Podcast
CAPITOL WEEKLY PODCAST: There was an old ad slogan for a well-known brokerage firm: When EF Hutton talks, people listen. The sentiment survives today, with a slight modification: When Fiona Hutton talks, people listen. Hutton runs one of the state’s premiere public affairs firms, with a score of employees handling strategic planning, research & insights, media relations and more for a host of high-powered clients. Fiona Hutton and Associates celebrates their 25th anniversary this year, and Hutton joined us to talk about her early years as a one-woman (and a baby) shop, what it’s like to do this work in LA, and the challenges of being a woman in this business.
Podcast
CAPITOL WEEKLY PODCAST: Today’s guest is Sacramento Bee reporter Lia Russell. Russell covers the governor for The Bee’s Capitol Bureau, and was part of the team that broke the story of Dana Williamson’s arrest last year. We asked about that story, covering the capitol, and what it was like to cover politics in their earlier gigs in Bangor, Maine and Baltimore, Maryland.
Podcast
CAPITOL WEEKLY PODCAST: Membership in California labor unions grew by over 100,000 members between 2024 and 2025. Our guest today is one of the reasons for those gains. Former Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez is the President of the California Federation of Labor Unions, AFL-CIO, which is made up of more than 1,300 unions, representing 2.3 million members. We spoke with Gonzalez about the status of the labor movement, the threat – and opportunities – of AI, and the impact of Cesar Chavez’ sudden downfall.
Podcast
CAPITOL WEEKLY PODCAST: The New York Times’ bombshell report on allegations of sexual abuse of young girls by Cesar Chavez, coupled with UFW co-founder Dolores Huerta’s disturbing story of rape at his hands toppled the legacy of one of the most significant figures in California history. Our guest, POLITICO’s Melanie Mason, joined us to reflect on the Chavez allegations, the impact of We Said Enough, and the difficulties survivors face in coming forward.
Podcast
CAPITOL WEEKLY PODCAST: Local journalism in the United States is in crisis. Almost 40% of all local newspapers in the US have vanished since 2005. Arizona State University has launched NEWSWELL, a nonprofit organization that offers comprehensive wraparound services – including fundraising – to their newsroom partners, helping them build sustainable business models. NEWSWELL has a string of 15 news outlets, including 11 in California. We’re joined by Nicole Carroll, Executive Director of NEWSWELL and a professor at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. She shares the vision behind NEWSWELL, explains the ASU connection and looks at what indie news needs to survive.
Podcast
CAPITOL WEEKLY PODCAST: Housing remains the hottest topic in California policy, and our guest today is Sanjay Wagle, who heads up the Governmental Affairs team for the California Association of Realtors. The Realtors’ Gubernatorial Forum was a hot ticket in Sacramento last week, and we discuss the topics raised there, and many others.
Podcast
CAPITOL WEEKLY PODCAST: This Special Episode of the Capitol Weekly Podcast was recorded live at A Conference on Housing, which was held in Sacramento on Tuesday, February 24, 2026.
This is Panel 3: Innovations and New Ideas. Panelists: Asm. Jeff Gonzalez; Ben Metcalf, Terner Center for Housing Innovation; Jim Wunderman, California Forever; Roger Krulak, Fullstack Modular. Moderated by Jenny Huh, ABC10
Podcast
CAPITOL WEEKLY PODCAST: This Special Episode of the Capitol Weekly Podcast was recorded live at A Conference on Housing, which was held in Sacramento on Tuesday, February 24, 2026.
This is Panel 2: Intersection of Climate and Housing Policies. Panelists: Zak Accuardi, Natural Resources Defense Council; Jordan Grimes, Greenbelt Alliance; Brian Hanlon, CAYIMBY; Moira O’Neill, UC College of Law, San Francisco. Moderated by Camille von Kaenel, POLITICO
Podcast
CAPITOL WEEKLY PODCAST: This Special Episode of the Capitol Weekly Podcast was recorded live at A Conference on Housing, which was held in Sacramento on Tuesday, February 24, 2026. This is Panel 1: Reforms: Permits, Building Code, CEQA.
Panelists: Sen. Jesse Arreguín; Asm. Alex Lee; Jennifer Barrera, California Chamber of Commerce; Dan Dunmoyer, California Building Industry Association; Chris Elmendorf, UC Davis School of Law. Moderated by Liam Dillon, POLITICO
Podcast
CAPITOL WEEKLY PODCAST: This Special Episode of the Capitol Weekly Podcast was recorded live at A Conference on Housing, which was held in Sacramento on Tuesday, February 24, 2026. This is the Keynote: Asm. Buffy Wicks in conversation with Capitol Weekly Editor Rich Ehisen.
Fiona Hutton, of Fiona Hutton and Associates
