Capitol Weekly Podcast

Want to support the Capitol Weekly Podcast? Make your tax deductible donation here: capitolweekly.net/donations/Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang "#WorstWeekCA" Beat provided by freebeats.io Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jack Ohman has been a political cartoonist for 48 years; he got his start at the Minnesota Daily when he was still a college student, and at 19 he became the youngest-ever syndicated cartoonist in the United States. He has worked at major papers across the US, including The Detroit Free Press, The Oregonian and The Sacramento Bee, where in 2016 he won the Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning. Since 2023 he has been the editorial cartoonist and a political columnist for The San Francisco Chronicle, and also publishes at his Substack, Jack Ohman's You Betcha.He joined us to talk about his history in the news biz, the state of editorial cartooning, the death of Scott Adams, and much, much more.   Plus - Who Had the Worst Week in California Politics.1:00 Sports betting update3:27 The Prop. 50 court decision5:41 Clarissa Laguardia podcast6:47 Jack Ohman7:46 Origin story9:23 Collapse of the afternoon papers11:53 Substack14:04 Political cartooning vs. comic strips15:30 "I never really wanted to be a cartoonist, I wanted to be governor of Minnesota"16:00 Kate Brown18:27 Youngest syndicated cartoonist23:46 Are we in a new Yellow Journalism era?26:58 "In some ways we're fighting the same battles of the Civil War"33:27 The Death of Scott Adams36: 39 Bacchi Decision40:21 Where is cartooning right now?48:46 Thomas Nast49:43 #WWCAWant to support the Capitol Weekly Podcast? Make your tax deductible donation here: capitolweekly.net/donations/Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang "#WorstWeekCA" Beat provided by freebeats.io Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We're joined today by Clarissa Laguardia, Executive Director of the California Center for Civic Participation (CalCenter). CalCenter is a non-profit organization that works to engage young people in the democratic process. Their approach to civic participation centers youth voices, demystifies the process, and equips and connects young people with opportunities to create impactful change in their communities.Laguardia is passionate about CalCenter's projects - she knows firsthand the importance of engaging in the poltical experience. She grew up in El Salvador during the Salvadoran Civil War and migrated to the United States after high school, speaking no English. She navigated the immigrant experience largely on her own, mastering the language and gaining a profound understanding of the importance of communication. Her background has helped her connect with young people statewide.While CalCenter's programs have always been the heart of the organization, it is probably best known for producing The California Roast. For decades, the Roast was one of the highest-profile fundraisers on the Capitol calendar, with Governors, Attorneys General, Speakers, Pro Tems and other well known California pols flaming each other in a bawdy evening of - mostly - good-spirited fun. The Roast ended nearly a decade ago - and backfilling that fundraising is a challenge in itself.1:33 A Conference on Housing4:39 PSA: Op-Eds5:55 Clarissa Laguardia7:06 What is the CalCenter?9:21 Capitol Focus, She Shares and The California Roast12:11 "Speaking their language"16:32 Shout out to Jim Muldavin18:08 Laguardia's backstory and how it helps her connect with young people20:14 "Being the other has helped me... I know what it's like in my own skin"26:39 Cynicism about Democracy29:26 Reaction of students34:04 Shake the Future Up37:55 #WWCAWant to support the Capitol Weekly Podcast? Make your tax deductible donation here: capitolweekly.net/donations/Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang "#WorstWeekCA" Beat provided by freebeats.io Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie took office one year ago this week after beating incumbent mayor London Breed and several sitting and former SF supervisors in what ended up as a wide open four-way race. Lurie's first year has largely been seen as a success, with the notable exception of his appointment of former Sunset pet shop owner Beya Alcaraz to a vacant supervisor's seat - a position she held for less than one Scaramucci.We're joined today by Mission Local Managing Editor and columnist Joe Eskenazi, who looks back over Lurie's first year, and gets us up to speed on other San Francisco political news, including the race to replace Nancy Pelosi, who has announced that she will not