Veteran Editorial Editor and Writer, Political Affairs Columnist Joins Nonprofit Nonpartisan Public Interest Journalism Venture
Dan Morain, editorial page editor and political affairs columnist at The Sacramento Bee, is bringing his decades of experience and institutional knowledge to CALmatters, a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how California’s state Capitol works and why it matters.
“I am proud to be joining CALmatters and excited about its collaborative model,” Morain said. “I cannot wait to work with CALmatters’ great staff and its partner news organizations to help tell the ever-changing California story.”
Morain, who has focused on state government and politics for much of his career, will take on a new role of building an expanded commentary and perspectives section of smart and diverse voices to share their insights about California’s biggest issues and challenges. He’ll also produce a daily newsletter starting in April featuring must-read content from across the state to keep readers in the know, and contribute his own insightful columns.
CALmatters will share Morain’s work with a network of more than 130 print, radio and online publications that it has developed since its launch as a nonprofit in 2015. Morain’s addition at this juncture reflects the spotlight CALmatters will shine this year on the vitally important 2018 gubernatorial and state legislative races, which will define California’s future.
“Dan knows the issues, the people, the process and where the secrets are hidden. His work will give readers a smart and simple understanding about what is happening and why,” said David Lesher, editor and CEO of CALmatters.
Morain has been The Sacramento Bee’s editorial page editor since 2013 and a columnist and editorial writer at The Bee since 2010. Morain spent 27 years at the Los Angeles Times, covering the California Supreme Court when Rose Bird was chief justice, the Legislature when Willie Brown was speaker and the Governor’s Office during Gray Davis’ tenure. His final assignment for The Times was to be part of the team that covered the 2008 presidential campaign. After nine months working in public relations for Consumer Attorneys of California, he joined The Bee’s editorial board. Morain is a California native. He and his wife, Claudia Morain, have three grown children. Morain will be working with his former colleague from The Bee, Dan Walters, who joined CALmatters last year as its first columnist.
The expanded commentary and perspectives will complement the news coverage CALmatters has provided from its team of 20 based in Sacramento and Los Angeles. Our experienced journalists provide coverage of major state issues in education, environment, healthcare, poverty, fiscal issues and politics. Their work is shared through in-depth explanatory projects, timely news stories, weekly news analysis and commentary, radio appearances, original data-driven stories, a subscription newsletter, public events and innovative social media.
“At a time when civil discourse often seems at risk, CALmatters is committed to creating a statewide forum for thought provoking ideas and insights to help all Californians become better informed about public policy issues,” said Publisher and COO Marcia Parker.
Readers can sign up for the CALmatters newsletter here. Visit CALmatters’ website, CALmatters.org, as well as the nonprofit’s Facebook and Twitter pages. Follow Dan on Twitter @DanielMorain.