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"content": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Transcript:\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Let’s go back to 2014 for a second. Pharrell Williams’ ‘Happy’ was making its way up the billboard charts. Jerry Brown was governor and California was going through a really tough budget time.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Brown had come back into office in the midst of the Great Recession and he was kind of obsessed with being resourceful and careful with money.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Jerry Brown: \u003c/strong>Boom and bust is our lot, and we must follow the ancient advice recounted in the book of Genesis that Joseph gave to the Pharaoh. Put away your surplus during the years are great plenty, so you’ll be ready for the lean years which are sure to follow.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>In 2014, Brown persuaded voters to strengthen the state’s Rainy Day Fund: The pot of money created to make sure that California is saving when the good times are good, while also paying down its debts.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Now fast forward to today and Proposition 2, which asks voters to make that Rainy Day Fund even bigger.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>I’m Ericka Cruz Guevarra, host of The Bay.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And I’m Olivia Allen-Price, host of Bay Curious. Welcome to Prop Fest, a collaboration between the Bay and Bay Curious. We’re here to break down each of the propositions on the California ballot so you can vote with confidence in the November election.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Today, we’re discussing proposition two. It reads like this on your ballot.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Voice Over: \u003c/strong>Prop 2 increases state’s rainy day fund.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Here to walk us through all this is our politics and government correspondent, Guy Marzorati. Hey, Guy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Hey Ericka.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>So to dive into proposition two here, first of all, there’s just a lot of, I feel like, big jargony words in here. Can you walk us through just what proposition two is all about?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, Proposition 2 is all about California’s Rainy Day Fund. So this is a fund that’s officially known as the budget stabilization account, but it’s basically where state lawmakers store our tax revenue in good times in order to save for bad budget times. Proposition two would change the laws around that rainy day fund to allow the legislature and the governor to save even more money in the rainy day fund in future years.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>And what exactly is a rainy day fund? Like what are the kinds of things the state might use rainy day funds for?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>It just flows from this thing saving for a rainy day. But the general idea is, you know, California’s tax revenue is not going to be the exact same year to year. How much people pay in taxes is based on how much they make. And in any given year, if the economy is going well, if their stock market is going well or it’s going poorly, the amount of money that California brings in is going to fluctuate. And that’s actually even more acute in California because we have a progressive tax system, which means people who earn more income pay a higher rate of income tax. And those high earners in California, the money they’re making year to year is volatile because it really has to do in many cases with how the stock market is doing. So California, more than many other states, sees this kind of big fluctuation in year to year and how much revenue is coming in.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And so the idea of a rainy day fund is to say, look, in years where the money is just flowing in from taxpayers, let’s set some of it aside because we know there could very quickly be years coming where we don’t have enough money to meet all of the state’s spending commitments.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Just for some context, in the last five years in California, we’ve both had a budget surplus that’s reached around $100 billion and also a budget deficit around $50 billion. It makes it really difficult year to year to project how much money is going to come in to California. Because it’s difficult to project, it can often be difficult for state lawmakers to really have a clear picture of the budget when they’re enacting it. And so Proposition 2, which would grow the rainy day fund, really offers more of kind of a safety net for state legislators as we see tax revenue fluctuate up and down.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Yeah, let’s talk a little bit more about how Proposition 2 would actually change how the rainy day fund works. How much more money could it allow California to put away?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, so it’s really two big changes that Proposition 2 makes around the rainy day fund. One is just growing the maximum size of the fund. Right now, the max that lawmakers can put into the rainy-day fund in any given year is 10% of general fund tax revenue. Proposition two would double that. So they’d be allowed to put in up to 20% of general-fund tax revenue in a given year. The second big change it makes is it would count saving i.e. putting money in the rainy day fund, it would not count that as spending. And that’s a really important distinction and change around the state spending limit with the effect that lawmakers would be able to save more in those kind of big budget years.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>So you mentioned spending limits just now and you’re talking about something called the Gann limit, which is actually in the actual title of this proposition. So what is the Gann limit and what does it have to do with prop two?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, so the Gann limit was approved by California voters in the late 70s.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Archival Footage: \u003c/strong>California was the epicenter of the tax quake of ‘78, and they were the shakers, Howard Jarvis and Paul Gann.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>So that was a time, it was also when Proposition 13, which dramatically cut property tax rates, was passed. It was really this era of citizen initiatives really cutting back state taxation and state spending.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Archival Footage: \u003c/strong>We’ve just about had a belly full of the growth of government, the cost of government the waste.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>So the Gann limit was approved by California voters. It sets the state spending limit. And if the amount of tax revenue that comes into the state in any given year exceeds that spending limit, then some of that money needs to actually be just returned directly to taxpayers. So right now with the rainy day funds, money that gets placed into the fund is counted as state spending. So if you’re counting that as state-spending, it also limits how much the state can save. And the way that Proposition 2 would change that is basically saying anytime lawmakers set aside money in the rainy day fund, it won’t count as an act of spending. So therefore, they’re gonna be able to save more.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Hmm. So, I mean, one big part of Prop 2 is about getting the state to save more when times are good. And another big part is how they use their money to pay off debts. Can you walk me through that part?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, so that’s right. So basically, the state every year has to set aside money, about 1.5% of general fund revenue, half of that goes into the rainy day fund, half of those goes into paying down debts. So right now though, the debt that the state can pay down with that money is kind of limited. It either has to be the state’s unfunded pension liability, so pensions for retired state employees, or what the state will owe in the future to state employees for their health care.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>What Proposition 2 does is say that money that you’re setting aside to pay down debts, you can pay more different kinds of debts with that money. So for example, paying the federal government back for state unemployment loans. During the COVID pandemic, California borrowed more than $20 billion from the federal Government in order to pay unemployment because we had this sudden spike in unemployment. And the state still hasn’t paid back that money in full. And what Proposition two would allow is, when the state sets aside money to pay down debts, one of the ways it can use that is to pay the federal government back.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>We’ll have more with KQED’s Guy Marzorati right after this break. By the way, if you appreciate the work we’re doing here on Prop Fest, consider becoming a sustaining KQED member. We can’t do this work without you. Just go to donate.kqed.org/podcasts. We’ll be right back.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>I guess one big question I have is why is this something that me, a voter, is being asked to decide on? Like it kind of feels like the kind of work that I might imagine our state legislature sort of deciding on.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, no, that’s a that’s a great question. And this ballot measure, Proposition 2, was actually placed on the ballot by the state legislature. It was necessary to do that because Proposition 2 makes changes to laws that were passed by California voters. So not only that the rainy day fund that California voters enacted, but it also changes rules around the state’s spending limit, which was also set by California voters back in the 70s. So since voters put those rules into law, the legislature has to go back to voters to ask them for changes to those laws.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Well, we talked about some of the changes Prop 2 would make to how we spend and save in California, but who exactly is for this and what is their rationale for putting this on the ballot and for making these changes?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, so the big proponent of this idea is Governor Gavin Newsom, who has wanted, has talked about this idea for a few years of expanding the size of the rainy day fund. And Newsom has kind of talked about his idea through the lens of regret. He wished he had done this exact reform earlier to grow the rainy-day fund, so that yes, when the state had a budget surplus of about $100 billion after the pandemic, when the stock market had surged and all these tech companies were doing incredibly well and tax revenue was just flowing into the state, Newsom was like, I wish at that time I could have set aside more of that money because right around the corner, just a couple years later, the state was dealing with a huge deficit.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gavin Newsom: \u003c/strong>So there are a lot of those things that we can look back, but again, you had political capital today, you didn’t have that. You have different legislative leadership, you have different public consciousness and opinion, you have a different president, different way, you know. So all those things, you now, I don’t wallow in that…\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>And so he’s really pushed this idea and is backing it on the ballot. And in addition to the governor, we’ve seen kind of broad support amongst Democrats. The California Democratic Party is supporting Proposition two. And when this measure was placed on the ballot, it was almost entirely a party-line vote. So Democrats supported it. There was only one Republican in the legislature who supported putting it on a ballot. And here’s Bakersfield Senator Melissa Hurtado talking about why this is necessary.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Melissa Hurtado: \u003c/strong>Our job here as legislators, as senators, is to protect Californians. And I believe ACA 20 will do that. It will make us more disciplined, not just in saving, but also in spending.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>What about who is against this proposition, Guy, and what’s the rationale on that side of things?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, so we did see opposition from Republicans in the legislature to putting this on the ballot. And we’ve seen opposition from anti-tax groups to Proposition two as well. And their argument is that this measure would make it less likely for Californians to get a refund when there’s a lot of tax revenue coming in. And that happened back in 1987, and the state refunded more than a billion dollars to taxpayers. Right now, we have that state spending limit. If the state is bringing in more money than it can spend, it has to give some of that money back to taxpayers. If Proposition two passes, the state can instead set more of that money aside into the rainy day fund. And so you’ve seen opponents of Proposition two say, look, the point of this state spending limit that voters enacted in the late 70s was if more money is coming into the state, voters, taxpayers, residents should get it back. If Proposition two passes, less of that money in that situation will go back to taxpayers.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Joe Patterson: \u003c/strong>We don’t have a rainy day fund in California. The voters thought they were passing a rainy-day fund, but they didn’t get a rainy–day fund.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>And here’s what Republican Assemblymember Joe Patterson had to say about this idea, this rainy day fund measure on the ballot back when it was being debated in the legislature in June.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Joe Patterson: \u003c/strong>All this does is create a bigger slush fund for money to be used the following years instead of returning money to the taxpayer, it just creates a bigger slash fund…\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>And looking at campaign spending on this measure so far, Guy, what are we seeing there? Is any group pouring any kind of money into this?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>So yeah, we’re really not seeing any spending on either side with Prop two. There is Reform California, which is a conservative group headed by Republican Assemblymember, Carl DeMaio. They’re opposing kind of a suite of ballot measures, including Prop two and Prop three, which a taxation measure. And so they’re actively trying to get the word out in opposition to Proposition two, but we really haven’t seen any kind of big spending really on either side of this.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>I mean, as we’ve just been talking about, this is sort of a wonky, confusing, very jargony feeling proposition. I’m curious from what you’ve seen. Is this proposition popular among voters so far, or do you think it’ll pass?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>It does pose a couple interesting questions, I think, to California voters, where you kind of see this like collision of eras at play in this measure. Again, a lot of the the ballot measures that limited state spending and limited state taxes, those date back to the 1970s, where you did see this kind of citizen uprising against taxation and spending. But those rules are still on the books today. And some of them, supporters of Prop two would make it harder to save. And then you come to this area that we’re in. In California budgeting right now where we have these huge volatility swings because we’re relying so much on top earners. And I think the idea behind Proposition two is adapt to that new reality by being able to save more, although opponents would say it’s kind of betraying a lot of the promises that voters wanted in the 70s.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Well, Guy, thank you so much as always for breaking this one down. Appreciate it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, thanks for having me.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>In a nutshell, a yes vote on this measure means rules for building state budget reserves and paying down extra state debts would change. As a result, state budget reserve would be higher. A no vote on the measure means rules for building State budget reserves and paying extra state debt would not change.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>That’s it for our latest episode of PropFest, a collaboration between The Bay and Bay Curious. We’re breaking down every single statewide ballot proposition from now until October 9th. Subscribe to The Bay and Bay Curious so you don’t miss out on the next ones, and don’t forget to share them with your friends and family.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Prop Fest is made possible thanks to Alan Montecillo, Gabriela Glueck, Pauline Bartolone, Katrina Schwartz, Olivia Allen-Price, Christopher Beale, Anna Casalme, and me, Ericka Cruz Guevarra.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>We get extra support from Katie Springer, Jen Chien, Maha Sanad, Ethan Tovan Lindsey and everyone on Team KQED.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>You can find audio and transcripts for this series at kqed.org/prop fest.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Our show is made in San Francisco at member-supported KQED. If you value podcasts like this one, please consider becoming a sustaining member of KQED. Learn more at donate.kqed.org/podcasts.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Support for The Bay is provided in part by the Osher Production Fund. Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by the Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco, Northern California Local. I’m Ericka Cruz Guevarra.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And I’m Olivia Allen Price. We’ll be back tomorrow with an explainer on Proposition 3, which makes an existing tax on high incomes permanent.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>We’ll talk then.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by The Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco-Northern California Local.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Let’s go back to 2014 for a second. Pharrell Williams’ ‘Happy’ was making its way up the billboard charts. Jerry Brown was governor and California was going through a really tough budget time.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Brown had come back into office in the midst of the Great Recession and he was kind of obsessed with being resourceful and careful with money.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Jerry Brown: \u003c/strong>Boom and bust is our lot, and we must follow the ancient advice recounted in the book of Genesis that Joseph gave to the Pharaoh. Put away your surplus during the years are great plenty, so you’ll be ready for the lean years which are sure to follow.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>In 2014, Brown persuaded voters to strengthen the state’s Rainy Day Fund: The pot of money created to make sure that California is saving when the good times are good, while also paying down its debts.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Now fast forward to today and Proposition 2, which asks voters to make that Rainy Day Fund even bigger.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And I’m Olivia Allen-Price, host of Bay Curious. Welcome to Prop Fest, a collaboration between the Bay and Bay Curious. We’re here to break down each of the propositions on the California ballot so you can vote with confidence in the November election.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And I’m Olivia Allen-Price, host of Bay Curious. Welcome to Prop Fest, a collaboration between the Bay and Bay Curious. We’re here to break down each of the propositions on the California ballot so you can vote with confidence in the November election.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Today, we’re discussing proposition two. It reads like this on your ballot.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Today, we’re discussing proposition two. It reads like this on your ballot.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Voice Over: \u003c/strong>Prop 2 increases state’s rainy day fund.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Voice Over: \u003c/strong>Prop 2 increases state’s rainy day fund.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Here to walk us through all this is our politics and government correspondent, Guy Marzorati. Hey, Guy.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Here to walk us through all this is our politics and government correspondent, Guy Marzorati. Hey, Guy.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Hey Ericka.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Hey Ericka.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>So to dive into proposition two here, first of all, there’s just a lot of, I feel like, big jargony words in here. Can you walk us through just what proposition two is all about?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>So to dive into proposition two here, first of all, there’s just a lot of, I feel like, big jargony words in here. Can you walk us through just what proposition two is all about?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, Proposition 2 is all about California’s Rainy Day Fund. So this is a fund that’s officially known as the budget stabilization account, but it’s basically where state lawmakers store our tax revenue in good times in order to save for bad budget times. Proposition two would change the laws around that rainy day fund to allow the legislature and the governor to save even more money in the rainy day fund in future years.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, Proposition 2 is all about California’s Rainy Day Fund. So this is a fund that’s officially known as the budget stabilization account, but it’s basically where state lawmakers store our tax revenue in good times in order to save for bad budget times. Proposition two would change the laws around that rainy day fund to allow the legislature and the governor to save even more money in the rainy day fund in future years.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>And what exactly is a rainy day fund? Like what are the kinds of things the state might use rainy day funds for?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>And what exactly is a rainy day fund? Like what are the kinds of things the state might use rainy day funds for?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>It just flows from this thing saving for a rainy day. But the general idea is, you know, California’s tax revenue is not going to be the exact same year to year. How much people pay in taxes is based on how much they make. And in any given year, if the economy is going well, if their stock market is going well or it’s going poorly, the amount of money that California brings in is going to fluctuate. And that’s actually even more acute in California because we have a progressive tax system, which means people who earn more income pay a higher rate of income tax. And those high earners in California, the money they’re making year to year is volatile because it really has to do in many cases with how the stock market is doing. So California, more than many other states, sees this kind of big fluctuation in year to year and how much revenue is coming in.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>It just flows from this thing saving for a rainy day. But the general idea is, you know, California’s tax revenue is not going to be the exact same year to year. How much people pay in taxes is based on how much they make. And in any given year, if the economy is going well, if their stock market is going well or it’s going poorly, the amount of money that California brings in is going to fluctuate. And that’s actually even more acute in California because we have a progressive tax system, which means people who earn more income pay a higher rate of income tax. And those high earners in California, the money they’re making year to year is volatile because it really has to do in many cases with how the stock market is doing. So California, more than many other states, sees this kind of big fluctuation in year to year and how much revenue is coming in.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>And so the idea of a rainy day fund is to say, look, in years where the money is just flowing in from taxpayers, let’s set some of it aside because we know there could very quickly be years coming where we don’t have enough money to meet all of the state’s spending commitments.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>And so the idea of a rainy day fund is to say, look, in years where the money is just flowing in from taxpayers, let’s set some of it aside because we know there could very quickly be years coming where we don’t have enough money to meet all of the state’s spending commitments.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Just for some context, in the last five years in California, we’ve both had a budget surplus that’s reached around $100 billion and also a budget deficit around $50 billion. It makes it really difficult year to year to project how much money is going to come in to California. Because it’s difficult to project, it can often be difficult for state lawmakers to really have a clear picture of the budget when they’re enacting it. And so Proposition 2, which would grow the rainy day fund, really offers more of kind of a safety net for state legislators as we see tax revenue fluctuate up and down.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Just for some context, in the last five years in California, we’ve both had a budget surplus that’s reached around $100 billion and also a budget deficit around $50 billion. It makes it really difficult year to year to project how much money is going to come in to California. Because it’s difficult to project, it can often be difficult for state lawmakers to really have a clear picture of the budget when they’re enacting it. And so Proposition 2, which would grow the rainy day fund, really offers more of kind of a safety net for state legislators as we see tax revenue fluctuate up and down.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Yeah, let’s talk a little bit more about how Proposition 2 would actually change how the rainy day fund works. How much more money could it allow California to put away?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Yeah, let’s talk a little bit more about how Proposition 2 would actually change how the rainy day fund works. How much more money could it allow California to put away?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, so it’s really two big changes that Proposition 2 makes around the rainy day fund. One is just growing the maximum size of the fund. Right now, the max that lawmakers can put into the rainy-day fund in any given year is 10% of general fund tax revenue. Proposition two would double that. So they’d be allowed to put in up to 20% of general-fund tax revenue in a given year. The second big change it makes is it would count saving i.e. putting money in the rainy day fund, it would not count that as spending. And that’s a really important distinction and change around the state spending limit with the effect that lawmakers would be able to save more in those kind of big budget years.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, so it’s really two big changes that Proposition 2 makes around the rainy day fund. One is just growing the maximum size of the fund. Right now, the max that lawmakers can put into the rainy-day fund in any given year is 10% of general fund tax revenue. Proposition two would double that. So they’d be allowed to put in up to 20% of general-fund tax revenue in a given year. The second big change it makes is it would count saving i.e. putting money in the rainy day fund, it would not count that as spending. And that’s a really important distinction and change around the state spending limit with the effect that lawmakers would be able to save more in those kind of big budget years.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>So you mentioned spending limits just now and you’re talking about something called the Gann limit, which is actually in the actual title of this proposition. So what is the Gann limit and what does it have to do with prop two?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>So you mentioned spending limits just now and you’re talking about something called the Gann limit, which is actually in the actual title of this proposition. So what is the Gann limit and what does it have to do with prop two?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, so the Gann limit was approved by California voters in the late 70s.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, so the Gann limit was approved by California voters in the late 70s.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Archival Footage: \u003c/strong>California was the epicenter of the tax quake of ‘78, and they were the shakers, Howard Jarvis and Paul Gann.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Archival Footage: \u003c/strong>California was the epicenter of the tax quake of ‘78, and they were the shakers, Howard Jarvis and Paul Gann.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>So that was a time, it was also when Proposition 13, which dramatically cut property tax rates, was passed. It was really this era of citizen initiatives really cutting back state taxation and state spending.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>So that was a time, it was also when Proposition 13, which dramatically cut property tax rates, was passed. It was really this era of citizen initiatives really cutting back state taxation and state spending.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Archival Footage: \u003c/strong>We’ve just about had a belly full of the growth of government, the cost of government the waste.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Archival Footage: \u003c/strong>We’ve just about had a belly full of the growth of government, the cost of government the waste.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>So the Gann limit was approved by California voters. It sets the state spending limit. And if the amount of tax revenue that comes into the state in any given year exceeds that spending limit, then some of that money needs to actually be just returned directly to taxpayers. So right now with the rainy day funds, money that gets placed into the fund is counted as state spending. So if you’re counting that as state-spending, it also limits how much the state can save. And the way that Proposition 2 would change that is basically saying anytime lawmakers set aside money in the rainy day fund, it won’t count as an act of spending. So therefore, they’re gonna be able to save more.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>So the Gann limit was approved by California voters. It sets the state spending limit. And if the amount of tax revenue that comes into the state in any given year exceeds that spending limit, then some of that money needs to actually be just returned directly to taxpayers. So right now with the rainy day funds, money that gets placed into the fund is counted as state spending. So if you’re counting that as state-spending, it also limits how much the state can save. And the way that Proposition 2 would change that is basically saying anytime lawmakers set aside money in the rainy day fund, it won’t count as an act of spending. So therefore, they’re gonna be able to save more.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Hmm. So, I mean, one big part of Prop 2 is about getting the state to save more when times are good. And another big part is how they use their money to pay off debts. Can you walk me through that part?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Hmm. So, I mean, one big part of Prop 2 is about getting the state to save more when times are good. And another big part is how they use their money to pay off debts. Can you walk me through that part?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, so that’s right. So basically, the state every year has to set aside money, about 1.5% of general fund revenue, half of that goes into the rainy day fund, half of those goes into paying down debts. So right now though, the debt that the state can pay down with that money is kind of limited. It either has to be the state’s unfunded pension liability, so pensions for retired state employees, or what the state will owe in the future to state employees for their health care.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, so that’s right. So basically, the state every year has to set aside money, about 1.5% of general fund revenue, half of that goes into the rainy day fund, half of those goes into paying down debts. So right now though, the debt that the state can pay down with that money is kind of limited. It either has to be the state’s unfunded pension liability, so pensions for retired state employees, or what the state will owe in the future to state employees for their health care.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>What Proposition 2 does is say that money that you’re setting aside to pay down debts, you can pay more different kinds of debts with that money. So for example, paying the federal government back for state unemployment loans. During the COVID pandemic, California borrowed more than $20 billion from the federal Government in order to pay unemployment because we had this sudden spike in unemployment. And the state still hasn’t paid back that money in full. And what Proposition two would allow is, when the state sets aside money to pay down debts, one of the ways it can use that is to pay the federal government back.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>What Proposition 2 does is say that money that you’re setting aside to pay down debts, you can pay more different kinds of debts with that money. So for example, paying the federal government back for state unemployment loans. During the COVID pandemic, California borrowed more than $20 billion from the federal Government in order to pay unemployment because we had this sudden spike in unemployment. And the state still hasn’t paid back that money in full. And what Proposition two would allow is, when the state sets aside money to pay down debts, one of the ways it can use that is to pay the federal government back.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>We’ll have more with KQED’s Guy Marzorati right after this break. By the way, if you appreciate the work we’re doing here on Prop Fest, consider becoming a sustaining KQED member. We can’t do this work without you. Just go to donate.kqed.org/podcasts. We’ll be right back.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>We’ll have more with KQED’s Guy Marzorati right after this break. By the way, if you appreciate the work we’re doing here on Prop Fest, consider becoming a sustaining KQED member. We can’t do this work without you. Just go to donate.kqed.org/podcasts. We’ll be right back.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>I guess one big question I have is why is this something that me, a voter, is being asked to decide on? Like it kind of feels like the kind of work that I might imagine our state legislature sort of deciding on.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>I guess one big question I have is why is this something that me, a voter, is being asked to decide on? Like it kind of feels like the kind of work that I might imagine our state legislature sort of deciding on.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, no, that’s a that’s a great question. And this ballot measure, Proposition 2, was actually placed on the ballot by the state legislature. It was necessary to do that because Proposition 2 makes changes to laws that were passed by California voters. So not only that the rainy day fund that California voters enacted, but it also changes rules around the state’s spending limit, which was also set by California voters back in the 70s. So since voters put those rules into law, the legislature has to go back to voters to ask them for changes to those laws.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, no, that’s a that’s a great question. And this ballot measure, Proposition 2, was actually placed on the ballot by the state legislature. It was necessary to do that because Proposition 2 makes changes to laws that were passed by California voters. So not only that the rainy day fund that California voters enacted, but it also changes rules around the state’s spending limit, which was also set by California voters back in the 70s. So since voters put those rules into law, the legislature has to go back to voters to ask them for changes to those laws.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Well, we talked about some of the changes Prop 2 would make to how we spend and save in California, but who exactly is for this and what is their rationale for putting this on the ballot and for making these changes?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Well, we talked about some of the changes Prop 2 would make to how we spend and save in California, but who exactly is for this and what is their rationale for putting this on the ballot and for making these changes?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, so the big proponent of this idea is Governor Gavin Newsom, who has wanted, has talked about this idea for a few years of expanding the size of the rainy day fund. And Newsom has kind of talked about his idea through the lens of regret. He wished he had done this exact reform earlier to grow the rainy-day fund, so that yes, when the state had a budget surplus of about $100 billion after the pandemic, when the stock market had surged and all these tech companies were doing incredibly well and tax revenue was just flowing into the state, Newsom was like, I wish at that time I could have set aside more of that money because right around the corner, just a couple years later, the state was dealing with a huge deficit.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, so the big proponent of this idea is Governor Gavin Newsom, who has wanted, has talked about this idea for a few years of expanding the size of the rainy day fund. And Newsom has kind of talked about his idea through the lens of regret. He wished he had done this exact reform earlier to grow the rainy-day fund, so that yes, when the state had a budget surplus of about $100 billion after the pandemic, when the stock market had surged and all these tech companies were doing incredibly well and tax revenue was just flowing into the state, Newsom was like, I wish at that time I could have set aside more of that money because right around the corner, just a couple years later, the state was dealing with a huge deficit.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gavin Newsom: \u003c/strong>So there are a lot of those things that we can look back, but again, you had political capital today, you didn’t have that. You have different legislative leadership, you have different public consciousness and opinion, you have a different president, different way, you know. So all those things, you now, I don’t wallow in that…\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gavin Newsom: \u003c/strong>So there are a lot of those things that we can look back, but again, you had political capital today, you didn’t have that. You have different legislative leadership, you have different public consciousness and opinion, you have a different president, different way, you know. So all those things, you now, I don’t wallow in that…\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>And so he’s really pushed this idea and is backing it on the ballot. And in addition to the governor, we’ve seen kind of broad support amongst Democrats. The California Democratic Party is supporting Proposition two. And when this measure was placed on the ballot, it was almost entirely a party-line vote. So Democrats supported it. There was only one Republican in the legislature who supported putting it on a ballot. And here’s Bakersfield Senator Melissa Hurtado talking about why this is necessary.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>And so he’s really pushed this idea and is backing it on the ballot. And in addition to the governor, we’ve seen kind of broad support amongst Democrats. The California Democratic Party is supporting Proposition two. And when this measure was placed on the ballot, it was almost entirely a party-line vote. So Democrats supported it. There was only one Republican in the legislature who supported putting it on a ballot. And here’s Bakersfield Senator Melissa Hurtado talking about why this is necessary.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Melissa Hurtado: \u003c/strong>Our job here as legislators, as senators, is to protect Californians. And I believe ACA 20 will do that. It will make us more disciplined, not just in saving, but also in spending.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Melissa Hurtado: \u003c/strong>Our job here as legislators, as senators, is to protect Californians. And I believe ACA 20 will do that. It will make us more disciplined, not just in saving, but also in spending.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>What about who is against this proposition, Guy, and what’s the rationale on that side of things?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>What about who is against this proposition, Guy, and what’s the rationale on that side of things?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, so we did see opposition from Republicans in the legislature to putting this on the ballot. And we’ve seen opposition from anti-tax groups to Proposition two as well. And their argument is that this measure would make it less likely for Californians to get a refund when there’s a lot of tax revenue coming in. And that happened back in 1987, and the state refunded more than a billion dollars to taxpayers. Right now, we have that state spending limit. If the state is bringing in more money than it can spend, it has to give some of that money back to taxpayers. If Proposition two passes, the state can instead set more of that money aside into the rainy day fund. And so you’ve seen opponents of Proposition two say, look, the point of this state spending limit that voters enacted in the late 70s was if more money is coming into the state, voters, taxpayers, residents should get it back. If Proposition two passes, less of that money in that situation will go back to taxpayers.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, so we did see opposition from Republicans in the legislature to putting this on the ballot. And we’ve seen opposition from anti-tax groups to Proposition two as well. And their argument is that this measure would make it less likely for Californians to get a refund when there’s a lot of tax revenue coming in. And that happened back in 1987, and the state refunded more than a billion dollars to taxpayers. Right now, we have that state spending limit. If the state is bringing in more money than it can spend, it has to give some of that money back to taxpayers. If Proposition two passes, the state can instead set more of that money aside into the rainy day fund. And so you’ve seen opponents of Proposition two say, look, the point of this state spending limit that voters enacted in the late 70s was if more money is coming into the state, voters, taxpayers, residents should get it back. If Proposition two passes, less of that money in that situation will go back to taxpayers.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Joe Patterson: \u003c/strong>We don’t have a rainy day fund in California. The voters thought they were passing a rainy-day fund, but they didn’t get a rainy–day fund.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>And here’s what Republican Assemblymember Joe Patterson had to say about this idea, this rainy day fund measure on the ballot back when it was being debated in the legislature in June.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Joe Patterson: \u003c/strong>All this does is create a bigger slush fund for money to be used the following years instead of returning money to the taxpayer, it just creates a bigger slash fund…\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>And looking at campaign spending on this measure so far, Guy, what are we seeing there? Is any group pouring any kind of money into this?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>And looking at campaign spending on this measure so far, Guy, what are we seeing there? Is any group pouring any kind of money into this?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>So yeah, we’re really not seeing any spending on either side with Prop two. There is Reform California, which is a conservative group headed by Republican Assemblymember, Carl DeMaio. They’re opposing kind of a suite of ballot measures, including Prop two and Prop three, which a taxation measure. And so they’re actively trying to get the word out in opposition to Proposition two, but we really haven’t seen any kind of big spending really on either side of this.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>So yeah, we’re really not seeing any spending on either side with Prop two. There is Reform California, which is a conservative group headed by Republican Assemblymember, Carl DeMaio. They’re opposing kind of a suite of ballot measures, including Prop two and Prop three, which a taxation measure. And so they’re actively trying to get the word out in opposition to Proposition two, but we really haven’t seen any kind of big spending really on either side of this.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>I mean, as we’ve just been talking about, this is sort of a wonky, confusing, very jargony feeling proposition. I’m curious from what you’ve seen. Is this proposition popular among voters so far, or do you think it’ll pass?\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>It does pose a couple interesting questions, I think, to California voters, where you kind of see this like collision of eras at play in this measure. Again, a lot of the the ballot measures that limited state spending and limited state taxes, those date back to the 1970s, where you did see this kind of citizen uprising against taxation and spending. But those rules are still on the books today. And some of them, supporters of Prop two would make it harder to save. And then you come to this area that we’re in. In California budgeting right now where we have these huge volatility swings because we’re relying so much on top earners. And I think the idea behind Proposition two is adapt to that new reality by being able to save more, although opponents would say it’s kind of betraying a lot of the promises that voters wanted in the 70s.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>It does pose a couple interesting questions, I think, to California voters, where you kind of see this like collision of eras at play in this measure. Again, a lot of the the ballot measures that limited state spending and limited state taxes, those date back to the 1970s, where you did see this kind of citizen uprising against taxation and spending. But those rules are still on the books today. And some of them, supporters of Prop two would make it harder to save. And then you come to this area that we’re in. In California budgeting right now where we have these huge volatility swings because we’re relying so much on top earners. And I think the idea behind Proposition two is adapt to that new reality by being able to save more, although opponents would say it’s kind of betraying a lot of the promises that voters wanted in the 70s.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Well, Guy, thank you so much as always for breaking this one down. Appreciate it.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Well, Guy, thank you so much as always for breaking this one down. Appreciate it.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, thanks for having me.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, thanks for having me.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>In a nutshell, a yes vote on this measure means rules for building state budget reserves and paying down extra state debts would change. As a result, state budget reserve would be higher. A no vote on the measure means rules for building State budget reserves and paying extra state debt would not change.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>In a nutshell, a yes vote on this measure means rules for building state budget reserves and paying down extra state debts would change. As a result, state budget reserve would be higher. A no vote on the measure means rules for building State budget reserves and paying extra state debt would not change.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>That’s it for our latest episode of PropFest, a collaboration between The Bay and Bay Curious. We’re breaking down every single statewide ballot proposition from now until October 9th. Subscribe to The Bay and Bay Curious so you don’t miss out on the next ones, and don’t forget to share them with your friends and family.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>That’s it for our latest episode of PropFest, a collaboration between The Bay and Bay Curious. We’re breaking down every single statewide ballot proposition from now until October 9th. Subscribe to The Bay and Bay Curious so you don’t miss out on the next ones, and don’t forget to share them with your friends and family.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Prop Fest is made possible thanks to Alan Montecillo, Gabriela Glueck, Pauline Bartolone, Katrina Schwartz, Olivia Allen-Price, Christopher Beale, Anna Casalme, and me, Ericka Cruz Guevarra.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Prop Fest is made possible thanks to Alan Montecillo, Gabriela Glueck, Pauline Bartolone, Katrina Schwartz, Olivia Allen-Price, Christopher Beale, Anna Casalme, and me, Ericka Cruz Guevarra.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>We get extra support from Katie Springer, Jen Chien, Maha Sanad, Ethan Tovan Lindsey and everyone on Team KQED.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>We get extra support from Katie Springer, Jen Chien, Maha Sanad, Ethan Tovan Lindsey and everyone on Team KQED.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>You can find audio and transcripts for this series at kqed.org/prop fest.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Our show is made in San Francisco at member-supported KQED. If you value podcasts like this one, please consider becoming a sustaining member of KQED. Learn more at donate.kqed.org/podcasts.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Our show is made in San Francisco at member-supported KQED. If you value podcasts like this one, please consider becoming a sustaining member of KQED. Learn more at donate.kqed.org/podcasts.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Support for The Bay is provided in part by the Osher Production Fund. Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by the Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco, Northern California Local. I’m Ericka Cruz Guevarra.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Support for The Bay is provided in part by the Osher Production Fund. Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by the Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco, Northern California Local. I’m Ericka Cruz Guevarra.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And I’m Olivia Allen Price. We’ll be back tomorrow with an explainer on Proposition 3, which makes an existing tax on high incomes permanent.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And I’m Olivia Allen Price. We’ll be back tomorrow with an explainer on Proposition 3, which makes an existing tax on high incomes permanent.\u003c/p>\n"
