched the Congress, man and boy for 40 years,” Lyndon B. Johnson once recalled when he was at the peak of his presidential…
Yes, Biden is governing as a progressive. Are you surprised?
President Biden’s Republican critics charge that he has foisted a “bait and switch” on voters — that he campaigned as a moderate but veered abruptly…
How new California laws could affect you in 2025
California lawmakers passed roughly 1,200 bills last year, including some that resulted in unforeseeable wins by Republicans, promising protections for consumers and small strides for…
Drug overdose deaths plummet in San Francisco. What’s changed?
SAN FRANCISCO — After surging during the COVID pandemic into a crushing public health emergency, drug overdose deaths in San Francisco plummeted in 2024, according to…
November border crossings lowest seen in Biden administration
Unlawful border crossings along the U.S.-Mexico border have dropped to a four-year low, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, with 46,610 people stopped between…
Imperial County’s Trump support tells a damning truth
Since the conclusion of the election, much of the media have painted Imperial Valley as having dramatically shifted its politics. With President-elect Donald Trump jumping…