seek another term. On January 7, Eskenazi and Cynthia Laird of the Bay Area Reporter will moderate a forum with the top three candidates: Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco); San Francisco Supervisor Connie Chan; and Saikat Chakrabarti, former chief of staff to Congressmember Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York.We also take a look at the possibility of an initiative to reopen the Great Highway to auto traffic, and the effort to form a municipal power company that would take over PG&E's electrical infrastructure via eminent domain - a movement that got a boost following last week's massive power outage. Plus, Who Had the Worst Week in California Politics.1:12 Joe Eskenazi1:31 House District 11 Forum2:27 A report card on Mayor Lurie's first year6:19 Lurie's longest week: Beya Alcaraz and all that14:21 The initiative to reopen the Great Highway and impact on the race to replace Nancy Pelosi17:08 Labor19:37  Saikat Chakrabarti20:32 Supervisor Connie Chan21:02 Sen. Scott Wiener22:55 PG&E blackout23:39 A San Francisco municipal power utility?31:00 #WWCAWant to support the Capitol Weekly Podcast? Make your tax deductible donation here: capitolweekly.net/donations/Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang "#WorstWeekCA" Beat provided by freebeats.io Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hosts Rich Ehisen and Tim Foster are joined by Politico’s Chris Cadelago for a look back at the Top 10 California political stories of 2025 – and a look at what's coming next year.:41 Chris Cadelago2:10 Leah O'Tarrow2:41 Los Angeles fires10:00 Donald trump vs. California21:16 The firing of Cynthia Moreno and subsequent lawsuit28:10 Artificial Intelligence36:55 CEQA reform42:29 Pharmacy Benefit Managers47:15 The Governor's race56:54 Governor Newsom's media blitz1:02:46 Prop. 501:10:16 Other stories: Pelosi retirement, cannabis tax, etc...1:11:11 Dana Williamson scandal1:19:33 Closing thoughtsWant to support the Capitol Weekly Podcast? Make your tax deductible donation here: capitolweekly.net/donations/Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Brian Ebbert, Chris Micheli and Alex Vassar may not be household names to the average Californian, but in the Capitol Community, they are approaching celebrity status for their deep knowledge of legislative history and state government procedure. Putting that knowledge to good use, the trio has just published The California Capitol Cocktail Trivia Book, a lively and engaging collection of little-known facts, anecdotes, and curiosities drawn from the rich history of California’s state government. They joined us to talk about the project and shared stories from the book.We're also joined by Luke Wood, President of California State University, Sacramento. Wood has seen notable successes during his tenure - notably increased enrollment and the school's highest-ever graduation rate. His leadership is not without controversy - he has received significant criticism for his plan to implement a rule that Starting in 2026, Sac State freshmen must live two years on campus.Plus, who had the Worst Week in California politics?:50 Capitol ink3:47 Planned Parenthood cuts4:45 Santa's take on California politics7:48 Capitol trivia10:41 POLITICO trivia night12:28 Detour to a topless bar13:55 The capitol's speakeasy16:18 Scandals18:11 How to buy the book19:51 Luke Wood20:58 What is the feeling of the student body right now?24:38 Live on campus rule28:42 Impact of Nancy Skinner's NIL bill35:29 Downtown Capitol Center39:09 #WWCAWant to support the Capitol Weekly Podcast? Make your tax deductible donationhere: capitolweekly.net/donations/Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang "#WorstWeekCA" Beat provided by freebeats.io Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

December 15 is Bill of Rights Day - it is also the launch date for a new organization comprised of over 40 retired state Supreme Court Chief Justices committed to educating the public about the role of the judiciary and protecting the constitutional balance put in place by the Founders. The Alliance of Former Chief Justices is a project of Keep Our Republic, a non-partisan civic education organization committed to "strengthening the vitality of America’s democracy by promoting trust in elections, the rule of law, and the constitutional system of checks and balances."We're joined today by former California Supreme Court Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye, who was appointed to the high court by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2010 and served until January 2023.  