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Transcript:\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Let’s go back to 2014 for a second. Pharrell Williams’ ‘Happy’ was making its way up the billboard charts. Jerry Brown was governor and California was going through a really tough budget time.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Brown had come back into office in the midst of the Great Recession and he was kind of obsessed with being resourceful and careful with money.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Jerry Brown: \u003c/strong>Boom and bust is our lot, and we must follow the ancient advice recounted in the book of Genesis that Joseph gave to the Pharaoh. Put away your surplus during the years are great plenty, so you’ll be ready for the lean years which are sure to follow.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>In 2014, Brown persuaded voters to strengthen the state’s Rainy Day Fund: The pot of money created to make sure that California is saving when the good times are good, while also paying down its debts.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Now fast forward to today and Proposition 2, which asks voters to make that Rainy Day Fund even bigger.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>I’m Ericka Cruz Guevarra, host of The Bay.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And I’m Olivia Allen-Price, host of Bay Curious. Welcome to Prop Fest, a collaboration between the Bay and Bay Curious. We’re here to break down each of the propositions on the California ballot so you can vote with confidence in the November election.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Today, we’re discussing proposition two. It reads like this on your ballot.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Voice Over: \u003c/strong>Prop 2 increases state’s rainy day fund.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Here to walk us through all this is our politics and government correspondent, Guy Marzorati. Hey, Guy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Hey Ericka.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>So to dive into proposition two here, first of all, there’s just a lot of, I feel like, big jargony words in here. Can you walk us through just what proposition two is all about?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, Proposition 2 is all about California’s Rainy Day Fund. So this is a fund that’s officially known as the budget stabilization account, but it’s basically where state lawmakers store our tax revenue in good times in order to save for bad budget times. Proposition two would change the laws around that rainy day fund to allow the legislature and the governor to save even more money in the rainy day fund in future years.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>And what exactly is a rainy day fund? Like what are the kinds of things the state might use rainy day funds for?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>It just flows from this thing saving for a rainy day. But the general idea is, you know, California’s tax revenue is not going to be the exact same year to year. How much people pay in taxes is based on how much they make. And in any given year, if the economy is going well, if their stock market is going well or it’s going poorly, the amount of money that California brings in is going to fluctuate. And that’s actually even more acute in California because we have a progressive tax system, which means people who earn more income pay a higher rate of income tax. And those high earners in California, the money they’re making year to year is volatile because it really has to do in many cases with how the stock market is doing. So California, more than many other states, sees this kind of big fluctuation in year to year and how much revenue is coming in.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And so the idea of a rainy day fund is to say, look, in years where the money is just flowing in from taxpayers, let’s set some of it aside because we know there could very quickly be years coming where we don’t have enough money to meet all of the state’s spending commitments.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Just for some context, in the last five years in California, we’ve both had a budget surplus that’s reached around $100 billion and also a budget deficit around $50 billion. It makes it really difficult year to year to project how much money is going to come in to California. Because it’s difficult to project, it can often be difficult for state lawmakers to really have a clear picture of the budget when they’re enacting it. And so Proposition 2, which would grow the rainy day fund, really offers more of kind of a safety net for state legislators as we see tax revenue fluctuate up and down.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Yeah, let’s talk a little bit more about how Proposition 2 would actually change how the rainy day fund works. How much more money could it allow California to put away?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, so it’s really two big changes that Proposition 2 makes around the rainy day fund. One is just growing the maximum size of the fund. Right now, the max that lawmakers can put into the rainy-day fund in any given year is 10% of general fund tax revenue. Proposition two would double that. So they’d be allowed to put in up to 20% of general-fund tax revenue in a given year. The second big change it makes is it would count saving i.e. putting money in the rainy day fund, it would not count that as spending. And that’s a really important distinction and change around the state spending limit with the effect that lawmakers would be able to save more in those kind of big budget years.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>So you mentioned spending limits just now and you’re talking about something called the Gann limit, which is actually in the actual title of this proposition. So what is the Gann limit and what does it have to do with prop two?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, so the Gann limit was approved by California voters in the late 70s.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Archival Footage: \u003c/strong>California was the epicenter of the tax quake of ‘78, and they were the shakers, Howard Jarvis and Paul Gann.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>So that was a time, it was also when Proposition 13, which dramatically cut property tax rates, was passed. It was really this era of citizen initiatives really cutting back state taxation and state spending.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Archival Footage: \u003c/strong>We’ve just about had a belly full of the growth of government, the cost of government the waste.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>So the Gann limit was approved by California voters. It sets the state spending limit. And if the amount of tax revenue that comes into the state in any given year exceeds that spending limit, then some of that money needs to actually be just returned directly to taxpayers. So right now with the rainy day funds, money that gets placed into the fund is counted as state spending. So if you’re counting that as state-spending, it also limits how much the state can save. And the way that Proposition 2 would change that is basically saying anytime lawmakers set aside money in the rainy day fund, it won’t count as an act of spending. So therefore, they’re gonna be able to save more.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Hmm. So, I mean, one big part of Prop 2 is about getting the state to save more when times are good. And another big part is how they use their money to pay off debts. Can you walk me through that part?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, so that’s right. So basically, the state every year has to set aside money, about 1.5% of general fund revenue, half of that goes into the rainy day fund, half of those goes into paying down debts. So right now though, the debt that the state can pay down with that money is kind of limited. It either has to be the state’s unfunded pension liability, so pensions for retired state employees, or what the state will owe in the future to state employees for their health care.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>What Proposition 2 does is say that money that you’re setting aside to pay down debts, you can pay more different kinds of debts with that money. So for example, paying the federal government back for state unemployment loans. During the COVID pandemic, California borrowed more than $20 billion from the federal Government in order to pay unemployment because we had this sudden spike in unemployment. And the state still hasn’t paid back that money in full. And what Proposition two would allow is, when the state sets aside money to pay down debts, one of the ways it can use that is to pay the federal government back.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>We’ll have more with KQED’s Guy Marzorati right after this break. By the way, if you appreciate the work we’re doing here on Prop Fest, consider becoming a sustaining KQED member. We can’t do this work without you. Just go to donate.kqed.org/podcasts. We’ll be right back.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>I guess one big question I have is why is this something that me, a voter, is being asked to decide on? Like it kind of feels like the kind of work that I might imagine our state legislature sort of deciding on.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, no, that’s a that’s a great question. And this ballot measure, Proposition 2, was actually placed on the ballot by the state legislature. It was necessary to do that because Proposition 2 makes changes to laws that were passed by California voters. So not only that the rainy day fund that California voters enacted, but it also changes rules around the state’s spending limit, which was also set by California voters back in the 70s. So since voters put those rules into law, the legislature has to go back to voters to ask them for changes to those laws.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Well, we talked about some of the changes Prop 2 would make to how we spend and save in California, but who exactly is for this and what is their rationale for putting this on the ballot and for making these changes?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, so the big proponent of this idea is Governor Gavin Newsom, who has wanted, has talked about this idea for a few years of expanding the size of the rainy day fund. And Newsom has kind of talked about his idea through the lens of regret. He wished he had done this exact reform earlier to grow the rainy-day fund, so that yes, when the state had a budget surplus of about $100 billion after the pandemic, when the stock market had surged and all these tech companies were doing incredibly well and tax revenue was just flowing into the state, Newsom was like, I wish at that time I could have set aside more of that money because right around the corner, just a couple years later, the state was dealing with a huge deficit.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gavin Newsom: \u003c/strong>So there are a lot of those things that we can look back, but again, you had political capital today, you didn’t have that. You have different legislative leadership, you have different public consciousness and opinion, you have a different president, different way, you know. So all those things, you now, I don’t wallow in that…\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>And so he’s really pushed this idea and is backing it on the ballot. And in addition to the governor, we’ve seen kind of broad support amongst Democrats. The California Democratic Party is supporting Proposition two. And when this measure was placed on the ballot, it was almost entirely a party-line vote. So Democrats supported it. There was only one Republican in the legislature who supported putting it on a ballot. And here’s Bakersfield Senator Melissa Hurtado talking about why this is necessary.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Melissa Hurtado: \u003c/strong>Our job here as legislators, as senators, is to protect Californians. And I believe ACA 20 will do that. It will make us more disciplined, not just in saving, but also in spending.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>What about who is against this proposition, Guy, and what’s the rationale on that side of things?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, so we did see opposition from Republicans in the legislature to putting this on the ballot. And we’ve seen opposition from anti-tax groups to Proposition two as well. And their argument is that this measure would make it less likely for Californians to get a refund when there’s a lot of tax revenue coming in. And that happened back in 1987, and the state refunded more than a billion dollars to taxpayers. Right now, we have that state spending limit. If the state is bringing in more money than it can spend, it has to give some of that money back to taxpayers. If Proposition two passes, the state can instead set more of that money aside into the rainy day fund. And so you’ve seen opponents of Proposition two say, look, the point of this state spending limit that voters enacted in the late 70s was if more money is coming into the state, voters, taxpayers, residents should get it back. If Proposition two passes, less of that money in that situation will go back to taxpayers.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Joe Patterson: \u003c/strong>We don’t have a rainy day fund in California. The voters thought they were passing a rainy-day fund, but they didn’t get a rainy–day fund.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>And here’s what Republican Assemblymember Joe Patterson had to say about this idea, this rainy day fund measure on the ballot back when it was being debated in the legislature in June.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Joe Patterson: \u003c/strong>All this does is create a bigger slush fund for money to be used the following years instead of returning money to the taxpayer, it just creates a bigger slash fund…\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>And looking at campaign spending on this measure so far, Guy, what are we seeing there? Is any group pouring any kind of money into this?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>So yeah, we’re really not seeing any spending on either side with Prop two. There is Reform California, which is a conservative group headed by Republican Assemblymember, Carl DeMaio. They’re opposing kind of a suite of ballot measures, including Prop two and Prop three, which a taxation measure. And so they’re actively trying to get the word out in opposition to Proposition two, but we really haven’t seen any kind of big spending really on either side of this.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>I mean, as we’ve just been talking about, this is sort of a wonky, confusing, very jargony feeling proposition. I’m curious from what you’ve seen. Is this proposition popular among voters so far, or do you think it’ll pass?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>It does pose a couple interesting questions, I think, to California voters, where you kind of see this like collision of eras at play in this measure. Again, a lot of the the ballot measures that limited state spending and limited state taxes, those date back to the 1970s, where you did see this kind of citizen uprising against taxation and spending. But those rules are still on the books today. And some of them, supporters of Prop two would make it harder to save. And then you come to this area that we’re in. In California budgeting right now where we have these huge volatility swings because we’re relying so much on top earners. And I think the idea behind Proposition two is adapt to that new reality by being able to save more, although opponents would say it’s kind of betraying a lot of the promises that voters wanted in the 70s.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Well, Guy, thank you so much as always for breaking this one down. Appreciate it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Guy Marzorati: \u003c/strong>Yeah, thanks for having me.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>In a nutshell, a yes vote on this measure means rules for building state budget reserves and paying down extra state debts would change. As a result, state budget reserve would be higher. A no vote on the measure means rules for building State budget reserves and paying extra state debt would not change.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>That’s it for our latest episode of PropFest, a collaboration between The Bay and Bay Curious. We’re breaking down every single statewide ballot proposition from now until October 9th. Subscribe to The Bay and Bay Curious so you don’t miss out on the next ones, and don’t forget to share them with your friends and family.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Prop Fest is made possible thanks to Alan Montecillo, Gabriela Glueck, Pauline Bartolone, Katrina Schwartz, Olivia Allen-Price, Christopher Beale, Anna Casalme, and me, Ericka Cruz Guevarra.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>We get extra support from Katie Springer, Jen Chien, Maha Sanad, Ethan Tovan Lindsey and everyone on Team KQED.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>You can find audio and transcripts for this series at kqed.org/prop fest.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Our show is made in San Francisco at member-supported KQED. If you value podcasts like this one, please consider becoming a sustaining member of KQED. Learn more at donate.kqed.org/podcasts.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Support for The Bay is provided in part by the Osher Production Fund. Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by the Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco, Northern California Local. I’m Ericka Cruz Guevarra.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And I’m Olivia Allen Price. We’ll be back tomorrow with an explainer on Proposition 3, which makes an existing tax on high incomes permanent.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>We’ll talk then.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by The Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco-Northern California Local.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "Newsom Vetoes Bill to Support Immigration Attorneys in Rural California",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>Gov. Gavin Newsom has vetoed a bill that would have fortified a pipeline of new \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/immigration\">immigration\u003c/a> lawyers to work in rural parts of California that are home to many immigrants but few attorneys equipped to help them. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The bill, \u003ca href=\"https://legiscan.com/CA/text/SB1194/id/3456227\">SB 1194\u003c/a>, authored by Central Valley Sen. Anna Caballero, would have codified an existing legal fellowship pilot program placing newly minted lawyers at immigrant-serving community organizations in underserved regions such as the Central Valley, Inland Empire and Central Coast, and pairing them with experienced immigration lawyers from urban areas who provide intensive training and mentorship.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The legislature sent it to the governor’s desk at a time when the Trump administration has \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097313/northern-california-ice-arrests-surged-this-summer\">ramped up immigration arrests\u003c/a> in the state and across the country to new levels as part of the president’s mass deportation campaign.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Since 2019, the pilot program has received about $2.5 million a year, and the current budget provides $7.5 million — three years worth of funding — so the program is expected to continue operating for now. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/ICEGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096570\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/ICEGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/ICEGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/ICEGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">U.S. Border Patrol produced a show of force outside the Japanese American National Museum where Gov. Gavin Newsom was holding a redistricting press conference on Aug. 14, 2025, in Los Angeles, California. (Carlin Stiehl/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>But advocates say SB 1194 would have made it permanent and ensured the funding builds capacity in rural and underserved areas, which the budget language does not.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In his veto message on Sunday evening, Newsom said he shared Caballero’s commitment “to ensure California maintains the capacity to provide legal representation for vulnerable immigrant communities as arrests and detentions rise.” But he said that’s taken care of by the budget, which includes a total of nearly $150 million for immigration services, including the $7.5 million and another $34 million for nonprofit organizations to provide legal aid.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“As such, this bill, which creates an unfunded program on top of this work, is duplicative and unnecessary,” Newsom wrote.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Advocates who sponsored the measure said they were deeply disappointed that the governor rejected a chance to protect “a proven, community-driven program.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The veto “underscores the Newsom administration’s failure to acknowledge grassroots-led solutions developed by rural communities and sends the message that these regions, and the immigrant communities that call them home, can be ignored without consequence or accountability,” said Jackie Gonzalez, co-director of the Sacramento-based Immigrant Defense Advocates.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Data show that people who have legal representation are \u003ca href=\"https://tracreports.org/phptools/immigration/closure/\">far more likely to succeed\u003c/a> in fighting deportation than those without. And \u003ca href=\"https://tracreports.org/phptools/immigration/addressrep/\">a new report shows \u003c/a>that where an immigrant lives affects whether they can find an attorney to represent them in immigration proceedings.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“For too long, the resources California has invested to expand access to immigration legal services have failed to reach communities in the Central Valley,” Caballero said. The fellowship program “creates a pipeline in the Central Valley for high-quality immigration legal services by training the next generation of lawyers to serve individuals, families and communities that need them the most.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The pilot program began during the first Trump administration. So far, it has trained about 20 attorneys who’ve provided pro bono representation to nearly 2,500 people across 39 counties, she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California has the largest number of immigrants of any state. People vulnerable to immigration enforcement include people with green cards or other lawful status, as well as the more than 2 million California residents who are unauthorized immigrants, many of whom have lived in the state for decades.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Adriana Melgoza, executive director of the Watsonville Law Center, said that on the Central Coast, longtime agricultural workers have often been in this country so long they have not only U.S.-born children but U.S.-born grandchildren, yet no way to become legal residents. She said she’s also seen an uptick in immigration arrests in the region.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Any arrest in our community brings fear for the entire community,” she said. “Children who are citizens are really afraid to go to school because they fear that they’re not going to come back to a parent…. We’re traumatizing our next generation.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2279628970-scaled-e1790630969215.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101706\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An ICE deportation officer’s badge in Dallas on Monday, June 1, 2026. (Angela Piazza/The Dallas Morning News via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>But Melgoza, whose organization was part of the original pilot program, said her area, including Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties, is a “legal desert,” with a severe lack of immigration lawyers and a growing need.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“A lot of the clients that we’re representing in removal defense have options to fight their case,” she said. “But if they don’t have an attorney, people face straight deportation without even the chance… to exercise their rights.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Nearly three decades worth of data on immigration court outcomes made available by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, a research center at Syracuse University, shows that nearly seven out of 10 individuals who lack lawyers are ordered deported, while fewer than three out of 10 face deportation if they have an attorney.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The fellowship program not only provides three years of training for new immigration lawyers, but also assists nonprofit organizations in rural areas in developing their capacity to become legal service providers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That’s key, according to Gonzalez, because it allows those groups to apply for a larger pool of state funding for immigration legal services. Those funds, administered by the state Department of Social Services, are only available to organizations that can show at least three years of expertise.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/005_KQED_630Sansome_02052020_1455_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12077382\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/005_KQED_630Sansome_02052020_1455_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/005_KQED_630Sansome_02052020_1455_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/005_KQED_630Sansome_02052020_1455_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building at 630 Sansome St. on Feb. 5, 2020. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“The fellowship has been a resounding success by all measures,” Gonzalez said. “It has recruited young attorneys back home to serve their communities… and all of the participating organizations have acquired three years of [capacity-building], making them eligible to obtain funding that has previously predominantly only been available to larger organizations in wealthier metropolitan hubs.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But this year’s budget strips out language directing the funds to historically underserved areas and instead calls for “sustainable, cost-effective fellowship strategies.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>With the veto killing a chance to enshrine the fellowship into law, Gonzalez said she fears the program could be reshaped into something “that no longer prioritizes rural communities at all.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>SB 1194 was one of an array of bills on the governor’s desk aimed at strengthening California’s support for immigrants at risk of deportation and exercising state oversight of immigration detention.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Newsom has until Sep. 30 to sign or veto the remaining legislation.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/ICEGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096570\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/ICEGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/ICEGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/ICEGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">U.S. Border Patrol produced a show of force outside the Japanese American National Museum where Gov. Gavin Newsom was holding a redistricting press conference on Aug. 14, 2025, in Los Angeles, California. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Carlin Stiehl/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But advocates say SB 1194 would have made it permanent and ensured the funding builds capacity in rural and underserved areas, which the budget language does not.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In his veto message on Sunday evening, Newsom said he shared Caballero’s commitment “to ensure California maintains the capacity to provide legal representation for vulnerable immigrant communities as arrests and detentions rise.” But he said that’s taken care of by the budget, which includes a total of nearly $150 million for immigration services, including the $7.5 million and another $34 million for nonprofit organizations to provide legal aid.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“As such, this bill, which creates an unfunded program on top of this work, is duplicative and unnecessary,” Newsom wrote.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Advocates who sponsored the measure said they were deeply disappointed that the governor rejected a chance to protect “a proven, community-driven program.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The veto “underscores the Newsom administration’s failure to acknowledge grassroots-led solutions developed by rural communities and sends the message that these regions, and the immigrant communities that call them home, can be ignored without consequence or accountability,” said Jackie Gonzalez, co-director of the Sacramento-based Immigrant Defense Advocates.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Data show that people who have legal representation are \u003ca href=\"https://tracreports.org/phptools/immigration/closure/\">far more likely to succeed\u003c/a> in fighting deportation than those without. And \u003ca href=\"https://tracreports.org/phptools/immigration/addressrep/\">a new report shows \u003c/a>that where an immigrant lives affects whether they can find an attorney to represent them in immigration proceedings.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Data show that people who have legal representation are \u003ca href=\"https://tracreports.org/phptools/immigration/closure/\">far more likely to succeed\u003c/a> in fighting deportation than those without. And \u003ca href=\"https://tracreports.org/phptools/immigration/addressrep/\">a new report shows \u003c/a>that where an immigrant lives affects whether they can find an attorney to represent them in immigration proceedings.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“For too long, the resources California has invested to expand access to immigration legal services have failed to reach communities in the Central Valley,” Caballero said. The fellowship program “creates a pipeline in the Central Valley for high-quality immigration legal services by training the next generation of lawyers to serve individuals, families and communities that need them the most.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“For too long, the resources California has invested to expand access to immigration legal services have failed to reach communities in the Central Valley,” Caballero said. The fellowship program “creates a pipeline in the Central Valley for high-quality immigration legal services by training the next generation of lawyers to serve individuals, families and communities that need them the most.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The pilot program began during the first Trump administration. So far, it has trained about 20 attorneys who’ve provided pro bono representation to nearly 2,500 people across 39 counties, she said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The pilot program began during the first Trump administration. So far, it has trained about 20 attorneys who’ve provided pro bono representation to nearly 2,500 people across 39 counties, she said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>California has the largest number of immigrants of any state. People vulnerable to immigration enforcement include people with green cards or other lawful status, as well as the more than 2 million California residents who are unauthorized immigrants, many of whom have lived in the state for decades.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>California has the largest number of immigrants of any state. People vulnerable to immigration enforcement include people with green cards or other lawful status, as well as the more than 2 million California residents who are unauthorized immigrants, many of whom have lived in the state for decades.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Adriana Melgoza, executive director of the Watsonville Law Center, said that on the Central Coast, longtime agricultural workers have often been in this country so long they have not only U.S.-born children but U.S.-born grandchildren, yet no way to become legal residents. She said she’s also seen an uptick in immigration arrests in the region.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Adriana Melgoza, executive director of the Watsonville Law Center, said that on the Central Coast, longtime agricultural workers have often been in this country so long they have not only U.S.-born children but U.S.-born grandchildren, yet no way to become legal residents. She said she’s also seen an uptick in immigration arrests in the region.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Any arrest in our community brings fear for the entire community,” she said. “Children who are citizens are really afraid to go to school because they fear that they’re not going to come back to a parent…. We’re traumatizing our next generation.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Any arrest in our community brings fear for the entire community,” she said. “Children who are citizens are really afraid to go to school because they fear that they’re not going to come back to a parent…. We’re traumatizing our next generation.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But Melgoza, whose organization was part of the original pilot program, said her area, including Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties, is a “legal desert,” with a severe lack of immigration lawyers and a growing need.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“A lot of the clients that we’re representing in removal defense have options to fight their case,” she said. “But if they don’t have an attorney, people face straight deportation without even the chance… to exercise their rights.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Nearly three decades worth of data on immigration court outcomes made available by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, a research center at Syracuse University, shows that nearly seven out of 10 individuals who lack lawyers are ordered deported, while fewer than three out of 10 face deportation if they have an attorney.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Nearly three decades worth of data on immigration court outcomes made available by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, a research center at Syracuse University, shows that nearly seven out of 10 individuals who lack lawyers are ordered deported, while fewer than three out of 10 face deportation if they have an attorney.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The fellowship program not only provides three years of training for new immigration lawyers, but also assists nonprofit organizations in rural areas in developing their capacity to become legal service providers. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>That’s key, according to Gonzalez, because it allows those groups to apply for a larger pool of state funding for immigration legal services. Those funds, administered by the state Department of Social Services, are only available to organizations that can show at least three years of expertise.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>That’s key, according to Gonzalez, because it allows those groups to apply for a larger pool of state funding for immigration legal services. Those funds, administered by the state Department of Social Services, are only available to organizations that can show at least three years of expertise.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/005_KQED_630Sansome_02052020_1455_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12077382\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/005_KQED_630Sansome_02052020_1455_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/005_KQED_630Sansome_02052020_1455_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/005_KQED_630Sansome_02052020_1455_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building at 630 Sansome St. on Feb. 5, 2020.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The fellowship has been a resounding success by all measures,” Gonzalez said. “It has recruited young attorneys back home to serve their communities… and all of the participating organizations have acquired three years of [capacity-building], making them eligible to obtain funding that has previously predominantly only been available to larger organizations in wealthier metropolitan hubs.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But this year’s budget strips out language directing the funds to historically underserved areas and instead calls for “sustainable, cost-effective fellowship strategies.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>With the veto killing a chance to enshrine the fellowship into law, Gonzalez said she fears the program could be reshaped into something “that no longer prioritizes rural communities at all.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>SB 1194 was one of an array of bills on the governor’s desk aimed at strengthening California’s support for immigrants at risk of deportation and exercising state oversight of immigration detention.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Newsom has until Sep. 30 to sign or veto the remaining legislation.\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "The governor said the proposal duplicates existing efforts to support residents facing deportation.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>Gov. Gavin Newsom has vetoed a bill that would have fortified a pipeline of new \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/immigration\">immigration\u003c/a> lawyers to work in rural parts of California that are home to many immigrants but few attorneys equipped to help them. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The bill, \u003ca href=\"https://legiscan.com/CA/text/SB1194/id/3456227\">SB 1194\u003c/a>, authored by Central Valley Sen. Anna Caballero, would have codified an existing legal fellowship pilot program placing newly minted lawyers at immigrant-serving community organizations in underserved regions such as the Central Valley, Inland Empire and Central Coast, and pairing them with experienced immigration lawyers from urban areas who provide intensive training and mentorship.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The legislature sent it to the governor’s desk at a time when the Trump administration has \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097313/northern-california-ice-arrests-surged-this-summer\">ramped up immigration arrests\u003c/a> in the state and across the country to new levels as part of the president’s mass deportation campaign.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Since 2019, the pilot program has received about $2.5 million a year, and the current budget provides $7.5 million — three years worth of funding — so the program is expected to continue operating for now. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/ICEGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096570\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/ICEGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/ICEGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/ICEGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">U.S. Border Patrol produced a show of force outside the Japanese American National Museum where Gov. Gavin Newsom was holding a redistricting press conference on Aug. 14, 2025, in Los Angeles, California. (Carlin Stiehl/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>But advocates say SB 1194 would have made it permanent and ensured the funding builds capacity in rural and underserved areas, which the budget language does not.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In his veto message on Sunday evening, Newsom said he shared Caballero’s commitment “to ensure California maintains the capacity to provide legal representation for vulnerable immigrant communities as arrests and detentions rise.” But he said that’s taken care of by the budget, which includes a total of nearly $150 million for immigration services, including the $7.5 million and another $34 million for nonprofit organizations to provide legal aid.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“As such, this bill, which creates an unfunded program on top of this work, is duplicative and unnecessary,” Newsom wrote.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Advocates who sponsored the measure said they were deeply disappointed that the governor rejected a chance to protect “a proven, community-driven program.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The veto “underscores the Newsom administration’s failure to acknowledge grassroots-led solutions developed by rural communities and sends the message that these regions, and the immigrant communities that call them home, can be ignored without consequence or accountability,” said Jackie Gonzalez, co-director of the Sacramento-based Immigrant Defense Advocates.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Data show that people who have legal representation are \u003ca href=\"https://tracreports.org/phptools/immigration/closure/\">far more likely to succeed\u003c/a> in fighting deportation than those without. And \u003ca href=\"https://tracreports.org/phptools/immigration/addressrep/\">a new report shows \u003c/a>that where an immigrant lives affects whether they can find an attorney to represent them in immigration proceedings.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“For too long, the resources California has invested to expand access to immigration legal services have failed to reach communities in the Central Valley,” Caballero said. The fellowship program “creates a pipeline in the Central Valley for high-quality immigration legal services by training the next generation of lawyers to serve individuals, families and communities that need them the most.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The pilot program began during the first Trump administration. So far, it has trained about 20 attorneys who’ve provided pro bono representation to nearly 2,500 people across 39 counties, she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California has the largest number of immigrants of any state. People vulnerable to immigration enforcement include people with green cards or other lawful status, as well as the more than 2 million California residents who are unauthorized immigrants, many of whom have lived in the state for decades.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Adriana Melgoza, executive director of the Watsonville Law Center, said that on the Central Coast, longtime agricultural workers have often been in this country so long they have not only U.S.-born children but U.S.-born grandchildren, yet no way to become legal residents. She said she’s also seen an uptick in immigration arrests in the region.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Any arrest in our community brings fear for the entire community,” she said. “Children who are citizens are really afraid to go to school because they fear that they’re not going to come back to a parent…. We’re traumatizing our next generation.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-2279628970-scaled-e1790630969215.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101706\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An ICE deportation officer’s badge in Dallas on Monday, June 1, 2026. (Angela Piazza/The Dallas Morning News via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>But Melgoza, whose organization was part of the original pilot program, said her area, including Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties, is a “legal desert,” with a severe lack of immigration lawyers and a growing need.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“A lot of the clients that we’re representing in removal defense have options to fight their case,” she said. “But if they don’t have an attorney, people face straight deportation without even the chance… to exercise their rights.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Nearly three decades worth of data on immigration court outcomes made available by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, a research center at Syracuse University, shows that nearly seven out of 10 individuals who lack lawyers are ordered deported, while fewer than three out of 10 face deportation if they have an attorney.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The fellowship program not only provides three years of training for new immigration lawyers, but also assists nonprofit organizations in rural areas in developing their capacity to become legal service providers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That’s key, according to Gonzalez, because it allows those groups to apply for a larger pool of state funding for immigration legal services. Those funds, administered by the state Department of Social Services, are only available to organizations that can show at least three years of expertise.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/005_KQED_630Sansome_02052020_1455_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12077382\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/005_KQED_630Sansome_02052020_1455_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/005_KQED_630Sansome_02052020_1455_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/005_KQED_630Sansome_02052020_1455_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building at 630 Sansome St. on Feb. 5, 2020. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“The fellowship has been a resounding success by all measures,” Gonzalez said. “It has recruited young attorneys back home to serve their communities… and all of the participating organizations have acquired three years of [capacity-building], making them eligible to obtain funding that has previously predominantly only been available to larger organizations in wealthier metropolitan hubs.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But this year’s budget strips out language directing the funds to historically underserved areas and instead calls for “sustainable, cost-effective fellowship strategies.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>With the veto killing a chance to enshrine the fellowship into law, Gonzalez said she fears the program could be reshaped into something “that no longer prioritizes rural communities at all.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>SB 1194 was one of an array of bills on the governor’s desk aimed at strengthening California’s support for immigrants at risk of deportation and exercising state oversight of immigration detention.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Newsom has until Sep. 30 to sign or veto the remaining legislation.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "sheng-thao-case-recordings-reveal-taped-phone-calls-fbi-informant-appearing-to-describe-bribes",
"title": "Sheng Thao Case: Recordings Reveal Taped Phone Calls, FBI Informant Appearing to Describe Bribes",
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"headTitle": "Sheng Thao Case: Recordings Reveal Taped Phone Calls, FBI Informant Appearing to Describe Bribes | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>A video recording filed in the federal corruption case of former Oakland Mayor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/sheng-thao\">Sheng Thao\u003c/a> shows a key FBI informant describing the owners of a major recycling contractor paying people after they won a lucrative contract with the city of Oakland. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The video is part of a batch of files released this month that also includes taped phone calls with current and former elected officials. The calls, which appear to have been recorded without the politicians’ knowledge, seem to reveal close working relationships, and at times coordination, between Oakland city officials and the recycling company. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Prosecutors argue the video shows a critical moment in the alleged corruption scheme between their star witness, a co-conspirator turned informant, and the Duong family, owners of California Waste Solutions, the city’s curbside recycling provider. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The company’s CEO, David Duong, and his son, Andy Duong, are facing bribery, conspiracy and mail and wire fraud charges alongside Thao and her longtime partner, Andre Jones. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The four are accused of engaging in a corrupt relationship in the lead-up to the 2022 Oakland mayoral election and in the months following. Prosecutors allege Thao promised she would use her authority as mayor to take actions to benefit the Duongs’ companies in exchange for financing negative political mailers and paying money to Jones through a no-show job. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>All four defendants have pleaded not guilty. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://youtu.be/SQfb9Mw6Qsc\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://youtube.com/shorts/D3w672owIBs?si=t5qlWwMQGSXrJs7B\">In the video from October 2022\u003c/a>, Mario Juarez, who has pleaded guilty to participating in the alleged bribery scheme, stands in front of a conference table and makes a toast, professing his loyalty to the Duongs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The day after you won the city of Oakland contract, you were there, paying everybody,” Juarez can be heard saying in the video while holding a bottle of what appears to be champagne. “Everybody was like fucking piranhas after you. I remember because I was there. I was in your office. And — $50,000, $100,000 — whatever it was. And you said, ‘What do you want?’ I said, ‘I just want to do business with you.’”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The toast appears to celebrate Evolutionary Homes, a housing company the Duongs and Juarez co-founded around that time that is at the center of the bribery prosecution. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the video, members of the Duong family do not correct Juarez when he mentions payments. At one point, when Juarez describes “piranhas,” Kristina Duong, California Waste Solutions’ chief financial officer, shakes her head yes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a July court filing, prosecutors described the video, saying that Juarez is expected to testify at trial that his comments were in reference to bribes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The government expects Juarez to testify that this statement refers to the Duongs giving cash to multiple public officials in exchange for their assistance in helping CWS [California Waste Solutions] secure the Oakland recycling contract in 2014,” the filing reads. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Juarez’s toast to the partnership between the Duongs and Juarez took place when the alleged conspiracy was forming, prosecutors say. By professing his past and future loyalty, prosecutors say Juarez was indicating to the Duongs that he could be trusted to keep their secrets and conduct business in their interest. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I defended your family, I defend CWS, I defend them physically,” Juarez can be heard saying in the video. “If anyone fucks with CWS, I step up to the plate, and I think I’ve proven that time and time again.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That very same day, prosecutors say Juarez reached out to Thao to set up a meeting to discuss the negative campaign mailers and the city’s commitment to purchase housing units from Evolutionary Homes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>An attorney for David Duong declined to comment on the video and other allegations Juarez has made. Lawyers representing Andy Duong did not immediately respond. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Defense attorneys for months have \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12071314/fbi-informant-tested-corruption-case-against-oaklands-former-mayor\">raised questions about Juarez’s credibility as a witness\u003c/a>, pointing to what they’ve described as his “decades-long history of fraud,” and instances where they say Juarez falsely accused business partners of illegal activity in an effort to escape liability for his own actions. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-06.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098344\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-06.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-06-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-06-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">US Postal Inspectors check documents at a home tied to David Duong, one of the multiple properties searched by law enforcement that included residences of members of a politically connected family who run the city’s contracted recycling company, California Waste Solutions, in Oakland, California, on June 20, 2024. (Ray Chavez/MediaNews Group/The Mercury News via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>A second video, taken shortly after the first, shows Juarez making another speech. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Minus the profanity,” someone off-camera can be heard saying, followed by another person saying, “Keep it PG, please.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The videos were retrieved from Andy Duong’s phone and are among multiple audio and video files FBI agents seized. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One such file, described as a video depicting Andy Duong, former San Leandro City Councilmember Bryan Azevedo and others, remains under seal. The video was recorded in August 2023, during a trade delegation to Vietnam that Thao, the Duongs and other East Bay officials attended. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Azevedo, who \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12073176/former-san-leandro-city-councilmember-pleads-guilty-in-federal-bribery-case\">pleaded guilty to accepting bribes\u003c/a> in a related case in February, is a cooperating government witness in the case involving Thao, Jones and the Duongs. Juarez is expected to testify that Andy Duong told him he often recorded politicians in case he needed to use it for leverage later on. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1708\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-16-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098354\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-16-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-16-2000x1334.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-16-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-16-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-16-2048x1366.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Andy Duong exits the U.S. District Court in Oakland, California, on Jan. 17, 2025. Sheng Thao, the former mayor of Oakland, was criminally indicted by a federal grand jury after an FBI corruption investigation that centered on City Hall and the powerful Duong family that operates the city’s curbside recycling program, a source familiar with the matter told the Chronicle. (Santiago Mejia/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Court records show prosecutors are now planning to use many of those recordings as evidence in the trial against the Duongs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Andy Duong, who previously worked for his family’s business, is no longer actively employed by California Waste Solutions, an attorney for the company confirmed via phone on Thursday. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The attorney said Andy Duong is “on a leave of absence” but would not say when the leave began or why. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I don’t remember when it started. Quite some time ago,” said Doug Straus, an attorney with the Buchalter law firm. “It’s been, at least, many, many, many months.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘We got the contract, here is your money’ \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The video of Juarez talking about payments is not the only time allegations of wider public corruption have surfaced in the case. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a motion filed last month, attorneys for David Duong described allegations Juarez made to the FBI about the Duongs, including that the family has given millions of dollars in cash to elected officials. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Juarez knew the Duongs had paid bribes to public officials in the past. It was just how they did business,” the document reads. “Influence with politicians is part of the Duongs’ business plan. Influence came from the money they doled out and from the video evidence they kept.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/090826_ShengThao-Trial-File_GH_011_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098817\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/090826_ShengThao-Trial-File_GH_011_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/090826_ShengThao-Trial-File_GH_011_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/090826_ShengThao-Trial-File_GH_011_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The California Waste Solutions headquarters at 1211 Embarcadero, in Oakland, on Sept. 8, 2026. The company provides curbside recycling service in Oakland. (Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>According to the motion, Juarez described seeing a line of people at California Waste Solutions’ headquarters waiting to be paid in cash by David Duong. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“[Individual 1] was paid $300,000 in cash in a black gym bag. Juarez knew the amount of cash because Juarez helped count the money,” the filing reads. “The cash to [Individual 1] was definitely for his help in obtaining the CWS contract; D. Duong told [Individual 1] something to the effect of ‘Congratulations, we got the contract, here is your money.’” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Juarez claimed he saw another individual — identified in the filing as Individual 2 — receive $50,000, also in a black gym bag. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“[Individual 2] was angry he only got $50,000; [Individual 2] wanted more money,” it reads. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>According to the document, Juarez told federal agents he was involved in bribing a political opponent of a city official. Juarez gave the individual $20,000 in front of a Starbucks. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Duongs paid two individuals $100,000 each for being lobbyists for California Waste Solutions, but those payments were not reported, Juarez alleged. He also claimed to have seen the Duongs delete footage from a security system. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Duong had blackmail on a lot of people. A. Duong used blackmail often,” the filing says Juarez alleged. “The Duongs and CWS started using vague consultant contracts to launder money to various individuals. Juarez knew money had been paid to [Individual 1], [Individual 8], and Brian Azevedo.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a motion filed Aug. 27, defense attorneys for David Duong pushed to have the video of Juarez and other allegations he has made kept out of the trial. They argued the allegations are unrelated to the charged conspiracy involving Thao, and could make the jury jump to the conclusion that the defendants have a propensity to commit bribery or have poor moral character. