Capitol Weekly Podcast

Longtime political columnist Dan Walters joins us to talk about his fifty years covering state capitol politics. Walters began covering politics in 1975 - just months after Jerry Brown was sworn in for his first term as Governor - and hasn't stopped since. He began writing his column for the Sacramento Union in 1981 and continued when he moved to the Union's crosstown rival The Sacramento Bee in 1984. He has been with CalMatters since 2017.  Walters spoke with us about how the capitol has changed in the half century he has been covering it, shared his favorite Jerry Brown story, and finally came clean about how he scooped the rest of the press corp on the state Budget story, over and over again.  Plus - Who Had the Worst Week in California Politics?

:58 A viral story

2:16 Capitol Insiders Survey

3:44 California Insurance Crisis

4:45 Welcome Dan Walters

5:32 most notable changes in 50 years?

8:22 Vic Pollard

12:40 The two groups who came out of nowhere

13:21 The Third House

15:33 How DID you get the Budget in advance?

17:36 "All hell broke loose"

20:15 Down at David's Brass Rail

21:40 Apocalypse Right Now

27:28 Thoughts on "This is Gavin Newsom" 

31:36 The Great Mentioners

34:39 #WWCA

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Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang 

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Claire Conlon has a long history in the capitol community. She got her start as a legislative aide in 2011, and has held a wide variety of roles since, including Press Secretary for Senate leader Kevin de León and Chief of Staff to Asm. Cottie Petrie-Norris. While building that impressive resume, she did something unusual: she left. In 2017 Conlon left the capitol, the state, and eventually the country, traveling the world for a full year - job title "Vagabond" on her Linkedin. Returning to the state in 2018, she picked up where she had left off. In 2023, she left the capitol again - She is currently the Senior Director of State Government Affairs for Biocom California, where she manages and implements their state legislative policy agenda.

Claire shared stories from her capitol journey and other travels, offers advice for new legislators, and talks about her new role in California's second largest industry.  Plus - Who had the Worst Week in CA Politics?

1:11 First time on a podcast!

3:55 What was it like to be a Press Sec. for a Legislative leader?

4:15 Dee Dee Myers shout-out

5:21 Origin story

9:12 From school to the capitol

11:40 Around the world

15:33 What did the trip change for you?

18:06 Advice for new legislators

20:37 Thoughts on gender parity in the Senate

21:43 New role at Biocom

23:02 Second-largest industry in California

24:14 St. Patrick's Day dancers at the capitol

25:27 Favorite state capitol?

26:38 Hot topics: Drug affordability and access

29:38 #WWCA

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Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang 

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This Special Episode of the Capitol Weekly Podcast was recorded live at Capitol Weekly’s conference The Resistance: California vs. Donald Trump, which was held in Sacramento on Wednesday, February 26, 2025

This is PANEL 2 – CLIMATE AND THE ENVIRONMENT

Panelists: Kip Lipper, Chief Policy Advisor on Energy and Environment to the Senate pro Tem; Catherine Reheis-Boyd, Western States Petroleum Association; Victoria Rome, Natural Resources Defense Council

Moderated by Rich Ehisen, Capitol Weekly

Thanks to our California Conferences sponsors:

THE TRIBAL ALLIANCE OF SOVEREIGN INDIAN NATIONS, WESTERN STATES PETROLEUM ASSOCIATION, KP PUBLIC AFFAIRS, PERRY COMMUNICATIONS GROUP, CAPITOL ADVOCACY, THE WEIDEMAN GROUP, and CALIFORNIA PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTERS

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On Wednesday, February 26, 2025, Capitol Weekly presented an online conference, The Resistance: California vs. Donald Trump.

