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Willie Brown: Don’t underestimate Trump’s supporters. They can re-elect him just for the fun of it
Willie Brown: Don’t underestimate Trump’s supporters. They can re-elect him just for the fun of it
By Willie Brown
Trump’s voters know they are screwed. They just want to be entertained. It’s the Democrats who can tear each other apart over the issues and leave a weakened nominee.
Gavin Newsom to sign California bill tightening rules for police shootings
California is tightening its rules for when police officers can open fire on suspects, giving the state one of the toughest use-of-force standards in the country.
Breed 2018 campaign probed for possible campaign finance violations
The alleged violations are tied to a cluster of campaign donations made by nine people from January to May 2018. Five donors made contributions of $100 to $500 — the maximum amount — after their ...
Feds open investigation into SF affordable housing policies
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has opened an investigation into whether San Francisco’s housing policies violate federal nondiscrimination laws, according to documents obtained by ...
Trump can be beaten, top fundraiser tells Dems, so ‘stop wringing your hands’
The president of Emily’s List says Democrats are allowing President Trump to psyche them out and get into their heads before the 2020 presidential race. She is optimistic and says female voters could ...
Kamala Harris’ thread-the-needle message put to test in crucial 2020 state
The California senator is deploying a strategy that seeks to straddle the line between the progressive Democratic presidential candidates who advocate sweeping structural change and moderates with a more ...
Marianne Williamson campaigns in California, where she feels ‘understood’
After a grueling past few days on the presidential campaign trail, Marianne Williamson began her Oakland town hall rally Wednesday night by saying, “There’s no place I’d rather be than California. I ...
Gig-worker bill: Gavin Newsom keeps his distance from California’s big fight
Time is running out for the governor to take a stand on an issue that is splitting Sacramento and affects 1 in 10 Californians — a bill that would turn gig workers into employees. It pits him between two ...
‘Small ball’ housing aid in SF: It’s better than nothing, Gavin Newsom says
Teachers and safety workers joined Gov. Gavin Newsom and Mayor London Breed at Francis Scott Key Elementary School in the Sunset District on Thursday to talk about their desperate efforts to keep living in ...
‘White men have no electability advantage at all’
Political pundits often use the term “electability” to dismiss the chances of a non-white male candidate, but a new study says that’s a myth. “Basically, all demographic groups win their elections ...
Prop. 13 reform measure pushed aside — backers seek new tax plan for businesses
A 2020 ballot initiative that would dramatically change Proposition 13, California’s landmark tax-cutting measure, is being pushed aside by its backers in favor of a revised plan they believe will have a ...
California officials warn of ‘unsustainable’ taxpayer costs in disaster bill
A bill that state finance officials warn could saddle California taxpayers with expensive and unnecessary premiums for disaster insurance is sweeping toward passage in the Legislature, so far without ...
Facial recognition misidentified 26 California lawmakers as criminal suspects
Three San Francisco Democrats were among 26 California legislators who were wrongly identified as suspected criminals using the Amazon’s facial recognition technology, according to results of a test ...
Trump’s death-penalty push puts House Dems like Josh Harder in tough spot
Attorney General William Barr says the Trump administration wants congressional legislation to accelerate death penalty proceedings for cop killers and mass shooters. That could force House members ...
Kamala Harris has missed plenty of votes while campaigning. She’s not alone
The nation’s Capitol shuts down in August, and presidential candidates who serve in Congress are taking advantage by hitting the campaign trail. But even before the reprieve, plenty of ...
Election 2019: Here are all of San Francisco’s November ballot measures
The six ballot measures facing San Francisco voters on the Nov. 5 ballot got their identifying letters by the city’s elections department Monday. Voters will consider the city’s largest-ever affordable ...
Problems with DMV voter program didn’t hurt election, study finds
An audit of California’s troubled Motor Voter program identified hundreds of thousands of discrepancies between the data collected through automatic voter registration at the Department of Motor Vehicles ...
Parents block California’s effort to investigate ‘fake’ vaccine exemptions
Uncooperative parents have often blocked the Medical Board of California’s attempts to investigate doctors accused of writing fake vaccine exemptions. State lawmakers want to change that.