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Allowing Juarez to levy unsubstantiated accusations of obstruction, blackmail, and money laundering will only confuse the issues and encourage the jury to conclude that the Duongs are bad people and therefore likely guilty,” they wrote in the motion. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>U.S. Chief District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers on Sept. 21 denied it, ruling that Juarez’s statements about other alleged bribes can be admitted as evidence. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The jury will ultimately decide whether Juarez’s statements reveal truth or not,” her order reads. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘I’m not f—ing with those bitches’ \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In one of the recorded phone calls filed in federal court, dated April 2019, Thao appears to give Andy Duong information about a closed session discussion related to a legal dispute between the city of Oakland and California Waste Solutions. Oakland had sued the company in 2017, accusing it of overcharging ratepayers. California Waste Solutions then filed its own claims against the city, alleging breach of contract and seeking $5 million.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the recording, Thao can be heard appearing to reference then-Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan and advising Andy Duong on how to prepare for a meeting the following day. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“So in the meeting, this is what you guys need to do, OK? You guys need to prepare and talk today amongst yourselves and how to figure out how to do this because … in the meeting tomorrow, that’s what Rebecca’s going to ask for, because she doesn’t know what the answer is for that part.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-08.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098346\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-08.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-08-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-08-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao holds a press conference at Oakland City Hall on June 24, 2024. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Thao can also be heard requesting to meet somewhere more private. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We just need to be further away from people,” Thao can be heard saying. “We don’t want people hearing us talk about this stuff, you know? But if it’s a private room, I prefer a private room, because we don’t really want to be seen with you guys.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Kaplan, who is no longer a councilmember but is still working for the city, did not respond to KQED’s questions about the recording. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Four years later, in 2023, Thao was mayor. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a call that September, she vented to Andy Duong about Councilmembers Treva Reid and Janani Ramachandran. In the call, Thao appears to express frustration that they were invited to an event. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You’re going to have to fucking pick and choose. Because I’m not fucking with those bitches,” she says on the call. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Thao had recently returned from the trade delegation to Vietnam when the country’s \u003ca href=\"https://en.vietnamplus.vn/pm-pham-minh-chinh-receives-politicians-of-san-francisco-post268198.vnp\">prime minister\u003c/a> visited the Bay Area and met with local elected officials. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This is stupid. I’m not going to stand around with these two bitches who constantly talk shit about me and make a big issue to their constituents. They’ll be like, ‘Oh yeah, the mayor is gone, she’s in Vietnam.’ You know, it’s like fuck you. Then why are you coming to see the prime minister?” Thao can be heard saying on the call. “Treva’s not a friend of mine. She should never be invited by you guys to do anything that sounds even cool.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Thao’s attorneys did not respond to KQED’s requests for comment on the calls. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The files also include a recorded call between Andy Duong and Oakland City Councilmember Kevin Jenkins, and another with Alameda County Supervisor Nikki Fortunato Bas, who was president of the Oakland City Council at the time. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the January 2024 call with Jenkins, Andy Duong follows up on an invitation to party on a yacht. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Duong and Jenkins can be heard joking with each other at the start of the call, referring to women as bitches. They then discuss the campaigns to recall Thao and then Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price and Evolutionary Homes.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Reached by phone, Jenkins told KQED that it would be inappropriate for him to comment on the recording given that he is a government witness in the trial. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the call with Bas, recorded in March that same year, she and Andy Duong can be heard discussing donations to her then-campaign for supervisor. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Duong then tells Bas that he spoke to Thao and asks if she can put an item on an upcoming agenda to extend California Waste Solutions’ agreement with the city to acquire and develop property at the former Oakland Army Base for a new recycling facility. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Yup. OK. I’ll follow up on this right now,” she says. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In an email, Bas told KQED the city council never voted on or addressed Duong’s request. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“As I do with all constituent matters, I forwarded this inquiry to city staff for their independent review,” she said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A video recording filed in the federal corruption case of former Oakland Mayor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/sheng-thao\">Sheng Thao\u003c/a> shows a key FBI informant describing the owners of a major recycling contractor paying people after they won a lucrative contract with the city of Oakland. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The video is part of a batch of files released this month that also includes taped phone calls with current and former elected officials. The calls, which appear to have been recorded without the politicians’ knowledge, seem to reveal close working relationships, and at times coordination, between Oakland city officials and the recycling company. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The company’s CEO, David Duong, and his son, Andy Duong, are facing bribery, conspiracy and mail and wire fraud charges alongside Thao and her longtime partner, Andre Jones. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The four are accused of engaging in a corrupt relationship in the lead-up to the 2022 Oakland mayoral election and in the months following. Prosecutors allege Thao promised she would use her authority as mayor to take actions to benefit the Duongs’ companies in exchange for financing negative political mailers and paying money to Jones through a no-show job. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://youtube.com/shorts/D3w672owIBs?si=t5qlWwMQGSXrJs7B\">In the video from October 2022\u003c/a>, Mario Juarez, who has pleaded guilty to participating in the alleged bribery scheme, stands in front of a conference table and makes a toast, professing his loyalty to the Duongs. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The day after you won the city of Oakland contract, you were there, paying everybody,” Juarez can be heard saying in the video while holding a bottle of what appears to be champagne. “Everybody was like fucking piranhas after you. I remember because I was there. I was in your office. And — $50,000, $100,000 — whatever it was. And you said, ‘What do you want?’ I said, ‘I just want to do business with you.’”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“The day after you won the city of Oakland contract, you were there, paying everybody,” Juarez can be heard saying in the video while holding a bottle of what appears to be champagne. “Everybody was like fucking piranhas after you. I remember because I was there. I was in your office. And — $50,000, $100,000 — whatever it was. And you said, ‘What do you want?’ I said, ‘I just want to do business with you.’”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The toast appears to celebrate Evolutionary Homes, a housing company the Duongs and Juarez co-founded around that time that is at the center of the bribery prosecution. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In the video, members of the Duong family do not correct Juarez when he mentions payments. At one point, when Juarez describes “piranhas,” Kristina Duong, California Waste Solutions’ chief financial officer, shakes her head yes. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The government expects Juarez to testify that this statement refers to the Duongs giving cash to multiple public officials in exchange for their assistance in helping CWS [California Waste Solutions] secure the Oakland recycling contract in 2014,” the filing reads. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Juarez’s toast to the partnership between the Duongs and Juarez took place when the alleged conspiracy was forming, prosecutors say. By professing his past and future loyalty, prosecutors say Juarez was indicating to the Duongs that he could be trusted to keep their secrets and conduct business in their interest. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I defended your family, I defend CWS, I defend them physically,” Juarez can be heard saying in the video. “If anyone fucks with CWS, I step up to the plate, and I think I’ve proven that time and time again.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I defended your family, I defend CWS, I defend them physically,” Juarez can be heard saying in the video. “If anyone fucks with CWS, I step up to the plate, and I think I’ve proven that time and time again.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>That very same day, prosecutors say Juarez reached out to Thao to set up a meeting to discuss the negative campaign mailers and the city’s commitment to purchase housing units from Evolutionary Homes. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>That very same day, prosecutors say Juarez reached out to Thao to set up a meeting to discuss the negative campaign mailers and the city’s commitment to purchase housing units from Evolutionary Homes. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>An attorney for David Duong declined to comment on the video and other allegations Juarez has made. Lawyers representing Andy Duong did not immediately respond. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Defense attorneys for months have \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12071314/fbi-informant-tested-corruption-case-against-oaklands-former-mayor\">raised questions about Juarez’s credibility as a witness\u003c/a>, pointing to what they’ve described as his “decades-long history of fraud,” and instances where they say Juarez falsely accused business partners of illegal activity in an effort to escape liability for his own actions. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Defense attorneys for months have \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12071314/fbi-informant-tested-corruption-case-against-oaklands-former-mayor\">raised questions about Juarez’s credibility as a witness\u003c/a>, pointing to what they’ve described as his “decades-long history of fraud,” and instances where they say Juarez falsely accused business partners of illegal activity in an effort to escape liability for his own actions. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-06.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098344\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-06.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-06-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-06-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">US Postal Inspectors check documents at a home tied to David Duong, one of the multiple properties searched by law enforcement that included residences of members of a politically connected family who run the city’s contracted recycling company, California Waste Solutions, in Oakland, California, on June 20, 2024.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Ray Chavez/MediaNews Group/The Mercury News via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-06.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098344\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">US Postal Inspectors check documents at a home tied to David Duong, one of the multiple properties searched by law enforcement that included residences of members of a politically connected family who run the city’s contracted recycling company, California Waste Solutions, in Oakland, California, on June 20, 2024.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Ray Chavez/MediaNews Group/The Mercury News via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A second video, taken shortly after the first, shows Juarez making another speech. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Minus the profanity,” someone off-camera can be heard saying, followed by another person saying, “Keep it PG, please.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>One such file, described as a video depicting Andy Duong, former San Leandro City Councilmember Bryan Azevedo and others, remains under seal. The video was recorded in August 2023, during a trade delegation to Vietnam that Thao, the Duongs and other East Bay officials attended. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Azevedo, who \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12073176/former-san-leandro-city-councilmember-pleads-guilty-in-federal-bribery-case\">pleaded guilty to accepting bribes\u003c/a> in a related case in February, is a cooperating government witness in the case involving Thao, Jones and the Duongs. Juarez is expected to testify that Andy Duong told him he often recorded politicians in case he needed to use it for leverage later on. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Azevedo, who \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12073176/former-san-leandro-city-councilmember-pleads-guilty-in-federal-bribery-case\">pleaded guilty to accepting bribes\u003c/a> in a related case in February, is a cooperating government witness in the case involving Thao, Jones and the Duongs. Juarez is expected to testify that Andy Duong told him he often recorded politicians in case he needed to use it for leverage later on. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-16-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098354\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-16-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-16-2000x1334.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-16-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-16-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-16-2048x1366.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Andy Duong exits the U.S. District Court in Oakland, California, on Jan. 17, 2025. Sheng Thao, the former mayor of Oakland, was criminally indicted by a federal grand jury after an FBI corruption investigation that centered on City Hall and the powerful Duong family that operates the city’s curbside recycling program, a source familiar with the matter told the Chronicle.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Santiago Mejia/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-16-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098354\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Andy Duong exits the U.S. District Court in Oakland, California, on Jan. 17, 2025. Sheng Thao, the former mayor of Oakland, was criminally indicted by a federal grand jury after an FBI corruption investigation that centered on City Hall and the powerful Duong family that operates the city’s curbside recycling program, a source familiar with the matter told the Chronicle.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Santiago Mejia/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Andy Duong, who previously worked for his family’s business, is no longer actively employed by California Waste Solutions, an attorney for the company confirmed via phone on Thursday. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I don’t remember when it started. Quite some time ago,” said Doug Straus, an attorney with the Buchalter law firm. “It’s been, at least, many, many, many months.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The video of Juarez talking about payments is not the only time allegations of wider public corruption have surfaced in the case. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In a motion filed last month, attorneys for David Duong described allegations Juarez made to the FBI about the Duongs, including that the family has given millions of dollars in cash to elected officials. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Juarez knew the Duongs had paid bribes to public officials in the past. It was just how they did business,” the document reads. “Influence with politicians is part of the Duongs’ business plan. Influence came from the money they doled out and from the video evidence they kept.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/090826_ShengThao-Trial-File_GH_011_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098817\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/090826_ShengThao-Trial-File_GH_011_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/090826_ShengThao-Trial-File_GH_011_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/090826_ShengThao-Trial-File_GH_011_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The California Waste Solutions headquarters at 1211 Embarcadero, in Oakland, on Sept. 8, 2026. The company provides curbside recycling service in Oakland.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>According to the motion, Juarez described seeing a line of people at California Waste Solutions’ headquarters waiting to be paid in cash by David Duong. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“[Individual 1] was paid $300,000 in cash in a black gym bag. Juarez knew the amount of cash because Juarez helped count the money,” the filing reads. “The cash to [Individual 1] was definitely for his help in obtaining the CWS contract; D. Duong told [Individual 1] something to the effect of ‘Congratulations, we got the contract, here is your money.’” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“[Individual 1] was paid $300,000 in cash in a black gym bag. Juarez knew the amount of cash because Juarez helped count the money,” the filing reads. “The cash to [Individual 1] was definitely for his help in obtaining the CWS contract; D. Duong told [Individual 1] something to the effect of ‘Congratulations, we got the contract, here is your money.’” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Juarez claimed he saw another individual — identified in the filing as Individual 2 — receive $50,000, also in a black gym bag. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Duongs paid two individuals $100,000 each for being lobbyists for California Waste Solutions, but those payments were not reported, Juarez alleged. He also claimed to have seen the Duongs delete footage from a security system. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Duong had blackmail on a lot of people. A. Duong used blackmail often,” the filing says Juarez alleged. “The Duongs and CWS started using vague consultant contracts to launder money to various individuals. Juarez knew money had been paid to [Individual 1], [Individual 8], and Brian Azevedo.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In a motion filed Aug. 27, defense attorneys for David Duong pushed to have the video of Juarez and other allegations he has made kept out of the trial. They argued the allegations are unrelated to the charged conspiracy involving Thao, and could make the jury jump to the conclusion that the defendants have a propensity to commit bribery or have poor moral character. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In a motion filed Aug. 27, defense attorneys for David Duong pushed to have the video of Juarez and other allegations he has made kept out of the trial. They argued the allegations are unrelated to the charged conspiracy involving Thao, and could make the jury jump to the conclusion that the defendants have a propensity to commit bribery or have poor moral character. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Allowing Juarez to levy unsubstantiated accusations of obstruction, blackmail, and money laundering will only confuse the issues and encourage the jury to conclude that the Duongs are bad people and therefore likely guilty,” they wrote in the motion. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Allowing Juarez to levy unsubstantiated accusations of obstruction, blackmail, and money laundering will only confuse the issues and encourage the jury to conclude that the Duongs are bad people and therefore likely guilty,” they wrote in the motion. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>U.S. Chief District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers on Sept. 21 denied it, ruling that Juarez’s statements about other alleged bribes can be admitted as evidence. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In one of the recorded phone calls filed in federal court, dated April 2019, Thao appears to give Andy Duong information about a closed session discussion related to a legal dispute between the city of Oakland and California Waste Solutions. Oakland had sued the company in 2017, accusing it of overcharging ratepayers. California Waste Solutions then filed its own claims against the city, alleging breach of contract and seeking $5 million.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In one of the recorded phone calls filed in federal court, dated April 2019, Thao appears to give Andy Duong information about a closed session discussion related to a legal dispute between the city of Oakland and California Waste Solutions. Oakland had sued the company in 2017, accusing it of overcharging ratepayers. California Waste Solutions then filed its own claims against the city, alleging breach of contract and seeking $5 million.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In the recording, Thao can be heard appearing to reference then-Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan and advising Andy Duong on how to prepare for a meeting the following day. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In the recording, Thao can be heard appearing to reference then-Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan and advising Andy Duong on how to prepare for a meeting the following day. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“So in the meeting, this is what you guys need to do, OK? You guys need to prepare and talk today amongst yourselves and how to figure out how to do this because … in the meeting tomorrow, that’s what Rebecca’s going to ask for, because she doesn’t know what the answer is for that part.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“So in the meeting, this is what you guys need to do, OK? You guys need to prepare and talk today amongst yourselves and how to figure out how to do this because … in the meeting tomorrow, that’s what Rebecca’s going to ask for, because she doesn’t know what the answer is for that part.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-08.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098346\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-08.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-08-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-08-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao holds a press conference at Oakland City Hall on June 24, 2024.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-08.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098346\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao holds a press conference at Oakland City Hall on June 24, 2024.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Thao can also be heard requesting to meet somewhere more private. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We just need to be further away from people,” Thao can be heard saying. “We don’t want people hearing us talk about this stuff, you know? But if it’s a private room, I prefer a private room, because we don’t really want to be seen with you guys.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Kaplan, who is no longer a councilmember but is still working for the city, did not respond to KQED’s questions about the recording. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Four years later, in 2023, Thao was mayor. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In a call that September, she vented to Andy Duong about Councilmembers Treva Reid and Janani Ramachandran. In the call, Thao appears to express frustration that they were invited to an event. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“You’re going to have to fucking pick and choose. Because I’m not fucking with those bitches,” she says on the call. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Thao had recently returned from the trade delegation to Vietnam when the country’s \u003ca href=\"https://en.vietnamplus.vn/pm-pham-minh-chinh-receives-politicians-of-san-francisco-post268198.vnp\">prime minister\u003c/a> visited the Bay Area and met with local elected officials. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“This is stupid. I’m not going to stand around with these two bitches who constantly talk shit about me and make a big issue to their constituents. They’ll be like, ‘Oh yeah, the mayor is gone, she’s in Vietnam.’ You know, it’s like fuck you. Then why are you coming to see the prime minister?” Thao can be heard saying on the call. “Treva’s not a friend of mine. She should never be invited by you guys to do anything that sounds even cool.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“This is stupid. I’m not going to stand around with these two bitches who constantly talk shit about me and make a big issue to their constituents. They’ll be like, ‘Oh yeah, the mayor is gone, she’s in Vietnam.’ You know, it’s like fuck you. Then why are you coming to see the prime minister?” Thao can be heard saying on the call. “Treva’s not a friend of mine. She should never be invited by you guys to do anything that sounds even cool.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Thao’s attorneys did not respond to KQED’s requests for comment on the calls. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The files also include a recorded call between Andy Duong and Oakland City Councilmember Kevin Jenkins, and another with Alameda County Supervisor Nikki Fortunato Bas, who was president of the Oakland City Council at the time. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The files also include a recorded call between Andy Duong and Oakland City Councilmember Kevin Jenkins, and another with Alameda County Supervisor Nikki Fortunato Bas, who was president of the Oakland City Council at the time. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In the January 2024 call with Jenkins, Andy Duong follows up on an invitation to party on a yacht. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In the January 2024 call with Jenkins, Andy Duong follows up on an invitation to party on a yacht. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Duong and Jenkins can be heard joking with each other at the start of the call, referring to women as bitches. They then discuss the campaigns to recall Thao and then Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price and Evolutionary Homes.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Duong and Jenkins can be heard joking with each other at the start of the call, referring to women as bitches. They then discuss the campaigns to recall Thao and then Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price and Evolutionary Homes.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Reached by phone, Jenkins told KQED that it would be inappropriate for him to comment on the recording given that he is a government witness in the trial. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In the call with Bas, recorded in March that same year, she and Andy Duong can be heard discussing donations to her then-campaign for supervisor. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Duong then tells Bas that he spoke to Thao and asks if she can put an item on an upcoming agenda to extend California Waste Solutions’ agreement with the city to acquire and develop property at the former Oakland Army Base for a new recycling facility. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Duong then tells Bas that he spoke to Thao and asks if she can put an item on an upcoming agenda to extend California Waste Solutions’ agreement with the city to acquire and develop property at the former Oakland Army Base for a new recycling facility. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Yup. OK. I’ll follow up on this right now,” she says. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Yup. OK. I’ll follow up on this right now,” she says. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In an email, Bas told KQED the city council never voted on or addressed Duong’s request. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“As I do with all constituent matters, I forwarded this inquiry to city staff for their independent review,” she said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "A batch of video and audio recordings in the federal corruption case of former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao reveals taped phone calls with East Bay elected officials and a video of an FBI informant appearing to describe cash bribes. ",
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"title": "Sheng Thao Case: Recordings Reveal Taped Phone Calls, FBI Informant Appearing to Describe Bribes | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>A video recording filed in the federal corruption case of former Oakland Mayor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/sheng-thao\">Sheng Thao\u003c/a> shows a key FBI informant describing the owners of a major recycling contractor paying people after they won a lucrative contract with the city of Oakland. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The video is part of a batch of files released this month that also includes taped phone calls with current and former elected officials. The calls, which appear to have been recorded without the politicians’ knowledge, seem to reveal close working relationships, and at times coordination, between Oakland city officials and the recycling company. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Prosecutors argue the video shows a critical moment in the alleged corruption scheme between their star witness, a co-conspirator turned informant, and the Duong family, owners of California Waste Solutions, the city’s curbside recycling provider. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The company’s CEO, David Duong, and his son, Andy Duong, are facing bribery, conspiracy and mail and wire fraud charges alongside Thao and her longtime partner, Andre Jones. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The four are accused of engaging in a corrupt relationship in the lead-up to the 2022 Oakland mayoral election and in the months following. Prosecutors allege Thao promised she would use her authority as mayor to take actions to benefit the Duongs’ companies in exchange for financing negative political mailers and paying money to Jones through a no-show job. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>All four defendants have pleaded not guilty. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/SQfb9Mw6Qsc'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/SQfb9Mw6Qsc'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://youtube.com/shorts/D3w672owIBs?si=t5qlWwMQGSXrJs7B\">In the video from October 2022\u003c/a>, Mario Juarez, who has pleaded guilty to participating in the alleged bribery scheme, stands in front of a conference table and makes a toast, professing his loyalty to the Duongs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The day after you won the city of Oakland contract, you were there, paying everybody,” Juarez can be heard saying in the video while holding a bottle of what appears to be champagne. “Everybody was like fucking piranhas after you. I remember because I was there. I was in your office. And — $50,000, $100,000 — whatever it was. And you said, ‘What do you want?’ I said, ‘I just want to do business with you.’”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The toast appears to celebrate Evolutionary Homes, a housing company the Duongs and Juarez co-founded around that time that is at the center of the bribery prosecution. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the video, members of the Duong family do not correct Juarez when he mentions payments. At one point, when Juarez describes “piranhas,” Kristina Duong, California Waste Solutions’ chief financial officer, shakes her head yes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a July court filing, prosecutors described the video, saying that Juarez is expected to testify at trial that his comments were in reference to bribes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The government expects Juarez to testify that this statement refers to the Duongs giving cash to multiple public officials in exchange for their assistance in helping CWS [California Waste Solutions] secure the Oakland recycling contract in 2014,” the filing reads. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Juarez’s toast to the partnership between the Duongs and Juarez took place when the alleged conspiracy was forming, prosecutors say. By professing his past and future loyalty, prosecutors say Juarez was indicating to the Duongs that he could be trusted to keep their secrets and conduct business in their interest. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I defended your family, I defend CWS, I defend them physically,” Juarez can be heard saying in the video. “If anyone fucks with CWS, I step up to the plate, and I think I’ve proven that time and time again.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That very same day, prosecutors say Juarez reached out to Thao to set up a meeting to discuss the negative campaign mailers and the city’s commitment to purchase housing units from Evolutionary Homes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>An attorney for David Duong declined to comment on the video and other allegations Juarez has made. Lawyers representing Andy Duong did not immediately respond. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Defense attorneys for months have \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12071314/fbi-informant-tested-corruption-case-against-oaklands-former-mayor\">raised questions about Juarez’s credibility as a witness\u003c/a>, pointing to what they’ve described as his “decades-long history of fraud,” and instances where they say Juarez falsely accused business partners of illegal activity in an effort to escape liability for his own actions. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-06.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098344\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-06.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-06-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-06-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">US Postal Inspectors check documents at a home tied to David Duong, one of the multiple properties searched by law enforcement that included residences of members of a politically connected family who run the city’s contracted recycling company, California Waste Solutions, in Oakland, California, on June 20, 2024. (Ray Chavez/MediaNews Group/The Mercury News via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>A second video, taken shortly after the first, shows Juarez making another speech. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Minus the profanity,” someone off-camera can be heard saying, followed by another person saying, “Keep it PG, please.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The videos were retrieved from Andy Duong’s phone and are among multiple audio and video files FBI agents seized. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One such file, described as a video depicting Andy Duong, former San Leandro City Councilmember Bryan Azevedo and others, remains under seal. The video was recorded in August 2023, during a trade delegation to Vietnam that Thao, the Duongs and other East Bay officials attended. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Azevedo, who \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12073176/former-san-leandro-city-councilmember-pleads-guilty-in-federal-bribery-case\">pleaded guilty to accepting bribes\u003c/a> in a related case in February, is a cooperating government witness in the case involving Thao, Jones and the Duongs. Juarez is expected to testify that Andy Duong told him he often recorded politicians in case he needed to use it for leverage later on. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1708\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-16-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098354\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-16-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-16-2000x1334.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-16-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-16-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-16-2048x1366.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Andy Duong exits the U.S. District Court in Oakland, California, on Jan. 17, 2025. Sheng Thao, the former mayor of Oakland, was criminally indicted by a federal grand jury after an FBI corruption investigation that centered on City Hall and the powerful Duong family that operates the city’s curbside recycling program, a source familiar with the matter told the Chronicle. (Santiago Mejia/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Court records show prosecutors are now planning to use many of those recordings as evidence in the trial against the Duongs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Andy Duong, who previously worked for his family’s business, is no longer actively employed by California Waste Solutions, an attorney for the company confirmed via phone on Thursday. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The attorney said Andy Duong is “on a leave of absence” but would not say when the leave began or why. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I don’t remember when it started. Quite some time ago,” said Doug Straus, an attorney with the Buchalter law firm. “It’s been, at least, many, many, many months.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘We got the contract, here is your money’ \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The video of Juarez talking about payments is not the only time allegations of wider public corruption have surfaced in the case. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a motion filed last month, attorneys for David Duong described allegations Juarez made to the FBI about the Duongs, including that the family has given millions of dollars in cash to elected officials. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Juarez knew the Duongs had paid bribes to public officials in the past. It was just how they did business,” the document reads. “Influence with politicians is part of the Duongs’ business plan. Influence came from the money they doled out and from the video evidence they kept.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/090826_ShengThao-Trial-File_GH_011_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098817\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/090826_ShengThao-Trial-File_GH_011_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/090826_ShengThao-Trial-File_GH_011_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/090826_ShengThao-Trial-File_GH_011_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The California Waste Solutions headquarters at 1211 Embarcadero, in Oakland, on Sept. 8, 2026. The company provides curbside recycling service in Oakland. (Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>According to the motion, Juarez described seeing a line of people at California Waste Solutions’ headquarters waiting to be paid in cash by David Duong. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“[Individual 1] was paid $300,000 in cash in a black gym bag. Juarez knew the amount of cash because Juarez helped count the money,” the filing reads. “The cash to [Individual 1] was definitely for his help in obtaining the CWS contract; D. Duong told [Individual 1] something to the effect of ‘Congratulations, we got the contract, here is your money.’” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Juarez claimed he saw another individual — identified in the filing as Individual 2 — receive $50,000, also in a black gym bag. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“[Individual 2] was angry he only got $50,000; [Individual 2] wanted more money,” it reads. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>According to the document, Juarez told federal agents he was involved in bribing a political opponent of a city official. Juarez gave the individual $20,000 in front of a Starbucks. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Duongs paid two individuals $100,000 each for being lobbyists for California Waste Solutions, but those payments were not reported, Juarez alleged. He also claimed to have seen the Duongs delete footage from a security system. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Duong had blackmail on a lot of people. A. Duong used blackmail often,” the filing says Juarez alleged. “The Duongs and CWS started using vague consultant contracts to launder money to various individuals. Juarez knew money had been paid to [Individual 1], [Individual 8], and Brian Azevedo.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a motion filed Aug. 27, defense attorneys for David Duong pushed to have the video of Juarez and other allegations he has made kept out of the trial. They argued the allegations are unrelated to the charged conspiracy involving Thao, and could make the jury jump to the conclusion that the defendants have a propensity to commit bribery or have poor moral character. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Allowing Juarez to levy unsubstantiated accusations of obstruction, blackmail, and money laundering will only confuse the issues and encourage the jury to conclude that the Duongs are bad people and therefore likely guilty,” they wrote in the motion. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>U.S. Chief District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers on Sept. 21 denied it, ruling that Juarez’s statements about other alleged bribes can be admitted as evidence. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The jury will ultimately decide whether Juarez’s statements reveal truth or not,” her order reads. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘I’m not f—ing with those bitches’ \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In one of the recorded phone calls filed in federal court, dated April 2019, Thao appears to give Andy Duong information about a closed session discussion related to a legal dispute between the city of Oakland and California Waste Solutions. Oakland had sued the company in 2017, accusing it of overcharging ratepayers. California Waste Solutions then filed its own claims against the city, alleging breach of contract and seeking $5 million.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the recording, Thao can be heard appearing to reference then-Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan and advising Andy Duong on how to prepare for a meeting the following day. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“So in the meeting, this is what you guys need to do, OK? You guys need to prepare and talk today amongst yourselves and how to figure out how to do this because … in the meeting tomorrow, that’s what Rebecca’s going to ask for, because she doesn’t know what the answer is for that part.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-08.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098346\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-08.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-08-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260903-ShengThaoTrial-08-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao holds a press conference at Oakland City Hall on June 24, 2024. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Thao can also be heard requesting to meet somewhere more private. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We just need to be further away from people,” Thao can be heard saying. “We don’t want people hearing us talk about this stuff, you know? But if it’s a private room, I prefer a private room, because we don’t really want to be seen with you guys.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Kaplan, who is no longer a councilmember but is still working for the city, did not respond to KQED’s questions about the recording. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Four years later, in 2023, Thao was mayor. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a call that September, she vented to Andy Duong about Councilmembers Treva Reid and Janani Ramachandran. In the call, Thao appears to express frustration that they were invited to an event. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You’re going to have to fucking pick and choose. Because I’m not fucking with those bitches,” she says on the call. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Thao had recently returned from the trade delegation to Vietnam when the country’s \u003ca href=\"https://en.vietnamplus.vn/pm-pham-minh-chinh-receives-politicians-of-san-francisco-post268198.vnp\">prime minister\u003c/a> visited the Bay Area and met with local elected officials. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This is stupid. I’m not going to stand around with these two bitches who constantly talk shit about me and make a big issue to their constituents. They’ll be like, ‘Oh yeah, the mayor is gone, she’s in Vietnam.’ You know, it’s like fuck you. Then why are you coming to see the prime minister?” Thao can be heard saying on the call. “Treva’s not a friend of mine. She should never be invited by you guys to do anything that sounds even cool.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Thao’s attorneys did not respond to KQED’s requests for comment on the calls. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The files also include a recorded call between Andy Duong and Oakland City Councilmember Kevin Jenkins, and another with Alameda County Supervisor Nikki Fortunato Bas, who was president of the Oakland City Council at the time. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the January 2024 call with Jenkins, Andy Duong follows up on an invitation to party on a yacht. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Duong and Jenkins can be heard joking with each other at the start of the call, referring to women as bitches. They then discuss the campaigns to recall Thao and then Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price and Evolutionary Homes.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Reached by phone, Jenkins told KQED that it would be inappropriate for him to comment on the recording given that he is a government witness in the trial. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the call with Bas, recorded in March that same year, she and Andy Duong can be heard discussing donations to her then-campaign for supervisor. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Duong then tells Bas that he spoke to Thao and asks if she can put an item on an upcoming agenda to extend California Waste Solutions’ agreement with the city to acquire and develop property at the former Oakland Army Base for a new recycling facility. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Yup. OK. I’ll follow up on this right now,” she says. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In an email, Bas told KQED the city council never voted on or addressed Duong’s request. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“As I do with all constituent matters, I forwarded this inquiry to city staff for their independent review,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"headTitle": "Prop 1: Authorizes California to Issue a $11.25 Billion Bond to Fund Affordable Housing | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Transcript:\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>When asked in a recent statewide survey, what’s the most important issue facing Californians today? The top responses were affordability, cost of living, housing costs, and availability.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>In other words, nothing new to see here. These are issues that California has struggled with for a long time. On the November ballot this year are a few initiatives that legislators or interest groups think could help. Among them is Proposition 1, which would allow the state to borrow $11.25 billion for housing programs.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Here’s how it reads on your ballot.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Voice Over: \u003c/strong>Prop 1, authorizes bonds for housing affordability programs.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>I’m Erika Cruz Guevara, host of The Bay.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And I’m Olivia Allen-Price, host of Bay Curious. Welcome to PropFest. For the next few weeks, our teams at The Bay and Bay Curious are bringing you breakdowns of each statewide proposition on the California ballot so you can vote with confidence in the November election.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>There are 14 propositions on the ballot this year, and we’ll be taking you through all of them between now and October 9th. We’ll be looking at how they got on the ballet, the arguments for and against each one, talk about how things could play out if they pass, and the money fueling it all.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Are you ready for this, Ericka?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Let’s do this.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Today in our first installment, we’re going through Proposition 1, a housing bond with KQED’s housing reporter, Adhiti Bandlamudi. Welcome, Aditi. Hey, thanks for having me. Let’s start at the top level. What does Proposition one do?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>So Prop 1 issues an $11.25 billion bond, mostly for the construction and preservation of affordable housing. Included in that $11,25 billion, there’s a $1.25 million portion that goes towards the CalVet home loan program, which helps veterans become homeowners. The legislative analyst’s office did a report on Prop 1, and it says the money from this bond could build up to 40,000 rental units. And it could help 40,000 households buy a home. So in total, it could help more than 80,000 families stay housed.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>All right, so we’re at the beginning of PropFest. We’re kind of getting our brains in the right place for all this stuff. Can you remind us how bonds work?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>Yeah, so most of this bond, about $10 billion, is a general obligation bond, also called a GO bond. A state-issued GO bond means that the government will borrow money from investors or anyone who buys the bonds and will then pay it back with interest over the next 25 years out of California’s general fund. It’s kind of like a mortgage. And then The $1.25 billion for the Veterans Home Buying Assistance Program. That is also a go-bond, but it’s self-supporting, meaning that it’ll be repaid through home loans that veterans take out through the program.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Do we have any idea how that $11.25 billion will be spent if this passes?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>It is going to be split into a bunch of different programs. So let me break it down. So a very large chunk, about 5.1 billion, goes towards the multifamily housing program, which is this really big state program for affordable housing development. Some of the units that are built under this program have to be available for extremely low income households who are at risk of becoming homeless. And that money can be used towards the construction, rehabilitation, or preservation of affordable housing. About a billion dollars goes towards supportive housing through the multifamily housing program. Supportive housing basically, it’s housing that comes with wraparound services, stuff like drug abuse support, counseling, help finding a job, and that’s specifically for people who were chronically homeless or who are at risk of becoming chronically harmless. The bond also goes towards a bunch of other programs like making existing cities more dense, housing for farm workers, students, tribes, and other groups. And then, as we talked about before, there’s 1.25 billion which goes towards the CalVet program, and then another 1.1 billion that goes towards programs which promote home ownership for other groups\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Wow, so really funding a pretty big number of programs there. Very much so. This proposition was placed on the ballot by the California legislature. So we know it’s something that at least the majority of our elected officials want to see passed. How does Prop 1 play into larger goals that the state has for housing?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>This proposition has been many years in the making and affordable housing advocates say, it’s a long time coming. So there was a bond voters passed in 2018 that was called the Veterans and Affordable Housing Bond Act. It was also called Prop 1. There’s no deja vu, like that is very similar to this year’s bond. But the 2018 bond was for $4 billion. Similar to this year’s bond that was split into funding for affordable housing and the CalVet program. That funding very quickly ran out in 2023 due to overwhelming demand. Housing advocates say we need more money for these programs and so this year, bond money would basically replace those exhausted funds. I talked with assembly member Buffy Wicks. She represents Berkeley and she’s been working on getting this bond on the ballot for the past four years. She says that every election cycle, lawmakers will fight for a bond for one cause or another, whether it’s housing, climate, schools, transportation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Buffy Wicks: \u003c/strong>But there’s really only so much bond debt we can take on as a state So we want to be mindful because every dollar we’ve put into a bond is we’re sort of borrowing from our future self\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>And last election cycle, the housing bond lost out to the climate bond and won about school facilities. From then until now, WIC says that money for affordable housing got really tight, partially because the state has allocated less and less for these programs in the state budget in recent years.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Buffy Wicks: \u003c/strong>This year, the housing bond really became the priority because we’re running out of these resources. And so it was very clear from the assembly, the Senate and the governor that this was the top priority this year is to get it on the ballot.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>Wicks says there are about 40,000 shovel-ready affordable housing projects ready to break ground, but they need just a little bit more money to close their financing and actually put the shovels in the ground. She said that this bond could bridge that funding gap for those projects.