Joe Biden

Hundreds of pro-Trump demonstraors gather outside the California Capitol in Sacramento, Jan. 6, 2021. In anticipation of violence protests this coming week, Gov. Newsom has ordered the National Guard to deploy at the Capitol. Photo by Adam Beam, AP Photo

WhatMatters

National Guard called in ahead of possible violence at California Capitol

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday activated 1,000 members of the California National Guard to protect the state Capitol ahead of President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration next week — a sign the state is taking seriously the FBI’s warning that armed demonstrators may target statehouses in attacks similar to last week’s siege on the U.S. Capitol. Also […]

By

Emily Hoeven

• January 15, 2021

Education

Biden’s debt forgiveness plan would help millions of California students

Both President-elect Joe Biden and Congressional Democrats want to forgive some amount of federal student loan debt. The question is, how much — $10,000 or $50,000 — and is it even a good idea?

By

Mikhail Zinshteyn

• January 12, 2021

CalMatters en Español

El plan de condonación de deuda de Biden ayudaría a millones de estudiantes de California

Tanto el presidente electo Joe Biden como los demócratas del Congreso quieren perdonar una parte de la deuda federal de préstamos estudiantiles. La pregunta es, ¿cuánto - $ 10,000 o $ 50,000 - y es una buena idea?

By

Mikhail Zinshteyn

• January 12, 2021

Kenneth Lundgreen holds a sign against President Donald Trump outside of Twitter headquarters on Jan. 11, 2021, in San Francisco. Police officers erected barricades and staged for a possible conservative protest Monday morning. Photo by Noah Berger, AP Photo

Politics

California Assembly impeachment vote puts Republicans in bind

That the California Assembly would spend its first day of the year calling for the removal of President Donald Trump — a week after he sicced a mob of white supremacists, conspiracy theorists and hooligans on Congress — is about as surprising as summer fog in San Francisco. Democrats hold a super-majority in both chambers […]

By

Ben Christopher

• January 11, 2021

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi holds a news conference on the day after violent protesters loyal to President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Congress, at the Capitol in Washington, Jan. 7, 2021. Photo by J. Scott Applewhite, AP Photo

WhatMatters

Pelosi threatens to impeach Trump

Good morning, California. It’s Friday, January 8. McClintock to speak in Sacramento Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Sen. Dianne Feinstein and Senator-designate Alex Padilla were among the prominent California officials who called for President Donald Trump’s removal from office Thursday, a day after a mob of his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol. Pelosi, Feinstein […]

By

Emily Hoeven

• January 8, 2021

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy speaks in the House Chamber after they reconvened for arguments over the objection of certifying Arizona’s Electoral College votes in November’s election, at the Capitol in Washington, Jan. 6, 2021. Photo by Amanda Voisard/The Washington Post via AP, Pool

Elections

Amid DC violence, these California Republicans voted to reject Biden’s election

In a futile maneuver that did not stop Biden's win, almost all Republican members of Congress from California voted to challenge the election results from Arizona and Pennsylvania.

By

Lewis Griswold

• January 7, 2021

A mob of Trump Supporters climb the west wall of the the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington. Photo by Jose Luis Magana, AP Photo

WhatMatters

How the Capitol attack affected California

Good morning, California. It’s Thursday, January 7. State, congressional leaders respond As a violent mob of President Donald Trump’s supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday — temporarily preventing Congress from certifying the Electoral College votes to confirm President-elect Joe Biden’s victory — protests broke out at California’s Capitol building in Sacramento and in cities […]

By

Emily Hoeven

• January 7, 2021

Assemblymember Shirley Weber gives a press conference in the capitol following the passage of her bill AB 392 which would limit the use of deadly force by police in California on July 8, 2019. Photo by Anne Wernikoff for CalMatters

Politics

Next secretary of state aims to teach Californians “how fragile the democracy is”

Seventy years ago, sharecroppers David and Mildred Nash refused to back down in a dispute with a white farmer, and fled from a lynch mob in Hope, Arkansas. With their 2-year-old daughter in tow, they found a new home out west in a place so different her grandfather, who would die without ever being able […]

By

Ben Christopher

• January 5, 2021

Recapping the stories that epitomized California in 2020. Image via iStock

Politics

With 2020 hindsight: Recapping the stories that defined California life

Coronavirus, of course, detonated our every expectation of 2020. For the most fortunate, this created room for new pastimes, new priorities. For the least so, it hollowed out holes that can never be filled. Nor was COVID our only profound challenge. There were raging wildfires, again. There was an overdue reckoning with racism, again. There […]

By

CalMatters Staff

• December 31, 2020

Assemblymember Shirley Weber on opening day of the 2020 legislative session.

Commentary

Substantive representation requires Black and Brown leaders

The appointments of Alex Padilla and Shirley Weber point to the value for voters to be able to see themselves in their elected officials.

By

Guest Commentary

• December 29, 2020