Political Breakdown

California Attorney General Rob Bonta filed the office’s 92nd lawsuit against the Trump administration yesterday to block a rule change that would make it harder for immigrants to qualify for green cards and for their kids to receive public benefits. Bonta joins Marisa in studio to discuss the latest legal challenge. Plus, they talk about the U.S. Supreme Court’s rejection of the president’s mail-in voting restrictions, Bonta’s investigation into the summer’s OpenAI hack and the $17 billion settlement his office led against Meta.

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Rep. Nancy Pelosi is retiring from Congress, but as State Senator Scott Wiener and San Francisco Supervisor Connie Chan compete for her seat, Pelosi continues to draw the spotlight. Marisa, Scott and Guy break down the latest accusations, alliances and drama in the increasingly heated race.

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For the first time, voters in California will decide between two Democrats for insurance commissioner, a powerful position that regulates insurance rates and acts as a consumer advocate. The race comes as the state faces increasingly destructive wildfires, rising energy prices and a volatile insurance market. Marisa sits down with state Sen. Ben Allen, who said his experience in Sacramento makes him the best candidate for the job. 

Tune in next week to hear from the other candidate, former San Francisco Board of Supervisors member Jane Kim.

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The American Israel Public Affairs Committee, also known as AIPAC, has emerged as one of the biggest spenders in this year’s midterm elections. The pro-Israel lobbying group isn’t just weighing in on swing districts. It’s jumping in on Democrat-on-Democrat races as well, including the East Bay special election to replace former Rep. Eric Swalwell. Despite spending millions against Aisha Wahab, AIPAC failed to keep her from winning last month’s contest. 

Marisa talks to David Dayen, executive editor of The American Prospect, about AIPAC’s agenda, how the group has tried to hide its spending by transferring donations through other PACs and whether AIPAC spending hurts or helps campaigns. 

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Governor Gavin Newsom failed to strike a deal on wildfire liability with lawmakers in the state legislature this week after months of negotiations that pitted California utilities against insurance companies. Marisa and Guy break down how the deal collapsed and what it means for Newsom as he enters his final months in office. 

Then, they turn to the few dozen bill on the governor’s desk aiming to regulate the state’s burgeoning Artificial Intelligence industry. The sector has cozied up to politicians like Newsom, but its products and plans are increasingly facing voter backlash. 

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Republican candidate for governor Steve Hilton is campaigning to break Democrats’ iron clad grip on state governance. It’s a steep challenge, but Hilton remains bullish that his message of change can win over independent and Democratic voters while his conservative credentials and endorsement by President Donald Trump help him maintain Republican support. 

He joins Marisa in studio to discuss his views on inequality in the state, how he would regulate AI and the backlash to data centers. He split with Trump, disagreeing with the president's attempts to limit mail-in voting. Hilton also said he is not concerned about the integrity of the November election and would accept the results.

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Stanford University Professor Joshua Rauh argues that the proposed billionaire tax on California’s November ballot would face legal challenges, raise far less than proponents claim and push wealthy residents out of the state. Rauh, a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, recently authored a study examining the potential effects of the tax if voters approve it this fall. Marisa sits down with Rauh to discuss the case against Proposition 40, which would impose a one-time, five percent tax on the overall wealth of California’s billionaires. 

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As one of his last acts as governor, Gavin Newsom is trying to tackle the ongoing wildfire crisis, pitting regular Californians, including fire survivors, against utility and insurance companies. There’s a midnight deadline for any legislative action. Marisa and Guy sort out why Newsom picked up this political hot potato. 

Then, they discuss movement in two big court cases this week. The California Supreme Court heard arguments in the dispute over Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco’s unprecedented seizure of more than 650,000 ballots in last year’s Proposition 50 election. Plus, the U.S. Supreme Court allowed President Trump to move forward with an attempt to restrict mail-in voting.

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Lorena Gonzalez heads up the powerful California Federation of Labor Unions, making her one of the most prominent voices for working people in the state. The group represents more than 1,300 unions and 2.3 million workers in sectors including manufacturing, retail, construction, hospitality, healthcare and entertainment. 

One of the federation’s priorities in Sacramento this year is Artificial Intelligence policy. In the final days of the legislative session, Marisa sits down with Gonzalez to talk about the AI and data center bills that have failed, the ones still on the table and working with unions across the country on these regulations. 

They also discuss the backroom negotiations behind a proposed ballot measure tax on California billionaires that has split the labor community. Despite the federation’s endorsement of the measure, Gonzalez said she’d prefer it not be on the ballot.

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In the Los Angeles mayoral election, incumbent Karen Bass is facing off against City Councilmember Nithya Raman, pitting two former allies against one another.

The contest captured national attention this spring in large part because of the candidacy of former reality TV star Spencer Pratt, who was embraced by national MAGA figures. Despite that attention, he failed to make it into the runoff.

Since then, the race has gotten messier. A polling firm fabricated a survey showing Bass leading Raman by double digits. Raman hired the progressive consulting group that ran campaigns for New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and former Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner. Plus, the two candidates faced off in their first mayoral debate since the primary in Sherman Oaks last week.

Marisa Lagos discusses how the race is shaping up with Los Angeles Times columnist Gustavo Arellano.

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