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>We’re going to take a quick break, but when we return, we’ll learn who is supporting the measure and hear from the opposition. Stay with us.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sponsor messages\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And we’re back with more on Proposition 1, a bond for housing affordability programs. Adhiti, who is supporting Prop 1.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>There are a lot of Democratic lawmakers who supported this bond when it was working its way through the legislature, but there are also a bunch of organizations that support it, including the California Association of Veterans, ACLU California Action, United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America, the California Apartment Association, and so many others. Governor Gavin Newsom also supports this bill. And what about the opposition? So, there isn’t a formal opposition campaign. But there are a handful of Republican lawmakers who voted against the bill while it was in the legislature. Their main concern is that number one, it’s called the Veterans and Affordable Housing Bond Act of 2026, but only 1.25 billion out of the 11 billion goes towards veterans. Here’s state assembly member Carl DeMaio. He represents San Diego. He was speaking on the assembly floor back in June.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carl DeMaio: \u003c/strong>Let’s get the vets and let’s put them front and center and say it’s all about the vats. Everyone loves veterans, shameful. The window dressing on an absolutely awful package.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Mm, I see, so arguing it’s not right to have the word veterans in there when only about 11% of this bond measure is actually for veterans.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>Yeah, that’s their argument. Their other concern is that the state would be borrowing money if this bond passes, and that could be bad news for future taxpayers. Assemblymember David Tangipa, he represents Fresno. He also spoke about that on that same assembly floor session.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>David Tangipa: \u003c/strong>Why do we need to borrow money? If we wanted to appropriate money right now to take care of our veterans, to make affordable housing, you would do so.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>There are some Californians who are worried about taking on debt. Yes, these programs will be funded, but the legislative analyst office predicts that it would cost about 500 to 600 million annually to repay this bond for the next 25 years. That’s about a quarter of a percent of the state’s total general fund budget. And since the state has to pay interest, the total cost of this bond would be 15% more than if the state just paid upfront with the money that it already has.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Interesting. We should also mention that this isn’t the only housing bond on the ballot and not the only one you’re covering.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>That’s right, there’s another bond I’m covering, Prop 37, and it focuses specifically on middle-class homeownership. I think that says something really interesting about how people are feeling about housing affordability right now. It’s clear that this is a top issue for lawmakers, but it’s also a reflection of what they’re hearing from their constituents. It’s clearly a concern for people. And in my conversation with Assemblymember Wix, she mentioned that, you know, if Prop 37… Passes, it could work in tandem with Prop 1 if voters approve both of them. Because it would basically mean that both groups, both low-income residents and middle-class residents, could get the much needed help to afford housing. And it also feels like it’s building off of this national momentum. Congress recently passed the 21st Century Road to Housing Act, which is a huge package of bills, which is also trying to stimulate homeownership, but also home building. And so Wicks is saying that if everything kind of happens and voters approve all of this, it could have a really nice compounding effect, potentially.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Who is spending to support or oppose Prop 1?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>Given the most recent data, the spending is pretty lopsided. So $2.65 million have been spent to support the proposition. That mostly comes from affordable housing groups. Only $7,500 have been spent to oppose this prop, and that mostly come from Reform California, an organization led by Republican assembly member Carl DeMaio, who we heard from earlier.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Adhiti Bandlamudi is a housing reporter at KQED. Thanks, Adhiti.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>Thanks for having me, Olivia.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>In a nutshell, a vote yes on Prop 1 means you want California to issue $11.25 billion in bonds for all those housing projects we talked about, targeting primarily low-income families and veterans. And a vote no means you don’t.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>That’s it for Proposition 1, coming tomorrow is Propositions 2 and 3, so make sure you’re subscribed to The Bay and Bay Curious so you don’t miss a beat. And stay tuned over the next few weeks as we make our way through all 14 statewide propositions.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Whew, we got a ways to go, Erica.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>Laughs\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Prop Fest is a collaboration between The Bay and Bay Curious podcasts. It is produced by: Alan Montecillo, Ericka Cruz Guevarra, Gabriella Glueck, Pauline Bartolone, Katrina Schwartz, Christopher Beale, Anna Casalme, and me, Olivia Allen-Price\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>We get extra support from, Katie Sprenger, Jen Chien, Maha Sanad, Ethan Toven-Lindsey and the whole KQED family.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>You can find audio and transcripts for this series at \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/propfest\">KQED.org/PropFest\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Our show is made in San Francisco at member-supported KQED. If you appreciate Prop Fest, please consider becoming a sustaining member of KQED. We cant do this work without you! Become a member at \u003ca href=\"https://donate.kqed.org/podcasts\">donate.kqed.org/podcasts\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> I’m Olivia Allen-Price.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>And I’m Ericka Cruz Guevarra. Have a good one.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>When asked in a recent statewide survey, what’s the most important issue facing Californians today? The top responses were affordability, cost of living, housing costs, and availability.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>When asked in a recent statewide survey, what’s the most important issue facing Californians today? The top responses were affordability, cost of living, housing costs, and availability.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>In other words, nothing new to see here. These are issues that California has struggled with for a long time. On the November ballot this year are a few initiatives that legislators or interest groups think could help. Among them is Proposition 1, which would allow the state to borrow $11.25 billion for housing programs.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>In other words, nothing new to see here. These are issues that California has struggled with for a long time. On the November ballot this year are a few initiatives that legislators or interest groups think could help. Among them is Proposition 1, which would allow the state to borrow $11.25 billion for housing programs.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Here’s how it reads on your ballot.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Voice Over: \u003c/strong>Prop 1, authorizes bonds for housing affordability programs.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Voice Over: \u003c/strong>Prop 1, authorizes bonds for housing affordability programs.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>I’m Erika Cruz Guevara, host of The Bay.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And I’m Olivia Allen-Price, host of Bay Curious. Welcome to PropFest. For the next few weeks, our teams at The Bay and Bay Curious are bringing you breakdowns of each statewide proposition on the California ballot so you can vote with confidence in the November election.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And I’m Olivia Allen-Price, host of Bay Curious. Welcome to PropFest. For the next few weeks, our teams at The Bay and Bay Curious are bringing you breakdowns of each statewide proposition on the California ballot so you can vote with confidence in the November election.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>There are 14 propositions on the ballot this year, and we’ll be taking you through all of them between now and October 9th. We’ll be looking at how they got on the ballet, the arguments for and against each one, talk about how things could play out if they pass, and the money fueling it all.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>There are 14 propositions on the ballot this year, and we’ll be taking you through all of them between now and October 9th. We’ll be looking at how they got on the ballet, the arguments for and against each one, talk about how things could play out if they pass, and the money fueling it all.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Are you ready for this, Ericka?\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Let’s do this.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Today in our first installment, we’re going through Proposition 1, a housing bond with KQED’s housing reporter, Adhiti Bandlamudi. Welcome, Aditi. Hey, thanks for having me. Let’s start at the top level. What does Proposition one do?\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>So Prop 1 issues an $11.25 billion bond, mostly for the construction and preservation of affordable housing. Included in that $11,25 billion, there’s a $1.25 million portion that goes towards the CalVet home loan program, which helps veterans become homeowners. The legislative analyst’s office did a report on Prop 1, and it says the money from this bond could build up to 40,000 rental units. And it could help 40,000 households buy a home. So in total, it could help more than 80,000 families stay housed.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>So Prop 1 issues an $11.25 billion bond, mostly for the construction and preservation of affordable housing. Included in that $11,25 billion, there’s a $1.25 million portion that goes towards the CalVet home loan program, which helps veterans become homeowners. The legislative analyst’s office did a report on Prop 1, and it says the money from this bond could build up to 40,000 rental units. And it could help 40,000 households buy a home. So in total, it could help more than 80,000 families stay housed.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>All right, so we’re at the beginning of PropFest. We’re kind of getting our brains in the right place for all this stuff. Can you remind us how bonds work?\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>Yeah, so most of this bond, about $10 billion, is a general obligation bond, also called a GO bond. A state-issued GO bond means that the government will borrow money from investors or anyone who buys the bonds and will then pay it back with interest over the next 25 years out of California’s general fund. It’s kind of like a mortgage. And then The $1.25 billion for the Veterans Home Buying Assistance Program. That is also a go-bond, but it’s self-supporting, meaning that it’ll be repaid through home loans that veterans take out through the program.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>Yeah, so most of this bond, about $10 billion, is a general obligation bond, also called a GO bond. A state-issued GO bond means that the government will borrow money from investors or anyone who buys the bonds and will then pay it back with interest over the next 25 years out of California’s general fund. It’s kind of like a mortgage. And then The $1.25 billion for the Veterans Home Buying Assistance Program. That is also a go-bond, but it’s self-supporting, meaning that it’ll be repaid through home loans that veterans take out through the program.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Do we have any idea how that $11.25 billion will be spent if this passes?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Do we have any idea how that $11.25 billion will be spent if this passes?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>It is going to be split into a bunch of different programs. So let me break it down. So a very large chunk, about 5.1 billion, goes towards the multifamily housing program, which is this really big state program for affordable housing development. Some of the units that are built under this program have to be available for extremely low income households who are at risk of becoming homeless. And that money can be used towards the construction, rehabilitation, or preservation of affordable housing. About a billion dollars goes towards supportive housing through the multifamily housing program. Supportive housing basically, it’s housing that comes with wraparound services, stuff like drug abuse support, counseling, help finding a job, and that’s specifically for people who were chronically homeless or who are at risk of becoming chronically harmless. The bond also goes towards a bunch of other programs like making existing cities more dense, housing for farm workers, students, tribes, and other groups. And then, as we talked about before, there’s 1.25 billion which goes towards the CalVet program, and then another 1.1 billion that goes towards programs which promote home ownership for other groups\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>It is going to be split into a bunch of different programs. So let me break it down. So a very large chunk, about 5.1 billion, goes towards the multifamily housing program, which is this really big state program for affordable housing development. Some of the units that are built under this program have to be available for extremely low income households who are at risk of becoming homeless. And that money can be used towards the construction, rehabilitation, or preservation of affordable housing. About a billion dollars goes towards supportive housing through the multifamily housing program. Supportive housing basically, it’s housing that comes with wraparound services, stuff like drug abuse support, counseling, help finding a job, and that’s specifically for people who were chronically homeless or who are at risk of becoming chronically harmless. The bond also goes towards a bunch of other programs like making existing cities more dense, housing for farm workers, students, tribes, and other groups. And then, as we talked about before, there’s 1.25 billion which goes towards the CalVet program, and then another 1.1 billion that goes towards programs which promote home ownership for other groups\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Wow, so really funding a pretty big number of programs there. Very much so. This proposition was placed on the ballot by the California legislature. So we know it’s something that at least the majority of our elected officials want to see passed. How does Prop 1 play into larger goals that the state has for housing?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Wow, so really funding a pretty big number of programs there. Very much so. This proposition was placed on the ballot by the California legislature. So we know it’s something that at least the majority of our elected officials want to see passed. How does Prop 1 play into larger goals that the state has for housing?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>This proposition has been many years in the making and affordable housing advocates say, it’s a long time coming. So there was a bond voters passed in 2018 that was called the Veterans and Affordable Housing Bond Act. It was also called Prop 1. There’s no deja vu, like that is very similar to this year’s bond. But the 2018 bond was for $4 billion. Similar to this year’s bond that was split into funding for affordable housing and the CalVet program. That funding very quickly ran out in 2023 due to overwhelming demand. Housing advocates say we need more money for these programs and so this year, bond money would basically replace those exhausted funds. I talked with assembly member Buffy Wicks. She represents Berkeley and she’s been working on getting this bond on the ballot for the past four years. She says that every election cycle, lawmakers will fight for a bond for one cause or another, whether it’s housing, climate, schools, transportation.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>This proposition has been many years in the making and affordable housing advocates say, it’s a long time coming. So there was a bond voters passed in 2018 that was called the Veterans and Affordable Housing Bond Act. It was also called Prop 1. There’s no deja vu, like that is very similar to this year’s bond. But the 2018 bond was for $4 billion. Similar to this year’s bond that was split into funding for affordable housing and the CalVet program. That funding very quickly ran out in 2023 due to overwhelming demand. Housing advocates say we need more money for these programs and so this year, bond money would basically replace those exhausted funds. I talked with assembly member Buffy Wicks. She represents Berkeley and she’s been working on getting this bond on the ballot for the past four years. She says that every election cycle, lawmakers will fight for a bond for one cause or another, whether it’s housing, climate, schools, transportation.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Buffy Wicks: \u003c/strong>But there’s really only so much bond debt we can take on as a state So we want to be mindful because every dollar we’ve put into a bond is we’re sort of borrowing from our future self\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Buffy Wicks: \u003c/strong>But there’s really only so much bond debt we can take on as a state So we want to be mindful because every dollar we’ve put into a bond is we’re sort of borrowing from our future self\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>And last election cycle, the housing bond lost out to the climate bond and won about school facilities. From then until now, WIC says that money for affordable housing got really tight, partially because the state has allocated less and less for these programs in the state budget in recent years.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>And last election cycle, the housing bond lost out to the climate bond and won about school facilities. From then until now, WIC says that money for affordable housing got really tight, partially because the state has allocated less and less for these programs in the state budget in recent years.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Buffy Wicks: \u003c/strong>This year, the housing bond really became the priority because we’re running out of these resources. And so it was very clear from the assembly, the Senate and the governor that this was the top priority this year is to get it on the ballot.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Buffy Wicks: \u003c/strong>This year, the housing bond really became the priority because we’re running out of these resources. And so it was very clear from the assembly, the Senate and the governor that this was the top priority this year is to get it on the ballot.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>Wicks says there are about 40,000 shovel-ready affordable housing projects ready to break ground, but they need just a little bit more money to close their financing and actually put the shovels in the ground. She said that this bond could bridge that funding gap for those projects.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>Wicks says there are about 40,000 shovel-ready affordable housing projects ready to break ground, but they need just a little bit more money to close their financing and actually put the shovels in the ground. She said that this bond could bridge that funding gap for those projects.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>We’re going to take a quick break, but when we return, we’ll learn who is supporting the measure and hear from the opposition. Stay with us.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>We’re going to take a quick break, but when we return, we’ll learn who is supporting the measure and hear from the opposition. Stay with us.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sponsor messages\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sponsor messages\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And we’re back with more on Proposition 1, a bond for housing affordability programs. Adhiti, who is supporting Prop 1.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And we’re back with more on Proposition 1, a bond for housing affordability programs. Adhiti, who is supporting Prop 1.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>There are a lot of Democratic lawmakers who supported this bond when it was working its way through the legislature, but there are also a bunch of organizations that support it, including the California Association of Veterans, ACLU California Action, United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America, the California Apartment Association, and so many others. Governor Gavin Newsom also supports this bill. And what about the opposition? So, there isn’t a formal opposition campaign. But there are a handful of Republican lawmakers who voted against the bill while it was in the legislature. Their main concern is that number one, it’s called the Veterans and Affordable Housing Bond Act of 2026, but only 1.25 billion out of the 11 billion goes towards veterans. Here’s state assembly member Carl DeMaio. He represents San Diego. He was speaking on the assembly floor back in June.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>There are a lot of Democratic lawmakers who supported this bond when it was working its way through the legislature, but there are also a bunch of organizations that support it, including the California Association of Veterans, ACLU California Action, United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America, the California Apartment Association, and so many others. Governor Gavin Newsom also supports this bill. And what about the opposition? So, there isn’t a formal opposition campaign. But there are a handful of Republican lawmakers who voted against the bill while it was in the legislature. Their main concern is that number one, it’s called the Veterans and Affordable Housing Bond Act of 2026, but only 1.25 billion out of the 11 billion goes towards veterans. Here’s state assembly member Carl DeMaio. He represents San Diego. He was speaking on the assembly floor back in June.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carl DeMaio: \u003c/strong>Let’s get the vets and let’s put them front and center and say it’s all about the vats. Everyone loves veterans, shameful. The window dressing on an absolutely awful package.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carl DeMaio: \u003c/strong>Let’s get the vets and let’s put them front and center and say it’s all about the vats. Everyone loves veterans, shameful. The window dressing on an absolutely awful package.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Mm, I see, so arguing it’s not right to have the word veterans in there when only about 11% of this bond measure is actually for veterans.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Mm, I see, so arguing it’s not right to have the word veterans in there when only about 11% of this bond measure is actually for veterans.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>Yeah, that’s their argument. Their other concern is that the state would be borrowing money if this bond passes, and that could be bad news for future taxpayers. Assemblymember David Tangipa, he represents Fresno. He also spoke about that on that same assembly floor session.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>Yeah, that’s their argument. Their other concern is that the state would be borrowing money if this bond passes, and that could be bad news for future taxpayers. Assemblymember David Tangipa, he represents Fresno. He also spoke about that on that same assembly floor session.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>David Tangipa: \u003c/strong>Why do we need to borrow money? If we wanted to appropriate money right now to take care of our veterans, to make affordable housing, you would do so.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>David Tangipa: \u003c/strong>Why do we need to borrow money? If we wanted to appropriate money right now to take care of our veterans, to make affordable housing, you would do so.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>There are some Californians who are worried about taking on debt. Yes, these programs will be funded, but the legislative analyst office predicts that it would cost about 500 to 600 million annually to repay this bond for the next 25 years. That’s about a quarter of a percent of the state’s total general fund budget. And since the state has to pay interest, the total cost of this bond would be 15% more than if the state just paid upfront with the money that it already has.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>There are some Californians who are worried about taking on debt. Yes, these programs will be funded, but the legislative analyst office predicts that it would cost about 500 to 600 million annually to repay this bond for the next 25 years. That’s about a quarter of a percent of the state’s total general fund budget. And since the state has to pay interest, the total cost of this bond would be 15% more than if the state just paid upfront with the money that it already has.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Interesting. We should also mention that this isn’t the only housing bond on the ballot and not the only one you’re covering.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Interesting. We should also mention that this isn’t the only housing bond on the ballot and not the only one you’re covering.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>That’s right, there’s another bond I’m covering, Prop 37, and it focuses specifically on middle-class homeownership. I think that says something really interesting about how people are feeling about housing affordability right now. It’s clear that this is a top issue for lawmakers, but it’s also a reflection of what they’re hearing from their constituents. It’s clearly a concern for people. And in my conversation with Assemblymember Wix, she mentioned that, you know, if Prop 37… Passes, it could work in tandem with Prop 1 if voters approve both of them. Because it would basically mean that both groups, both low-income residents and middle-class residents, could get the much needed help to afford housing. And it also feels like it’s building off of this national momentum. Congress recently passed the 21st Century Road to Housing Act, which is a huge package of bills, which is also trying to stimulate homeownership, but also home building. And so Wicks is saying that if everything kind of happens and voters approve all of this, it could have a really nice compounding effect, potentially.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>That’s right, there’s another bond I’m covering, Prop 37, and it focuses specifically on middle-class homeownership. I think that says something really interesting about how people are feeling about housing affordability right now. It’s clear that this is a top issue for lawmakers, but it’s also a reflection of what they’re hearing from their constituents. It’s clearly a concern for people. And in my conversation with Assemblymember Wix, she mentioned that, you know, if Prop 37… Passes, it could work in tandem with Prop 1 if voters approve both of them. Because it would basically mean that both groups, both low-income residents and middle-class residents, could get the much needed help to afford housing. And it also feels like it’s building off of this national momentum. Congress recently passed the 21st Century Road to Housing Act, which is a huge package of bills, which is also trying to stimulate homeownership, but also home building. And so Wicks is saying that if everything kind of happens and voters approve all of this, it could have a really nice compounding effect, potentially.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Who is spending to support or oppose Prop 1?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Who is spending to support or oppose Prop 1?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>Given the most recent data, the spending is pretty lopsided. So $2.65 million have been spent to support the proposition. That mostly comes from affordable housing groups. Only $7,500 have been spent to oppose this prop, and that mostly come from Reform California, an organization led by Republican assembly member Carl DeMaio, who we heard from earlier.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>Given the most recent data, the spending is pretty lopsided. So $2.65 million have been spent to support the proposition. That mostly comes from affordable housing groups. Only $7,500 have been spent to oppose this prop, and that mostly come from Reform California, an organization led by Republican assembly member Carl DeMaio, who we heard from earlier.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Adhiti Bandlamudi is a housing reporter at KQED. Thanks, Adhiti.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Adhiti Bandlamudi is a housing reporter at KQED. Thanks, Adhiti.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>Thanks for having me, Olivia.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>Thanks for having me, Olivia.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>In a nutshell, a vote yes on Prop 1 means you want California to issue $11.25 billion in bonds for all those housing projects we talked about, targeting primarily low-income families and veterans. And a vote no means you don’t.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>In a nutshell, a vote yes on Prop 1 means you want California to issue $11.25 billion in bonds for all those housing projects we talked about, targeting primarily low-income families and veterans. And a vote no means you don’t.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>That’s it for Proposition 1, coming tomorrow is Propositions 2 and 3, so make sure you’re subscribed to The Bay and Bay Curious so you don’t miss a beat. And stay tuned over the next few weeks as we make our way through all 14 statewide propositions.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>That’s it for Proposition 1, coming tomorrow is Propositions 2 and 3, so make sure you’re subscribed to The Bay and Bay Curious so you don’t miss a beat. And stay tuned over the next few weeks as we make our way through all 14 statewide propositions.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Whew, we got a ways to go, Erica.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Whew, we got a ways to go, Erica.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>Laughs\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>Laughs\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Prop Fest is a collaboration between The Bay and Bay Curious podcasts. It is produced by: Alan Montecillo, Ericka Cruz Guevarra, Gabriella Glueck, Pauline Bartolone, Katrina Schwartz, Christopher Beale, Anna Casalme, and me, Olivia Allen-Price\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Prop Fest is a collaboration between The Bay and Bay Curious podcasts. It is produced by: Alan Montecillo, Ericka Cruz Guevarra, Gabriella Glueck, Pauline Bartolone, Katrina Schwartz, Christopher Beale, Anna Casalme, and me, Olivia Allen-Price\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>We get extra support from, Katie Sprenger, Jen Chien, Maha Sanad, Ethan Toven-Lindsey and the whole KQED family.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>We get extra support from, Katie Sprenger, Jen Chien, Maha Sanad, Ethan Toven-Lindsey and the whole KQED family.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>You can find audio and transcripts for this series at \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/propfest\">KQED.org/PropFest\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>You can find audio and transcripts for this series at \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/propfest\">KQED.org/PropFest\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Our show is made in San Francisco at member-supported KQED. If you appreciate Prop Fest, please consider becoming a sustaining member of KQED. We cant do this work without you! Become a member at \u003ca href=\"https://donate.kqed.org/podcasts\">donate.kqed.org/podcasts\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Our show is made in San Francisco at member-supported KQED. If you appreciate Prop Fest, please consider becoming a sustaining member of KQED. We cant do this work without you! Become a member at \u003ca href=\"https://donate.kqed.org/podcasts\">donate.kqed.org/podcasts\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> I’m Olivia Allen-Price.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> I’m Olivia Allen-Price.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>And I’m Ericka Cruz Guevarra. Have a good one.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>And I’m Ericka Cruz Guevarra. Have a good one.\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "Proposition 1 would authorize the state to issue bonds to fund affordable housing programs.",
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"title": "Prop 1: Authorizes California to Issue a $11.25 Billion Bond to Fund Affordable Housing | KQED",
"description": "Proposition 1 would authorize the state to issue bonds to fund affordable housing programs.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Transcript:\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>When asked in a recent statewide survey, what’s the most important issue facing Californians today? The top responses were affordability, cost of living, housing costs, and availability.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>In other words, nothing new to see here. These are issues that California has struggled with for a long time. On the November ballot this year are a few initiatives that legislators or interest groups think could help. Among them is Proposition 1, which would allow the state to borrow $11.25 billion for housing programs.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Here’s how it reads on your ballot.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Voice Over: \u003c/strong>Prop 1, authorizes bonds for housing affordability programs.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>I’m Erika Cruz Guevara, host of The Bay.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And I’m Olivia Allen-Price, host of Bay Curious. Welcome to PropFest. For the next few weeks, our teams at The Bay and Bay Curious are bringing you breakdowns of each statewide proposition on the California ballot so you can vote with confidence in the November election.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>There are 14 propositions on the ballot this year, and we’ll be taking you through all of them between now and October 9th. We’ll be looking at how they got on the ballet, the arguments for and against each one, talk about how things could play out if they pass, and the money fueling it all.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Are you ready for this, Ericka?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Let’s do this.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Today in our first installment, we’re going through Proposition 1, a housing bond with KQED’s housing reporter, Adhiti Bandlamudi. Welcome, Aditi. Hey, thanks for having me. Let’s start at the top level. What does Proposition one do?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>So Prop 1 issues an $11.25 billion bond, mostly for the construction and preservation of affordable housing. Included in that $11,25 billion, there’s a $1.25 million portion that goes towards the CalVet home loan program, which helps veterans become homeowners. The legislative analyst’s office did a report on Prop 1, and it says the money from this bond could build up to 40,000 rental units. And it could help 40,000 households buy a home. So in total, it could help more than 80,000 families stay housed.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>All right, so we’re at the beginning of PropFest. We’re kind of getting our brains in the right place for all this stuff. Can you remind us how bonds work?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>Yeah, so most of this bond, about $10 billion, is a general obligation bond, also called a GO bond. A state-issued GO bond means that the government will borrow money from investors or anyone who buys the bonds and will then pay it back with interest over the next 25 years out of California’s general fund. It’s kind of like a mortgage. And then The $1.25 billion for the Veterans Home Buying Assistance Program. That is also a go-bond, but it’s self-supporting, meaning that it’ll be repaid through home loans that veterans take out through the program.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Do we have any idea how that $11.25 billion will be spent if this passes?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>It is going to be split into a bunch of different programs. So let me break it down. So a very large chunk, about 5.1 billion, goes towards the multifamily housing program, which is this really big state program for affordable housing development. Some of the units that are built under this program have to be available for extremely low income households who are at risk of becoming homeless. And that money can be used towards the construction, rehabilitation, or preservation of affordable housing. About a billion dollars goes towards supportive housing through the multifamily housing program. Supportive housing basically, it’s housing that comes with wraparound services, stuff like drug abuse support, counseling, help finding a job, and that’s specifically for people who were chronically homeless or who are at risk of becoming chronically harmless. The bond also goes towards a bunch of other programs like making existing cities more dense, housing for farm workers, students, tribes, and other groups. And then, as we talked about before, there’s 1.25 billion which goes towards the CalVet program, and then another 1.1 billion that goes towards programs which promote home ownership for other groups\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Wow, so really funding a pretty big number of programs there. Very much so. This proposition was placed on the ballot by the California legislature. So we know it’s something that at least the majority of our elected officials want to see passed. How does Prop 1 play into larger goals that the state has for housing?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>This proposition has been many years in the making and affordable housing advocates say, it’s a long time coming. So there was a bond voters passed in 2018 that was called the Veterans and Affordable Housing Bond Act. It was also called Prop 1. There’s no deja vu, like that is very similar to this year’s bond. But the 2018 bond was for $4 billion. Similar to this year’s bond that was split into funding for affordable housing and the CalVet program. That funding very quickly ran out in 2023 due to overwhelming demand. Housing advocates say we need more money for these programs and so this year, bond money would basically replace those exhausted funds. I talked with assembly member Buffy Wicks. She represents Berkeley and she’s been working on getting this bond on the ballot for the past four years. She says that every election cycle, lawmakers will fight for a bond for one cause or another, whether it’s housing, climate, schools, transportation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Buffy Wicks: \u003c/strong>But there’s really only so much bond debt we can take on as a state So we want to be mindful because every dollar we’ve put into a bond is we’re sort of borrowing from our future self\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>And last election cycle, the housing bond lost out to the climate bond and won about school facilities. From then until now, WIC says that money for affordable housing got really tight, partially because the state has allocated less and less for these programs in the state budget in recent years.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Buffy Wicks: \u003c/strong>This year, the housing bond really became the priority because we’re running out of these resources. And so it was very clear from the assembly, the Senate and the governor that this was the top priority this year is to get it on the ballot.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>Wicks says there are about 40,000 shovel-ready affordable housing projects ready to break ground, but they need just a little bit more money to close their financing and actually put the shovels in the ground. She said that this bond could bridge that funding gap for those projects.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>We’re going to take a quick break, but when we return, we’ll learn who is supporting the measure and hear from the opposition. Stay with us.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sponsor messages\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And we’re back with more on Proposition 1, a bond for housing affordability programs. Adhiti, who is supporting Prop 1.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>There are a lot of Democratic lawmakers who supported this bond when it was working its way through the legislature, but there are also a bunch of organizations that support it, including the California Association of Veterans, ACLU California Action, United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America, the California Apartment Association, and so many others. Governor Gavin Newsom also supports this bill. And what about the opposition? So, there isn’t a formal opposition campaign. But there are a handful of Republican lawmakers who voted against the bill while it was in the legislature. Their main concern is that number one, it’s called the Veterans and Affordable Housing Bond Act of 2026, but only 1.25 billion out of the 11 billion goes towards veterans. Here’s state assembly member Carl DeMaio. He represents San Diego. He was speaking on the assembly floor back in June.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carl DeMaio: \u003c/strong>Let’s get the vets and let’s put them front and center and say it’s all about the vats. Everyone loves veterans, shameful. The window dressing on an absolutely awful package.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Mm, I see, so arguing it’s not right to have the word veterans in there when only about 11% of this bond measure is actually for veterans.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>Yeah, that’s their argument. Their other concern is that the state would be borrowing money if this bond passes, and that could be bad news for future taxpayers. Assemblymember David Tangipa, he represents Fresno. He also spoke about that on that same assembly floor session.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>David Tangipa: \u003c/strong>Why do we need to borrow money? If we wanted to appropriate money right now to take care of our veterans, to make affordable housing, you would do so.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>There are some Californians who are worried about taking on debt. Yes, these programs will be funded, but the legislative analyst office predicts that it would cost about 500 to 600 million annually to repay this bond for the next 25 years. That’s about a quarter of a percent of the state’s total general fund budget. And since the state has to pay interest, the total cost of this bond would be 15% more than if the state just paid upfront with the money that it already has.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Interesting. We should also mention that this isn’t the only housing bond on the ballot and not the only one you’re covering.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>That’s right, there’s another bond I’m covering, Prop 37, and it focuses specifically on middle-class homeownership. I think that says something really interesting about how people are feeling about housing affordability right now. It’s clear that this is a top issue for lawmakers, but it’s also a reflection of what they’re hearing from their constituents. It’s clearly a concern for people. And in my conversation with Assemblymember Wix, she mentioned that, you know, if Prop 37… Passes, it could work in tandem with Prop 1 if voters approve both of them. Because it would basically mean that both groups, both low-income residents and middle-class residents, could get the much needed help to afford housing. And it also feels like it’s building off of this national momentum. Congress recently passed the 21st Century Road to Housing Act, which is a huge package of bills, which is also trying to stimulate homeownership, but also home building. And so Wicks is saying that if everything kind of happens and voters approve all of this, it could have a really nice compounding effect, potentially.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Who is spending to support or oppose Prop 1?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>Given the most recent data, the spending is pretty lopsided. So $2.65 million have been spent to support the proposition. That mostly comes from affordable housing groups. Only $7,500 have been spent to oppose this prop, and that mostly come from Reform California, an organization led by Republican assembly member Carl DeMaio, who we heard from earlier.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Adhiti Bandlamudi is a housing reporter at KQED. Thanks, Adhiti.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>Thanks for having me, Olivia.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>In a nutshell, a vote yes on Prop 1 means you want California to issue $11.25 billion in bonds for all those housing projects we talked about, targeting primarily low-income families and veterans. And a vote no means you don’t.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>That’s it for Proposition 1, coming tomorrow is Propositions 2 and 3, so make sure you’re subscribed to The Bay and Bay Curious so you don’t miss a beat. And stay tuned over the next few weeks as we make our way through all 14 statewide propositions.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Whew, we got a ways to go, Erica.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>Laughs\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Prop Fest is a collaboration between The Bay and Bay Curious podcasts. It is produced by: Alan Montecillo, Ericka Cruz Guevarra, Gabriella Glueck, Pauline Bartolone, Katrina Schwartz, Christopher Beale, Anna Casalme, and me, Olivia Allen-Price\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>We get extra support from, Katie Sprenger, Jen Chien, Maha Sanad, Ethan Toven-Lindsey and the whole KQED family.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>You can find audio and transcripts for this series at \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/propfest\">KQED.org/PropFest\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Our show is made in San Francisco at member-supported KQED. If you appreciate Prop Fest, please consider becoming a sustaining member of KQED. We cant do this work without you! Become a member at \u003ca href=\"https://donate.kqed.org/podcasts\">donate.kqed.org/podcasts\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> I’m Olivia Allen-Price.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>And I’m Ericka Cruz Guevarra. Have a good one.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>Supporters of the Hong Kong-born aide to a San Francisco state Assembly member are fighting for his release from immigration detention in the Nevada desert a week after \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097313/northern-california-ice-arrests-surged-this-summer\">federal immigration agents\u003c/a> arrested him at the Las Vegas airport.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Ho-Yin Mo, a field representative for Assemblymember Catherine Stefani, is represented by a Las Vegas immigration attorney who’s working to secure his release from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Nevada Southern Detention Center in Pahrump, University of San Francisco Law Professor Bill Ong Hing said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He said the lawyer is asking an immigration judge to order Mo’s release on bond and, failing that, would challenge the lawfulness of his detention in federal court.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A hearing is scheduled for next week, according to Joe Arellano, a political strategist and former colleague of Mo’s, though it’s unclear in what court. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Immigration court records do not show an open deportation case against Mo.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-528794650-scaled-e1790353795933.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101343\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Muhammad Ali Center, a museum and cultural center built as a tribute to the champion boxer Muhammad Ali and his values, is located in Louisville, Kentucky’s “Museum Row.” (James Leynse-Corbis News/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At the time of his arrest last Thursday, Mo was passing through the Harry Reid International Airport on his way to Louisville, Kentucky, to visit the Muhammad Ali Museum, Arellano said, adding that Mo admired the late boxer, who was an advocate for social justice.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“He always talked about the importance of democracy, as someone who came from Hong Kong and had experienced a lot of the turmoil,” Arellano went on. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“These were ideals that he held very close to his heart.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Stefani has called for Mo’s immediate release from ICE detention and called him “a valued, legal employee” and a “selfless public servant,” but her staff declined to speak further about his case.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a statement, the California State Assembly’s Rules Committee said it “can confirm that Ho Yin Mo is a current employee of the California State Assembly. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Assembly complies with all applicable federal employment verification requirements.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Department of Homeland Security did not dispute that Mo has a valid work authorization. A DHS spokesperson, who did not identify themself, said in an email to KQED that Mo was arrested Sept. 17 in “a targeted enforcement operation” at the airport. The spokesperson said that on Jan. 13, 2020, “Mo lawfully entered the U.S. on a temporary basis but illegally overstayed his welcome by failing to depart by May 15, 2020.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A \u003ca href=\"https://www.uscis.gov/green-card/green-card-processes-and-procedures/employment-authorization-document\">work authorization\u003c/a> document is typically only available to a person who is lawfully present in the U.S. or applying for legal permanent residence or some form of immigration protection, such as asylum. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Until recently, ICE did not generally arrest people with expired visas if they had a pending application for another type of immigration relief. But in recent months, ICE has been obtaining information about airport travelers from the Transportation Security Administration and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12092697/bay-area-immigrant-advocates-warn-noncitizens-to-avoid-air-travel-after-ice-arrests\">arresting people in domestic terminals\u003c/a> if they appear to have overstayed a visa. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Unfortunately, he’s an example of what’s happening all over,” Hing said. “These are folks that are following rules and all of a sudden they find themselves in detention…. ICE is really trying to achieve high numbers of arrests and detentions. So they’re going after people who the system tells them have overstayed visas.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081726-SFUSDFIRSTDAY-09-MC-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095564\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081726-SFUSDFIRSTDAY-09-MC-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081726-SFUSDFIRSTDAY-09-MC-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081726-SFUSDFIRSTDAY-09-MC-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie speaks during Jose Ortega Elementary School’s first morning circle of the school year on Aug. 17, 2026, in San Francisco. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie, meanwhile, has sent a letter to the Las Vegas Immigration Court saying Mo is a “positive addition to our city” and calling for his release from detention. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Ho Yin has lived in the San Francisco Bay Area for years and has developed a strong network here. He is a contributing member of society, and I do not believe he poses a danger or threat to anyone,” he wrote. “I hope he will be given the opportunity to return to his home, his work, and his community.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Arellano met Mo when they worked together on former San Francisco Mayor London Breed’s reelection campaign in 2024, and said Mo was a hard worker who “always went above and beyond.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Having been a reporter for Chinese-language TV station KTSF, he said Mo was able to easily connect with Chinese voters and constituents.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“He was just beloved. … He was immediately recognized for his role on television as an anchor, and that carried over into the work that he did,” Arellano said. “We hope that sanity will prevail and that he will be able to be released and come home soon.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED reporter Brian Krans contributed reporting.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Ho-Yin Mo, a field representative for Assemblymember Catherine Stefani, is represented by a Las Vegas immigration attorney who’s working to secure his release from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Nevada Southern Detention Center in Pahrump, University of San Francisco Law Professor Bill Ong Hing said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>He said the lawyer is asking an immigration judge to order Mo’s release on bond and, failing that, would challenge the lawfulness of his detention in federal court.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>At the time of his arrest last Thursday, Mo was passing through the Harry Reid International Airport on his way to Louisville, Kentucky, to visit the Muhammad Ali Museum, Arellano said, adding that Mo admired the late boxer, who was an advocate for social justice.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“He always talked about the importance of democracy, as someone who came from Hong Kong and had experienced a lot of the turmoil,” Arellano went on. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Stefani has called for Mo’s immediate release from ICE detention and called him “a valued, legal employee” and a “selfless public servant,” but her staff declined to speak further about his case.