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An Unforgettable Week in California Politics Jun 13, 2025

Show notes

After protests over immigration raids in Los Angeles, President Trump went over Governor Newsom’s head to activate the California National Guard troops. This prompted the state to sue, and Thursday afternoon a federal judge in San Francisco ruled Trump acted illegally — a major victory for Newsom. But just hours later, an appeals court temporarily paused that decision until a hearing next week.

Plus, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla was forcibly pushed out of and handcuffed during Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's press conference in Los Angeles. Scott, Marisa and Guy discuss a whirlwind week in California politics.

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California’s Legal Case Against Trump Deploying Troops to LA Jun 13, 2025

Show notes

The showdown continues between President Donald Trump and California over the president's move to send troops to quell anti-ICE protests. Marisa and Scott discuss the legal and constitutional implications of the confrontation and the state's lawsuit, which had its first hearing today at a federal court in San Francisco. Late Thursday afternoon, U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer issued a ruling instructing the Trump administration to hand back control of the National Guard on Friday at noon.

Marisa and Scott are joined first by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who filed the suit, and later by Loyola Law School Professor Jessica Levinson.

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LA Under Siege Jun 11, 2025

Show notes

President Donald Trump deployed National Guard troops to Los Angeles on Sunday in response to people protesting federal immigration raids. California is now suing the federal government, saying Trump is acting illegally by ignoring California's pleas not to inflame the situation by sending the troops. Scott and Marisa are joined by Los Angeles Times columnist Gustavo Arellano to discuss the latest on what's happening, how we got here and where this might be heading.

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Trump’s War on California Opens New Fronts Jun 06, 2025

Show notes

Just in time for LGBTQ Pride month, the Pentagon appears ready to rename a naval ship named for gay rights icon Harvey Milk. Milk was the first openly gay official elected in California and a Navy veteran who was discharged during the Korean War because he was gay. Scott, Marisa and Guy discuss the latest in a series of attacks on the LGBTQ community by the administration.

Also in President Trump’s crosshairs: California’s troubled high speed rail project. The Department of Transportation announced this week it will pull $4 billion in federal funding for the project because they say it has no hope of being completed.

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How RFK Jr. is Radically Reshaping America’s Health Care System Jun 05, 2025

Show notes

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is upending the nation’s public health system and he’s found some staunch supporters for his cause right here in the Bay Area. Marisa and Scott are joined by KQED health correspondent Lesley McClurg to talk about the Marin County town that's seen a political schism centered around distrust of government and public health.

Then, they're joined by Dr. Céline Gounder, a physician, epidemiologist and editor-at-large for Public Health at KFF News, to discuss what Kennedy is doing on vaccines, drug testing and more.

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How Biden’s Inner Circle Used Magical Thinking to Justify Running Again Jun 03, 2025

Show notes

Few books have captivated the nation’s capitol like “Original Sin: President Biden’s Decline, Its Cover-up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again.” It describes in excruciating detail how a small circle of family and political insiders isolated and insulated President Joe Biden as his mental and physical condition declined throughout his term in the White House.

Scott and Marisa are joined by the authors, CNN anchor Jake Tapper and Axios national political correspondent Alex Thompson, who interviewed more than 200 people who described how Biden’s true condition was hidden from his own cabinet, congressional leaders and donors.

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California Democrats Descend on Anaheim as the Governor’s Race Heats Up May 31, 2025

Show notes

The 2026 governor’s race is still more than 500 days away, but there is already a crowded field of candidates. On the Democratic side, they're all waiting to see if Vice President Kamala Harris decides to jump in.

KQED’s Marisa Lagos and Guy Marzorati are joined remotely by San Francisco Chronicle Senior Political Writer Joe Garofoli who is in Orange County where Democrats are gathering for their biannual state party convention.

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San Francisco’s Joaquín Torres Talks Taxes, Theater and his 12 Years of Leading the Housing Authority May 30, 2025

Show notes

As San Francisco’s elected assessor-recorder, Joaquín Torres’ office decides the value of property in San Francisco, and tells you how much you owe in taxes.

But he’s also spent the last dozen years as president of the San Francisco Housing Authority Commission, which oversees the city's public housing developments as well as its Section 8 program.

Torres joins Scott and Marisa on his last day as president to reflect on his time there and talk about what’s next for both himself and the agency

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Asm. Buffy Wicks Takes on a Sacred Cow to Build More Housing May 28, 2025

Show notes

Buffy Wicks is a leading champion in Sacramento for building more housing in California. Her early political activities include working on both of Barack Obama’s presidential campaigns. Now she represents parts of Contra Costa and Alameda Counties in Sacramento where she chairs the powerful Assembly Appropriations Committee.

To get more housing built, Wicks is taking on a sacred cow in state politics, the California Environmental Quality Act, or CEQA. Wicks joins Scott and Marisa to talk about why reforming CEQA is such a hot button issue, and why she thinks it's so necessary to increase housing production.

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San Francisco’s Search for a Police Chief and the Possible Ousting of a Supervisor May 24, 2025

Show notes

San Francisco is looking for a new police chief after Bill Scott announced earlier this month that he is stepping down after eight years on the job through three mayoral administrations.

Although the city’s civilian-led police commission will draw up a short list of candidates, Mayor Daniel Lurie will make the final decision.

Scott and Marisa are joined by KQED Politics Reporter Sydney Johnson to talk about that choice and what the next chief’s success or failure may mean for the mayor.

They’ll also talk about the recall effort against San Francisco Supervisor Joel Engardio after organizers announced this week that they’ve gathered enough signatures to put the recall question up to a vote.

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