Matt Fleming, Author at CalWatchdog.com

Posts From Matt Fleming

Matt Fleming

Here’s 10 things about Tuesday’s election

Tuesday’s election upended everything most experts thought they knew about politics, when Donald Trump defeated Hillary Clinton to become the next president with one of the most unconventional campaigns ever. But down the ballot, 10 things stood out. Nearly 50,000 people

Democratic supermajority in Legislature still out of reach late Election Night

Matt Fleming November 9, 2016

A Democratic supermajority in the state Legislature remained elusive Tuesday night, according to early returns. With a supermajority, Democrats would be able to increase taxes, override gubernatorial vetoes and send measures to the ballot without Republican support. Democrats need two seats

Democratic supermajority won’t stop intraparty fighting, but may grow center

Matt Fleming November 8, 2016

Democrats on Election Day have a very real chance at winning a two-thirds “supermajority” in the California Legislature. While that would be a major disaster for Republicans politically — if it were to happen — it would likely have little effect

Battleground 2016: Top Legislative Races

Matt Fleming November 7, 2016

Editor’s Note: This story was originally published on July 19. Republicans in the state Legislature are thought to have a challenging election cycle this year. The outcome in November will determine whether the GOP has enough seats in the state

Prop. 66 caps death penalty appeals at five years. So then what happens?

Matt Fleming November 4, 2016

Next week, voters will consider not one but two measures involving the death penalty — one speeds up the process while the other would stop it entirely. If approved, Prop. 62 would repeal the death penalty and commute the condemned sentences

Democrats leave incumbent assemblywoman high and dry

Matt Fleming November 1, 2016

Parties and legislative leaders always protect their incumbents. Well, maybe not always, as is the case with Assemblywoman Patty Lopez, a pariah in the Democratic Party since she knocked off Raul Bocanegra, a popular incumbent, two years ago. Up for re-election

Senate leader’s endorsement of Prop. 63 ammo measure lacks backstory

Matt Fleming October 27, 2016

When Senate President Pro Tempore Kevin de Leon endorsed Proposition 63 last week, he didn’t mention the endorsement was conditional. This summer, the Los Angeles Democrat ushered through the Legislature a measure that substantially amends in advance the ballot measure’s

California Senate leader asked for Obama’s help on climate bill in 2015

Matt Fleming October 21, 2016

Knowing that a major climate-change measure was in trouble, Senate President Pro Tempore Kevin de Leon sought help from the White House in 2015, according to a WikiLeaks email dump on Thursday. A transcript of a voicemail for John Podesta

Leaked emails show Clinton aides considered moving CA primary election

Matt Fleming October 21, 2016

Prominent Democratic strategists who would eventually get top posts in Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign debated the political strategy of moving the date of California’s primary election, according to hacked emails recently released by WikiLeaks. In December 2014, prior to Clinton announcing

Sanchez hits Harris’ record on mortgage settlement in Senate race

Matt Fleming October 20, 2016

Loretta Sanchez on Thursday attacked Kamala Harris’ record on the 2012 mortgage crisis settlement, saying it was not the major accomplishment the state’s attorney general claims. The two Democrats are running for the state’s open U.S. Senate seat. With the election