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In a statement, the California State Assembly’s Rules Committee said it “can confirm that Ho Yin Mo is a current employee of the California State Assembly. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Department of Homeland Security did not dispute that Mo has a valid work authorization. A DHS spokesperson, who did not identify themself, said in an email to KQED that Mo was arrested Sept. 17 in “a targeted enforcement operation” at the airport. The spokesperson said that on Jan. 13, 2020, “Mo lawfully entered the U.S. on a temporary basis but illegally overstayed his welcome by failing to depart by May 15, 2020.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Until recently, ICE did not generally arrest people with expired visas if they had a pending application for another type of immigration relief. But in recent months, ICE has been obtaining information about airport travelers from the Transportation Security Administration and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12092697/bay-area-immigrant-advocates-warn-noncitizens-to-avoid-air-travel-after-ice-arrests\">arresting people in domestic terminals\u003c/a> if they appear to have overstayed a visa. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Unfortunately, he’s an example of what’s happening all over,” Hing said. “These are folks that are following rules and all of a sudden they find themselves in detention…. ICE is really trying to achieve high numbers of arrests and detentions. So they’re going after people who the system tells them have overstayed visas.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Unfortunately, he’s an example of what’s happening all over,” Hing said. “These are folks that are following rules and all of a sudden they find themselves in detention…. ICE is really trying to achieve high numbers of arrests and detentions. So they’re going after people who the system tells them have overstayed visas.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie, meanwhile, has sent a letter to the Las Vegas Immigration Court saying Mo is a “positive addition to our city” and calling for his release from detention. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Ho Yin has lived in the San Francisco Bay Area for years and has developed a strong network here. He is a contributing member of society, and I do not believe he poses a danger or threat to anyone,” he wrote. “I hope he will be given the opportunity to return to his home, his work, and his community.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Arellano met Mo when they worked together on former San Francisco Mayor London Breed’s reelection campaign in 2024, and said Mo was a hard worker who “always went above and beyond.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Having been a reporter for Chinese-language TV station KTSF, he said Mo was able to easily connect with Chinese voters and constituents.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“He was just beloved. … He was immediately recognized for his role on television as an anchor, and that carried over into the work that he did,” Arellano said. “We hope that sanity will prevail and that he will be able to be released and come home soon.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED reporter Brian Krans contributed reporting.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Ho-Yin Mo, an aide to Assemblymember Catherine Stefani, was arrested at the Las Vegas airport on Sept. 17, 2026.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>Supporters of the Hong Kong-born aide to a San Francisco state Assembly member are fighting for his release from immigration detention in the Nevada desert a week after \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097313/northern-california-ice-arrests-surged-this-summer\">federal immigration agents\u003c/a> arrested him at the Las Vegas airport.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Ho-Yin Mo, a field representative for Assemblymember Catherine Stefani, is represented by a Las Vegas immigration attorney who’s working to secure his release from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Nevada Southern Detention Center in Pahrump, University of San Francisco Law Professor Bill Ong Hing said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He said the lawyer is asking an immigration judge to order Mo’s release on bond and, failing that, would challenge the lawfulness of his detention in federal court.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A hearing is scheduled for next week, according to Joe Arellano, a political strategist and former colleague of Mo’s, though it’s unclear in what court. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Immigration court records do not show an open deportation case against Mo.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/GettyImages-528794650-scaled-e1790353795933.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101343\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Muhammad Ali Center, a museum and cultural center built as a tribute to the champion boxer Muhammad Ali and his values, is located in Louisville, Kentucky’s “Museum Row.” (James Leynse-Corbis News/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At the time of his arrest last Thursday, Mo was passing through the Harry Reid International Airport on his way to Louisville, Kentucky, to visit the Muhammad Ali Museum, Arellano said, adding that Mo admired the late boxer, who was an advocate for social justice.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“He always talked about the importance of democracy, as someone who came from Hong Kong and had experienced a lot of the turmoil,” Arellano went on. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“These were ideals that he held very close to his heart.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Stefani has called for Mo’s immediate release from ICE detention and called him “a valued, legal employee” and a “selfless public servant,” but her staff declined to speak further about his case.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a statement, the California State Assembly’s Rules Committee said it “can confirm that Ho Yin Mo is a current employee of the California State Assembly. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Assembly complies with all applicable federal employment verification requirements.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Department of Homeland Security did not dispute that Mo has a valid work authorization. A DHS spokesperson, who did not identify themself, said in an email to KQED that Mo was arrested Sept. 17 in “a targeted enforcement operation” at the airport. The spokesperson said that on Jan. 13, 2020, “Mo lawfully entered the U.S. on a temporary basis but illegally overstayed his welcome by failing to depart by May 15, 2020.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A \u003ca href=\"https://www.uscis.gov/green-card/green-card-processes-and-procedures/employment-authorization-document\">work authorization\u003c/a> document is typically only available to a person who is lawfully present in the U.S. or applying for legal permanent residence or some form of immigration protection, such as asylum. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Until recently, ICE did not generally arrest people with expired visas if they had a pending application for another type of immigration relief. But in recent months, ICE has been obtaining information about airport travelers from the Transportation Security Administration and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12092697/bay-area-immigrant-advocates-warn-noncitizens-to-avoid-air-travel-after-ice-arrests\">arresting people in domestic terminals\u003c/a> if they appear to have overstayed a visa. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Unfortunately, he’s an example of what’s happening all over,” Hing said. “These are folks that are following rules and all of a sudden they find themselves in detention…. ICE is really trying to achieve high numbers of arrests and detentions. So they’re going after people who the system tells them have overstayed visas.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081726-SFUSDFIRSTDAY-09-MC-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095564\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081726-SFUSDFIRSTDAY-09-MC-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081726-SFUSDFIRSTDAY-09-MC-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/081726-SFUSDFIRSTDAY-09-MC-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie speaks during Jose Ortega Elementary School’s first morning circle of the school year on Aug. 17, 2026, in San Francisco. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie, meanwhile, has sent a letter to the Las Vegas Immigration Court saying Mo is a “positive addition to our city” and calling for his release from detention. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Ho Yin has lived in the San Francisco Bay Area for years and has developed a strong network here. He is a contributing member of society, and I do not believe he poses a danger or threat to anyone,” he wrote. “I hope he will be given the opportunity to return to his home, his work, and his community.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Arellano met Mo when they worked together on former San Francisco Mayor London Breed’s reelection campaign in 2024, and said Mo was a hard worker who “always went above and beyond.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Having been a reporter for Chinese-language TV station KTSF, he said Mo was able to easily connect with Chinese voters and constituents.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“He was just beloved. … He was immediately recognized for his role on television as an anchor, and that carried over into the work that he did,” Arellano said. “We hope that sanity will prevail and that he will be able to be released and come home soon.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED reporter Brian Krans contributed reporting.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>California voters will choose who oversees the state’s elections in the secretary of state race this November. That decision comes as the Trump administration has tried to get states to hand over voter roll data, attempted to restrict mail-in voting, placed federal election monitors at California polls and pushed for proof of citizenship requirements at voter registration. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Secretary of State Shirley Weber has led the office since 2021 and has pushed back against the federal government’s attempts to seize more control over state elections. Her GOP opponent in the race, Orange County Supervisor Don Wagner, said the state should institute voter ID and speed up the counting process. Marisa sits down with Weber and Wagner to talk about their competing visions for elections in California. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lhUaX9v3bg&feature=youtu.be\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Check out\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/newsletters/political-breakdown\"> Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter\u003c/a>, delivered straight to your inbox.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Secretary of State Shirley Weber has led the office since 2021 and has pushed back against the federal government’s attempts to seize more control over state elections. Her GOP opponent in the race, Orange County Supervisor Don Wagner, said the state should institute voter ID and speed up the counting process. Marisa sits down with Weber and Wagner to talk about their competing visions for elections in California. \u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "There's a lot at stake his November, as California voters decide between two very different visions for who runs and protects the state's elections. ",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>California voters will choose who oversees the state’s elections in the secretary of state race this November. That decision comes as the Trump administration has tried to get states to hand over voter roll data, attempted to restrict mail-in voting, placed federal election monitors at California polls and pushed for proof of citizenship requirements at voter registration. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Secretary of State Shirley Weber has led the office since 2021 and has pushed back against the federal government’s attempts to seize more control over state elections. Her GOP opponent in the race, Orange County Supervisor Don Wagner, said the state should institute voter ID and speed up the counting process. Marisa sits down with Weber and Wagner to talk about their competing visions for elections in California. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/9lhUaX9v3bg'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/9lhUaX9v3bg'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Check out\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/newsletters/political-breakdown\"> Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter\u003c/a>, delivered straight to your inbox.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "republican-sheriff-illegally-seized-over-650000-ballots-california-supreme-court-rules",
"title": "Republican Sheriff Illegally Seized Over 650,000 Ballots, California Supreme Court Rules",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>California’s Supreme Court ruled Thursday that Riverside County Sheriff \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/chad-bianco\">Chad Bianco\u003c/a> broke the law when he seized more than 650,000 ballots cast in last year’s election and ordered him to return them to county election officials. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Republican sheriff confiscated the ballots in February as part of an investigation into purported voter fraud that he launched during his \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12081096/riverside-county-sheriff-chad-bianco-on-his-faith-cutting-taxes-and-ballot-seizure\">failed bid\u003c/a> for governor. The state’s highest court ruled unanimously \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12096491/california-supreme-court-appears-skeptical-of-biancos-ballot-seizure\">in two cases\u003c/a>, saying that Bianco’s move violated rules for handling ballots outlined in state election law and that he was wrong to ignore Attorney General Rob Bonta’s order to pause the investigation. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“California law long has recognized that voted ballots require special care and handling to safeguard them from alteration or tampering,” Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero, an appointee of Gov. Gavin Newsom, wrote in the court’s opinion in Cervantes v. Bianco, a case brought by Riverside County voters.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/20260824_CASCBIANCOBALLOTS_GC-13-KQED-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096595\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/20260824_CASCBIANCOBALLOTS_GC-13-KQED-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/20260824_CASCBIANCOBALLOTS_GC-13-KQED-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/20260824_CASCBIANCOBALLOTS_GC-13-KQED-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Clarissa Cervantes, Riverside City Councilmember and plaintiff, speaks during a press conference following oral arguments in Cervantes et al. v. Bianco, a case challenging Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco’s seizure of more than 650,000 ballots cast in the November special election, at the steps of the Earl Warren Building at the California Supreme Court on Aug. 24, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The ruling appeared to close the door on a flashpoint in the tug-of-war between Democratic state leaders and local Republican officials over vote-by-mail and election administration. Election advocates viewed the case as a pivotal test ahead of the November midterm, as President Donald Trump has derided mail voting as a form of cheating and pushed for limits on it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a second ruling, the court found that Bonta acted within his power when he ordered Bianco to halt his investigation. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“He willfully defied my direct orders, misused criminal investigative tools and created a constitutional emergency in the process,” Bonta said after the ruling. “The California Supreme Court affirmed my authority as attorney general to supervise the sheriff — an important constitutional safety valve in extraordinary circumstances like these.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a video \u003ca href=\"https://fb.watch/v/5EnWBAS9M/\">posted on Facebook\u003c/a>, Bianco said he would comply with the ruling, while “exploring options of assistance from our federal courts.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“In this case we were provided evidence of a possible crime that obviously warranted investigation — the court agreed and issued warrants,” Bianco said. “Sacramento shut it down.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Bianco’s investigation was \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12080702/internal-emails-show-how-fringe-groups-fueled-sheriff-chad-biancos-ballot-seizure\">sparked by claims from a local conservative citizens group\u003c/a> over the ballot count in the November 2025 special election, when California voters approved Proposition 50 to redraw the state’s congressional districts in favor of Democrats amid a redistricting battle across the country. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The citizens group, known as the Riverside Election Integrity Team, said the final vote count did not match forms filled out by election workers who conducted hand tallies of ballots arriving at voting locations. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/GettyImages-2267789591-scaled-e1775847167430.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12077855\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Gubernatorial Candidate Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco speaks at an event in downtown Los Angeles on March 24, 2026. (Eric Thayer/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>According to Riverside County’s registrar of voters, those hand tallies were unreliable estimates, not a definitive count meant to be compared to the final vote. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Bianco ordered deputies to seize the ballots in February, with the purpose of conducting a recount of ballot envelopes. In April, the Supreme Court blocked Bianco’s investigation from moving forward while it considered the dual legal challenges. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The court’s opinion in the ballot case, Cervantes v. Bianco, hinged on a provision in state election law that prohibits ballots from being taken from election officials, even in the course of a criminal prosecution. Bianco had argued that the law wouldn’t apply to an investigation like his, but the justices shot that down. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Guerrero concluded that election law “unambiguously prohibits the removal of ballots from an elections official’s custody, notwithstanding the existence of a search warrant authorizing their seizure.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As he launched his ballot investigation, Bianco ignored multiple directives from Bonta to halt his inquiry. In the high court’s second case, Bonta v. Bianco, justices weighed the limits of the attorney general’s power to supervise local law enforcement officials. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California voters approved a ballot measure in 1934, backed by future Attorney General and Gov. Earl Warren, that granted the attorney general broad law enforcement powers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Guerrero wrote that the law allows the attorney general to “direct” the activities of a sheriff relating to an investigation. Thus, the chief justice concluded, “the Attorney General can issue binding instructions to sheriffs regarding a criminal investigation.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/AP26099736212917-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12081682\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/AP26099736212917-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/AP26099736212917-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/AP26099736212917-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">California Attorney General Rob Bonta announces the dismantling of a major hospice fraud scheme that defrauded the state of $267 million in Los Angeles on April 9, 2026. (Damian Dovarganes/AP Photo)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The court did not set an outer boundary on the attorney general’s authority over local law enforcement. Because Bonta only directed Bianco to pause his investigation, the court declined to rule on whether the attorney general could have terminated the inquiry altogether — but left open the possibility. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Bianco blasted the opinion for opening the door to an expansion of the state attorney general’s powers over county sheriffs and prosecutors. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This ruling will have wide-reaching consequences for the future of public safety in California,” Bianco said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Asked how the ruling would affect his interactions with county law enforcement, Bonta said the power affirmed by the court “is rarely used, because it’s rarely needed.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You should expect us to exercise our authority in precisely the types of rare, extraordinary circumstances like this,” Bonta said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The ballot seizure controversy sparked fears among Democrats in the state legislature that local officials in red counties could interfere in the administration of November’s midterm elections. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In May, just ahead of the primary election, Newsom \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/05/california-ballot-seizure-law/\">signed a law\u003c/a> blocking local election officials from handing over ballots to law enforcement agents.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>California’s Supreme Court ruled Thursday that Riverside County Sheriff \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/chad-bianco\">Chad Bianco\u003c/a> broke the law when he seized more than 650,000 ballots cast in last year’s election and ordered him to return them to county election officials. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Republican sheriff confiscated the ballots in February as part of an investigation into purported voter fraud that he launched during his \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12081096/riverside-county-sheriff-chad-bianco-on-his-faith-cutting-taxes-and-ballot-seizure\">failed bid\u003c/a> for governor. The state’s highest court ruled unanimously \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12096491/california-supreme-court-appears-skeptical-of-biancos-ballot-seizure\">in two cases\u003c/a>, saying that Bianco’s move violated rules for handling ballots outlined in state election law and that he was wrong to ignore Attorney General Rob Bonta’s order to pause the investigation. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The Republican sheriff confiscated the ballots in February as part of an investigation into purported voter fraud that he launched during his \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12081096/riverside-county-sheriff-chad-bianco-on-his-faith-cutting-taxes-and-ballot-seizure\">failed bid\u003c/a> for governor. The state’s highest court ruled unanimously \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12096491/california-supreme-court-appears-skeptical-of-biancos-ballot-seizure\">in two cases\u003c/a>, saying that Bianco’s move violated rules for handling ballots outlined in state election law and that he was wrong to ignore Attorney General Rob Bonta’s order to pause the investigation. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“California law long has recognized that voted ballots require special care and handling to safeguard them from alteration or tampering,” Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero, an appointee of Gov. Gavin Newsom, wrote in the court’s opinion in Cervantes v. Bianco, a case brought by Riverside County voters.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“California law long has recognized that voted ballots require special care and handling to safeguard them from alteration or tampering,” Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero, an appointee of Gov. Gavin Newsom, wrote in the court’s opinion in Cervantes v. Bianco, a case brought by Riverside County voters.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/20260824_CASCBIANCOBALLOTS_GC-13-KQED-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096595\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/20260824_CASCBIANCOBALLOTS_GC-13-KQED-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/20260824_CASCBIANCOBALLOTS_GC-13-KQED-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/20260824_CASCBIANCOBALLOTS_GC-13-KQED-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Clarissa Cervantes, Riverside City Councilmember and plaintiff, speaks during a press conference following oral arguments in Cervantes et al. v. Bianco, a case challenging Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco’s seizure of more than 650,000 ballots cast in the November special election, at the steps of the Earl Warren Building at the California Supreme Court on Aug. 24, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/20260824_CASCBIANCOBALLOTS_GC-13-KQED-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096595\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Clarissa Cervantes, Riverside City Councilmember and plaintiff, speaks during a press conference following oral arguments in Cervantes et al. v. Bianco, a case challenging Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco’s seizure of more than 650,000 ballots cast in the November special election, at the steps of the Earl Warren Building at the California Supreme Court on Aug. 24, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The ruling appeared to close the door on a flashpoint in the tug-of-war between Democratic state leaders and local Republican officials over vote-by-mail and election administration. Election advocates viewed the case as a pivotal test ahead of the November midterm, as President Donald Trump has derided mail voting as a form of cheating and pushed for limits on it. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The ruling appeared to close the door on a flashpoint in the tug-of-war between Democratic state leaders and local Republican officials over vote-by-mail and election administration. Election advocates viewed the case as a pivotal test ahead of the November midterm, as President Donald Trump has derided mail voting as a form of cheating and pushed for limits on it. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In a second ruling, the court found that Bonta acted within his power when he ordered Bianco to halt his investigation. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“He willfully defied my direct orders, misused criminal investigative tools and created a constitutional emergency in the process,” Bonta said after the ruling. “The California Supreme Court affirmed my authority as attorney general to supervise the sheriff — an important constitutional safety valve in extraordinary circumstances like these.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“He willfully defied my direct orders, misused criminal investigative tools and created a constitutional emergency in the process,” Bonta said after the ruling. “The California Supreme Court affirmed my authority as attorney general to supervise the sheriff — an important constitutional safety valve in extraordinary circumstances like these.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In a video \u003ca href=\"https://fb.watch/v/5EnWBAS9M/\">posted on Facebook\u003c/a>, Bianco said he would comply with the ruling, while “exploring options of assistance from our federal courts.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In a video \u003ca href=\"https://fb.watch/v/5EnWBAS9M/\">posted on Facebook\u003c/a>, Bianco said he would comply with the ruling, while “exploring options of assistance from our federal courts.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“In this case we were provided evidence of a possible crime that obviously warranted investigation — the court agreed and issued warrants,” Bianco said. “Sacramento shut it down.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“In this case we were provided evidence of a possible crime that obviously warranted investigation — the court agreed and issued warrants,” Bianco said. “Sacramento shut it down.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Bianco’s investigation was \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12080702/internal-emails-show-how-fringe-groups-fueled-sheriff-chad-biancos-ballot-seizure\">sparked by claims from a local conservative citizens group\u003c/a> over the ballot count in the November 2025 special election, when California voters approved Proposition 50 to redraw the state’s congressional districts in favor of Democrats amid a redistricting battle across the country. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Bianco’s investigation was \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12080702/internal-emails-show-how-fringe-groups-fueled-sheriff-chad-biancos-ballot-seizure\">sparked by claims from a local conservative citizens group\u003c/a> over the ballot count in the November 2025 special election, when California voters approved Proposition 50 to redraw the state’s congressional districts in favor of Democrats amid a redistricting battle across the country. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The citizens group, known as the Riverside Election Integrity Team, said the final vote count did not match forms filled out by election workers who conducted hand tallies of ballots arriving at voting locations. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The citizens group, known as the Riverside Election Integrity Team, said the final vote count did not match forms filled out by election workers who conducted hand tallies of ballots arriving at voting locations. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/GettyImages-2267789591-scaled-e1775847167430.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12077855\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Gubernatorial Candidate Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco speaks at an event in downtown Los Angeles on March 24, 2026. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Eric Thayer/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>According to Riverside County’s registrar of voters, those hand tallies were unreliable estimates, not a definitive count meant to be compared to the final vote. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Bianco ordered deputies to seize the ballots in February, with the purpose of conducting a recount of ballot envelopes. In April, the Supreme Court blocked Bianco’s investigation from moving forward while it considered the dual legal challenges. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Bianco ordered deputies to seize the ballots in February, with the purpose of conducting a recount of ballot envelopes. In April, the Supreme Court blocked Bianco’s investigation from moving forward while it considered the dual legal challenges. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The court’s opinion in the ballot case, Cervantes v. Bianco, hinged on a provision in state election law that prohibits ballots from being taken from election officials, even in the course of a criminal prosecution. Bianco had argued that the law wouldn’t apply to an investigation like his, but the justices shot that down. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The court’s opinion in the ballot case, Cervantes v. Bianco, hinged on a provision in state election law that prohibits ballots from being taken from election officials, even in the course of a criminal prosecution. Bianco had argued that the law wouldn’t apply to an investigation like his, but the justices shot that down. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Guerrero concluded that election law “unambiguously prohibits the removal of ballots from an elections official’s custody, notwithstanding the existence of a search warrant authorizing their seizure.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Guerrero concluded that election law “unambiguously prohibits the removal of ballots from an elections official’s custody, notwithstanding the existence of a search warrant authorizing their seizure.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As he launched his ballot investigation, Bianco ignored multiple directives from Bonta to halt his inquiry. In the high court’s second case, Bonta v. Bianco, justices weighed the limits of the attorney general’s power to supervise local law enforcement officials. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>As he launched his ballot investigation, Bianco ignored multiple directives from Bonta to halt his inquiry. In the high court’s second case, Bonta v. Bianco, justices weighed the limits of the attorney general’s power to supervise local law enforcement officials. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>California voters approved a ballot measure in 1934, backed by future Attorney General and Gov. Earl Warren, that granted the attorney general broad law enforcement powers. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Guerrero wrote that the law allows the attorney general to “direct” the activities of a sheriff relating to an investigation. Thus, the chief justice concluded, “the Attorney General can issue binding instructions to sheriffs regarding a criminal investigation.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Guerrero wrote that the law allows the attorney general to “direct” the activities of a sheriff relating to an investigation. Thus, the chief justice concluded, “the Attorney General can issue binding instructions to sheriffs regarding a criminal investigation.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/AP26099736212917-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12081682\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">California Attorney General Rob Bonta announces the dismantling of a major hospice fraud scheme that defrauded the state of $267 million in Los Angeles on April 9, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Damian Dovarganes/AP Photo)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The court did not set an outer boundary on the attorney general’s authority over local law enforcement. Because Bonta only directed Bianco to pause his investigation, the court declined to rule on whether the attorney general could have terminated the inquiry altogether — but left open the possibility. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Bianco blasted the opinion for opening the door to an expansion of the state attorney general’s powers over county sheriffs and prosecutors. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“This ruling will have wide-reaching consequences for the future of public safety in California,” Bianco said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Asked how the ruling would affect his interactions with county law enforcement, Bonta said the power affirmed by the court “is rarely used, because it’s rarely needed.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“You should expect us to exercise our authority in precisely the types of rare, extraordinary circumstances like this,” Bonta said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In May, just ahead of the primary election, Newsom \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/05/california-ballot-seizure-law/\">signed a law\u003c/a> blocking local election officials from handing over ballots to law enforcement agents.\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "In a unanimous ruling, the justices said Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco broke the law when he seized ballots cast in the November 2025 special election and ordered him to return them.",
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"title": "Republican Sheriff Illegally Seized Over 650,000 Ballots, California Supreme Court Rules | KQED",
"description": "In a unanimous ruling, the justices said Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco broke the law when he seized ballots cast in the November 2025 special election and ordered him to return them.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>California’s Supreme Court ruled Thursday that Riverside County Sheriff \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/chad-bianco\">Chad Bianco\u003c/a> broke the law when he seized more than 650,000 ballots cast in last year’s election and ordered him to return them to county election officials. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Republican sheriff confiscated the ballots in February as part of an investigation into purported voter fraud that he launched during his \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12081096/riverside-county-sheriff-chad-bianco-on-his-faith-cutting-taxes-and-ballot-seizure\">failed bid\u003c/a> for governor. The state’s highest court ruled unanimously \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12096491/california-supreme-court-appears-skeptical-of-biancos-ballot-seizure\">in two cases\u003c/a>, saying that Bianco’s move violated rules for handling ballots outlined in state election law and that he was wrong to ignore Attorney General Rob Bonta’s order to pause the investigation. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“California law long has recognized that voted ballots require special care and handling to safeguard them from alteration or tampering,” Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero, an appointee of Gov. Gavin Newsom, wrote in the court’s opinion in Cervantes v. Bianco, a case brought by Riverside County voters.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/20260824_CASCBIANCOBALLOTS_GC-13-KQED-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096595\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/20260824_CASCBIANCOBALLOTS_GC-13-KQED-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/20260824_CASCBIANCOBALLOTS_GC-13-KQED-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/20260824_CASCBIANCOBALLOTS_GC-13-KQED-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Clarissa Cervantes, Riverside City Councilmember and plaintiff, speaks during a press conference following oral arguments in Cervantes et al. v. Bianco, a case challenging Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco’s seizure of more than 650,000 ballots cast in the November special election, at the steps of the Earl Warren Building at the California Supreme Court on Aug. 24, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The ruling appeared to close the door on a flashpoint in the tug-of-war between Democratic state leaders and local Republican officials over vote-by-mail and election administration. Election advocates viewed the case as a pivotal test ahead of the November midterm, as President Donald Trump has derided mail voting as a form of cheating and pushed for limits on it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a second ruling, the court found that Bonta acted within his power when he ordered Bianco to halt his investigation. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“He willfully defied my direct orders, misused criminal investigative tools and created a constitutional emergency in the process,” Bonta said after the ruling. “The California Supreme Court affirmed my authority as attorney general to supervise the sheriff — an important constitutional safety valve in extraordinary circumstances like these.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a video \u003ca href=\"https://fb.watch/v/5EnWBAS9M/\">posted on Facebook\u003c/a>, Bianco said he would comply with the ruling, while “exploring options of assistance from our federal courts.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“In this case we were provided evidence of a possible crime that obviously warranted investigation — the court agreed and issued warrants,” Bianco said. “Sacramento shut it down.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Bianco’s investigation was \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12080702/internal-emails-show-how-fringe-groups-fueled-sheriff-chad-biancos-ballot-seizure\">sparked by claims from a local conservative citizens group\u003c/a> over the ballot count in the November 2025 special election, when California voters approved Proposition 50 to redraw the state’s congressional districts in favor of Democrats amid a redistricting battle across the country. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The citizens group, known as the Riverside Election Integrity Team, said the final vote count did not match forms filled out by election workers who conducted hand tallies of ballots arriving at voting locations. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/GettyImages-2267789591-scaled-e1775847167430.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12077855\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Gubernatorial Candidate Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco speaks at an event in downtown Los Angeles on March 24, 2026. (Eric Thayer/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>According to Riverside County’s registrar of voters, those hand tallies were unreliable estimates, not a definitive count meant to be compared to the final vote. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Bianco ordered deputies to seize the ballots in February, with the purpose of conducting a recount of ballot envelopes. In April, the Supreme Court blocked Bianco’s investigation from moving forward while it considered the dual legal challenges. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The court’s opinion in the ballot case, Cervantes v. Bianco, hinged on a provision in state election law that prohibits ballots from being taken from election officials, even in the course of a criminal prosecution. Bianco had argued that the law wouldn’t apply to an investigation like his, but the justices shot that down. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Guerrero concluded that election law “unambiguously prohibits the removal of ballots from an elections official’s custody, notwithstanding the existence of a search warrant authorizing their seizure.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As he launched his ballot investigation, Bianco ignored multiple directives from Bonta to halt his inquiry. In the high court’s second case, Bonta v. Bianco, justices weighed the limits of the attorney general’s power to supervise local law enforcement officials. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California voters approved a ballot measure in 1934, backed by future Attorney General and Gov. Earl Warren, that granted the attorney general broad law enforcement powers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Guerrero wrote that the law allows the attorney general to “direct” the activities of a sheriff relating to an investigation. Thus, the chief justice concluded, “the Attorney General can issue binding instructions to sheriffs regarding a criminal investigation.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/AP26099736212917-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12081682\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/AP26099736212917-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/AP26099736212917-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/AP26099736212917-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">California Attorney General Rob Bonta announces the dismantling of a major hospice fraud scheme that defrauded the state of $267 million in Los Angeles on April 9, 2026. (Damian Dovarganes/AP Photo)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The court did not set an outer boundary on the attorney general’s authority over local law enforcement. Because Bonta only directed Bianco to pause his investigation, the court declined to rule on whether the attorney general could have terminated the inquiry altogether — but left open the possibility. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Bianco blasted the opinion for opening the door to an expansion of the state attorney general’s powers over county sheriffs and prosecutors. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This ruling will have wide-reaching consequences for the future of public safety in California,” Bianco said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Asked how the ruling would affect his interactions with county law enforcement, Bonta said the power affirmed by the court “is rarely used, because it’s rarely needed.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You should expect us to exercise our authority in precisely the types of rare, extraordinary circumstances like this,” Bonta said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The ballot seizure controversy sparked fears among Democrats in the state legislature that local officials in red counties could interfere in the administration of November’s midterm elections. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In May, just ahead of the primary election, Newsom \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/05/california-ballot-seizure-law/\">signed a law\u003c/a> blocking local election officials from handing over ballots to law enforcement agents.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#Transcript\">View the full episode transcript\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Long before she became Madam Speaker, Nancy Pelosi was “Little Nancy” D’Alesandro. Raised in Little Italy in Baltimore, Maryland, she learned the lessons of power from her larger-than-life parents: “Tommy the Elder,” a Congressman and mayor of Baltimore, and “Big Nancy,” a master political organizer. Decades later, those lessons served her well. In 1994, when Republicans took control of Congress for the first time in 40 years, Pelosi wanted to win it back – and win big. But first: she’d have to wage a war against the men standing in her way, including within her own party. \u003cbr>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"Transcript\">Episode Transcript\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>If you had a phrase or a few words to describe Nancy Pelosi, what would they be?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rahm Emanuel: \u003c/strong>Well, I’ll just tell you what I told President Obama when he was first kind of meeting her. He goes, just tell me a little. I mean, he knew her, but didn’t know her. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>That’s Rahm Emanuel. He was President Obama’s chief of staff. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rahm Emanuel: \u003c/strong>And I said, Nancy Pelosi is 99% D’Alesandro and 1% Pelosi. And what did that mean to you? She was her father’s daughter. And I says, if you understand that, you understand Nancy Pelosi. Do not forget that you’re dealing with a D’Alesandro.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Nancy Pelosi’s father, Thomas D’Alesandro, Jr., was mayor of Baltimore, Maryland from 1947 to 1959. Before that, he served five terms in Congress, representing Maryland’s third district. For Emanuel, that Italian-American political family is the key to understanding Pelosi. Or, as she was known in Baltimore, Little Nancy. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott In the Field: \u003c/strong>So we’re in Little Italy in Baltimore on Albermarle Street hoping to get some background on little Nancy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ariella Markowitz: \u003c/strong>I just keep thinking of hairspray. Good morning Baltimore.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>That’s our producer Ariella Markowitz. To learn more about the neighborhood and Nancy’s family, we met up with one of Nancy Pelosi’s childhood playmates. Sorry to make you come out in the rain.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Ann Campanella: \u003c/strong>Oh, that’s all right. I’m only a block away. I live on the corner. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Mary Ann Campanella is 84 years old. She grew up here in Baltimore, little Italy, just across the street from Nancy. She’s lived in the neighborhood all of her life. Her deep voice, strong opinions, quaffed silver hair and warm embrace, they all reminded me of my mother. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Ann Campanella: \u003c/strong>Oh, come on. Whoops. Careful. I’m all right, babe. I just got needles in my knees. Old age sucks.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Our plan was to check out one of the neighborhood’s best known restaurants, Chipparelli’s. It opened in 1940, that’s the same year little Nancy was born.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Ann Campanella: \u003c/strong>Hi, sweetie.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Chiaparelli’s is a classic Italian restaurant. White tablecloths, waitresses that call you babe and honey. I order a cup of Italian wedding soup and lasagna while Marianne holds court in the dining room.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Ann Campanella: \u003c/strong>How you doing today, baby doll? You okay?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>It’s the kind of neighborhood where everyone knows everyone else’s business.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Ann Campanella: \u003c/strong>Hi Mike, what are you doing in here today? It’s his birthday. Oh it’s your birthday? Oh Mike, I didn’t know it was your birthday. Happy birthday.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Ann Campanella: \u003c/strong>He’s a neighborhood guy. I knew Maryann all my life. She lives right across the street.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>That’s Mike Turocchi. He and Campanella grew up with Nancy D’Alesandro. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Ann Campanella: \u003c/strong>She was queen princess. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mike Tirocchi: \u003c/strong>She was just the princess and the father. Tommy was what you call the consummate neighborhood mayor. I mean, he knew everybody. If you had a problem, you went to Tom. I mean my father was.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Ann Campanella: \u003c/strong>Senior, Tommy, senior.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mike Tirocchi: \u003c/strong>My father was an immigrant. He couldn’t hardly speak English and couldn’t read or write. If he had a problem, go see Mr. Thomas. I think Nancy learned from her father by watching and listening and seeing the way he ran the city and the way people looked up to him and the way he run his daily business.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Nancy’s dad, Mayor Tommy, was the out-front, back-slapping, charismatic politician. But his wife ran the operation behind the scenes. Her name was Annunziata, but everyone called her Big Nancy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mike Tirocchi: \u003c/strong>Her mother was a very, very powerful person.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Powerful how like what do you?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mike Tirocchi: \u003c/strong>Just her demeanor and her presence, the way she carried herself, she was just, she was not a Little Italy mom. Let’s just put it that way. I mean, my mother was a mother of 12 and wore housecoats. Nancy was always dressed to the nines, looked great all the time. It was just the antithesis of what we were.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Big Nancy had dreams of going to law school, never fulfilled. But her political instincts and raw talent for organizing, campaigning, and bringing order to chaos all rubbed off on the Nancy Pelosi we know today.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mike Tirocchi: \u003c/strong>I thought that that’s the product of her environment. Her mother had aspiration for her to be something special, and she was.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>As I sat with these old timers, a picture of Nancy Pelosi came into sharper focus. A child watching her parents run the family business. Big city politics. I’m Scott Shafer from KQED Public Radio in San Francisco. This is The Speaker. Today, how Nancy Pelosi used those lessons to seize power. Baltimore style. Last episode, Nancy Pelosi beat out Harry Britt in a special election for San Francisco’s congressional seat. She told us about that day, in 1987, when she got sworn in.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>Just the D’Alessandro family is big enough to be a crowd.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Tommy the Elder got to see his daughter take the oath of office, along with the rest of the family.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>When I was born, my father was in Congress. When I in first grade, he became mayor of Baltimore. When I went to college, he was still mayor of Baltimore, so I did grow up in a political atmosphere.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tommy D’Alesandro the Elder: \u003c/strong>How are you? You sound a lot better. How are YOU? That’s all the Italian I know, Mr. Mayor. That’s pretty good. You did pretty good! You get A for effort.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Tommy D’Alesandro Jr. Was a smart-talking politician with a pencil mustache. And in this PBS footage from 1980, he’s retired from politics but still formally dressed in a brown three-piece suit and what looks like a large checkered bowtie. Tommy was one of 13 kids born in Little Italy, Baltimore. In 8th grade, he was kicked out of school by a no-nonsense nun. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tommy D’Alesandro the Elder: \u003c/strong>She was a great, she was a saint. She was the two-fisted sister. She used to slug us every time. Literally? Oh yeah. She knocked him less than two times. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Host: \u003c/strong>Did you deserve it?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tommy D’Alesandro the Elder: \u003c/strong>Sometimes.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>As a kid, Tommy was often seen around the neighborhood hustling. He peddled newspapers on the street, sold chewing gum to sex workers. He spoke some Yiddish, would run errands for Jewish neighbors. He was the neighborhood Shabbos Goy. The non-Jew who helped Jews observed the Sabbath. Later, he sold insurance. In his early 20s, he decided to run for local office, the Maryland House of Delegates. He sought the endorsement of the local political bosses. Who would hang out in the smoke-filled Rennert Hotel, playing pinocle and eating oysters. They told Tommy to come back with 500 voter signatures.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tommy D’Alesandro the Elder: \u003c/strong>So I went around and got a petition. On this petition I had written, we, the undersigned registered Democratic voters of the 3rd Ward, 1st Legislative District recommend for your favorable consideration the candidacy of Tommy D’Alessandro, Jr. For the House of Delegates. He was born and raised in the district, knows the people and their needs, and would be a credit to both city and state if elected, signed by 500 people. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>He won that election, his first of many. Two years later, Tommy D’Alessandro married Annunciata Lombardi, a local girl, six years his junior, Big Nancy. They had six boys, including one, Nicholas, who died as a young child. In 1938, Tommy was elected to Congress. Tommy and Big Nancy were dyed-in-the-wool Democrats. They even named one of their sons after the president, Franklin Delano Roosevelt D’Alessandro. After bringing six boys into the world, the D’alessandros finally had a girl. Little Nancy D’ Alessandro was born March 26th, 1940, and it made local headlines. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>I was born, our whole thing was, we were born devoutly Catholic, proud of our Italian-American heritage, fiercely patriotic, and in our case staunchly democratic. That was our neighborhood, Little Italy in Baltimore, Maryland.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>For little Nancy, the family business was politics, local politics.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>We were taught that we had responsibility to help other people, and politics was one way to do that.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>And to help other people, they had to win. Winning opened doors, and Tommy relished the victories.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tommy D’Alesandro the Elder: \u003c/strong>I carried Little Italy by 69 votes. Palmisano again, I beat him by 2800. At Janetsky again, I beat them by 11,000.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Tommy D’Alessandro Jr. Taught his daughter her most legendary, if underappreciated, skill.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>You have to have the votes, so you have to know how to count.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Before she even graduated from high school, little Nancy got a sound education on the nuts and bolts of running a political operation, including the importance of a good ground game.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>I could just remember seeing these people come to the house at night and have their community meetings and you’re going to be responsible for this area, this area this area this area. This is how many votes you need to get. How many do you think you’re gonna get and that was it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>The D’Alesandros, they love to win.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tommy D’Alesandro the Elder: \u003c/strong>And I won, I won again, again, then.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>And he won, again and again\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer:\u003c/strong> At a young age, Pelosi learned that power isn’t simply inherited and it certainly isn’t handed over by those who have it. Nope. If you want power, you have to go out and seize it. Once she got to Congress, Nancy Pelosi saw that her fellow Democrats had a big problem. In 1994, the Democrats lost the House for the first time in 40 years. This moment is sometimes called the Republican Revolution. Change was the message, tax cuts, term limits, and smaller government. It was led by a firebrand congressman from Georgia.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Newt Gingrich: \u003c/strong>This is a contract with Americans for America.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Having won the House for his party, Newt Gingrich became the first Republican speaker in forty years. A thorn in the side of Democrats.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Newt Gingrich: \u003c/strong>Our proposals, which will come out in May to shrink the federal government, to shrink the bureaucracy, to eliminate some departments, to save the taxpayers’ money, to move to a balanced budget, that’s what the voters want.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Anna Eshoo: \u003c/strong>They were in a deep depression.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>That’s Anna Eshoo, one of Nancy Pelosi’s closest friends in Congress. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Anna Eshoo: \u003c/strong>I mean, they were so stunned. Well, they had been the majority in the house for 40 years and then to drop off into nothingness. Oh my God.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Many of the junior Democratic congress members would get together to commiserate over dinner at an Italian restaurant or someone’s house.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Anna Eshoo: \u003c/strong>That, the gang. It was a raucous, great group. Nancy always would talk about winning, though, and how to win. She made up her mind that we needed to win\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>She had strong opinions about how things should be run, thought that House Democratic leadership did a lousy job managing a banking scandal, and hadn’t done enough to modernize the way they ran campaigns. But to change things, Pelosi would have to overcome a huge obstacle.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Leon Panetta: \u003c/strong>Congress is still a man’s club.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>That’s Leon Panetta, once a member of the gang from California, who became Obama’s head of the CIA.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Leon Panetta: \u003c/strong>You’ve got to fight your way, and Nancy was willing to fight her way. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>When Pelosi got to Congress, women made up about 5% of the House. Anna Eshoo relayed this one story. She wasn’t there at the time, but she heard about it later. Nancy and some other Congresswomen were listening to the men talk about childbirth. Apparently the men were complaining about how hard childbirth was. For them\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Anna Eshoo: \u003c/strong>and she tries to get into the conversation. Now she had five babies in six years, you know? She was just so shocked that what the women were trying to say, the guys were. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Anna Eshoo: \u003c/strong>Dominating.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Leon Panetta: \u003c/strong>She would do an awful lot of listening, and she would listen, but then she would have something to say that was a lot more at the point of what we were concerned about. It wasn’t just complaining, it was like, what are we going to do about it?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Pelosi was getting tired of listening. She wanted to get stuff done. And as election after election passed, she saw something that the men in charge wouldn’t acknowledge. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi:\u003c/strong>\u003cem> \u003c/em>94, 96, 98, I was like, there’s no plan to win.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Leadership thought that the Republican revolution was just a blip, that things would go back to the way they were, with Democrats in charge. It was just matter of time. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>It was more of an attitude thing, like the pendulum will swing, but I didn’t see really a decision to have it be a wrecking ball, not a pendulum, a wreckin’ ball. You decide to win, and then you make every decision in favor of winning. Quite frankly, I’m really tired of losing.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>She came into Congress wanting to make life better, for people who are often forgotten\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>This is not for the faint of heart. This is rough. But if you know why you’re doing it, that makes everything okay. My why was one in five children in America goes to sleep hungry at night. One in five Children in America, it lives in poverty. That’s my why, is to ask, go there for the children, for the Children.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>We don’t know exactly when Nancy Pelosi decided to run for leadership. When I asked Pelosi why she wanted to be leader, her line is, other people wanted me to run. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>When I got here, after a few years, members came to me and said, you should run for leadership. In fact, you should for speaker. I said, well, I absolutely positively would not do that. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Barbara Boxer, the former senator from California, remembers a different Pelosi. They would commute back and forth from D.C. Together, chatting the whole time.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Barbara Boxer: \u003c/strong>We could just yak yak about everything. One of those days on the plane, we were talking about, what is your dream in politics? What do you really want to do? And she asked me that, and I said, I want to be U.S. Senator. This is when I was in the House, which was a pipe dream, trust me. Now, I’m telling you, Nancy says, that never happened. So maybe I dreamed it. And she said, I want be Speaker of the House.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>You had to have some chutzpah at that point in her career to say, I wanna be speaker.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Barbara Boxer: \u003c/strong>Chutzpah doesn’t begin to describe it. It was impossible.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Ann Campanella: \u003c/strong>Walking in the street, I ain’t foam with these sidewalks. Okay. They’ll stop for us. Believe me, they will.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>After eating at Chiparelli’s in Baltimore with Nancy’s childhood friend, Mary Ann, we jaywalk across the street to Nancy’s Childhood Home.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Ann Campanella: \u003c/strong>The D’Alesandro Mansion. This is where young Nancy was born, right here in this home. You’ll see the plaques. Mercy Little Italy Health Center in memory of Nancy and Tommy D’Alesandro Jr.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Big house. It’s a three-story brick row house on the corner of Albert Marl and Fawn streets.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Ann Campanella: \u003c/strong>Oh, and good bricklayer. The Talons are noted for that.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Back in the 40s, when Tommy D’Alesandro Jr. Was mayor, the House was essentially a political headquarters, often buzzing with activity. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Ann Campanella: \u003c/strong>Her father’s office was here when he was mayor, so he was right in the neighborhood.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>But everybody knew that if they couldn’t reach the mayor, next best was talk to his political partner and wife, Big Nancy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>My mom was spectacular. If she were living now, I don’t know if she might be president of the United States. She was so capable. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Big Nancy was glamorous and smart. She loved betting on horses at the local track. She even invented a beauty product, had a patent registered for a facial steaming device. It was called Beautifier Vaporizer for treatment of the skin. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Susan Page: \u003c/strong>And basically, it’s just boiling water, but it looks pretty dramatic.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>That’s Susan Page. She wrote a biography about Pelosi.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Susan Page: \u003c/strong>Her mother kept what was called the favor file, which was basically a recording of the favors that constituents would come in and want to get from the mayor, whether it was better housing or help with a kid who had gotten in trouble with the law or whatever. And she would help figure out how they might be able to help this person and also keep a record so that they could go back to them when the next campaign came around and they needed some election help. And who was sitting on her right side during these sessions when people would file through their home looking for favors.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Little Nancy, that’s who. She would take handwritten notes, later typed onto index cards and filed away.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Susan Page: \u003c/strong>It is perfect training for being a congressional leader where your members have favors they need done and you keep track of them so that you can cash them in when you need them.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>When I was a girl, I could hear what my mother would say when somebody would come to the door if they wanted a place to live in the projects, a bed in a city hospital, somebody going to jail or getting out of jail or whatever it happened to be.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Big Nancy would help her neighbors with all kinds of problems, but they were also her husband’s constituents. So when election time came around, she’d open up the favor file to, in a sense, balance the books. She’d send women volunteers out to collect the votes. It’s been a key part of machine politics since the beginning. The ground game.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>Women have always been the strength of the Democratic Party because you have to own the ground.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Speakers of the House wield enormous power. If the President and Vice President die, the Speaker becomes President. They dictate the agenda, appoint members to committees. In effect, Speakers decide which legislation lives or dies, or gets amended, and how. But Speaker of the house isn’t a job that just falls into your lap. Here’s what you need to do. Build alliances. Show that you have a vision. Raise funds for the party. So they’ll elect you to party leadership. That’s your stepping stone to speakership. One of the highest positions is whip. The term whip comes from England. The whipper in was the assistant to the huntsman, the person who keeps the hounds in line. The job requires deep trust as you’re herding votes. Hounds have to know you’ll use the whip. Early on, Pelosi learned a hard lesson about counting on the support of colleagues. She remembers thinking she had convinced a senior member of Congress to support her campaign to join the powerful Appropriations Committee, a coveted position. But when the time came, he voted for her opponent, so she cornered him. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>You said that when even knowing, no, even knowing on the race, I’m for you. He said, yeah, that’s what I said. Well, knowing who’s in the race I’m, for you, so I say to people if they say you’d be so great, that’s a no. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Pelosi started studying what motivated her members. What were the carrots? And what were the sticks? Here’s Anna Eshoo again, Pelosi’s close friend in Congress. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Anna Eshoo: \u003c/strong>She came to know members better than they knew themselves. I always thought that. I thought, oh, that poor deer over there. He doesn’t know that she knows him backward and forward. She had her own internal study of people. She understood them. She made it her business to know them, to know their families, to know their children, to their districts. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Whip is an internal party position, so there’s no regular election schedule. You have to wait for someone to retire or decide to run for Senate or go back to state politics. Pelosi announced her bid ahead of time anyway to send a signal.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>Said, you know, you’re breaking into the line. I said, what are we talking about? Because they had it. You’re gonna be next. You’ll be with, and you’ll move up to leader, and you will be with. And they had all guys. They had all the guys. And I said no, we’ve been waiting over 200 years, and that’s it. That’s it, and I know I can win. I’m not asking anybody to take a risk. I know, I’m gonna win.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Clearly Pelosi had counted the votes, but she still had one big obstacle. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Steny Hoyer: \u003c/strong>Well, I was disappointed that she was going to run and not support me. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>That’s Steny Hoyer, a longtime Democratic congressman from Maryland. A reporter describes Steny as the textbook politician, gregarious, smooth, and a moderate to the core. Hoyer knew Nancy well. He’d also grown up in Maryland. Actually, they’d worked together back in the 60s when Pelosi was a receptionist for a Maryland senator. When Pelosi joined Congress two decades later, Hoyer was…\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Steny Hoyer: \u003c/strong>Tickled Pink to see her, welcomed her with open arms. She was a great addition to the Congress.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>We might say today they were frenemies, friends, but also rivals, eyeing the same position and leadership. Based on those wait your turn rules, he was expected to become whip when the job opened up.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>And then when I ran, they were like, well, who said she could run? Poor babies. When you think I’m waiting for you, lost all these elections that say I can run. And secondly, they said, because I had a lot of support from the women, they said why don’t you all write on a piece of paper the things you would like to see us do and we’ll do them for you. This is in this century. In this century! I’m not talking about 1958, I’m talking about in this century.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>But Pelosi knew how to deal with tough old politicians. Her dad had been one. She knew she’d have to get some of them on her side to win.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Anna Eshoo: \u003c/strong>Jack Murtha was a member from Pennsylvania.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Anna Eshoo again.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Anna Eshoo: \u003c/strong>Jack was the first Vietnam veteran to be elected to the Congress. He really looked like he was out of central casting, beautiful gray hair, impeccably dressed, his collars, his ties, very Irish and very serious about his work. And his work was all about the military. He sat on the floor in the very last seat. If you’re looking at the front of the chamber, the far left corner, it’s dark there. It’s so far away from everything else, but that’s where Jack sat.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Pelosi kept a small statue of a coal miner on her desk. It was a gift from her father, who’d gotten it from a former West Virginia Congressman.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>So Jack Murtha walks down the hall, comes in my office, and he sees that, and was like, oh my gosh. So then we became really good friends. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Jack Murtha was a representative from coal country, so that made an impression on him. She may have represented San Francisco, but he saw the Baltimore in her. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Anna Eshoo: \u003c/strong>We need her in the leadership. And that was, you know, I mean, the most members weren’t noticing how the relationship grew and deepened. So they were shocked. Jack, Murtha supporting Nancy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Murtha would actually go on to lead her campaign for Whip.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Steny Hoyer: \u003c/strong>To Hoyer’s disappointment. I was surprised because Jack Murtha, I thought, had indicated to me that he would be helpful to me. That did not turn out to be the case. Pelosi was coming for Hoyer spot.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>I maybe thought it was his turn, but I didn’t know what dues he paid. I mean, that is to say, I paid all the dues in the world.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>In 2000, Democrats were still hoping they could win back the House. They needed to flip around seven seats. Pelosi said she could pick up four seats in California, the party would have to do the rest. She kept her word, four more notes for the favor file. She remembers assuming they’d won back the majority.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>So I’m on my way to a press conference to meet the press. My staff is like holding me back like this on my coat. They said, wait a minute, we did not win the house. I said, how could they? They needed seven to win the House. They lost every other place. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>She couldn’t stand it anymore. Even after delivering what she promised, they still lost. And she was still on the outside looking in.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>I was doing all this stuff, resources and all that stuff.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Fundraising.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>But I had never, until I became Speaker of the House, been in the Democratic Speaker’s office. Never. Until I walked into my own office. They never invited me to anything, nothing, because they had it all lined up for themselves.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>In 2001, the sitting whip decided not to run for re-election. It was time for Democrats to elect a new whip. To start locking down votes, Nancy Pelosi first turned to her own California delegation. Several of them actually owed their seat to her. She had a running start. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Steny Hoyer: \u003c/strong>Maryland is a small state and California is a huge state, so it made it very difficult. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Steny Hoyer again. Pelosi also raised more than twice as much money for candidates as Hoyer. Showing that you can raise money is important. It helps solidify your role as a strong party leader and it gives you leverage. Some members who didn’t support Pelosi, well, she never forgot. Washington legend has it she punished the longtime congressman from Michigan, John Dingell, helping ensure he was deposed from his high power committee chairmanship. Because he didn’t support her for whip. And even Steny Hoyer had to appreciate how meticulous she was. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Steny Hoyer: \u003c/strong>Nancy’s a very, very hard worker. She’s very tenacious. She’s a thorough, she’s very smart. She is a wonderful counter of votes. When it was time for the vote, Pelosi was confident.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>I tried to tell them that I’m going to win this. But they, to the end, which I was on the floor, I could hear them, you gotta be for standing tomorrow. This is a one vote race for babies. They didn’t know how to count.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Pelosi predicted she’d get 120 votes, she got 118. Steny Hoyer got 95. So, on October 10th, 2001, just a few weeks after 9-11,\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Archival News Clip: \u003c/strong>And a woman has broken new ground in the nation’s capital, California Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi becomes Democratic whip, the number two House leader right behind the Democratic leader, Richard Gephardt, the highest ranking woman in Congress ever. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Given 9/11, Pelosi’s groundbreaking election was easy to miss. But it was unmistakable. Pelosi was on her way to becoming Speaker.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Susan Page: \u003c/strong>What’s remarkable about the campaign that she ran was that she didn’t run it like a girl.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Biographer Susan Page again.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Susan Page: \u003c/strong>You know, a lot of the women in Congress had accepted kind of secondary roles in leadership, like being the caucus secretary, or doing what it was the men were willing to let them to do because no woman had been in a real leadership position before, in a really leadership position that had power. And she just thought that was nonsense and plowed ahead. And I think to the dismay of these men who were in charge, she won.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>If there were not many more women in Congress, I might not have won. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Hmm, speaker image.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>A speaker, you know, or a whip at that time. Because whip was the first step. They knew, boom.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>You just heard about Nancy Pelosi’s secret sauce, her recipe for taking over Congress. Her father taught her to bring the wrecking ball. Her mother taught her to bring a carrot with the favor file. Pelosi wasn’t whipped for long. In 2002, the party leader position opened up and she took it. Pelosi was now head of Democrats. But one thing standing in her way to being speaker, Republicans losing again wasn’t an option. It would be total war. Pelosi went on the CBS News magazine 60 Minutes, right before the 2006 election. Dressed in bright red, she sat across from correspondent Leslie Stahl.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Leslie Stahl: \u003c/strong>You have called your Republican colleagues, these are quotes, immoral, corrupt, you say they’re running a criminal enterprise.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi – 60 Minutes: \u003c/strong>Well, actually, when I called them those names, I was being gentle. There are much worse things I could have said about them.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>The segment is titled, Two Heartbeats Away. Message, if the Democrats win, this woman will likely become the next Speaker of the House. It was a reference to the presidential line of succession. Speaker of House is third in line after the President and Vice President. For many Americans, this was probably the first real glimpse they got of Pelosi. She lays into the President, George W. Bush, often with a radiant smile. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi – 60 Minutes: \u003c/strong>This isn’t personal. He’s incompetent. Well, I think he is. That’s personal. Well, then I’m sorry. That’s his problem. I have very thick skin. I don’t care what they say about me. This election is about them. This is a referendum on them. Making them lame ducks is good enough for me. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Of course, Republicans fought tooth and nail to avoid becoming lame ducks. They flooded the airwaves with ads, warning that unless Republicans prevailed, the top leader in Congress would be an ultra-liberal from wacky San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Archival – Ad: \u003c/strong>You’ll reward illegal aliens with welfare, food stamps, and free education. And I had the privilege because of a woman being very defined by the Republicans coming after me. Hundreds of thousands of ads. Imagine how much money that cost.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>At this time, the US was over three years into the war in Iraq. As a member of the House Intelligence Committee, Pelosi had access to information about the 9-11 attacks. She voted for intervention in Afghanistan as retaliation for the attacks, but she never supported Bush starting the Iraq War, voting against it with 132 of her colleagues. As the war intensified, casualties mounting, the search for weapons of mass destruction coming up empty. Pelosi kept her eyes on the prize, winning back the House in the 2006 midterm elections.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rahm Emanuel: \u003c/strong>Nancy is, and I say this as a compliment, she is comfortable with power and exercising it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Rahm Emanuel came in to help. He’s somewhat intense, known for shouting at donors for more money, stabbing a steak knife into the table to make a point.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rahm Emanuel: \u003c/strong>Understands winning gives you that. If you win.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rahm Emanuel: \u003c/strong>You get to set the table.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer:\u003c/strong>\u003cem> \u003c/em>To win back the House, Democrats had to pick up 15 seats. So Pelosi and Senate leader Harry Reid launched their answer to Newt Gingrich’s contract with America. Six for 06, a plan that promised more funding for national security, a minimum wage hike, and affordable healthcare. Meanwhile, Rahm Emanuel was busy recruiting candidates he thought could win.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rahm Emanuel: \u003c/strong>We’re gonna find people that open the door to a group of voters because we gotta swing a district. You can’t win it on Democratic voters.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>And they started bringing in money. Federal fundraising tallies show that, compared to the previous election cycle, Democrats raised about 50% more for House candidates in 2006. Republicans still outspent Democrats, but Pelosi and Emanuel put a dent in their financial advantage. Some Democrats, AOC, Elizabeth Warren, Bernie, others, criticize taking money from corporations and PACs. How do you, and how does Nancy Pelosi, how do you see that criticism?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rahm Emanuel: \u003c/strong>You don’t tie one hand behind your back, okay? We can’t just put people on the field and then leave them out there to self-defend themselves. I hate what the court did. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>He’s referring to the Supreme Court case Citizens United decided in 2010. It reversed older restrictions on campaign spending and allowed corporations and other outside groups to spend unlimited money on elections.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rahm Emanuel: \u003c/strong>But that’s the world we live in. Again, she’s comfortable with power. Nancy exists in the arena.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Whichever party controls the White House usually loses seats in Congress in the midterms. But Pelosi was never content to just let the pendulum swing or it naturally would. Winning is never inevitable.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>It isn’t that the tide goes in and out. That’s probably what they thought in the nineties that the Tide went out and now come back in. So I’m not really wedded to that concept. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>For the first time in 12 years, Democrats seized back control of the House. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Archival News Clip: \u003c/strong>Washington turned upside down.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Archival – President Bush: \u003c/strong>It was a thumping.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Archival News Clip: \u003c/strong>Power switch in the House. Democrats now firmly in control there. The Democratic leader, Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco, set to become the first woman Speaker of the House in American history. Pelosi was finally on top.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>On January 4, 2007, holding one grandchild and surrounded by others, Pelosi was officially elected speaker. Republican leader John Boehner graciously handed Pelosi the gavel and history\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>Mr. Speaker, I accept this gavel in the spirit of partnership, not partisanship. Before we move forward, because there’s so many children here and so many of them asked me if they could touch the gavel, I wanted to invite as many of them who wanted to come forward to come join me up here. I know my own grandchildren will. There it is.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>We’re here for the children, we’re here \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>For the children would be Nancy Pelosi’s mantra.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>I know that sometimes I have to take a punch and sometimes I have to throw a punch for the children, for the children.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>The stars had finally aligned for Baltimore’s favorite daughter. Both her parents lived long enough to see Pelosi elected to Congress. They died before she became the most powerful woman in U.S. Politics ever. But their influence was undeniable. Little Nancy D’Alessandro had become the speaker.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>Well, the power of the speaker is awesome. There’s nothing to compare to that. It’s the second highest president, vice president. Let me feel your pulse.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Nancy Pelosi and her fellow Democrats had seized power, but she’d soon find out the difference between winning \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>We’ll climb the fence. If that doesn’t work, we’ll pole vault in. If that does not work, we’ll parachute in. But we’re not letting anything stand in our way. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Did you believe it?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>Yes, I was determined we were going to get this done.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>And govern it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Zeke Emanuel: \u003c/strong>The system is falling apart, costs are going up, people are getting pissed off. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mick Mulvaney: \u003c/strong>If you think your healthcare is great now, just wait until the government runs it for you. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rahm Emanuel: \u003c/strong>A lot going on. Thank you. You’re giving me PTSD right now.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>That’s coming up next on The speaker. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>The Speaker is a production of KQED in San Francisco and distributed by NPR. It’s hosted and reported by me, Scott Shafer. It’s reported and produced by Ariella Markowitz. It’s edited by Padmini Raghunath. Final mix and sound design by Christopher Beale. Fat-checking by Mark Betancourt. Additional editing from Anna Susman and Jen Chien, KQED’s director of podcasts. Original theme song composed by Cedric Wilson. Additional music from APM. Maha Sanad is KQED’s podcast engagement producer. Ethan Toven-Lindsey is KQED’s editor in chief. Special thanks to our partners from the Oral History Center at the University of California, Berkeley. Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by the Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television, and radio artists, San Francisco, Northern California, local.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Long before she became Madam Speaker, Nancy Pelosi was “Little Nancy” D’Alesandro. Raised in Little Italy in Baltimore, Maryland, she learned the lessons of power from her larger-than-life parents: “Tommy the Elder,” a Congressman and mayor of Baltimore, and “Big Nancy,” a master political organizer. Decades later, those lessons served her well. In 1994, when Republicans took control of Congress for the first time in 40 years, Pelosi wanted to win it back – and win big. But first: she’d have to wage a war against the men standing in her way, including within her own party. \u003cbr>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Long before she became Madam Speaker, Nancy Pelosi was “Little Nancy” D’Alesandro. Raised in Little Italy in Baltimore, Maryland, she learned the lessons of power from her larger-than-life parents: “Tommy the Elder,” a Congressman and mayor of Baltimore, and “Big Nancy,” a master political organizer. Decades later, those lessons served her well. In 1994, when Republicans took control of Congress for the first time in 40 years, Pelosi wanted to win it back – and win big. But first: she’d have to wage a war against the men standing in her way, including within her own party. \u003cbr>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>If you had a phrase or a few words to describe Nancy Pelosi, what would they be?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>If you had a phrase or a few words to describe Nancy Pelosi, what would they be?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rahm Emanuel: \u003c/strong>Well, I’ll just tell you what I told President Obama when he was first kind of meeting her. He goes, just tell me a little. I mean, he knew her, but didn’t know her. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rahm Emanuel: \u003c/strong>Well, I’ll just tell you what I told President Obama when he was first kind of meeting her. He goes, just tell me a little. I mean, he knew her, but didn’t know her. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>That’s Rahm Emanuel. He was President Obama’s chief of staff. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rahm Emanuel: \u003c/strong>And I said, Nancy Pelosi is 99% D’Alesandro and 1% Pelosi. And what did that mean to you? She was her father’s daughter. And I says, if you understand that, you understand Nancy Pelosi. Do not forget that you’re dealing with a D’Alesandro.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rahm Emanuel: \u003c/strong>And I said, Nancy Pelosi is 99% D’Alesandro and 1% Pelosi. And what did that mean to you? She was her father’s daughter. And I says, if you understand that, you understand Nancy Pelosi. Do not forget that you’re dealing with a D’Alesandro.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Nancy Pelosi’s father, Thomas D’Alesandro, Jr., was mayor of Baltimore, Maryland from 1947 to 1959. Before that, he served five terms in Congress, representing Maryland’s third district. For Emanuel, that Italian-American political family is the key to understanding Pelosi. Or, as she was known in Baltimore, Little Nancy. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Nancy Pelosi’s father, Thomas D’Alesandro, Jr., was mayor of Baltimore, Maryland from 1947 to 1959. Before that, he served five terms in Congress, representing Maryland’s third district. For Emanuel, that Italian-American political family is the key to understanding Pelosi. Or, as she was known in Baltimore, Little Nancy. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott In the Field: \u003c/strong>So we’re in Little Italy in Baltimore on Albermarle Street hoping to get some background on little Nancy.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott In the Field: \u003c/strong>So we’re in Little Italy in Baltimore on Albermarle Street hoping to get some background on little Nancy.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ariella Markowitz: \u003c/strong>I just keep thinking of hairspray. Good morning Baltimore.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>That’s our producer Ariella Markowitz. To learn more about the neighborhood and Nancy’s family, we met up with one of Nancy Pelosi’s childhood playmates. Sorry to make you come out in the rain.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>That’s our producer Ariella Markowitz. To learn more about the neighborhood and Nancy’s family, we met up with one of Nancy Pelosi’s childhood playmates. Sorry to make you come out in the rain.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Ann Campanella: \u003c/strong>Oh, that’s all right. I’m only a block away. I live on the corner. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Ann Campanella: \u003c/strong>Oh, that’s all right. I’m only a block away. I live on the corner. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Mary Ann Campanella is 84 years old. She grew up here in Baltimore, little Italy, just across the street from Nancy. She’s lived in the neighborhood all of her life. Her deep voice, strong opinions, quaffed silver hair and warm embrace, they all reminded me of my mother. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Mary Ann Campanella is 84 years old. She grew up here in Baltimore, little Italy, just across the street from Nancy. She’s lived in the neighborhood all of her life. Her deep voice, strong opinions, quaffed silver hair and warm embrace, they all reminded me of my mother. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Ann Campanella: \u003c/strong>Oh, come on. Whoops. Careful. I’m all right, babe. I just got needles in my knees. Old age sucks.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Ann Campanella: \u003c/strong>Oh, come on. Whoops. Careful. I’m all right, babe. I just got needles in my knees. Old age sucks.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Our plan was to check out one of the neighborhood’s best known restaurants, Chipparelli’s. It opened in 1940, that’s the same year little Nancy was born.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Our plan was to check out one of the neighborhood’s best known restaurants, Chipparelli’s. It opened in 1940, that’s the same year little Nancy was born.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Ann Campanella: \u003c/strong>Hi, sweetie.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Ann Campanella: \u003c/strong>Hi, sweetie.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Chiaparelli’s is a classic Italian restaurant. White tablecloths, waitresses that call you babe and honey. I order a cup of Italian wedding soup and lasagna while Marianne holds court in the dining room.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Chiaparelli’s is a classic Italian restaurant. White tablecloths, waitresses that call you babe and honey. I order a cup of Italian wedding soup and lasagna while Marianne holds court in the dining room.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Ann Campanella: \u003c/strong>How you doing today, baby doll? You okay?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Ann Campanella: \u003c/strong>How you doing today, baby doll? You okay?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>It’s the kind of neighborhood where everyone knows everyone else’s business.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Ann Campanella: \u003c/strong>Hi Mike, what are you doing in here today? It’s his birthday. Oh it’s your birthday? Oh Mike, I didn’t know it was your birthday. Happy birthday.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Ann Campanella: \u003c/strong>Hi Mike, what are you doing in here today? It’s his birthday. Oh it’s your birthday? Oh Mike, I didn’t know it was your birthday. Happy birthday.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Ann Campanella: \u003c/strong>He’s a neighborhood guy. I knew Maryann all my life. She lives right across the street.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>That’s Mike Turocchi. He and Campanella grew up with Nancy D’Alesandro. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>That’s Mike Turocchi. He and Campanella grew up with Nancy D’Alesandro. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Ann Campanella: \u003c/strong>She was queen princess. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Ann Campanella: \u003c/strong>She was queen princess. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mike Tirocchi: \u003c/strong>She was just the princess and the father. Tommy was what you call the consummate neighborhood mayor. I mean, he knew everybody. If you had a problem, you went to Tom. I mean my father was.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mike Tirocchi: \u003c/strong>She was just the princess and the father. Tommy was what you call the consummate neighborhood mayor. I mean, he knew everybody. If you had a problem, you went to Tom. I mean my father was.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Ann Campanella: \u003c/strong>Senior, Tommy, senior.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mike Tirocchi: \u003c/strong>My father was an immigrant. He couldn’t hardly speak English and couldn’t read or write. If he had a problem, go see Mr. Thomas. I think Nancy learned from her father by watching and listening and seeing the way he ran the city and the way people looked up to him and the way he run his daily business.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mike Tirocchi: \u003c/strong>My father was an immigrant. He couldn’t hardly speak English and couldn’t read or write. If he had a problem, go see Mr. Thomas. I think Nancy learned from her father by watching and listening and seeing the way he ran the city and the way people looked up to him and the way he run his daily business.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Nancy’s dad, Mayor Tommy, was the out-front, back-slapping, charismatic politician. But his wife ran the operation behind the scenes. Her name was Annunziata, but everyone called her Big Nancy.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mike Tirocchi: \u003c/strong>Her mother was a very, very powerful person.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Powerful how like what do you?\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mike Tirocchi: \u003c/strong>Just her demeanor and her presence, the way she carried herself, she was just, she was not a Little Italy mom. Let’s just put it that way. I mean, my mother was a mother of 12 and wore housecoats. Nancy was always dressed to the nines, looked great all the time. It was just the antithesis of what we were.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mike Tirocchi: \u003c/strong>Just her demeanor and her presence, the way she carried herself, she was just, she was not a Little Italy mom. Let’s just put it that way. I mean, my mother was a mother of 12 and wore housecoats. Nancy was always dressed to the nines, looked great all the time. It was just the antithesis of what we were.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Big Nancy had dreams of going to law school, never fulfilled. But her political instincts and raw talent for organizing, campaigning, and bringing order to chaos all rubbed off on the Nancy Pelosi we know today.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Big Nancy had dreams of going to law school, never fulfilled. But her political instincts and raw talent for organizing, campaigning, and bringing order to chaos all rubbed off on the Nancy Pelosi we know today.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mike Tirocchi: \u003c/strong>I thought that that’s the product of her environment. Her mother had aspiration for her to be something special, and she was.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mike Tirocchi: \u003c/strong>I thought that that’s the product of her environment. Her mother had aspiration for her to be something special, and she was.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>As I sat with these old timers, a picture of Nancy Pelosi came into sharper focus. A child watching her parents run the family business. Big city politics. I’m Scott Shafer from KQED Public Radio in San Francisco. This is The Speaker. Today, how Nancy Pelosi used those lessons to seize power. Baltimore style. Last episode, Nancy Pelosi beat out Harry Britt in a special election for San Francisco’s congressional seat. She told us about that day, in 1987, when she got sworn in.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>As I sat with these old timers, a picture of Nancy Pelosi came into sharper focus. A child watching her parents run the family business. Big city politics. I’m Scott Shafer from KQED Public Radio in San Francisco. This is The Speaker. Today, how Nancy Pelosi used those lessons to seize power. Baltimore style. Last episode, Nancy Pelosi beat out Harry Britt in a special election for San Francisco’s congressional seat. She told us about that day, in 1987, when she got sworn in.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>Just the D’Alessandro family is big enough to be a crowd.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Tommy the Elder got to see his daughter take the oath of office, along with the rest of the family.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>When I was born, my father was in Congress. When I in first grade, he became mayor of Baltimore. When I went to college, he was still mayor of Baltimore, so I did grow up in a political atmosphere.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tommy D’Alesandro the Elder: \u003c/strong>How are you? You sound a lot better. How are YOU? That’s all the Italian I know, Mr. Mayor. That’s pretty good. You did pretty good! You get A for effort.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tommy D’Alesandro the Elder: \u003c/strong>How are you? You sound a lot better. How are YOU? That’s all the Italian I know, Mr. Mayor. That’s pretty good. You did pretty good! You get A for effort.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Tommy D’Alesandro Jr. Was a smart-talking politician with a pencil mustache. And in this PBS footage from 1980, he’s retired from politics but still formally dressed in a brown three-piece suit and what looks like a large checkered bowtie. Tommy was one of 13 kids born in Little Italy, Baltimore. In 8th grade, he was kicked out of school by a no-nonsense nun. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Tommy D’Alesandro Jr. Was a smart-talking politician with a pencil mustache. And in this PBS footage from 1980, he’s retired from politics but still formally dressed in a brown three-piece suit and what looks like a large checkered bowtie. Tommy was one of 13 kids born in Little Italy, Baltimore. In 8th grade, he was kicked out of school by a no-nonsense nun. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tommy D’Alesandro the Elder: \u003c/strong>She was a great, she was a saint. She was the two-fisted sister. She used to slug us every time. Literally? Oh yeah. She knocked him less than two times. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tommy D’Alesandro the Elder: \u003c/strong>She was a great, she was a saint. She was the two-fisted sister. She used to slug us every time. Literally? Oh yeah. She knocked him less than two times. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Host: \u003c/strong>Did you deserve it?\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tommy D’Alesandro the Elder: \u003c/strong>Sometimes.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>As a kid, Tommy was often seen around the neighborhood hustling. He peddled newspapers on the street, sold chewing gum to sex workers. He spoke some Yiddish, would run errands for Jewish neighbors. He was the neighborhood Shabbos Goy. The non-Jew who helped Jews observed the Sabbath. Later, he sold insurance. In his early 20s, he decided to run for local office, the Maryland House of Delegates. He sought the endorsement of the local political bosses. Who would hang out in the smoke-filled Rennert Hotel, playing pinocle and eating oysters. They told Tommy to come back with 500 voter signatures.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>As a kid, Tommy was often seen around the neighborhood hustling. He peddled newspapers on the street, sold chewing gum to sex workers. He spoke some Yiddish, would run errands for Jewish neighbors. He was the neighborhood Shabbos Goy. The non-Jew who helped Jews observed the Sabbath. Later, he sold insurance. In his early 20s, he decided to run for local office, the Maryland House of Delegates. He sought the endorsement of the local political bosses. Who would hang out in the smoke-filled Rennert Hotel, playing pinocle and eating oysters. They told Tommy to come back with 500 voter signatures.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tommy D’Alesandro the Elder: \u003c/strong>So I went around and got a petition. On this petition I had written, we, the undersigned registered Democratic voters of the 3rd Ward, 1st Legislative District recommend for your favorable consideration the candidacy of Tommy D’Alessandro, Jr. For the House of Delegates. He was born and raised in the district, knows the people and their needs, and would be a credit to both city and state if elected, signed by 500 people. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>He won that election, his first of many. Two years later, Tommy D’Alessandro married Annunciata Lombardi, a local girl, six years his junior, Big Nancy. They had six boys, including one, Nicholas, who died as a young child. In 1938, Tommy was elected to Congress. Tommy and Big Nancy were dyed-in-the-wool Democrats. They even named one of their sons after the president, Franklin Delano Roosevelt D’Alessandro. After bringing six boys into the world, the D’alessandros finally had a girl. Little Nancy D’ Alessandro was born March 26th, 1940, and it made local headlines. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>He won that election, his first of many. Two years later, Tommy D’Alessandro married Annunciata Lombardi, a local girl, six years his junior, Big Nancy. They had six boys, including one, Nicholas, who died as a young child. In 1938, Tommy was elected to Congress. Tommy and Big Nancy were dyed-in-the-wool Democrats. They even named one of their sons after the president, Franklin Delano Roosevelt D’Alessandro. After bringing six boys into the world, the D’alessandros finally had a girl. Little Nancy D’ Alessandro was born March 26th, 1940, and it made local headlines. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>I was born, our whole thing was, we were born devoutly Catholic, proud of our Italian-American heritage, fiercely patriotic, and in our case staunchly democratic. That was our neighborhood, Little Italy in Baltimore, Maryland.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>I was born, our whole thing was, we were born devoutly Catholic, proud of our Italian-American heritage, fiercely patriotic, and in our case staunchly democratic. That was our neighborhood, Little Italy in Baltimore, Maryland.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>For little Nancy, the family business was politics, local politics.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>We were taught that we had responsibility to help other people, and politics was one way to do that.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>And to help other people, they had to win. Winning opened doors, and Tommy relished the victories.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>And to help other people, they had to win. Winning opened doors, and Tommy relished the victories.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tommy D’Alesandro the Elder: \u003c/strong>I carried Little Italy by 69 votes. Palmisano again, I beat him by 2800. At Janetsky again, I beat them by 11,000.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tommy D’Alesandro the Elder: \u003c/strong>I carried Little Italy by 69 votes. Palmisano again, I beat him by 2800. At Janetsky again, I beat them by 11,000.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Tommy D’Alessandro Jr. Taught his daughter her most legendary, if underappreciated, skill.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Tommy D’Alessandro Jr. Taught his daughter her most legendary, if underappreciated, skill.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>You have to have the votes, so you have to know how to count.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>You have to have the votes, so you have to know how to count.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Before she even graduated from high school, little Nancy got a sound education on the nuts and bolts of running a political operation, including the importance of a good ground game.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Before she even graduated from high school, little Nancy got a sound education on the nuts and bolts of running a political operation, including the importance of a good ground game.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>I could just remember seeing these people come to the house at night and have their community meetings and you’re going to be responsible for this area, this area this area this area. This is how many votes you need to get. How many do you think you’re gonna get and that was it.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>I could just remember seeing these people come to the house at night and have their community meetings and you’re going to be responsible for this area, this area this area this area. This is how many votes you need to get. How many do you think you’re gonna get and that was it.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>The D’Alesandros, they love to win.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>The D’Alesandros, they love to win.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tommy D’Alesandro the Elder: \u003c/strong>And I won, I won again, again, then.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tommy D’Alesandro the Elder: \u003c/strong>And I won, I won again, again, then.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>And he won, again and again\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>And he won, again and again\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer:\u003c/strong> At a young age, Pelosi learned that power isn’t simply inherited and it certainly isn’t handed over by those who have it. Nope. If you want power, you have to go out and seize it. Once she got to Congress, Nancy Pelosi saw that her fellow Democrats had a big problem. In 1994, the Democrats lost the House for the first time in 40 years. This moment is sometimes called the Republican Revolution. Change was the message, tax cuts, term limits, and smaller government. It was led by a firebrand congressman from Georgia.