Posts From James Poulos
Back to homepageGov. Brown cautions Democrats on 2016 presidential race
Although Hillary Clinton has benefited from a post-convention bounce, Gov. Jerry Brown’s recent counsel to complacent party members resonated sharply for Democrats, many aligned with Bernie Sanders, concerned that Donald Trump will win the presidency come November. Calling the horserace “very uncertain
Read MoreCA cops fuel FBI iris data collection
After years of operating under the radar, the cover has been pulled back on an FBI program, centered around Southern California, to amass iris scan information in a federal database. “To create that pool of scans, the FBI has
Read MoreCA Supreme Court removes obstacle to Delta tunnel project
The California Supreme Court cleared a big obstacle to Gov. Jerry Brown’s plan to tunnel more Delta water out of Northern California, allowing the Southland’s Metropolitan Water District to proceed with the purchase of estuary islands that would be key to speeding
Read MoreTrump’s Republican National Convention chases CA dream
Thanks to Donald Trump, California’s role at the Republican national convention in Cleveland has been dramatically expanded — out of proportion, some critics have suggested. The changes belied a calculated effort to shift the center of GOP gravity away
Read MoreState attorney general and charter school haggle over education settlement
California Senate candidate Kamala Harris has kicked over a hornet’s nest in a big but contentious settlement with the nation’s largest online charter school. Not only has K12 refused to admit wrongdoing, despite Harris’s public allegations, but the organization has also
Read MoreUniversity of California ups in-state admissions
After weathering unprecedented criticism for its revenue-driven admissions policies, the University of California system has appeared to shift officials’ opinion back in its favor, unveiling a modest but symbolic uptick in admissions for in-state students — with an emphasis on certain
Read MoreRiordan, Hewitt, endorse Sanchez for Senate
Signaling the depth of California’s uncharted political waters this election season, Richard Riordan, the Republican ex-Mayor of Los Angeles, endorsed Rep. Loretta Sanchez, D-Calif., to replace outgoing U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer. Calling her an “independent thinker,” as the Sacramento Bee
Read MoreGov. Brown signs suite of gun-control bills
New legislation on guns was signed by Gov. Jerry Brown and advanced on Capitol Hill, as California elected officials continued a concerted push for tighter regulations at both the state and federal level. To the satisfaction of state Democrats,
Read MoreSacramento stabbings heighten populist and nationalist tensions
A group tied to the neo-Nazi and white supremacist movements found itself at the center of a bloody political firestorm in Sacramento, heightening election-year populist and nationalist tensions. A few dozen members of the Traditionalist Worker Party did battle with
Read MoreCA Democrats line up to back marijuana legalization
The executive board of the California Democratic Party has endorsed recreational marijuana, throwing its support behind the ballot measure that has won the support of Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom. Meeting recently in Long Beach, the board voted in favor of the
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