Following her term on the Supreme Court she has served as the President and CEO of the Public Policy Institute of California. The launch of the new organization comes at a fraught time, as judges across the nation face heightened political pressure and public attacks. Chief Justice Cantil-Sakauye spoke with us about the need to bolster the public's understanding of the judiciary and the crucial role the judiciary plays in the separation of powers that is a hallmark of the American system of government.2:20 In the future, everyone will be on the Capitol Weekly Podcast for 15 minutes3:16 A proposed amendment to limit traffic accident payouts4:57 Chief Justice Cantil-Sakauye7:43 How is this going to work?9:00 A visit to SCOTUS11:42 When CA's Supreme Court went live14:02 How to introduce civics education to young people?15:19 The judiciary: least understood, most criticized branch of government15:35 Are the courts more politicized than before?20:50 The structure of the Alliance24:30 Court funding28:08 #WWCAWant to support the Capitol Weekly Podcast? Make your tax deductible donationhere: capitolweekly.net/donations/Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang "#WorstWeekCA" Beat provided by freebeats.io Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Congressman Eric Swalwell announced last month that he was joining the crowded race to replace California governor Gavin Newsom. The Dublin lawmaker enters a fluid contest with no overwhelming favorite. Recent polling shows Swalwell - along with former house member Katie Porter and Republicans Chad Bianco and Steve Hilton - in the 10-15% range, with a small fleet of other candidates struggling to break out of the single digits.Swalwell has been one of President Trump's most vocal critics in the House and served as impeachment manager during Trump's second impeachment. While that visibility likely increases his favorability with Democratic voters, it comes at a cost: he has been hit with allegations of mortgage and tax fraud by Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte. Pulte, an ally of President Trump has made similar claims against two other Trump antagonists, New York AG Letitia James and Federal Reserve Board of Governors Member Lisa Cook. Swalwell strongly disputes the allegations and filed a suit against Pulte on November 25. Looking at the polls, the allegations don't seem to have dented his star with potential Primary voters.Swalwell joined us on Thursday for a conversation about his candidacy, how he plans to address the state's affordability crisis, his experiences as a local official, navigating familial political divides, the temperature in congress, the Democratic Party brand, and much, much more.  Plus - Who had the Worst Week in California Politics?:29 View from the continent2:58 Capitol Weekly update3:55 A Conference on Housing6:26 Eric Swalwell8:57 Affordability/Cost Crisis10:30 A Republican family11:41 "No hat rule in place"12:23 January 613:53 "A day after Trump"17:28 How to rebuild the Democratic brand19:24 What is it like being in congress right now?21:19 The generational shift25:05 How did you break both thumbs?27:06 #WWCAWant to support the Capitol Weekly Podcast? Make your tax deductible donationhere: capitolweekly.net/donations/Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang "#WorstWeekCA" Beat provided by freebeats.io Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

CAPITOL WEEKLY PODCAST: Few know the impacts of federal and state actions better than local governments, who are often tasked with implementing those policies. Our guest today is Graham Knaus, CEO of the California State Association of Counties (CSAC), which advocates on behalf of all 58 of California’s counties. He joins us today to discuss CSAC’s upcoming gubernatorial forum and the looming challenges counties face from both H.R. 1, a.k.a. President Donald Trump’s “big beautiful bill,” and the state’s ongoing budget shortfall. 1:09 Capitol Weekly Podcast schedule1:23 Graham Knaus2:00 Impacts of H.R. 1 on health care5:45 Impacts of H.R. 1 on CalFresh7:01 Positive impacts of H.R. 1?9:12 “The challenge is a political one.”11:02 How much could be undone?13:48 Challenges of Prop. 3614:43 Homelessness crisis18:45 CARE Court20:30 Acting as one cohesive voice 23:30 Upcoming gubernatorial candidate forum 26:50 Looking ahead to 202628:30 “Counties are stewards of services…”29:42 WWCAWant to support the Capitol Weekly Podcast? Make your tax deductible donationhere: capitolweekly.net/donations/Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang "#WorstWeekCA" Beat provided by freebeats.io Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Our guest today is Jim Wunderman, who has been at or near the center of Bay Area Politics for four decades, starting with his time working in the office of then-San Francisco Mayor Dianne Feinstein. Feinstein taught Wunderman to think of the larger San Francisco region as one interconnected entity, an approach that ultimately made him a perfect fit as the head of the Bay Area Council.  