This is PANEL 3 – IMMIGRATION

Panelists:  Senator María Elena Durazo; Luis Alvarado, Luis Alvarado Public Affairs; Kevin R. Johnson, UC Davis School of Law; David Trujillo, ACLU California Action

Moderated by Andrea Castillo, Los Angeles Times

Thanks to our California Conferences sponsors:

THE TRIBAL ALLIANCE OF SOVEREIGN INDIAN NATIONS, WESTERN STATES PETROLEUM ASSOCIATION, KP PUBLIC AFFAIRS, PERRY COMMUNICATIONS GROUP, CAPITOL ADVOCACY, THE WEIDEMAN GROUP, and CALIFORNIA PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTERS

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On Wednesday, February 26, 2025, Capitol Weekly presented an online conference, The Resistance: California vs. Donald Trump.

This is PANEL 1 – HEALTH CARE

Panelists: Beth Malinowksi, SEIU California; Devon Mathis, California Assembly (Ret.); Amanda McAllister-Wallner, Health Access California; Dr. Richard Pan, California Senate (Ret.);

Moderated by Samantha Young, KFF Health News

Please note: During this discussion, a speaker questions whether there may be a connection between Autism Spectrum Disorder and vaccines. Numerous studies over the past two decades have debunked a connection between autism and the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine.

Thanks to our California Conferences sponsors:

THE TRIBAL ALLIANCE OF SOVEREIGN INDIAN NATIONS, WESTERN STATES PETROLEUM ASSOCIATION, KP PUBLIC AFFAIRS, PERRY COMMUNICATIONS GROUP, CAPITOL ADVOCACY, THE WEIDEMAN GROUP, and CALIFORNIA PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTERS

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On Wednesday, February 26, 2025, Capitol Weekly presented an online conference, The Resistance: California vs. Donald Trump.

President Donald J. Trump launched his second term with a flurry of executive orders on immigration, energy and climate, health care, civil rights and more. California led the resistance to administration policies during the first Trump Administration, suing the federal government over 100 times; Now the state’s Democratic leadership is gearing up for Round 2.

In this episode we present The Keynote, by one of the officials in the forefront of that battle, California Attorney General Rob Bonta. He is introduced by Capitol Weekly editor Rich Ehisen.

Thanks to our California Conferences sponsors:

THE TRIBAL ALLIANCE OF SOVEREIGN INDIAN NATIONS, WESTERN STATES PETROLEUM ASSOCIATION, KP PUBLIC AFFAIRS, PERRY COMMUNICATIONS GROUP, CAPITOL ADVOCACY, THE WEIDEMAN GROUP, and CALIFORNIA PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTERS

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Brian Joseph has worked as a newspaper reporter and investigative journalist for two decades, writing for Capitol Weekly, the Orange County Register, the Sacramento Bee and the Las Vegas Review-Journal, among other publications. He recently released his first book: Vegas Concierge: Sex Trafficking, Hip Hop and Corruption in America. Using public and private records as well as exclusive, first-person accounts from primary sources, the book shows how prostitutes and pimps ply their trade, how law enforcement agencies trip up and their investigations become compromised, and how self-interest corrupts news organizations and the corridors of power.  He spoke with us about what drive him to write the book, the connection to Hip Hop and corruption, and what news organizations have gotten wrong in coverage of the issue.  Plus: Who Had the Worst Week in California Politics?

1:50 The California connection

3:36 Shannon Grove

4:14 How did the book come about?

6:31 The victims

8:06 How prevalent is sex trafficking in the US?

9:47 The effect of the internet

12:04 The connection to Hip Hop and corruption

15:10 How have the profiled subjects reacted?

16:45 Repeat victimization

18:34 How have news organizations made it worse

20:32 Intense book tour moments

23:26 #WWCA

Want to support the Capitol Weekly Podcast? Make your tax deductible donation here: capitolweekly.net/donations/ 

Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang 

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Our guest today is the Parliamentarian to the Assembly Speaker, Brian Ebbert. Ebbert has spent over three decades in the Assembly starting as an Assistant Clerk in 1991. He served as Assembly Floor Director from 2017 to 2014; he announced his retirement last year (and even got the cake) but agreed at the end of 2024 to stay on one more year as Assembly Parliamentarian

What does the Assembly Parliamentarian do? In this role, Ebbert is the senior procedural and parliamentary advisor to the Assembly Speaker and his leadership team. He is responsible for daily coordination of the Floor business, strategic motions, and procedures of the House, and provides expert procedural analysis and advice to Majority Party leadership team. He also develops logistics, rules, and procedures for Floor sessions, and - one of his favorite duties - identifies, drafts, and implements House rule changes for each two-year legislative session.  

