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Trump establishes commanding lead in recent Golden State poll

With California’s delegate-rich primary election looming for Republicans as a possible last chance to stop Donald Trump from rolling to the nomination, Trump has established a commanding lead in the polls and a beachhead of support among the party’s California

Silicon Valley defends Apple as FBI continues to pressure tech giant

James Poulos March 14, 2016

With neither side willing to back down, the confrontation between Apple and the FBI over the San Bernardino shooter’s iPhone has transformed into a pivotal conflict between the tech industry and the federal government. Scores of companies threw their weight behind Apple’s effort

Legislature raises CA smoking age to 21; pending Brown’s signature

James Poulos March 12, 2016

Triggering the sort of speculation about nationwide change California’s new regulations often inspire, legislators approved bills raising the legal age for smoking and vaping to 21. “The California state Senate voted Thursday to raise the legal age to buy and use

Bullet train survives lawsuit, but faces new delays

James Poulos March 11, 2016

A California court may have given the state’s beleaguered high-speed rail project enough rope to hang itself. After surviving a major lawsuit, the bullet train will still be coming fully online years later than anticipated. “California’s high-speed train has just been

Big money readies for fight over tax extension

Matt Fleming March 10, 2016

A hospital association just pumped $12.5 million into an effort to extend a tax on top earners — a tax that’s provided billions of dollars in education funding since 2012. In fact, the California Association of Hospitals and Health Systems quadrupled its investment

Rendon’s Assembly speakership sweeps in change

Matt Fleming March 8, 2016

Assemblyman Anthony Rendon’s swearing in as speaker on Monday signaled a fresh start as optimism warmed over the Capitol. At the swearing in, the paramount Democrat drew a standing ovation from the crowd and an impassioned introduction in both English and

CA asset seizure survives SCOTUS review

James Poulos March 6, 2016

The U.S. Supreme Court declined to take on a 15-year-old case challenging California’s asset seizure practices. The justices decided “they would not hear a long-running lawsuit that contends the state does not do enough to notify the rightful owners before seizing their

Google driverless car hits bus, stokes controversy

James Poulos March 4, 2016

The controversy over driverless cars shifted into high gear as an automated vehicle built by Google hit a passenger bus. “The crash may be the first case of one of its autonomous cars hitting another vehicle and the fault of

How much does Sanchez’s House experience matter in the Senate?

Matt Fleming March 3, 2016

Loretta Sanchez spent much of her time at the California Democratic convention last weekend trying to persuade the party faithful that her 19 years of experience in Congress makes her the best choice to replace Democrat Barbara Boxer in the U.S. Senate. Unlike

Young CA voters cooling on Democratic Party

James Poulos March 3, 2016

With their presidential primary season defined by a massive generation gap, California Democrats have braced for their state to play an outsized role in the nomination process — at a time when the growth of their party appears to be leveling