Wunderman served as the CEO of BAC for just over 21 years.Last month he announced that he will be leaving the organization to head up public affairs for California Forever, the ambitious project to create en entirely new European-style city on what is now cow pasture just outside of Rio Vista.  California Forever is the dream of Jan Sramek, a Czechoslovakian emigre who sees the project as a major step in solving California's housing crisis. He's convinced a bevy of billionaires to back him - now it will be up to Wunderman to get California's political decision makers on board. 1:17 Dana Williamson6:40 Last week's WWCA winner: Kevin Kiley7:45 Capitol Weekly news9:20 Jim Wunderman12:13 BAC's bipartisan success15:36 CEQA reform19:53 New leadership at BAC?20:56 From Feinstein's office to BAC27:12 "I met Nancy Pelosi in 1984..."28:47 California Forever34:34 Impact of Climate Change on project?38:13 Timeline41:43 WWCAWant to support the Capitol Weekly Podcast? Make your tax deductible donation here: capitolweekly.net/donations/Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang"#WorstWeekCA" Beat provided by freebeats.io Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

After a lightning speed rollout and campaign, Proposition 50 passed decisively last week, with voters approving a partisan temporary gerrymander of the state's congressional districts - and handing California Democrats a major win. The new maps will shift district lines and upend the seats of five Republican members of Congress, throwing them into distinctly less friendly territory - if Prop. 50 survives the GOP legal challenge filed the day after the election.  Our guests today are two of the state's foremost redistricting experts, Matt Rexroad and Paul Mitchell. Rexroad is a former Yolo County Supervisor and longtime GOP consultant. Mitchell, a lifelong Democrat, is the state's best-known political data expert, and led the team that created Prop. 50's maps. They name the winners and losers in this epic political battle, walk us through the various legal challenges, and look ahead at what this means for redistricting reform in the long term.Plus: our longest-ever list of Who Had the Worst Week in California Politics. They say that success has many fathers but in the case of Proposition 50 there appear to be even more losers than winners. We'll go over the list, but ultimately leave the final decision to you!2:35 Lourdes Ayon5:58 Paul Mitchell and Matt Rexroad6:55 Biggest winners and losers8:52 "Shaking up the ant farm"9:53 Remember the Recall13:35 Influencers15:13 Politico story15:45 Turnout18:18 The opposition: What happened?20:16 Lawsuits30:29 How do California districts compare to other states?33:05 Possible reforms?36:23 Which districts are most likely to flip?42:25 The bottom line47:13 Redistricting overreach?54:35 #WWCA  (click here to vote!)Want to support the Capitol Weekly Podcast? Make your tax deductible donation here: capitolweekly.net/donations/Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang"#WorstWeekCA" Beat provided by freebeats.io Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Adam Silver was appointed Chair of the Fair Political Practices Commission in March 2024. The FPPC was created in 1974 when California voters approved Proposition 9, The Political Reform Act, in the wake of the Watergate scandal. Five decades later, the FFPC is plenty busy. Silver joined us to talk about the Commission's work, the challenges posed by Cryptocurrencies and his path to the Chairmanship. Plus, a full slate of options for Who Had the Worst Week in California Politics.1:17 Leah O'Tarrow2:09 SB413:48 Adam Silver6:00 AI and emerging technologies8:44 "If the FPPC is prosecuting everybody then that honestly is going to undermine the public trust"10:37 2025 Legislation, AB95316:53 A brief history of the FPPC18:20 is it really legal for lawmakers to receive campaign donations in their offices?21:56 Origin story24:00 Capital Fellows Program25:49 Biggest regulatory challenge?32:34 #WWCAWant to support the Capitol Weekly Podcast? Make your tax deductible donation here: capitolweekly.net/donations/Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang"#WorstWeekCA" Beat provided by freebeats.io Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today we welcome