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer:\u003c/strong> At a young age, Pelosi learned that power isn’t simply inherited and it certainly isn’t handed over by those who have it. Nope. If you want power, you have to go out and seize it. Once she got to Congress, Nancy Pelosi saw that her fellow Democrats had a big problem. In 1994, the Democrats lost the House for the first time in 40 years. This moment is sometimes called the Republican Revolution. Change was the message, tax cuts, term limits, and smaller government. It was led by a firebrand congressman from Georgia.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Newt Gingrich: \u003c/strong>This is a contract with Americans for America.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Newt Gingrich: \u003c/strong>This is a contract with Americans for America.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Having won the House for his party, Newt Gingrich became the first Republican speaker in forty years. A thorn in the side of Democrats.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Having won the House for his party, Newt Gingrich became the first Republican speaker in forty years. A thorn in the side of Democrats.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Newt Gingrich: \u003c/strong>Our proposals, which will come out in May to shrink the federal government, to shrink the bureaucracy, to eliminate some departments, to save the taxpayers’ money, to move to a balanced budget, that’s what the voters want.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Newt Gingrich: \u003c/strong>Our proposals, which will come out in May to shrink the federal government, to shrink the bureaucracy, to eliminate some departments, to save the taxpayers’ money, to move to a balanced budget, that’s what the voters want.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Anna Eshoo: \u003c/strong>They were in a deep depression.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Anna Eshoo: \u003c/strong>They were in a deep depression.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>That’s Anna Eshoo, one of Nancy Pelosi’s closest friends in Congress. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Anna Eshoo: \u003c/strong>I mean, they were so stunned. Well, they had been the majority in the house for 40 years and then to drop off into nothingness. Oh my God.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Anna Eshoo: \u003c/strong>I mean, they were so stunned. Well, they had been the majority in the house for 40 years and then to drop off into nothingness. Oh my God.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Many of the junior Democratic congress members would get together to commiserate over dinner at an Italian restaurant or someone’s house.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Many of the junior Democratic congress members would get together to commiserate over dinner at an Italian restaurant or someone’s house.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Anna Eshoo: \u003c/strong>That, the gang. It was a raucous, great group. Nancy always would talk about winning, though, and how to win. She made up her mind that we needed to win\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Anna Eshoo: \u003c/strong>That, the gang. It was a raucous, great group. Nancy always would talk about winning, though, and how to win. She made up her mind that we needed to win\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>She had strong opinions about how things should be run, thought that House Democratic leadership did a lousy job managing a banking scandal, and hadn’t done enough to modernize the way they ran campaigns. But to change things, Pelosi would have to overcome a huge obstacle.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Leon Panetta: \u003c/strong>Congress is still a man’s club.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>That’s Leon Panetta, once a member of the gang from California, who became Obama’s head of the CIA.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Leon Panetta: \u003c/strong>You’ve got to fight your way, and Nancy was willing to fight her way. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>When Pelosi got to Congress, women made up about 5% of the House. Anna Eshoo relayed this one story. She wasn’t there at the time, but she heard about it later. Nancy and some other Congresswomen were listening to the men talk about childbirth. Apparently the men were complaining about how hard childbirth was. For them\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>When Pelosi got to Congress, women made up about 5% of the House. Anna Eshoo relayed this one story. She wasn’t there at the time, but she heard about it later. Nancy and some other Congresswomen were listening to the men talk about childbirth. Apparently the men were complaining about how hard childbirth was. For them\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Anna Eshoo: \u003c/strong>and she tries to get into the conversation. Now she had five babies in six years, you know? She was just so shocked that what the women were trying to say, the guys were. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Anna Eshoo: \u003c/strong>and she tries to get into the conversation. Now she had five babies in six years, you know? She was just so shocked that what the women were trying to say, the guys were. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Anna Eshoo: \u003c/strong>Dominating.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Leon Panetta: \u003c/strong>She would do an awful lot of listening, and she would listen, but then she would have something to say that was a lot more at the point of what we were concerned about. It wasn’t just complaining, it was like, what are we going to do about it?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Leon Panetta: \u003c/strong>She would do an awful lot of listening, and she would listen, but then she would have something to say that was a lot more at the point of what we were concerned about. It wasn’t just complaining, it was like, what are we going to do about it?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Pelosi was getting tired of listening. She wanted to get stuff done. And as election after election passed, she saw something that the men in charge wouldn’t acknowledge. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Pelosi was getting tired of listening. She wanted to get stuff done. And as election after election passed, she saw something that the men in charge wouldn’t acknowledge. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi:\u003c/strong>\u003cem> \u003c/em>94, 96, 98, I was like, there’s no plan to win.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Leadership thought that the Republican revolution was just a blip, that things would go back to the way they were, with Democrats in charge. It was just matter of time. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Leadership thought that the Republican revolution was just a blip, that things would go back to the way they were, with Democrats in charge. It was just matter of time. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>It was more of an attitude thing, like the pendulum will swing, but I didn’t see really a decision to have it be a wrecking ball, not a pendulum, a wreckin’ ball. You decide to win, and then you make every decision in favor of winning. Quite frankly, I’m really tired of losing.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>It was more of an attitude thing, like the pendulum will swing, but I didn’t see really a decision to have it be a wrecking ball, not a pendulum, a wreckin’ ball. You decide to win, and then you make every decision in favor of winning. Quite frankly, I’m really tired of losing.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>She came into Congress wanting to make life better, for people who are often forgotten\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>This is not for the faint of heart. This is rough. But if you know why you’re doing it, that makes everything okay. My why was one in five children in America goes to sleep hungry at night. One in five Children in America, it lives in poverty. That’s my why, is to ask, go there for the children, for the Children.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>This is not for the faint of heart. This is rough. But if you know why you’re doing it, that makes everything okay. My why was one in five children in America goes to sleep hungry at night. One in five Children in America, it lives in poverty. That’s my why, is to ask, go there for the children, for the Children.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>We don’t know exactly when Nancy Pelosi decided to run for leadership. When I asked Pelosi why she wanted to be leader, her line is, other people wanted me to run. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>We don’t know exactly when Nancy Pelosi decided to run for leadership. When I asked Pelosi why she wanted to be leader, her line is, other people wanted me to run. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>When I got here, after a few years, members came to me and said, you should run for leadership. In fact, you should for speaker. I said, well, I absolutely positively would not do that. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>When I got here, after a few years, members came to me and said, you should run for leadership. In fact, you should for speaker. I said, well, I absolutely positively would not do that. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Barbara Boxer, the former senator from California, remembers a different Pelosi. They would commute back and forth from D.C. Together, chatting the whole time.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Barbara Boxer, the former senator from California, remembers a different Pelosi. They would commute back and forth from D.C. Together, chatting the whole time.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Barbara Boxer: \u003c/strong>We could just yak yak about everything. One of those days on the plane, we were talking about, what is your dream in politics? What do you really want to do? And she asked me that, and I said, I want to be U.S. Senator. This is when I was in the House, which was a pipe dream, trust me. Now, I’m telling you, Nancy says, that never happened. So maybe I dreamed it. And she said, I want be Speaker of the House.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Barbara Boxer: \u003c/strong>We could just yak yak about everything. One of those days on the plane, we were talking about, what is your dream in politics? What do you really want to do? And she asked me that, and I said, I want to be U.S. Senator. This is when I was in the House, which was a pipe dream, trust me. Now, I’m telling you, Nancy says, that never happened. So maybe I dreamed it. And she said, I want be Speaker of the House.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>You had to have some chutzpah at that point in her career to say, I wanna be speaker.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>You had to have some chutzpah at that point in her career to say, I wanna be speaker.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Barbara Boxer: \u003c/strong>Chutzpah doesn’t begin to describe it. It was impossible.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Barbara Boxer: \u003c/strong>Chutzpah doesn’t begin to describe it. It was impossible.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Ann Campanella: \u003c/strong>Walking in the street, I ain’t foam with these sidewalks. Okay. They’ll stop for us. Believe me, they will.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Ann Campanella: \u003c/strong>Walking in the street, I ain’t foam with these sidewalks. Okay. They’ll stop for us. Believe me, they will.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>After eating at Chiparelli’s in Baltimore with Nancy’s childhood friend, Mary Ann, we jaywalk across the street to Nancy’s Childhood Home.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>After eating at Chiparelli’s in Baltimore with Nancy’s childhood friend, Mary Ann, we jaywalk across the street to Nancy’s Childhood Home.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Ann Campanella: \u003c/strong>The D’Alesandro Mansion. This is where young Nancy was born, right here in this home. You’ll see the plaques. Mercy Little Italy Health Center in memory of Nancy and Tommy D’Alesandro Jr.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Ann Campanella: \u003c/strong>The D’Alesandro Mansion. This is where young Nancy was born, right here in this home. You’ll see the plaques. Mercy Little Italy Health Center in memory of Nancy and Tommy D’Alesandro Jr.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Big house. It’s a three-story brick row house on the corner of Albert Marl and Fawn streets.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Big house. It’s a three-story brick row house on the corner of Albert Marl and Fawn streets.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Ann Campanella: \u003c/strong>Oh, and good bricklayer. The Talons are noted for that.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Ann Campanella: \u003c/strong>Oh, and good bricklayer. The Talons are noted for that.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Back in the 40s, when Tommy D’Alesandro Jr. Was mayor, the House was essentially a political headquarters, often buzzing with activity. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Back in the 40s, when Tommy D’Alesandro Jr. Was mayor, the House was essentially a political headquarters, often buzzing with activity. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Ann Campanella: \u003c/strong>Her father’s office was here when he was mayor, so he was right in the neighborhood.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Ann Campanella: \u003c/strong>Her father’s office was here when he was mayor, so he was right in the neighborhood.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>But everybody knew that if they couldn’t reach the mayor, next best was talk to his political partner and wife, Big Nancy.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>But everybody knew that if they couldn’t reach the mayor, next best was talk to his political partner and wife, Big Nancy.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>My mom was spectacular. If she were living now, I don’t know if she might be president of the United States. She was so capable. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>My mom was spectacular. If she were living now, I don’t know if she might be president of the United States. She was so capable. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Big Nancy was glamorous and smart. She loved betting on horses at the local track. She even invented a beauty product, had a patent registered for a facial steaming device. It was called Beautifier Vaporizer for treatment of the skin. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Big Nancy was glamorous and smart. She loved betting on horses at the local track. She even invented a beauty product, had a patent registered for a facial steaming device. It was called Beautifier Vaporizer for treatment of the skin. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Susan Page: \u003c/strong>And basically, it’s just boiling water, but it looks pretty dramatic.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Susan Page: \u003c/strong>And basically, it’s just boiling water, but it looks pretty dramatic.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>That’s Susan Page. She wrote a biography about Pelosi.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Susan Page: \u003c/strong>Her mother kept what was called the favor file, which was basically a recording of the favors that constituents would come in and want to get from the mayor, whether it was better housing or help with a kid who had gotten in trouble with the law or whatever. And she would help figure out how they might be able to help this person and also keep a record so that they could go back to them when the next campaign came around and they needed some election help. And who was sitting on her right side during these sessions when people would file through their home looking for favors.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Susan Page: \u003c/strong>Her mother kept what was called the favor file, which was basically a recording of the favors that constituents would come in and want to get from the mayor, whether it was better housing or help with a kid who had gotten in trouble with the law or whatever. And she would help figure out how they might be able to help this person and also keep a record so that they could go back to them when the next campaign came around and they needed some election help. And who was sitting on her right side during these sessions when people would file through their home looking for favors.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Little Nancy, that’s who. She would take handwritten notes, later typed onto index cards and filed away.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Susan Page: \u003c/strong>It is perfect training for being a congressional leader where your members have favors they need done and you keep track of them so that you can cash them in when you need them.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Susan Page: \u003c/strong>It is perfect training for being a congressional leader where your members have favors they need done and you keep track of them so that you can cash them in when you need them.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>When I was a girl, I could hear what my mother would say when somebody would come to the door if they wanted a place to live in the projects, a bed in a city hospital, somebody going to jail or getting out of jail or whatever it happened to be.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>When I was a girl, I could hear what my mother would say when somebody would come to the door if they wanted a place to live in the projects, a bed in a city hospital, somebody going to jail or getting out of jail or whatever it happened to be.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Big Nancy would help her neighbors with all kinds of problems, but they were also her husband’s constituents. So when election time came around, she’d open up the favor file to, in a sense, balance the books. She’d send women volunteers out to collect the votes. It’s been a key part of machine politics since the beginning. The ground game.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Big Nancy would help her neighbors with all kinds of problems, but they were also her husband’s constituents. So when election time came around, she’d open up the favor file to, in a sense, balance the books. She’d send women volunteers out to collect the votes. It’s been a key part of machine politics since the beginning. The ground game.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>Women have always been the strength of the Democratic Party because you have to own the ground.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Speakers of the House wield enormous power. If the President and Vice President die, the Speaker becomes President. They dictate the agenda, appoint members to committees. In effect, Speakers decide which legislation lives or dies, or gets amended, and how. But Speaker of the house isn’t a job that just falls into your lap. Here’s what you need to do. Build alliances. Show that you have a vision. Raise funds for the party. So they’ll elect you to party leadership. That’s your stepping stone to speakership. One of the highest positions is whip. The term whip comes from England. The whipper in was the assistant to the huntsman, the person who keeps the hounds in line. The job requires deep trust as you’re herding votes. Hounds have to know you’ll use the whip. Early on, Pelosi learned a hard lesson about counting on the support of colleagues. She remembers thinking she had convinced a senior member of Congress to support her campaign to join the powerful Appropriations Committee, a coveted position. But when the time came, he voted for her opponent, so she cornered him. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Speakers of the House wield enormous power. If the President and Vice President die, the Speaker becomes President. They dictate the agenda, appoint members to committees. In effect, Speakers decide which legislation lives or dies, or gets amended, and how. But Speaker of the house isn’t a job that just falls into your lap. Here’s what you need to do. Build alliances. Show that you have a vision. Raise funds for the party. So they’ll elect you to party leadership. That’s your stepping stone to speakership. One of the highest positions is whip. The term whip comes from England. The whipper in was the assistant to the huntsman, the person who keeps the hounds in line. The job requires deep trust as you’re herding votes. Hounds have to know you’ll use the whip. Early on, Pelosi learned a hard lesson about counting on the support of colleagues. She remembers thinking she had convinced a senior member of Congress to support her campaign to join the powerful Appropriations Committee, a coveted position. But when the time came, he voted for her opponent, so she cornered him. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>You said that when even knowing, no, even knowing on the race, I’m for you. He said, yeah, that’s what I said. Well, knowing who’s in the race I’m, for you, so I say to people if they say you’d be so great, that’s a no. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>You said that when even knowing, no, even knowing on the race, I’m for you. He said, yeah, that’s what I said. Well, knowing who’s in the race I’m, for you, so I say to people if they say you’d be so great, that’s a no. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Pelosi started studying what motivated her members. What were the carrots? And what were the sticks? Here’s Anna Eshoo again, Pelosi’s close friend in Congress. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Pelosi started studying what motivated her members. What were the carrots? And what were the sticks? Here’s Anna Eshoo again, Pelosi’s close friend in Congress. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Anna Eshoo: \u003c/strong>She came to know members better than they knew themselves. I always thought that. I thought, oh, that poor deer over there. He doesn’t know that she knows him backward and forward. She had her own internal study of people. She understood them. She made it her business to know them, to know their families, to know their children, to their districts. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Anna Eshoo: \u003c/strong>She came to know members better than they knew themselves. I always thought that. I thought, oh, that poor deer over there. He doesn’t know that she knows him backward and forward. She had her own internal study of people. She understood them. She made it her business to know them, to know their families, to know their children, to their districts. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Whip is an internal party position, so there’s no regular election schedule. You have to wait for someone to retire or decide to run for Senate or go back to state politics. Pelosi announced her bid ahead of time anyway to send a signal.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Whip is an internal party position, so there’s no regular election schedule. You have to wait for someone to retire or decide to run for Senate or go back to state politics. Pelosi announced her bid ahead of time anyway to send a signal.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>Said, you know, you’re breaking into the line. I said, what are we talking about? Because they had it. You’re gonna be next. You’ll be with, and you’ll move up to leader, and you will be with. And they had all guys. They had all the guys. And I said no, we’ve been waiting over 200 years, and that’s it. That’s it, and I know I can win. I’m not asking anybody to take a risk. I know, I’m gonna win.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>Said, you know, you’re breaking into the line. I said, what are we talking about? Because they had it. You’re gonna be next. You’ll be with, and you’ll move up to leader, and you will be with. And they had all guys. They had all the guys. And I said no, we’ve been waiting over 200 years, and that’s it. That’s it, and I know I can win. I’m not asking anybody to take a risk. I know, I’m gonna win.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Clearly Pelosi had counted the votes, but she still had one big obstacle. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Clearly Pelosi had counted the votes, but she still had one big obstacle. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Steny Hoyer: \u003c/strong>Well, I was disappointed that she was going to run and not support me. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Steny Hoyer: \u003c/strong>Well, I was disappointed that she was going to run and not support me. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>That’s Steny Hoyer, a longtime Democratic congressman from Maryland. A reporter describes Steny as the textbook politician, gregarious, smooth, and a moderate to the core. Hoyer knew Nancy well. He’d also grown up in Maryland. Actually, they’d worked together back in the 60s when Pelosi was a receptionist for a Maryland senator. When Pelosi joined Congress two decades later, Hoyer was…\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>That’s Steny Hoyer, a longtime Democratic congressman from Maryland. A reporter describes Steny as the textbook politician, gregarious, smooth, and a moderate to the core. Hoyer knew Nancy well. He’d also grown up in Maryland. Actually, they’d worked together back in the 60s when Pelosi was a receptionist for a Maryland senator. When Pelosi joined Congress two decades later, Hoyer was…\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Steny Hoyer: \u003c/strong>Tickled Pink to see her, welcomed her with open arms. She was a great addition to the Congress.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Steny Hoyer: \u003c/strong>Tickled Pink to see her, welcomed her with open arms. She was a great addition to the Congress.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>We might say today they were frenemies, friends, but also rivals, eyeing the same position and leadership. Based on those wait your turn rules, he was expected to become whip when the job opened up.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>We might say today they were frenemies, friends, but also rivals, eyeing the same position and leadership. Based on those wait your turn rules, he was expected to become whip when the job opened up.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>And then when I ran, they were like, well, who said she could run? Poor babies. When you think I’m waiting for you, lost all these elections that say I can run. And secondly, they said, because I had a lot of support from the women, they said why don’t you all write on a piece of paper the things you would like to see us do and we’ll do them for you. This is in this century. In this century! I’m not talking about 1958, I’m talking about in this century.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>And then when I ran, they were like, well, who said she could run? Poor babies. When you think I’m waiting for you, lost all these elections that say I can run. And secondly, they said, because I had a lot of support from the women, they said why don’t you all write on a piece of paper the things you would like to see us do and we’ll do them for you. This is in this century. In this century! I’m not talking about 1958, I’m talking about in this century.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>But Pelosi knew how to deal with tough old politicians. Her dad had been one. She knew she’d have to get some of them on her side to win.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>But Pelosi knew how to deal with tough old politicians. Her dad had been one. She knew she’d have to get some of them on her side to win.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Anna Eshoo: \u003c/strong>Jack Murtha was a member from Pennsylvania.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Anna Eshoo: \u003c/strong>Jack Murtha was a member from Pennsylvania.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Anna Eshoo again.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Anna Eshoo again.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Anna Eshoo: \u003c/strong>Jack was the first Vietnam veteran to be elected to the Congress. He really looked like he was out of central casting, beautiful gray hair, impeccably dressed, his collars, his ties, very Irish and very serious about his work. And his work was all about the military. He sat on the floor in the very last seat. If you’re looking at the front of the chamber, the far left corner, it’s dark there. It’s so far away from everything else, but that’s where Jack sat.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Anna Eshoo: \u003c/strong>Jack was the first Vietnam veteran to be elected to the Congress. He really looked like he was out of central casting, beautiful gray hair, impeccably dressed, his collars, his ties, very Irish and very serious about his work. And his work was all about the military. He sat on the floor in the very last seat. If you’re looking at the front of the chamber, the far left corner, it’s dark there. It’s so far away from everything else, but that’s where Jack sat.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Pelosi kept a small statue of a coal miner on her desk. It was a gift from her father, who’d gotten it from a former West Virginia Congressman.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Pelosi kept a small statue of a coal miner on her desk. It was a gift from her father, who’d gotten it from a former West Virginia Congressman.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>So Jack Murtha walks down the hall, comes in my office, and he sees that, and was like, oh my gosh. So then we became really good friends. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>So Jack Murtha walks down the hall, comes in my office, and he sees that, and was like, oh my gosh. So then we became really good friends. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Jack Murtha was a representative from coal country, so that made an impression on him. She may have represented San Francisco, but he saw the Baltimore in her. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Jack Murtha was a representative from coal country, so that made an impression on him. She may have represented San Francisco, but he saw the Baltimore in her. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Anna Eshoo: \u003c/strong>We need her in the leadership. And that was, you know, I mean, the most members weren’t noticing how the relationship grew and deepened. So they were shocked. Jack, Murtha supporting Nancy.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Anna Eshoo: \u003c/strong>We need her in the leadership. And that was, you know, I mean, the most members weren’t noticing how the relationship grew and deepened. So they were shocked. Jack, Murtha supporting Nancy.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Murtha would actually go on to lead her campaign for Whip.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Murtha would actually go on to lead her campaign for Whip.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Steny Hoyer: \u003c/strong>To Hoyer’s disappointment. I was surprised because Jack Murtha, I thought, had indicated to me that he would be helpful to me. That did not turn out to be the case. Pelosi was coming for Hoyer spot.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Steny Hoyer: \u003c/strong>To Hoyer’s disappointment. I was surprised because Jack Murtha, I thought, had indicated to me that he would be helpful to me. That did not turn out to be the case. Pelosi was coming for Hoyer spot.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>I maybe thought it was his turn, but I didn’t know what dues he paid. I mean, that is to say, I paid all the dues in the world.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>I maybe thought it was his turn, but I didn’t know what dues he paid. I mean, that is to say, I paid all the dues in the world.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>In 2000, Democrats were still hoping they could win back the House. They needed to flip around seven seats. Pelosi said she could pick up four seats in California, the party would have to do the rest. She kept her word, four more notes for the favor file. She remembers assuming they’d won back the majority.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>In 2000, Democrats were still hoping they could win back the House. They needed to flip around seven seats. Pelosi said she could pick up four seats in California, the party would have to do the rest. She kept her word, four more notes for the favor file. She remembers assuming they’d won back the majority.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>So I’m on my way to a press conference to meet the press. My staff is like holding me back like this on my coat. They said, wait a minute, we did not win the house. I said, how could they? They needed seven to win the House. They lost every other place. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>So I’m on my way to a press conference to meet the press. My staff is like holding me back like this on my coat. They said, wait a minute, we did not win the house. I said, how could they? They needed seven to win the House. They lost every other place. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>She couldn’t stand it anymore. Even after delivering what she promised, they still lost. And she was still on the outside looking in.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>She couldn’t stand it anymore. Even after delivering what she promised, they still lost. And she was still on the outside looking in.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>I was doing all this stuff, resources and all that stuff.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>I was doing all this stuff, resources and all that stuff.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Fundraising.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Fundraising.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>But I had never, until I became Speaker of the House, been in the Democratic Speaker’s office. Never. Until I walked into my own office. They never invited me to anything, nothing, because they had it all lined up for themselves.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>But I had never, until I became Speaker of the House, been in the Democratic Speaker’s office. Never. Until I walked into my own office. They never invited me to anything, nothing, because they had it all lined up for themselves.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>In 2001, the sitting whip decided not to run for re-election. It was time for Democrats to elect a new whip. To start locking down votes, Nancy Pelosi first turned to her own California delegation. Several of them actually owed their seat to her. She had a running start. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>In 2001, the sitting whip decided not to run for re-election. It was time for Democrats to elect a new whip. To start locking down votes, Nancy Pelosi first turned to her own California delegation. Several of them actually owed their seat to her. She had a running start. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Steny Hoyer: \u003c/strong>Maryland is a small state and California is a huge state, so it made it very difficult. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Steny Hoyer: \u003c/strong>Maryland is a small state and California is a huge state, so it made it very difficult. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Steny Hoyer again. Pelosi also raised more than twice as much money for candidates as Hoyer. Showing that you can raise money is important. It helps solidify your role as a strong party leader and it gives you leverage. Some members who didn’t support Pelosi, well, she never forgot. Washington legend has it she punished the longtime congressman from Michigan, John Dingell, helping ensure he was deposed from his high power committee chairmanship. Because he didn’t support her for whip. And even Steny Hoyer had to appreciate how meticulous she was. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Steny Hoyer again. Pelosi also raised more than twice as much money for candidates as Hoyer. Showing that you can raise money is important. It helps solidify your role as a strong party leader and it gives you leverage. Some members who didn’t support Pelosi, well, she never forgot. Washington legend has it she punished the longtime congressman from Michigan, John Dingell, helping ensure he was deposed from his high power committee chairmanship. Because he didn’t support her for whip. And even Steny Hoyer had to appreciate how meticulous she was. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Steny Hoyer: \u003c/strong>Nancy’s a very, very hard worker. She’s very tenacious. She’s a thorough, she’s very smart. She is a wonderful counter of votes. When it was time for the vote, Pelosi was confident.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Steny Hoyer: \u003c/strong>Nancy’s a very, very hard worker. She’s very tenacious. She’s a thorough, she’s very smart. She is a wonderful counter of votes. When it was time for the vote, Pelosi was confident.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>I tried to tell them that I’m going to win this. But they, to the end, which I was on the floor, I could hear them, you gotta be for standing tomorrow. This is a one vote race for babies. They didn’t know how to count.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>I tried to tell them that I’m going to win this. But they, to the end, which I was on the floor, I could hear them, you gotta be for standing tomorrow. This is a one vote race for babies. They didn’t know how to count.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Pelosi predicted she’d get 120 votes, she got 118. Steny Hoyer got 95. So, on October 10th, 2001, just a few weeks after 9-11,\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Pelosi predicted she’d get 120 votes, she got 118. Steny Hoyer got 95. So, on October 10th, 2001, just a few weeks after 9-11,\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Archival News Clip: \u003c/strong>And a woman has broken new ground in the nation’s capital, California Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi becomes Democratic whip, the number two House leader right behind the Democratic leader, Richard Gephardt, the highest ranking woman in Congress ever. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Archival News Clip: \u003c/strong>And a woman has broken new ground in the nation’s capital, California Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi becomes Democratic whip, the number two House leader right behind the Democratic leader, Richard Gephardt, the highest ranking woman in Congress ever. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Given 9/11, Pelosi’s groundbreaking election was easy to miss. But it was unmistakable. Pelosi was on her way to becoming Speaker.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Susan Page: \u003c/strong>What’s remarkable about the campaign that she ran was that she didn’t run it like a girl.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Susan Page: \u003c/strong>What’s remarkable about the campaign that she ran was that she didn’t run it like a girl.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Biographer Susan Page again.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Biographer Susan Page again.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Susan Page: \u003c/strong>You know, a lot of the women in Congress had accepted kind of secondary roles in leadership, like being the caucus secretary, or doing what it was the men were willing to let them to do because no woman had been in a real leadership position before, in a really leadership position that had power. And she just thought that was nonsense and plowed ahead. And I think to the dismay of these men who were in charge, she won.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Susan Page: \u003c/strong>You know, a lot of the women in Congress had accepted kind of secondary roles in leadership, like being the caucus secretary, or doing what it was the men were willing to let them to do because no woman had been in a real leadership position before, in a really leadership position that had power. And she just thought that was nonsense and plowed ahead. And I think to the dismay of these men who were in charge, she won.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>If there were not many more women in Congress, I might not have won. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Hmm, speaker image.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>A speaker, you know, or a whip at that time. Because whip was the first step. They knew, boom.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>A speaker, you know, or a whip at that time. Because whip was the first step. They knew, boom.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>You just heard about Nancy Pelosi’s secret sauce, her recipe for taking over Congress. Her father taught her to bring the wrecking ball. Her mother taught her to bring a carrot with the favor file. Pelosi wasn’t whipped for long. In 2002, the party leader position opened up and she took it. Pelosi was now head of Democrats. But one thing standing in her way to being speaker, Republicans losing again wasn’t an option. It would be total war. Pelosi went on the CBS News magazine 60 Minutes, right before the 2006 election. Dressed in bright red, she sat across from correspondent Leslie Stahl.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>You just heard about Nancy Pelosi’s secret sauce, her recipe for taking over Congress. Her father taught her to bring the wrecking ball. Her mother taught her to bring a carrot with the favor file. Pelosi wasn’t whipped for long. In 2002, the party leader position opened up and she took it. Pelosi was now head of Democrats. But one thing standing in her way to being speaker, Republicans losing again wasn’t an option. It would be total war. Pelosi went on the CBS News magazine 60 Minutes, right before the 2006 election. Dressed in bright red, she sat across from correspondent Leslie Stahl.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Leslie Stahl: \u003c/strong>You have called your Republican colleagues, these are quotes, immoral, corrupt, you say they’re running a criminal enterprise.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Leslie Stahl: \u003c/strong>You have called your Republican colleagues, these are quotes, immoral, corrupt, you say they’re running a criminal enterprise.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi – 60 Minutes: \u003c/strong>Well, actually, when I called them those names, I was being gentle. There are much worse things I could have said about them.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi – 60 Minutes: \u003c/strong>Well, actually, when I called them those names, I was being gentle. There are much worse things I could have said about them.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>The segment is titled, Two Heartbeats Away. Message, if the Democrats win, this woman will likely become the next Speaker of the House. It was a reference to the presidential line of succession. Speaker of House is third in line after the President and Vice President. For many Americans, this was probably the first real glimpse they got of Pelosi. She lays into the President, George W. Bush, often with a radiant smile. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>The segment is titled, Two Heartbeats Away. Message, if the Democrats win, this woman will likely become the next Speaker of the House. It was a reference to the presidential line of succession. Speaker of House is third in line after the President and Vice President. For many Americans, this was probably the first real glimpse they got of Pelosi. She lays into the President, George W. Bush, often with a radiant smile. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi – 60 Minutes: \u003c/strong>This isn’t personal. He’s incompetent. Well, I think he is. That’s personal. Well, then I’m sorry. That’s his problem. I have very thick skin. I don’t care what they say about me. This election is about them. This is a referendum on them. Making them lame ducks is good enough for me. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi – 60 Minutes: \u003c/strong>This isn’t personal. He’s incompetent. Well, I think he is. That’s personal. Well, then I’m sorry. That’s his problem. I have very thick skin. I don’t care what they say about me. This election is about them. This is a referendum on them. Making them lame ducks is good enough for me. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Of course, Republicans fought tooth and nail to avoid becoming lame ducks. They flooded the airwaves with ads, warning that unless Republicans prevailed, the top leader in Congress would be an ultra-liberal from wacky San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Of course, Republicans fought tooth and nail to avoid becoming lame ducks. They flooded the airwaves with ads, warning that unless Republicans prevailed, the top leader in Congress would be an ultra-liberal from wacky San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Archival – Ad: \u003c/strong>You’ll reward illegal aliens with welfare, food stamps, and free education. And I had the privilege because of a woman being very defined by the Republicans coming after me. Hundreds of thousands of ads. Imagine how much money that cost.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Archival – Ad: \u003c/strong>You’ll reward illegal aliens with welfare, food stamps, and free education. And I had the privilege because of a woman being very defined by the Republicans coming after me. Hundreds of thousands of ads. Imagine how much money that cost.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>At this time, the US was over three years into the war in Iraq. As a member of the House Intelligence Committee, Pelosi had access to information about the 9-11 attacks. She voted for intervention in Afghanistan as retaliation for the attacks, but she never supported Bush starting the Iraq War, voting against it with 132 of her colleagues. As the war intensified, casualties mounting, the search for weapons of mass destruction coming up empty. Pelosi kept her eyes on the prize, winning back the House in the 2006 midterm elections.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>At this time, the US was over three years into the war in Iraq. As a member of the House Intelligence Committee, Pelosi had access to information about the 9-11 attacks. She voted for intervention in Afghanistan as retaliation for the attacks, but she never supported Bush starting the Iraq War, voting against it with 132 of her colleagues. As the war intensified, casualties mounting, the search for weapons of mass destruction coming up empty. Pelosi kept her eyes on the prize, winning back the House in the 2006 midterm elections.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rahm Emanuel: \u003c/strong>Nancy is, and I say this as a compliment, she is comfortable with power and exercising it.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rahm Emanuel: \u003c/strong>Nancy is, and I say this as a compliment, she is comfortable with power and exercising it.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Rahm Emanuel came in to help. He’s somewhat intense, known for shouting at donors for more money, stabbing a steak knife into the table to make a point.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Rahm Emanuel came in to help. He’s somewhat intense, known for shouting at donors for more money, stabbing a steak knife into the table to make a point.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rahm Emanuel: \u003c/strong>Understands winning gives you that. If you win.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rahm Emanuel: \u003c/strong>Understands winning gives you that. If you win.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rahm Emanuel: \u003c/strong>You get to set the table.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rahm Emanuel: \u003c/strong>You get to set the table.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer:\u003c/strong>\u003cem> \u003c/em>To win back the House, Democrats had to pick up 15 seats. So Pelosi and Senate leader Harry Reid launched their answer to Newt Gingrich’s contract with America. Six for 06, a plan that promised more funding for national security, a minimum wage hike, and affordable healthcare. Meanwhile, Rahm Emanuel was busy recruiting candidates he thought could win.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer:\u003c/strong>\u003cem> \u003c/em>To win back the House, Democrats had to pick up 15 seats. So Pelosi and Senate leader Harry Reid launched their answer to Newt Gingrich’s contract with America. Six for 06, a plan that promised more funding for national security, a minimum wage hike, and affordable healthcare. Meanwhile, Rahm Emanuel was busy recruiting candidates he thought could win.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rahm Emanuel: \u003c/strong>We’re gonna find people that open the door to a group of voters because we gotta swing a district. You can’t win it on Democratic voters.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rahm Emanuel: \u003c/strong>We’re gonna find people that open the door to a group of voters because we gotta swing a district. You can’t win it on Democratic voters.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>And they started bringing in money. Federal fundraising tallies show that, compared to the previous election cycle, Democrats raised about 50% more for House candidates in 2006. Republicans still outspent Democrats, but Pelosi and Emanuel put a dent in their financial advantage. Some Democrats, AOC, Elizabeth Warren, Bernie, others, criticize taking money from corporations and PACs. How do you, and how does Nancy Pelosi, how do you see that criticism?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>And they started bringing in money. Federal fundraising tallies show that, compared to the previous election cycle, Democrats raised about 50% more for House candidates in 2006. Republicans still outspent Democrats, but Pelosi and Emanuel put a dent in their financial advantage. Some Democrats, AOC, Elizabeth Warren, Bernie, others, criticize taking money from corporations and PACs. How do you, and how does Nancy Pelosi, how do you see that criticism?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rahm Emanuel: \u003c/strong>You don’t tie one hand behind your back, okay? We can’t just put people on the field and then leave them out there to self-defend themselves. I hate what the court did. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rahm Emanuel: \u003c/strong>You don’t tie one hand behind your back, okay? We can’t just put people on the field and then leave them out there to self-defend themselves. I hate what the court did. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>He’s referring to the Supreme Court case Citizens United decided in 2010. It reversed older restrictions on campaign spending and allowed corporations and other outside groups to spend unlimited money on elections.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>He’s referring to the Supreme Court case Citizens United decided in 2010. It reversed older restrictions on campaign spending and allowed corporations and other outside groups to spend unlimited money on elections.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rahm Emanuel: \u003c/strong>But that’s the world we live in. Again, she’s comfortable with power. Nancy exists in the arena.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rahm Emanuel: \u003c/strong>But that’s the world we live in. Again, she’s comfortable with power. Nancy exists in the arena.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Whichever party controls the White House usually loses seats in Congress in the midterms. But Pelosi was never content to just let the pendulum swing or it naturally would. Winning is never inevitable.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Whichever party controls the White House usually loses seats in Congress in the midterms. But Pelosi was never content to just let the pendulum swing or it naturally would. Winning is never inevitable.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>It isn’t that the tide goes in and out. That’s probably what they thought in the nineties that the Tide went out and now come back in. So I’m not really wedded to that concept. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>It isn’t that the tide goes in and out. That’s probably what they thought in the nineties that the Tide went out and now come back in. So I’m not really wedded to that concept. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>For the first time in 12 years, Democrats seized back control of the House. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>For the first time in 12 years, Democrats seized back control of the House. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Archival News Clip: \u003c/strong>Washington turned upside down.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Archival News Clip: \u003c/strong>Washington turned upside down.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Archival – President Bush: \u003c/strong>It was a thumping.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Archival News Clip: \u003c/strong>Power switch in the House. Democrats now firmly in control there. The Democratic leader, Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco, set to become the first woman Speaker of the House in American history. Pelosi was finally on top.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Archival News Clip: \u003c/strong>Power switch in the House. Democrats now firmly in control there. The Democratic leader, Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco, set to become the first woman Speaker of the House in American history. Pelosi was finally on top.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>On January 4, 2007, holding one grandchild and surrounded by others, Pelosi was officially elected speaker. Republican leader John Boehner graciously handed Pelosi the gavel and history\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>Mr. Speaker, I accept this gavel in the spirit of partnership, not partisanship. Before we move forward, because there’s so many children here and so many of them asked me if they could touch the gavel, I wanted to invite as many of them who wanted to come forward to come join me up here. I know my own grandchildren will. There it is.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>Mr. Speaker, I accept this gavel in the spirit of partnership, not partisanship. Before we move forward, because there’s so many children here and so many of them asked me if they could touch the gavel, I wanted to invite as many of them who wanted to come forward to come join me up here. I know my own grandchildren will. There it is.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>We’re here for the children, we’re here \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>We’re here for the children, we’re here \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>For the children would be Nancy Pelosi’s mantra.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>I know that sometimes I have to take a punch and sometimes I have to throw a punch for the children, for the children.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>I know that sometimes I have to take a punch and sometimes I have to throw a punch for the children, for the children.