Kamala Harris barnstorms Iowa in effort to build 2020 momentum
Kamala Harris’ campaign is hoping that building up in Iowa will provide a lasting spark for the California Democrat. She’s crossing the state in a five-day tour that’s a departure for any candidate ...
Modesto denies permit for Straight Pride rally in city park, suggests new locale
The city denied permission to organizers who wanted to hold a rally to celebrate Caucasians, Christianity, heterosexuality and nationalism.
After El Paso shooting, Modesto worries about Straight Pride rally coming to town
Residents of Modesto are worried about a Straight Pride rally that celebrates Caucasians, Christianity, heterosexuality and nationalism coming to town — especially after what happened in Texas recently.
California Republican wants party to denounce white nationalism at convention
In the wake of a string of horrific mass shootings, Republican Assemblyman Chad Mayes wants the California Republican Party to do more to denounce white nationalism and racism.
Redistricting battle in Michigan could threaten California citizens’ commission
A Republican-backed lawsuit aimed at killing Michigan’s new redistricting commission could threaten the future of California’s landmark citizens’ reapportionment panel.
Sen. Kamala Harris airing first TV ad of 2020 campaign in Iowa
California Sen. Kamala Harris is launching the first TV ad of her 2020 presidential campaign for the Democratic nomination, starting in the crucial first caucus state of Iowa.
Scandal-plagued Rep. Duncan Hunter faces another GOP challenger in Carl DeMaio
Carl DeMaio, a former San Diego councilman and current conservative radio talk show host, has become the fifth Republican to challenge scandal-plagued GOP Rep. Duncan Hunter in the 2020 primary, painting ...
Dems now outnumber Republicans in traditional GOP stronghold of Orange County
In a new bit of the continuing flood of bad news for California Republicans, Democrats are now the leading party in Orange County, the storied home of the Reagan Revolution and longtime stronghold for the ...
Newsom puts $331 million from settlement into legal aid for housing
Gov. Gavin Newsom is proposing to deposit the state’s share of a 2012 nationwide bank settlement into a legal assistance fund for renters and homeowners, following a California Supreme Court ruling last ...
Congress, out on recess, grapples from afar with next steps on guns
As America reels from multiple mass shootings, Congress is out of D.C. until mid-September. But plenty of lawmakers — including several from the Bay Area — are looking to build momentum for action on ...
California spending big on census after Trump’s citizenship question fight
California is spending a record amount on the 2020 census because of President Trump’s attempts to add a citizenship question to the form. Preparations are already under way, with community organizations ...
Trump campaign, GOP sue California over 2020 election tax-return requirement
President Trump and representatives for the Republican Party separately sued Tuesday to overturn a California law that would require presidential and gubernatorial candidates to release their tax returns.
Redistricting commission extends deadline as diversity of applicants lags
Facing concerns about a lack of ethnic and gender diversity, State Auditor Elaine Howle announced Monday that she will extend the application deadline for the California Redistricting Commission by 10 days .
SF Mayor Breed has one word to describe her management style...
“I harass the department heads and staff constantly. I harass daily, even hourly sometimes,” says the mayor, who is up for re-election in November with no significant opposition.
Postmates cleared for robot deliveries in SF — Marble wants...
Postmates will be allowed to test up to three autonomous delivery robots in San Francisco.
View from outside California’s blue bubble: Trump could win...
President Trump remains popular with working-class voters in the industrial heartland, even if wage growth hasn’t kept up with the rise in the economy. One organization trying to connect with ...
Gavin Newsom to sign California bill tightening rules for...
California is tightening its rules for when police officers can open fire on suspects, giving the state one of the toughest use-of-force standards in the country.
California’s big housing bill is dead for the year. Here’s...
With SB50 shelved for the year, advocates of ramping up housing production in California have lost their primary legislative vehicle this session.
How Southern California Rep. Ted Lieu became Trump’s top...
Southern California Rep. Ted Lieu didn’t come to Congress intending to be a social media star or go viral for his questioning of witnesses in congressional hearings. Then the 2016 election happened.
Former Oakland Councilwoman Brooks says city’s ‘failed’...