lobbyist Leah Barros of Barros Clay and Associates. Barros is a familiar face in Sacramento, having worked in the Capitol as a staffer and later as a lobbyist for various firms before launching her own shop. Among her notable wins was leading the lobbying effort to enact The CROWN Act, the first statewide law in the country to prohibit racial discrimination on the basis of natural hairstyles in the workplace and schools. That experience changed her perception of what she could - and should - do as an advocate. Plus - Who Had the Worst Week in California Politics?1:00 Cap Weekly update1:49 Capitol Weekly interns6:35 Abuse survivors in LA County7:20 Leah Barros7:39 A look back at the session10:01 Origin story14:28 "My best friend Delilah Clay"17:54 When session ends the work doesn's stop20:10 Dealing with turmoil in #caleg22:17 The CROWN Act26:31 How to have a good relationship with clients31:00 #WWCAWant to support the Capitol Weekly Podcast? Make your tax deductible donation here: capitolweekly.net/donations/Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang"#WorstWeekCA" Beat provided by freebeats.io Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On October 14, 2025, Capitol Weekly, CalMatters, and the University of California Student and Policy Center presented California Votes: Proposition 50 - Should Californians support mid-decade redistricting?Proposition 50 would require California to use new congressional district maps through 2030. Use of independent Citizens Redistricting Commission maps would resume after that date.Governor Newsom and Democrats in the legislature argue that the “Election Rigging Response Act” is a temporary, emergency proposal to counter mid-decade partisan gerrymanders underway in Texas and other red states that are designed to benefit President Trump and the Republican Party. Republicans counter that California should not return to partisan redistricting in which the party in power controls the maps.Proponents from each of the campaigns offered their arguments in a debate moderated by Rich Ehisen of Capitol Weekly and Juliet Williams of CalMatters. Rusty Hicks, Chair of the California Democratic Party represented the Yes side. Patricia Sinay of the California Citizens Redistricting Commission represented the No side.Want to support the Capitol Weekly Podcast? Make your tax deductible donation here: capitolweekly.net/donations/Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We're joined today by California State Treasurer Fiona Ma. The Treasurer is the state's banker and manages $3 trillion per year, among many other things. Ma is a former San Francisco Supervisor, state legislator and member of the Board of Equalization, and a current candidate for Lieutenant Governor. She spoke with us about the Treasurer's job, her path to that office, and about her mentor, the legendary John Burton.  :21 Proposition 50 debate2:12 Lindsey Horvath and Measure G6:20 Fiona Ma7:09 What does the State Treasurer do?9:10 Dancing with the Capitol Stars13:32 Origin story20:22 The Board of Equalization22:03 Can CA backfill federal budget cuts?26:53 "Government by Unicorn"27:28 Public-private partnerships31:18 What's next for Fiona Ma?36:03 #WWCAWant to support the Capitol Weekly Podcast? Make your tax deductible donation here: capitolweekly.net/donations/Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang"#WorstWeekCA" Beat provided by freebeats.io Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Capitol Weekly and the University of California Student and Policy Center presented A Conference on Health Care on Wednesday, October 1, 2025 in Sacramento.In today's episode we present the Keynote: A conversation between Dr. S. Monica Soni of Covered California and Capitol Weekly Editor Rich Ehisen.California is reeling from devastating federal budget cuts to health care and social services while state leaders grapple with shortfalls in our own Budget. Whatever happens in DC and Sacramento, California’s health care system is poised to see major changes.Stick around til the end; Rich and special guest Robin Epley of the Sacramento Bee tell you Who Had the Worst Week in California Politics.Thanks to our Health Care sponsors:THE CALIFORNIA HEALTH CARE FOUNDATION, THE TRIBAL ALLIANCE OF SOVEREIGN INDIAN NATIONS, WESTERN STATES PETROLEUM ASSOCIATION, KP PUBLIC AFFAIRS, PERRY COMMUNICATIONS GROUP, CAPITOL ADVOCACY, THE WEIDEMAN GROUP, CALKIN PUBLIC AFFAIRS, STUTZMAN PUBLIC AFFAIRS, LUCAS PUBLIC AFFAIRS, BICKER, CASTILLO, FAIRBANKS & SPITZ PUBLIC AFFAIRS and CALIFORNIA PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTERS Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Host Rich Ehisen is back from the wilderness, just in time to welcome lobbyist Jennifer Fearing.  