Harvesting at a Central Valley farm on a summer's day. (Photo: mikeledray, Shutterstock)California’s farmers are getting nervous — understandably. The Trump administration wants to slash the budget of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, cutting one out of every five dollars of the department’s discretionary spending.
Screen capture off Youtube of former state Sen. Joseph Montoya during the aftermath of a federal corruption investigation.(Image source: KCRA, Sacramento)In recent legislative history, 2014 was an unusually rough year for the state Senate. Sen. Rod Wright was on trial for voter fraud and perjury, and Senators Ron Calderon and Leland Yee had been indicted by federal authorities on corruption charges. But don’t forget 1988.
Political consultant Gale Kaufman at her Sacramento office. (Photo: Scott Duncan, Capitol Weekly)Gale Kaufman was campaigning in California before Arnold Schwarzenegger was Conan the Barbarian. Kaufman, a bare-knuckled Democratic strategist, is as little known to the public as she is famous among political pros. When talk in the political world turns to “Gale,” everyone knows it’s a reference to Kaufman.
State Capitol in Sacramento. (Photo: Shuttesrstock)This is the final installment in a series of articles dealing with the procedural myths and realities of the California Legislature.
Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Tulare, the chair of the House Intelligence Committee. (Photo: J. Scott Applewhite/AP)California’s Odd Couple find themselves on a wild ride in Washington, replete with cloak-and-dagger meetings, reports of Russian sneakiness and confusion all ‘round. But while Schiff and Nunes are both Californians and veteran politicians, that’s pretty much where the resemblance ends.
State Sen. John Moorlach, R-Costa Mesa. (Photo: Youtube frame capture)A California legislator has launched an effort to terminate the $3 billion California stem cell agency, which is already set to go out of business in about three years. Republican state Sen. John Moorlach of Costa Mesa said in a video, “It’s time to shut this down….We as taxpayers need some protection.”
Rep. Adam Schiff, right, vice chair of the House Intelligence Committee, ponders testimony. (Photo: AP/Manuel Balce Ceneta)In an overheated political environment where it’s dangerous to stand between some politicians and a television camera, the national spotlight has suddenly fallen on a low-key Californian who implores Donald Trump to be truthful. He is Adam Bennett Schiff, 56, the ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee.
Paul Mitchell (Photo: Scott Duncan, Capitol Weekly)Paul Mitchell, California political strategist and numbers cruncher extraordinaire for Political Data, stopped by Capitol Weekly’s lavish new offices on H Street to chat about the amazingly crowded field in the upcoming special election in L.A. for #CA34 (the House seat vacated by Xavier Becerra, who was appointed state attorney general); Darrell Issa’s recent shimmy to the left, his early read on the 2018 governor’s race, turnout, redistricting — and more.
The California State Senate in Sacramento. (Photo: Trekandshoot, via Shutterstock)This is the fourth in a series of detailed articles about the inner workings of the state Capitol relating to structure, rules and procedures — including a look at vetoes and the budget.
A human DNA complex. ((Illustration, Shutterstock)The man often called the father of the California stem cell agency has all but said he is set to launch an effort to pump an additional $5 billion in state funding into the research effort, which is scheduled to run out of cash in about three years.