Former Oakland City Councilwoman Desley Brooks is seeking monetary damages against the city and city attorney’s office, claiming that their defense of her legal battle against an ex-Black Panther leader ...
White House considers diverting San Francisco Bay money to pay...
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is considering diverting millions of dollars from San Francisco Bay shoreline restoration and flood control to help build the president’s wall on the southern ...
Gavin Newsom to sign California bill tightening rules for police shootings
California is tightening its rules for when police officers can open fire on suspects, giving the state one of the toughest use-of-force standards in the country.
Breed 2018 campaign probed for possible campaign finance violations
The alleged violations are tied to a cluster of campaign donations made by nine people from January to May 2018. Five donors made contributions of $100 to $500 — the maximum amount — after their ...
Feds open investigation into SF affordable housing policies
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has opened an investigation into whether San Francisco’s housing policies violate federal nondiscrimination laws, according to documents obtained by ...
Trump can be beaten, top fundraiser tells Dems, so ‘stop wringing your hands’
The president of Emily’s List says Democrats are allowing President Trump to psyche them out and get into their heads before the 2020 presidential race. She is optimistic and says female voters could ...
Kamala Harris’ thread-the-needle message put to test in crucial 2020 state
The California senator is deploying a strategy that seeks to straddle the line between the progressive Democratic presidential candidates who advocate sweeping structural change and moderates with a more ...
Marianne Williamson campaigns in California, where she feels ‘understood’
After a grueling past few days on the presidential campaign trail, Marianne Williamson began her Oakland town hall rally Wednesday night by saying, “There’s no place I’d rather be than California. I ...
Gig-worker bill: Gavin Newsom keeps his distance from California’s big fight
Time is running out for the governor to take a stand on an issue that is splitting Sacramento and affects 1 in 10 Californians — a bill that would turn gig workers into employees. It pits him between two ...
‘Small ball’ housing aid in SF: It’s better than nothing, Gavin Newsom says
Teachers and safety workers joined Gov. Gavin Newsom and Mayor London Breed at Francis Scott Key Elementary School in the Sunset District on Thursday to talk about their desperate efforts to keep living in ...
‘White men have no electability advantage at all’
Political pundits often use the term “electability” to dismiss the chances of a non-white male candidate, but a new study says that’s a myth. “Basically, all demographic groups win their elections ...
Prop. 13 reform measure pushed aside — backers seek new tax plan for businesses
A 2020 ballot initiative that would dramatically change Proposition 13, California’s landmark tax-cutting measure, is being pushed aside by its backers in favor of a revised plan they believe will have a ...
California officials warn of ‘unsustainable’ taxpayer costs in disaster bill
A bill that state finance officials warn could saddle California taxpayers with expensive and unnecessary premiums for disaster insurance is sweeping toward passage in the Legislature, so far without ...
Facial recognition misidentified 26 California lawmakers as criminal suspects
Three San Francisco Democrats were among 26 California legislators who were wrongly identified as suspected criminals using the Amazon’s facial recognition technology, according to results of a test ...
Trump’s death-penalty push puts House Dems like Josh Harder in tough spot
Attorney General William Barr says the Trump administration wants congressional legislation to accelerate death penalty proceedings for cop killers and mass shooters. That could force House members ...
Kamala Harris has missed plenty of votes while campaigning. She’s not alone
The nation’s Capitol shuts down in August, and presidential candidates who serve in Congress are taking advantage by hitting the campaign trail. But even before the reprieve, plenty of ...
Election 2019: Here are all of San Francisco’s November ballot measures
The six ballot measures facing San Francisco voters on the Nov. 5 ballot got their identifying letters by the city’s elections department Monday. Voters will consider the city’s largest-ever affordable ...
Problems with DMV voter program didn’t hurt election, study finds
An audit of California’s troubled Motor Voter program identified hundreds of thousands of discrepancies between the data collected through automatic voter registration at the Department of Motor Vehicles ...
Parents block California’s effort to investigate ‘fake’ vaccine exemptions
Uncooperative parents have often blocked the Medical Board of California’s attempts to investigate doctors accused of writing fake vaccine exemptions. State lawmakers want to change that.