Ebbert joins Hosts Rich Ehisen and Tim Foster to talk about the Parliamentarian's role, how the legislature has changed in the time he has been there, and about his brief but fascinating time in the Canadian Parliament.  Plus - Who Had the Worst Week in California Politics?

1:53 The role of Parliamentarian

4:56 "You can read a book about football... but that doesn't make you a football player"

7:15 From Speaker's Floor Director to Parliamentarian

10:33 Questions from members

12:30 The flow of information

15:17 Touchy topics

19:44 Impact of Social Media

23:49 How has the institution changed?

26:16 Length of Floor sessions

28:36 Procedural rule changes

30:29 Two weeks in the Canadian Parliament

42:24 #WWCA

Want to support the Capitol Weekly Podcast? Make your tax deductible donation here: capitolweekly.net/donations/ 

Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang 

"#WorstWeekCA" Beat provided by freebeats.io

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It may not feel like it, but Donald J. Trump began his second presidential term less than three weeks ago. The reality TV star turned GOP president wasted no time implementing his agenda, issuing dozens of Executive Orders, clearcutting opposition officials and entrusting billionaire donor Elon Musk with a broad mandate to revise the functions of the US government, often in seeming conflict with federal law and the constitution. These unilateral actions are testing the bounds of executive power beyond anything seen in American politics before.

Congress – led by Trump’s Republican Party - has been largely silent, with minority Democrats raising objections but to little effect. The courts have begun to weigh in, with mixed results. What to make of these unprecedented times in American history?

To talk about all this, we’re joined by Thad Kousser, professor of Political Science at UC San Diego. Kousser has written extensively on US and California politics and is an astute observer of American political life. He spoke with us about President Trump’s “everything everywhere all at once” strategy, what Democrats can and can’t do, and how this all plays in California.

1:34 Perspective

3:50 Democrats caught flat footed

5:30 Billionaire buddy: Elon Musk

9:09 Donald Trump's political superpower

12:42 What does this mean for the Democrats?

17:02 What aren't congressional Dems doing more?

20:14 The California legislature and Donald Trump

23:18 "Flooding the zone"

26:43 >>Picture of dog drinking coffee, surrounded by fire<< "This is fine"

32:26 "Government is the problem"

36:04 3WWCA

Plus, Who Had the Worst Week in California Politics.

Want to support the Capitol Weekly Podcast? Make your tax deductible donation here: capitolweekly.net/donations/ 

Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang 

"#WorstWeekCA" Beat provided by freebeats.io

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Cecilia Aguiar-Curry represents California's 4th Assembly District, which includes Napa, Lake, Yolo, Colusa Counties and part of Sonoma County. She is the chair of the bipartisan California Legislative Women’s Caucus and is also the Assembly Majority Leader. As Majority Leader, Aguiar-Curry guides her party’s legislative strategy, coordinates with committee chairs and helps ensure the efficient progression of bills. As chair of the Women’s Caucus, she helps promote policies and budget priorities that improve the well-being of women, children and families. She sat down with Rich Ehisen and Tim Foster to talk about finding common ground with her Republican colleagues, her role in helping new legislators get their feet under them, and Democratic priorities for 2025.  

Plus - Who had the Worst Week in California Politics?

:54 The Women's Caucus

4:22 Working with a bipartisan caucus and new members

6:27 California and Trump: common ground?

8:40 Affordability

13:10 What have we learned from the fires?

18:55 Getting new legislators up to speed

22:43 Priorities

25:16 The legislature and the governor

27:20 #WWCA

Want to support the Capitol Weekly Podcast? Make your tax deductible donation here: capitolweekly.net/donations/ 

Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang 

"#WorstWeekCA" Beat provided by freebeats.io

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.