Annual Tahoe summit with the man, the legend, George Skelton
Mark Z. Barabak
@markzbarabak.bsky.social
LA Times columnist, covering politics from out West. Cat on a tin roof. Dogs in a pile. California uber alles. https://www.latimes.com/people/mark-z-barabak
NEW: Democrats are at each other’s throats — this time over the 2028 calendar The choice of which state begins the presidential balloting turned into a needlessly divisive conflict over race and ethnicity. Nevada didn't take South Carolina's selection well. www.latimes.com/politics/sto...
Commentary: Democrats are at each other's throats — this time over the 2028 calendar
The choice of which state begins the presidential balloting turned into a needlessly divisive conflict over race and ethnicity. Nevada didn't take South Carolina's selection well.
latimes.com
Small farmers left out to dry State law that protects groundwater is financially straining family operations that may end up losing land to industrial growers @ianjames.bsky.social www.latimes.com/environment/...
California’s push to limit groundwater pumping could leave small farmers in the dust
According to a new report, California groundwater regulations threaten to put many small farms out of business.
latimes.com
NEW: Democrats are at each other’s throats — this time over the 2028 calendar The choice of which state begins the presidential balloting turned into a needlessly divisive conflict over race and ethnicity. Nevada didn't take South Carolina's selection well. www.latimes.com/politics/sto...
Commentary: Democrats are at each other's throats — this time over the 2028 calendar
The choice of which state begins the presidential balloting turned into a needlessly divisive conflict over race and ethnicity. Nevada didn't take South Carolina's selection well.
latimes.com
Few contested House races, but high stakes Even with more safe districts in redrawn map, California will help determine party control. @justinemcdaniel.bsky.social www.latimes.com/politics/sto...
Though California could be key to House control, it now has few battlegrounds
California's redistricting has helped drive a decrease in the number of competitive congressional districts nationwide, a new analysis found. The battlegrounds that are left could have national conseq...
latimes.com
It’s been a summer of bad news for Los Angeles Mayor Bass. Can she reset the narrative? @noahmgoldberg.bsky.social www.latimes.com/california/s...
It's been a summer of bad news for Mayor Bass. Can she reset the narrative?
The Lineage cold-storage fire, the rise in homelessness numbers and staff turnover have created new challenges for Bass as she heads to a Nov. 3 runoff with Nithya Raman.
latimes.com
Barabak: Democrats are at each other's throats — this time over the 2028 calendar
Commentary: Democrats are at each other's throats — this time over the 2028 calendar
The choice of which state begins the presidential balloting turned into a needlessly divisive conflict over race and ethnicity. Nevada didn't take South Carolina's selection well.
latimes.com
At turn of the century, wildfires destroyed about 3% of California homes they came in contact with. Now it’s 18%. Efforts to clear flammable plants and fortify exteriors are being outpaced by wildfire behavior, building in fire-prone areas. @nohaggerty.bsky.social www.latimes.com/environment/...
The percentage of homes surviving California wildfires is dropping, despite efforts to harden them
At the turn of the century, wildfires destroyed only about 3% of the California homes they came into contact with. By 2020, the rate had risen to 18%, a new study found.
latimes.com
Yer Friday night news dump… Justice Department drops criminal case against ex-Olympian charged with damaging Reflecting Pool apnews.com/article/refl...
Justice Department drops criminal case against ex-Olympian charged with damaging Reflecting Pool
The Justice Department has moved to dismiss a criminal case charging a former Olympian with deliberately damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
apnews.com
Newsoms release tax returns. See how much the couple earned since he became governor Phil Wilson, Taryn Luna www.latimes.com/california/s...
Newsoms release tax returns. See how much the couple earned since he became governor
The annual income of Gov. Gavin Newsom and his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, place the couple in the upper echelon of American households.
latimes.com
California produced over half its May electricity from solar, a world record @blancabegert.bsky.social www.latimes.com/environment/...
California produced over half its May electricity from solar, a world record
New batteries to store solar electricity and low demand in May both contributed to high percentage of electricity that came from solar.
latimes.com
NEW: O, Canada! Caught in crossfire, California wineries despair over Trump tariffs. As exports plummet owing to a ban on US wine and liquor, lawmakers ask Quebec's premier to sidestep the president, lift the prohibition and promote free trade. Her response: Non! www.latimes.com/politics/new...
Commentary: O, Canada! Caught in crossfire, California wineries despair over Trump tariffs
As exports plummet owing to a ban on U.S. wine and liquor, California lawmakers ask Quebec's premier to sidestep the president, lift the prohibition and promote free trade. Her response: Non!
latimes.com
More than 24,000 immigrant children who arrived in the US without a parent or guardian and face deportation could lose access to legal representation when a federal contract funding nonprofit legal services expires Ruben Vives www.latimes.com/california/s...
More than 24,000 immigrant children could lose legal representation as a federal contract expires
The termination of a federal contract that pays nonprofit organizations for providing legal assistance to immigrant children will affect 90 organizations nationwide.
latimes.com
Trump running out of options to fix inflation, economic woes before election, experts say (w/ @justinemcdaniel.bsky.social & Ana Ceballos): www.latimes.com/politics/sto...
Trump running out of options to fix inflation, economic woes before election, experts say
The economic pain many Americans feel after years of stagnant wages and steep inflation is unlikely to lift before the November elections, and could be a major liability for Republicans, according to ...
latimes.com
Canadian here, this is also a voluntary boycott by Canadians. Your president has been very disrespectful to us. If you want us to buy your wine and liquor, maybe publicly apologize to us, say you're not with him and learn a little bit about us. You can start by learning how to find us on a map!