Kamala Harris barnstorms Iowa in effort to build 2020 momentum
Kamala Harris’ campaign is hoping that building up in Iowa will provide a lasting spark for the California Democrat. She’s crossing the state in a five-day tour that’s a departure for any candidate ...
Modesto denies permit for Straight Pride rally in city park, suggests new locale
The city denied permission to organizers who wanted to hold a rally to celebrate Caucasians, Christianity, heterosexuality and nationalism.
After El Paso shooting, Modesto worries about Straight Pride rally coming to town
Residents of Modesto are worried about a Straight Pride rally that celebrates Caucasians, Christianity, heterosexuality and nationalism coming to town — especially after what happened in Texas recently.
California Republican wants party to denounce white nationalism at convention
In the wake of a string of horrific mass shootings, Republican Assemblyman Chad Mayes wants the California Republican Party to do more to denounce white nationalism and racism.
Redistricting battle in Michigan could threaten California citizens’ commission
A Republican-backed lawsuit aimed at killing Michigan’s new redistricting commission could threaten the future of California’s landmark citizens’ reapportionment panel.
Sen. Kamala Harris airing first TV ad of 2020 campaign in Iowa
California Sen. Kamala Harris is launching the first TV ad of her 2020 presidential campaign for the Democratic nomination, starting in the crucial first caucus state of Iowa.
Scandal-plagued Rep. Duncan Hunter faces another GOP challenger in Carl DeMaio
Carl DeMaio, a former San Diego councilman and current conservative radio talk show host, has become the fifth Republican to challenge scandal-plagued GOP Rep. Duncan Hunter in the 2020 primary, painting ...
Dems now outnumber Republicans in traditional GOP stronghold of Orange County
In a new bit of the continuing flood of bad news for California Republicans, Democrats are now the leading party in Orange County, the storied home of the Reagan Revolution and longtime stronghold for the ...
Newsom puts $331 million from settlement into legal aid for housing
Gov. Gavin Newsom is proposing to deposit the state’s share of a 2012 nationwide bank settlement into a legal assistance fund for renters and homeowners, following a California Supreme Court ruling last ...
Congress, out on recess, grapples from afar with next steps on guns
As America reels from multiple mass shootings, Congress is out of D.C. until mid-September. But plenty of lawmakers — including several from the Bay Area — are looking to build momentum for action on ...
California spending big on census after Trump’s citizenship question fight
California is spending a record amount on the 2020 census because of President Trump’s attempts to add a citizenship question to the form. Preparations are already under way, with community organizations ...
Trump campaign, GOP sue California over 2020 election tax-return requirement
President Trump and representatives for the Republican Party separately sued Tuesday to overturn a California law that would require presidential and gubernatorial candidates to release their tax returns.
Redistricting commission extends deadline as diversity of applicants lags
Facing concerns about a lack of ethnic and gender diversity, State Auditor Elaine Howle announced Monday that she will extend the application deadline for the California Redistricting Commission by 10 days .
Exclusive Columnists
Don’t underestimate Trump’s supporters. They can re-elect...
The president’s voters don’t expect him to find them a job. They don’t expect free health care, and they don’t have college debt. Trump’s voters know they are screwed. They just want to be entertained. It’s the Democrats who can tear each other apart over the issues and leave a ...
UC Davis alumni get it backward on Sierra retreat — buy high...
Seemed like a good idea at the time. UC Davis alumni are looking to sell a 210-acre Sierra spread for $3.9 million after a plan to build a family camp failed to get off the ground.
Trump can be beaten, top fundraiser tells Dems, so ‘stop...
The president of Emily’s List says Democrats are allowing President Trump to psyche them out and get into their heads before the 2020 presidential race. She is optimistic and says female voters could well drive the party to victory.
‘They’re getting it done’: What SF can learn from...
San Francisco and Seattle are practically twin cities — except when it comes to getting housing and homeless shelters built. Mayor London Breed is looking north for guidance.
Rueful over heritage claim, Warren woos Native American vote
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren offered a public apology Monday to Native Americans over her past claim to tribal heritage, directly tackling an area that's ...