Fearing is perhaps California's best known "White Hat" lobbyist - she largely represents animal rights orgs, environmental groups and other nonprofits - and is recognized for punching above her weight. High on her priority list this session were three bills that would curtail "puppy mill" sales in the state; SB 312, AB 519 and AB 506 have passed the legislature and are currently waiting on the Governor's signature. She spoke with us about those bills,  about the unstable environment nonprofit orgs have found themselves in, what she, and her clients are doing about it. And of course we asked her about First Dog Sutter Brown.1:37 Highway 3952:40 The Dave Cogdill Memorial Highway6:15 "Dewey Defeats Truman"8:36 From Culbert Olson to a biography of Lone Pine14:19 Jennifer Fearing15:10 The environment for nonprofits today19:28 How do you plan for this moment?20:42 AB 131822:38 "Giant mess"25:30 Practical actions26:44 "We have GoBiz but we don't have GoNonProfits"27:31 Necessary reforms?29:29 Puppy Mill bills35:59 Gov. Newsom's attitude about animals37:11 The pet otter37:51 The Sutter Brown era43:07 #WWCAWant to support the Capitol Weekly Podcast? Make your tax deductible donation here: capitolweekly.net/donations/Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang"#WorstWeekCA" Beat provided by freebeats.io Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Host Rich Ehisen is on vacation, so original CW Podcast Host John Howard joins Tim Foster in the studio to chat about the news and his life post-Capitol Weekly. We also look at a laundry list of Worst Week candidates including a politician who was unceremoniously booted from office, a California company facing a political backlash, a news organization reminded once again of their past malfeasance, and many more.:43 John Howard1:16 A book on California highways3:57 A visit with the press corp6:27 #WWCAWant to support the Capitol Weekly Podcast? Make your tax deductible donation here: capitolweekly.net/donations/Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang#WorstWeekCA" Beat provided by freebeats.io Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Author, podcaster, gadfly and former Assemblymember Mike Gatto joins us to talk about the state of politics, Roman history, and the experience of being a crime victim... plus so much more.1:45 AB 3252:43 Governor's approval rating4:25 Who's in/Who's out for 26 Gov's race5:34 Mike Gatto7:30 "Courage begets courage"10:16 The diminished power of the legislature13:16 Roman history allegory14:55 Redistricting18:49 Democrats are just reacting to Trump20:01 Dems need to stand for something23:54 National Dems with a vision28:58 Prop. 3633:03 Murder of Joseph Gatto38:16 The appeal of Roman History39:45 WTF History Podcast40:24 Knighthood?42:15 What does the future hold for Mike Gatto?44:17 Who Had the Worst Week in CA Politics?  #WWCAWant to support the Capitol Weekly Podcast? Make your tax deductible donation here: capitolweekly.net/donations/Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang"#WorstWeekCA" Beat provided by freebeats.io Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The National Conference of State Legislatures was created by state legislators and legislative staff in 1975. NCSL serves America’s 50 states, commonwealths, territories and the District of Columbia with access to bipartisan policy research, training resources and technical assistance and hosts the annual NCSL Legislative Summit, the largest policy meeting in the US. We're joined today by Tim Storey, who has headed the organization since 2019. We asked him what the 'hot' topics were at this year's Summit, how his members feel about the Redistricting wave sweeping the nation, and how the organization has maintained its bipartisan status in a deeply partisan era. 1:22 New polling on Newsom approval rating2:46 West-Wide Governance Pathways Initiative3:14 Breakout Top 100 star: Jim Wunderman6:11 Tim Storey8:23 Jess Unruh9:45 Bringing people together10:38 "The largest policy meeting in the United States"14:40 The difficulty of staying nonpartisan in a deeply partisan era19:00 Redistricting24:12 California connection27:25 A national redistricting law?28:10 Big issues?30:53 "More states are projecting slow revenue growth"33:12 The pig story37:37: #WWCAWant to support the Capitol Weekly Podcast? Make your tax deductible donation here: capitolweekly.net/donations/Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang"#WorstWeekCA" Beat provided by freebeats.io Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.