NEW: O, Canada! Caught in crossfire, California wineries despair over Trump tariffs. As exports plummet owing to a ban on US wine and liquor, lawmakers ask Quebec's premier to sidestep the president, lift the prohibition and promote free trade. Her response: Non! www.latimes.com/politics/new...
Commentary: O, Canada! Caught in crossfire, California wineries despair over Trump tariffs
As exports plummet owing to a ban on U.S. wine and liquor, California lawmakers ask Quebec's premier to sidestep the president, lift the prohibition and promote free trade. Her response: Non!
latimes.com
‘See bodies, chase bodies.’ What immigration agents’ body cameras, texts reveal about L.A. raids Little was known until hundreds of pages of court exhibits — released through discovery in a federal lawsuit — provided a glimpse into the operations. www.latimes.com/california/s...
Racial slurs and a Google search for car washes: What court records reveal about L.A. immigration raids
The court records were made public this week by the ACLU, which is part of a coalition seeking to bar an “ongoing campaign of suspicionless and discriminatory detentive stops” in the Central District ...
latimes.com
Hundreds of CA clean energy projects are in limbo after court filings reveal when Trump officials canceled grants, it was based solely on states’ politics. Legal scholars call it unprecedented and potentially unconstitutional. @hayleysmith.bsky.social www.latimes.com/environment/...
Trump administration targeted California and other blue states for clean energy cuts
Trump administration agreed in court documents that it targeted California and other blue states when it slashed clean energy projects last year
latimes.com
“This blatant politics in cutting off grants is unprecedented. It also is illegal,” says one constitutional expert.
Los Angeles Times@latimes.com · last wk.Trump administration targeted California and other blue states for clean energy cuts
Last seen at the White House, presenting Trump a World Series ring 🤔 Dodgers, Lakers owner’s financial empire reportedly a target of federal loan fraud investigation www.latimes.com/business/sto...
Dodgers, Lakers owner's financial empire reportedly a target of federal loan fraud investigation
The companies backed by the owner of the Dodgers may have failed to disclose loans properly.
latimes.com
Immigration agents used racial slurs referring to Latinos in text messages, video obtained by ACLU @brittnymejia.bsky.social www.latimes.com/california/s...
Immigration agents used racial slurs referring to Latinos in text messages, video obtained by ACLU
Body camera footage and forensically recovered texts, which provide a window into the mindset of agents who conducted raids throughout the L.A. area, were detailed in a 37-page motion for a preliminar...
latimes.com
California’s vote count was painfully slow. Can these proposals speed it up for November? @jennyja.bsky.social www.latimes.com/world-nation...
California's vote count was painfully slow. Can this proposal speed it up for November?
The California Voter Foundation, a nonprofit group with a mission to improve the election process for voters, issued a report pushing for several changes to the ballot signature curing process.
latimes.com
Everybody's desperate, tryin' to make ends meet/ Work all day, still can't pay the price of gasoline and meat/ Alas, their lives are incomplete.
Over the last decade, the LAPD has received thousands of complaints accusing officers of targeting people solely because of their race, ethnicity or other form of outward appearance. Only one has been fired for it. Libor Jany www.latimes.com/california/s...
Thousands of complaints, few punished: How LAPD handles claims of racial bias
Studies have repeatedly shown that Black and Latino people in L.A. are subjected to police stops at significantly higher rates than white people. The rare case of an officer recently fired for alleged...
latimes.com
NEW: His nickname was ‘Satan.’ His political influence was huge. Clint Reilly helped elect a who’s who of California Dems and trained generations of political consultants. The ex-seminarian had an iron fist, bleeding heart and genius for the business of campaigns. www.latimes.com/politics/sto...
Commentary: His nickname was 'Satan.' His political influence was immense
Clint Reilly helped elect a who's who of California Democrats and trained generations of political consultants. He was a genius in the business of campaigns.
latimes.com
Barabak: His nickname was 'Satan.' His political influence was immense
Commentary: His nickname was 'Satan.' His political influence was immense
Clint Reilly helped elect a who's who of California Democrats and trained generations of political consultants. He was a genius in the business of campaigns.
latimes.com
“Regan, who has been elected to five consecutive terms as union president since 2011, has a record of launching ballot initiatives at the state and local level to use as leverage for union expansion and to thwart his political opponents.” Taryn Luna
Los Angeles Times@latimes.com · last wk.A powerful union, the billionaire tax and an alleged bargaining chip
As Ortega vows to abolish elections, Nicaraguans living 'in a state of terror' hope for U.S. pressure
As Ortega vows to abolish elections, Nicaraguans living 'in a state of terror' hope for U.S. pressure
Secretary of State Marco Rubio strongly condemned Ortega's election decree, but there is little evidence the White House is ready to intervene in Nicaragua.
latimes.com
NEW: His nickname was ‘Satan.’ His political influence was huge. Clint Reilly helped elect a who’s who of California Dems and trained generations of political consultants. The ex-seminarian had an iron fist, bleeding heart and genius for the business of campaigns. www.latimes.com/politics/sto...
Commentary: His nickname was 'Satan.' His political influence was immense
Clint Reilly helped elect a who's who of California Democrats and trained generations of political consultants. He was a genius in the business of campaigns.
latimes.com
U.S. punished acts of protest, suit says Homeland Security is accused of surveilling observers and yanking TSA clearance status. @brittnymejia.bsky.social www.latimes.com/california/s...
DHS surveilled peaceful protesters and then yanked their Global Entry, federal lawsuit alleges
Plaintiffs in a federal lawsuit filed in California allege that the Department of Homeland Security revoked their Global Entry privileges in retaliation for exercising their constitutional rights.
latimes.com