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>The stars had finally aligned for Baltimore’s favorite daughter. Both her parents lived long enough to see Pelosi elected to Congress. They died before she became the most powerful woman in U.S. Politics ever. But their influence was undeniable. Little Nancy D’Alessandro had become the speaker.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>The stars had finally aligned for Baltimore’s favorite daughter. Both her parents lived long enough to see Pelosi elected to Congress. They died before she became the most powerful woman in U.S. Politics ever. But their influence was undeniable. Little Nancy D’Alessandro had become the speaker.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>Well, the power of the speaker is awesome. There’s nothing to compare to that. It’s the second highest president, vice president. Let me feel your pulse.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>Well, the power of the speaker is awesome. There’s nothing to compare to that. It’s the second highest president, vice president. Let me feel your pulse.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Nancy Pelosi and her fellow Democrats had seized power, but she’d soon find out the difference between winning \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Nancy Pelosi and her fellow Democrats had seized power, but she’d soon find out the difference between winning \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>We’ll climb the fence. If that doesn’t work, we’ll pole vault in. If that does not work, we’ll parachute in. But we’re not letting anything stand in our way. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>We’ll climb the fence. If that doesn’t work, we’ll pole vault in. If that does not work, we’ll parachute in. But we’re not letting anything stand in our way. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Did you believe it?\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>Yes, I was determined we were going to get this done.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Zeke Emanuel: \u003c/strong>The system is falling apart, costs are going up, people are getting pissed off. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mick Mulvaney: \u003c/strong>If you think your healthcare is great now, just wait until the government runs it for you. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rahm Emanuel: \u003c/strong>A lot going on. Thank you. You’re giving me PTSD right now.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>The Speaker is a production of KQED in San Francisco and distributed by NPR. It’s hosted and reported by me, Scott Shafer. It’s reported and produced by Ariella Markowitz. It’s edited by Padmini Raghunath. Final mix and sound design by Christopher Beale. Fat-checking by Mark Betancourt. Additional editing from Anna Susman and Jen Chien, KQED’s director of podcasts. Original theme song composed by Cedric Wilson. Additional music from APM. Maha Sanad is KQED’s podcast engagement producer. Ethan Toven-Lindsey is KQED’s editor in chief. Special thanks to our partners from the Oral History Center at the University of California, Berkeley. Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by the Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television, and radio artists, San Francisco, Northern California, local.\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "How Nancy Pelosi seized power in Congress, Baltimore Style",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#Transcript\">View the full episode transcript\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Long before she became Madam Speaker, Nancy Pelosi was “Little Nancy” D’Alesandro. Raised in Little Italy in Baltimore, Maryland, she learned the lessons of power from her larger-than-life parents: “Tommy the Elder,” a Congressman and mayor of Baltimore, and “Big Nancy,” a master political organizer. Decades later, those lessons served her well. In 1994, when Republicans took control of Congress for the first time in 40 years, Pelosi wanted to win it back – and win big. But first: she’d have to wage a war against the men standing in her way, including within her own party. \u003cbr>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"Transcript\">Episode Transcript\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>If you had a phrase or a few words to describe Nancy Pelosi, what would they be?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rahm Emanuel: \u003c/strong>Well, I’ll just tell you what I told President Obama when he was first kind of meeting her. He goes, just tell me a little. I mean, he knew her, but didn’t know her. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>That’s Rahm Emanuel. He was President Obama’s chief of staff. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rahm Emanuel: \u003c/strong>And I said, Nancy Pelosi is 99% D’Alesandro and 1% Pelosi. And what did that mean to you? She was her father’s daughter. And I says, if you understand that, you understand Nancy Pelosi. Do not forget that you’re dealing with a D’Alesandro.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Nancy Pelosi’s father, Thomas D’Alesandro, Jr., was mayor of Baltimore, Maryland from 1947 to 1959. Before that, he served five terms in Congress, representing Maryland’s third district. For Emanuel, that Italian-American political family is the key to understanding Pelosi. Or, as she was known in Baltimore, Little Nancy. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott In the Field: \u003c/strong>So we’re in Little Italy in Baltimore on Albermarle Street hoping to get some background on little Nancy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ariella Markowitz: \u003c/strong>I just keep thinking of hairspray. Good morning Baltimore.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>That’s our producer Ariella Markowitz. To learn more about the neighborhood and Nancy’s family, we met up with one of Nancy Pelosi’s childhood playmates. Sorry to make you come out in the rain.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Ann Campanella: \u003c/strong>Oh, that’s all right. I’m only a block away. I live on the corner. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Mary Ann Campanella is 84 years old. She grew up here in Baltimore, little Italy, just across the street from Nancy. She’s lived in the neighborhood all of her life. Her deep voice, strong opinions, quaffed silver hair and warm embrace, they all reminded me of my mother. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Ann Campanella: \u003c/strong>Oh, come on. Whoops. Careful. I’m all right, babe. I just got needles in my knees. Old age sucks.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Our plan was to check out one of the neighborhood’s best known restaurants, Chipparelli’s. It opened in 1940, that’s the same year little Nancy was born.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Ann Campanella: \u003c/strong>Hi, sweetie.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Chiaparelli’s is a classic Italian restaurant. White tablecloths, waitresses that call you babe and honey. I order a cup of Italian wedding soup and lasagna while Marianne holds court in the dining room.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Ann Campanella: \u003c/strong>How you doing today, baby doll? You okay?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>It’s the kind of neighborhood where everyone knows everyone else’s business.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Ann Campanella: \u003c/strong>Hi Mike, what are you doing in here today? It’s his birthday. Oh it’s your birthday? Oh Mike, I didn’t know it was your birthday. Happy birthday.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Ann Campanella: \u003c/strong>He’s a neighborhood guy. I knew Maryann all my life. She lives right across the street.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>That’s Mike Turocchi. He and Campanella grew up with Nancy D’Alesandro. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Ann Campanella: \u003c/strong>She was queen princess. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mike Tirocchi: \u003c/strong>She was just the princess and the father. Tommy was what you call the consummate neighborhood mayor. I mean, he knew everybody. If you had a problem, you went to Tom. I mean my father was.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Ann Campanella: \u003c/strong>Senior, Tommy, senior.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mike Tirocchi: \u003c/strong>My father was an immigrant. He couldn’t hardly speak English and couldn’t read or write. If he had a problem, go see Mr. Thomas. I think Nancy learned from her father by watching and listening and seeing the way he ran the city and the way people looked up to him and the way he run his daily business.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Nancy’s dad, Mayor Tommy, was the out-front, back-slapping, charismatic politician. But his wife ran the operation behind the scenes. Her name was Annunziata, but everyone called her Big Nancy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mike Tirocchi: \u003c/strong>Her mother was a very, very powerful person.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Powerful how like what do you?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mike Tirocchi: \u003c/strong>Just her demeanor and her presence, the way she carried herself, she was just, she was not a Little Italy mom. Let’s just put it that way. I mean, my mother was a mother of 12 and wore housecoats. Nancy was always dressed to the nines, looked great all the time. It was just the antithesis of what we were.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Big Nancy had dreams of going to law school, never fulfilled. But her political instincts and raw talent for organizing, campaigning, and bringing order to chaos all rubbed off on the Nancy Pelosi we know today.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mike Tirocchi: \u003c/strong>I thought that that’s the product of her environment. Her mother had aspiration for her to be something special, and she was.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>As I sat with these old timers, a picture of Nancy Pelosi came into sharper focus. A child watching her parents run the family business. Big city politics. I’m Scott Shafer from KQED Public Radio in San Francisco. This is The Speaker. Today, how Nancy Pelosi used those lessons to seize power. Baltimore style. Last episode, Nancy Pelosi beat out Harry Britt in a special election for San Francisco’s congressional seat. She told us about that day, in 1987, when she got sworn in.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>Just the D’Alessandro family is big enough to be a crowd.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Tommy the Elder got to see his daughter take the oath of office, along with the rest of the family.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>When I was born, my father was in Congress. When I in first grade, he became mayor of Baltimore. When I went to college, he was still mayor of Baltimore, so I did grow up in a political atmosphere.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tommy D’Alesandro the Elder: \u003c/strong>How are you? You sound a lot better. How are YOU? That’s all the Italian I know, Mr. Mayor. That’s pretty good. You did pretty good! You get A for effort.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Tommy D’Alesandro Jr. Was a smart-talking politician with a pencil mustache. And in this PBS footage from 1980, he’s retired from politics but still formally dressed in a brown three-piece suit and what looks like a large checkered bowtie. Tommy was one of 13 kids born in Little Italy, Baltimore. In 8th grade, he was kicked out of school by a no-nonsense nun. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tommy D’Alesandro the Elder: \u003c/strong>She was a great, she was a saint. She was the two-fisted sister. She used to slug us every time. Literally? Oh yeah. She knocked him less than two times. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Host: \u003c/strong>Did you deserve it?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tommy D’Alesandro the Elder: \u003c/strong>Sometimes.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>As a kid, Tommy was often seen around the neighborhood hustling. He peddled newspapers on the street, sold chewing gum to sex workers. He spoke some Yiddish, would run errands for Jewish neighbors. He was the neighborhood Shabbos Goy. The non-Jew who helped Jews observed the Sabbath. Later, he sold insurance. In his early 20s, he decided to run for local office, the Maryland House of Delegates. He sought the endorsement of the local political bosses. Who would hang out in the smoke-filled Rennert Hotel, playing pinocle and eating oysters. They told Tommy to come back with 500 voter signatures.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tommy D’Alesandro the Elder: \u003c/strong>So I went around and got a petition. On this petition I had written, we, the undersigned registered Democratic voters of the 3rd Ward, 1st Legislative District recommend for your favorable consideration the candidacy of Tommy D’Alessandro, Jr. For the House of Delegates. He was born and raised in the district, knows the people and their needs, and would be a credit to both city and state if elected, signed by 500 people. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>He won that election, his first of many. Two years later, Tommy D’Alessandro married Annunciata Lombardi, a local girl, six years his junior, Big Nancy. They had six boys, including one, Nicholas, who died as a young child. In 1938, Tommy was elected to Congress. Tommy and Big Nancy were dyed-in-the-wool Democrats. They even named one of their sons after the president, Franklin Delano Roosevelt D’Alessandro. After bringing six boys into the world, the D’alessandros finally had a girl. Little Nancy D’ Alessandro was born March 26th, 1940, and it made local headlines. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>I was born, our whole thing was, we were born devoutly Catholic, proud of our Italian-American heritage, fiercely patriotic, and in our case staunchly democratic. That was our neighborhood, Little Italy in Baltimore, Maryland.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>For little Nancy, the family business was politics, local politics.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>We were taught that we had responsibility to help other people, and politics was one way to do that.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>And to help other people, they had to win. Winning opened doors, and Tommy relished the victories.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tommy D’Alesandro the Elder: \u003c/strong>I carried Little Italy by 69 votes. Palmisano again, I beat him by 2800. At Janetsky again, I beat them by 11,000.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Tommy D’Alessandro Jr. Taught his daughter her most legendary, if underappreciated, skill.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>You have to have the votes, so you have to know how to count.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Before she even graduated from high school, little Nancy got a sound education on the nuts and bolts of running a political operation, including the importance of a good ground game.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>I could just remember seeing these people come to the house at night and have their community meetings and you’re going to be responsible for this area, this area this area this area. This is how many votes you need to get. How many do you think you’re gonna get and that was it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>The D’Alesandros, they love to win.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tommy D’Alesandro the Elder: \u003c/strong>And I won, I won again, again, then.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>And he won, again and again\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer:\u003c/strong> At a young age, Pelosi learned that power isn’t simply inherited and it certainly isn’t handed over by those who have it. Nope. If you want power, you have to go out and seize it. Once she got to Congress, Nancy Pelosi saw that her fellow Democrats had a big problem. In 1994, the Democrats lost the House for the first time in 40 years. This moment is sometimes called the Republican Revolution. Change was the message, tax cuts, term limits, and smaller government. It was led by a firebrand congressman from Georgia.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Newt Gingrich: \u003c/strong>This is a contract with Americans for America.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Having won the House for his party, Newt Gingrich became the first Republican speaker in forty years. A thorn in the side of Democrats.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Newt Gingrich: \u003c/strong>Our proposals, which will come out in May to shrink the federal government, to shrink the bureaucracy, to eliminate some departments, to save the taxpayers’ money, to move to a balanced budget, that’s what the voters want.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Anna Eshoo: \u003c/strong>They were in a deep depression.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>That’s Anna Eshoo, one of Nancy Pelosi’s closest friends in Congress. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Anna Eshoo: \u003c/strong>I mean, they were so stunned. Well, they had been the majority in the house for 40 years and then to drop off into nothingness. Oh my God.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Many of the junior Democratic congress members would get together to commiserate over dinner at an Italian restaurant or someone’s house.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Anna Eshoo: \u003c/strong>That, the gang. It was a raucous, great group. Nancy always would talk about winning, though, and how to win. She made up her mind that we needed to win\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>She had strong opinions about how things should be run, thought that House Democratic leadership did a lousy job managing a banking scandal, and hadn’t done enough to modernize the way they ran campaigns. But to change things, Pelosi would have to overcome a huge obstacle.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Leon Panetta: \u003c/strong>Congress is still a man’s club.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>That’s Leon Panetta, once a member of the gang from California, who became Obama’s head of the CIA.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Leon Panetta: \u003c/strong>You’ve got to fight your way, and Nancy was willing to fight her way. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>When Pelosi got to Congress, women made up about 5% of the House. Anna Eshoo relayed this one story. She wasn’t there at the time, but she heard about it later. Nancy and some other Congresswomen were listening to the men talk about childbirth. Apparently the men were complaining about how hard childbirth was. For them\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Anna Eshoo: \u003c/strong>and she tries to get into the conversation. Now she had five babies in six years, you know? She was just so shocked that what the women were trying to say, the guys were. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Anna Eshoo: \u003c/strong>Dominating.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Leon Panetta: \u003c/strong>She would do an awful lot of listening, and she would listen, but then she would have something to say that was a lot more at the point of what we were concerned about. It wasn’t just complaining, it was like, what are we going to do about it?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Pelosi was getting tired of listening. She wanted to get stuff done. And as election after election passed, she saw something that the men in charge wouldn’t acknowledge. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi:\u003c/strong>\u003cem> \u003c/em>94, 96, 98, I was like, there’s no plan to win.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Leadership thought that the Republican revolution was just a blip, that things would go back to the way they were, with Democrats in charge. It was just matter of time. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>It was more of an attitude thing, like the pendulum will swing, but I didn’t see really a decision to have it be a wrecking ball, not a pendulum, a wreckin’ ball. You decide to win, and then you make every decision in favor of winning. Quite frankly, I’m really tired of losing.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>She came into Congress wanting to make life better, for people who are often forgotten\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>This is not for the faint of heart. This is rough. But if you know why you’re doing it, that makes everything okay. My why was one in five children in America goes to sleep hungry at night. One in five Children in America, it lives in poverty. That’s my why, is to ask, go there for the children, for the Children.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>We don’t know exactly when Nancy Pelosi decided to run for leadership. When I asked Pelosi why she wanted to be leader, her line is, other people wanted me to run. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>When I got here, after a few years, members came to me and said, you should run for leadership. In fact, you should for speaker. I said, well, I absolutely positively would not do that. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Barbara Boxer, the former senator from California, remembers a different Pelosi. They would commute back and forth from D.C. Together, chatting the whole time.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Barbara Boxer: \u003c/strong>We could just yak yak about everything. One of those days on the plane, we were talking about, what is your dream in politics? What do you really want to do? And she asked me that, and I said, I want to be U.S. Senator. This is when I was in the House, which was a pipe dream, trust me. Now, I’m telling you, Nancy says, that never happened. So maybe I dreamed it. And she said, I want be Speaker of the House.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>You had to have some chutzpah at that point in her career to say, I wanna be speaker.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Barbara Boxer: \u003c/strong>Chutzpah doesn’t begin to describe it. It was impossible.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Ann Campanella: \u003c/strong>Walking in the street, I ain’t foam with these sidewalks. Okay. They’ll stop for us. Believe me, they will.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>After eating at Chiparelli’s in Baltimore with Nancy’s childhood friend, Mary Ann, we jaywalk across the street to Nancy’s Childhood Home.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Ann Campanella: \u003c/strong>The D’Alesandro Mansion. This is where young Nancy was born, right here in this home. You’ll see the plaques. Mercy Little Italy Health Center in memory of Nancy and Tommy D’Alesandro Jr.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Big house. It’s a three-story brick row house on the corner of Albert Marl and Fawn streets.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Ann Campanella: \u003c/strong>Oh, and good bricklayer. The Talons are noted for that.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Back in the 40s, when Tommy D’Alesandro Jr. Was mayor, the House was essentially a political headquarters, often buzzing with activity. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mary Ann Campanella: \u003c/strong>Her father’s office was here when he was mayor, so he was right in the neighborhood.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>But everybody knew that if they couldn’t reach the mayor, next best was talk to his political partner and wife, Big Nancy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>My mom was spectacular. If she were living now, I don’t know if she might be president of the United States. She was so capable. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Big Nancy was glamorous and smart. She loved betting on horses at the local track. She even invented a beauty product, had a patent registered for a facial steaming device. It was called Beautifier Vaporizer for treatment of the skin. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Susan Page: \u003c/strong>And basically, it’s just boiling water, but it looks pretty dramatic.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>That’s Susan Page. She wrote a biography about Pelosi.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Susan Page: \u003c/strong>Her mother kept what was called the favor file, which was basically a recording of the favors that constituents would come in and want to get from the mayor, whether it was better housing or help with a kid who had gotten in trouble with the law or whatever. And she would help figure out how they might be able to help this person and also keep a record so that they could go back to them when the next campaign came around and they needed some election help. And who was sitting on her right side during these sessions when people would file through their home looking for favors.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Little Nancy, that’s who. She would take handwritten notes, later typed onto index cards and filed away.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Susan Page: \u003c/strong>It is perfect training for being a congressional leader where your members have favors they need done and you keep track of them so that you can cash them in when you need them.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>When I was a girl, I could hear what my mother would say when somebody would come to the door if they wanted a place to live in the projects, a bed in a city hospital, somebody going to jail or getting out of jail or whatever it happened to be.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Big Nancy would help her neighbors with all kinds of problems, but they were also her husband’s constituents. So when election time came around, she’d open up the favor file to, in a sense, balance the books. She’d send women volunteers out to collect the votes. It’s been a key part of machine politics since the beginning. The ground game.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>Women have always been the strength of the Democratic Party because you have to own the ground.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Speakers of the House wield enormous power. If the President and Vice President die, the Speaker becomes President. They dictate the agenda, appoint members to committees. In effect, Speakers decide which legislation lives or dies, or gets amended, and how. But Speaker of the house isn’t a job that just falls into your lap. Here’s what you need to do. Build alliances. Show that you have a vision. Raise funds for the party. So they’ll elect you to party leadership. That’s your stepping stone to speakership. One of the highest positions is whip. The term whip comes from England. The whipper in was the assistant to the huntsman, the person who keeps the hounds in line. The job requires deep trust as you’re herding votes. Hounds have to know you’ll use the whip. Early on, Pelosi learned a hard lesson about counting on the support of colleagues. She remembers thinking she had convinced a senior member of Congress to support her campaign to join the powerful Appropriations Committee, a coveted position. But when the time came, he voted for her opponent, so she cornered him. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>You said that when even knowing, no, even knowing on the race, I’m for you. He said, yeah, that’s what I said. Well, knowing who’s in the race I’m, for you, so I say to people if they say you’d be so great, that’s a no. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Pelosi started studying what motivated her members. What were the carrots? And what were the sticks? Here’s Anna Eshoo again, Pelosi’s close friend in Congress. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Anna Eshoo: \u003c/strong>She came to know members better than they knew themselves. I always thought that. I thought, oh, that poor deer over there. He doesn’t know that she knows him backward and forward. She had her own internal study of people. She understood them. She made it her business to know them, to know their families, to know their children, to their districts. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Whip is an internal party position, so there’s no regular election schedule. You have to wait for someone to retire or decide to run for Senate or go back to state politics. Pelosi announced her bid ahead of time anyway to send a signal.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>Said, you know, you’re breaking into the line. I said, what are we talking about? Because they had it. You’re gonna be next. You’ll be with, and you’ll move up to leader, and you will be with. And they had all guys. They had all the guys. And I said no, we’ve been waiting over 200 years, and that’s it. That’s it, and I know I can win. I’m not asking anybody to take a risk. I know, I’m gonna win.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Clearly Pelosi had counted the votes, but she still had one big obstacle. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Steny Hoyer: \u003c/strong>Well, I was disappointed that she was going to run and not support me. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>That’s Steny Hoyer, a longtime Democratic congressman from Maryland. A reporter describes Steny as the textbook politician, gregarious, smooth, and a moderate to the core. Hoyer knew Nancy well. He’d also grown up in Maryland. Actually, they’d worked together back in the 60s when Pelosi was a receptionist for a Maryland senator. When Pelosi joined Congress two decades later, Hoyer was…\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Steny Hoyer: \u003c/strong>Tickled Pink to see her, welcomed her with open arms. She was a great addition to the Congress.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>We might say today they were frenemies, friends, but also rivals, eyeing the same position and leadership. Based on those wait your turn rules, he was expected to become whip when the job opened up.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>And then when I ran, they were like, well, who said she could run? Poor babies. When you think I’m waiting for you, lost all these elections that say I can run. And secondly, they said, because I had a lot of support from the women, they said why don’t you all write on a piece of paper the things you would like to see us do and we’ll do them for you. This is in this century. In this century! I’m not talking about 1958, I’m talking about in this century.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>But Pelosi knew how to deal with tough old politicians. Her dad had been one. She knew she’d have to get some of them on her side to win.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Anna Eshoo: \u003c/strong>Jack Murtha was a member from Pennsylvania.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Anna Eshoo again.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Anna Eshoo: \u003c/strong>Jack was the first Vietnam veteran to be elected to the Congress. He really looked like he was out of central casting, beautiful gray hair, impeccably dressed, his collars, his ties, very Irish and very serious about his work. And his work was all about the military. He sat on the floor in the very last seat. If you’re looking at the front of the chamber, the far left corner, it’s dark there. It’s so far away from everything else, but that’s where Jack sat.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Pelosi kept a small statue of a coal miner on her desk. It was a gift from her father, who’d gotten it from a former West Virginia Congressman.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>So Jack Murtha walks down the hall, comes in my office, and he sees that, and was like, oh my gosh. So then we became really good friends. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Jack Murtha was a representative from coal country, so that made an impression on him. She may have represented San Francisco, but he saw the Baltimore in her. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Anna Eshoo: \u003c/strong>We need her in the leadership. And that was, you know, I mean, the most members weren’t noticing how the relationship grew and deepened. So they were shocked. Jack, Murtha supporting Nancy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Murtha would actually go on to lead her campaign for Whip.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Steny Hoyer: \u003c/strong>To Hoyer’s disappointment. I was surprised because Jack Murtha, I thought, had indicated to me that he would be helpful to me. That did not turn out to be the case. Pelosi was coming for Hoyer spot.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>I maybe thought it was his turn, but I didn’t know what dues he paid. I mean, that is to say, I paid all the dues in the world.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>In 2000, Democrats were still hoping they could win back the House. They needed to flip around seven seats. Pelosi said she could pick up four seats in California, the party would have to do the rest. She kept her word, four more notes for the favor file. She remembers assuming they’d won back the majority.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>So I’m on my way to a press conference to meet the press. My staff is like holding me back like this on my coat. They said, wait a minute, we did not win the house. I said, how could they? They needed seven to win the House. They lost every other place. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>She couldn’t stand it anymore. Even after delivering what she promised, they still lost. And she was still on the outside looking in.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>I was doing all this stuff, resources and all that stuff.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Fundraising.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>But I had never, until I became Speaker of the House, been in the Democratic Speaker’s office. Never. Until I walked into my own office. They never invited me to anything, nothing, because they had it all lined up for themselves.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>In 2001, the sitting whip decided not to run for re-election. It was time for Democrats to elect a new whip. To start locking down votes, Nancy Pelosi first turned to her own California delegation. Several of them actually owed their seat to her. She had a running start. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Steny Hoyer: \u003c/strong>Maryland is a small state and California is a huge state, so it made it very difficult. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Steny Hoyer again. Pelosi also raised more than twice as much money for candidates as Hoyer. Showing that you can raise money is important. It helps solidify your role as a strong party leader and it gives you leverage. Some members who didn’t support Pelosi, well, she never forgot. Washington legend has it she punished the longtime congressman from Michigan, John Dingell, helping ensure he was deposed from his high power committee chairmanship. Because he didn’t support her for whip. And even Steny Hoyer had to appreciate how meticulous she was. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Steny Hoyer: \u003c/strong>Nancy’s a very, very hard worker. She’s very tenacious. She’s a thorough, she’s very smart. She is a wonderful counter of votes. When it was time for the vote, Pelosi was confident.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>I tried to tell them that I’m going to win this. But they, to the end, which I was on the floor, I could hear them, you gotta be for standing tomorrow. This is a one vote race for babies. They didn’t know how to count.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Pelosi predicted she’d get 120 votes, she got 118. Steny Hoyer got 95. So, on October 10th, 2001, just a few weeks after 9-11,\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Archival News Clip: \u003c/strong>And a woman has broken new ground in the nation’s capital, California Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi becomes Democratic whip, the number two House leader right behind the Democratic leader, Richard Gephardt, the highest ranking woman in Congress ever. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Given 9/11, Pelosi’s groundbreaking election was easy to miss. But it was unmistakable. Pelosi was on her way to becoming Speaker.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Susan Page: \u003c/strong>What’s remarkable about the campaign that she ran was that she didn’t run it like a girl.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Biographer Susan Page again.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Susan Page: \u003c/strong>You know, a lot of the women in Congress had accepted kind of secondary roles in leadership, like being the caucus secretary, or doing what it was the men were willing to let them to do because no woman had been in a real leadership position before, in a really leadership position that had power. And she just thought that was nonsense and plowed ahead. And I think to the dismay of these men who were in charge, she won.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>If there were not many more women in Congress, I might not have won. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Hmm, speaker image.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>A speaker, you know, or a whip at that time. Because whip was the first step. They knew, boom.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>You just heard about Nancy Pelosi’s secret sauce, her recipe for taking over Congress. Her father taught her to bring the wrecking ball. Her mother taught her to bring a carrot with the favor file. Pelosi wasn’t whipped for long. In 2002, the party leader position opened up and she took it. Pelosi was now head of Democrats. But one thing standing in her way to being speaker, Republicans losing again wasn’t an option. It would be total war. Pelosi went on the CBS News magazine 60 Minutes, right before the 2006 election. Dressed in bright red, she sat across from correspondent Leslie Stahl.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Leslie Stahl: \u003c/strong>You have called your Republican colleagues, these are quotes, immoral, corrupt, you say they’re running a criminal enterprise.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi – 60 Minutes: \u003c/strong>Well, actually, when I called them those names, I was being gentle. There are much worse things I could have said about them.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>The segment is titled, Two Heartbeats Away. Message, if the Democrats win, this woman will likely become the next Speaker of the House. It was a reference to the presidential line of succession. Speaker of House is third in line after the President and Vice President. For many Americans, this was probably the first real glimpse they got of Pelosi. She lays into the President, George W. Bush, often with a radiant smile. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi – 60 Minutes: \u003c/strong>This isn’t personal. He’s incompetent. Well, I think he is. That’s personal. Well, then I’m sorry. That’s his problem. I have very thick skin. I don’t care what they say about me. This election is about them. This is a referendum on them. Making them lame ducks is good enough for me. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Of course, Republicans fought tooth and nail to avoid becoming lame ducks. They flooded the airwaves with ads, warning that unless Republicans prevailed, the top leader in Congress would be an ultra-liberal from wacky San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Archival – Ad: \u003c/strong>You’ll reward illegal aliens with welfare, food stamps, and free education. And I had the privilege because of a woman being very defined by the Republicans coming after me. Hundreds of thousands of ads. Imagine how much money that cost.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>At this time, the US was over three years into the war in Iraq. As a member of the House Intelligence Committee, Pelosi had access to information about the 9-11 attacks. She voted for intervention in Afghanistan as retaliation for the attacks, but she never supported Bush starting the Iraq War, voting against it with 132 of her colleagues. As the war intensified, casualties mounting, the search for weapons of mass destruction coming up empty. Pelosi kept her eyes on the prize, winning back the House in the 2006 midterm elections.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rahm Emanuel: \u003c/strong>Nancy is, and I say this as a compliment, she is comfortable with power and exercising it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Rahm Emanuel came in to help. He’s somewhat intense, known for shouting at donors for more money, stabbing a steak knife into the table to make a point.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rahm Emanuel: \u003c/strong>Understands winning gives you that. If you win.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rahm Emanuel: \u003c/strong>You get to set the table.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer:\u003c/strong>\u003cem> \u003c/em>To win back the House, Democrats had to pick up 15 seats. So Pelosi and Senate leader Harry Reid launched their answer to Newt Gingrich’s contract with America. Six for 06, a plan that promised more funding for national security, a minimum wage hike, and affordable healthcare. Meanwhile, Rahm Emanuel was busy recruiting candidates he thought could win.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rahm Emanuel: \u003c/strong>We’re gonna find people that open the door to a group of voters because we gotta swing a district. You can’t win it on Democratic voters.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>And they started bringing in money. Federal fundraising tallies show that, compared to the previous election cycle, Democrats raised about 50% more for House candidates in 2006. Republicans still outspent Democrats, but Pelosi and Emanuel put a dent in their financial advantage. Some Democrats, AOC, Elizabeth Warren, Bernie, others, criticize taking money from corporations and PACs. How do you, and how does Nancy Pelosi, how do you see that criticism?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rahm Emanuel: \u003c/strong>You don’t tie one hand behind your back, okay? We can’t just put people on the field and then leave them out there to self-defend themselves. I hate what the court did. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>He’s referring to the Supreme Court case Citizens United decided in 2010. It reversed older restrictions on campaign spending and allowed corporations and other outside groups to spend unlimited money on elections.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rahm Emanuel: \u003c/strong>But that’s the world we live in. Again, she’s comfortable with power. Nancy exists in the arena.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Whichever party controls the White House usually loses seats in Congress in the midterms. But Pelosi was never content to just let the pendulum swing or it naturally would. Winning is never inevitable.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>It isn’t that the tide goes in and out. That’s probably what they thought in the nineties that the Tide went out and now come back in. So I’m not really wedded to that concept. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>For the first time in 12 years, Democrats seized back control of the House. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Archival News Clip: \u003c/strong>Washington turned upside down.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Archival – President Bush: \u003c/strong>It was a thumping.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Archival News Clip: \u003c/strong>Power switch in the House. Democrats now firmly in control there. The Democratic leader, Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco, set to become the first woman Speaker of the House in American history. Pelosi was finally on top.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>On January 4, 2007, holding one grandchild and surrounded by others, Pelosi was officially elected speaker. Republican leader John Boehner graciously handed Pelosi the gavel and history\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>Mr. Speaker, I accept this gavel in the spirit of partnership, not partisanship. Before we move forward, because there’s so many children here and so many of them asked me if they could touch the gavel, I wanted to invite as many of them who wanted to come forward to come join me up here. I know my own grandchildren will. There it is.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>We’re here for the children, we’re here \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>For the children would be Nancy Pelosi’s mantra.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>I know that sometimes I have to take a punch and sometimes I have to throw a punch for the children, for the children.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>The stars had finally aligned for Baltimore’s favorite daughter. Both her parents lived long enough to see Pelosi elected to Congress. They died before she became the most powerful woman in U.S. Politics ever. But their influence was undeniable. Little Nancy D’Alessandro had become the speaker.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>Well, the power of the speaker is awesome. There’s nothing to compare to that. It’s the second highest president, vice president. Let me feel your pulse.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Nancy Pelosi and her fellow Democrats had seized power, but she’d soon find out the difference between winning \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>We’ll climb the fence. If that doesn’t work, we’ll pole vault in. If that does not work, we’ll parachute in. But we’re not letting anything stand in our way. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>Did you believe it?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nancy Pelosi: \u003c/strong>Yes, I was determined we were going to get this done.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>And govern it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Zeke Emanuel: \u003c/strong>The system is falling apart, costs are going up, people are getting pissed off. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mick Mulvaney: \u003c/strong>If you think your healthcare is great now, just wait until the government runs it for you. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rahm Emanuel: \u003c/strong>A lot going on. Thank you. You’re giving me PTSD right now.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>That’s coming up next on The speaker. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Scott Shafer: \u003c/strong>The Speaker is a production of KQED in San Francisco and distributed by NPR. It’s hosted and reported by me, Scott Shafer. It’s reported and produced by Ariella Markowitz. It’s edited by Padmini Raghunath. Final mix and sound design by Christopher Beale. Fat-checking by Mark Betancourt. Additional editing from Anna Susman and Jen Chien, KQED’s director of podcasts. Original theme song composed by Cedric Wilson. Additional music from APM. Maha Sanad is KQED’s podcast engagement producer. Ethan Toven-Lindsey is KQED’s editor in chief. Special thanks to our partners from the Oral History Center at the University of California, Berkeley. Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by the Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television, and radio artists, San Francisco, Northern California, local.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>Proposition 45 on the November ballot would reform the California Environmental Quality Act, also known as CEQA. Proponents argue the measure would help with the state’s affordability crisis by speeding up housing construction. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>However, public polling shows support for the measure has tanked in the last few months as critics argue the measure would make it easier to build data centers, which are deeply unpopular with voters. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Marisa talks to Jennifer Barrera, CEO of the California Chamber of Commerce, a group leading the campaign in support of Prop. 45. Tune in next week to hear the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12101722/will-prop-45-fix-californias-housing-crisis-or-roll-back-a-valuable-environmental-law\">opposition side\u003c/a> of the initiative. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Check out\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/newsletters/political-breakdown\"> Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter\u003c/a>, delivered straight to your inbox.\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>Proposition 45 on the November ballot would reform the California Environmental Quality Act, also known as CEQA. Proponents argue the measure would help with the state’s affordability crisis by speeding up housing construction. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>However, public polling shows support for the measure has tanked in the last few months as critics argue the measure would make it easier to build data centers, which are deeply unpopular with voters. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Marisa talks to Jennifer Barrera, CEO of the California Chamber of Commerce, a group leading the campaign in support of Prop. 45. Tune in next week to hear the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12101722/will-prop-45-fix-californias-housing-crisis-or-roll-back-a-valuable-environmental-law\">opposition side\u003c/a> of the initiative. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Check out\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/newsletters/political-breakdown\"> Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter\u003c/a>, delivered straight to your inbox.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>San Francisco is suing \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/donald-trump\">President Donald Trump’s\u003c/a> media company over a paid service that gives subscribers who pay $100,000 a month early access to the president’s Truth Social posts.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>City Attorney David Chiu filed the lawsuit in San Francisco Superior Court on Monday against Trump Media and Technology Group, which owns and operates Truth Social. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Chiu is asking the court to prohibit Trump Media from offering “Truth API” or a similar service, as well as monetary damages for its violations of the public trust and California’s unfair competition law.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Trump Media created a marketplace that enables insider trading, which Trump directly profits from,” Chiu said in a statement. “This scheme turns the public trust into private profit. It is corruption, plain and simple.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/GettyImages-2285787606-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091600\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/GettyImages-2285787606-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/GettyImages-2285787606-2000x1333.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/GettyImages-2285787606-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/GettyImages-2285787606-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/GettyImages-2285787606-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">U.S. President Donald Trump addresses the nation from the East Room of the White House on July 16, 2026, in Washington, D.C. (Saul Loeb/Pool - Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Chiu’s office, along with other attorneys, including from the Democracy Defenders Fund, filed the suit on behalf of the people of California, who he said are being disadvantaged by the corrupt business practice. He said that he hopes that the court’s decision “could hopefully protect all Americans” in the process.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In August, Trump launched “Truth API,” a feed that delivers posts from the “ten most influential accounts” on his social media platform, Truth Social, to users who pay $100,000 a month, before the same information is delivered to other users. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>According to the lawsuit, Trump Media Interim CEO Kevin McGurn “expressly stated that Truth API pushes out information at a ‘50 millisecond advantage’ that ‘goes right into an algorithmic trading platform,’” allowing subscribers to gain an advantage in the financial market by trading on that information.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The accounts have included Trump’s, along with other executive branch officials, including Vice President JD Vance, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino and outgoing White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, according to the complaint. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Chiu alleges that Truth Social is aiding and abetting Trump’s violation of federal ethics and anti-corruption law, which prohibits federal officials from profiting off of nonpublic information they obtain through government service.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It also says Trump Media is violating other federal laws protecting against insider trading that prohibit selling nonpublic information from people with a duty of trust to individuals who might trade it for unfair financial advantage.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The suit alleges that Trump, who owns 41% of Trump Media, has made “numerous” announcements of policy decisions or official government information via posts on Truth Social that have influenced financial markets — including around high country-by-country tariffs in 2025, and conversations with international leaders regarding the war in Iran.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Chiu said Tuesday that the service is particularly troubling because Truth Social is “often the first and only venue where the president announces major federal actions” as the White House moves to \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2026/09/22/nx-s1-5976917/news-organizations-barred-from-white-house-sue-trump-as-other-outlets-protests-ban\">limit access\u003c/a> to traditional media outlets. He said it is also possible, and “troubling,” that foreign actors could be accessing the subscription service.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260922-TruthSocialSuit-13-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12100984\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260922-TruthSocialSuit-13-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260922-TruthSocialSuit-13-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260922-TruthSocialSuit-13-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Theresa Rutherford, president of SEIU Local 1021, speaks at a press conference at City Hall in San Francisco on Sept. 22, 2026, about a lawsuit against Truth Social over the sale of early access to President Donald Trump’s posts. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“When the President of the United States makes decisions that can move markets, access to that information should not be something wealthy traders can buy before everyone else,” said Matt Platkin, whose firm, Platkin LLP, is also representing California residents in the suit. “Trump Media should not be able to monetize presidential communications by selling Wall Street an early look at Truth Social posts.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a statement, Trump Media spokesperson Shannon Device said, “The People of California should outsource their future lawsuits to AI chatbots who, unlike the left-wing activists masquerading as attorneys who filed this lawsuit, will grasp the basic distinction between public and nonpublic information.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Last month, \u003cem>The Intercept\u003c/em> and Freedom of the Press Foundation filed a similar \u003ca href=\"https://freedom.press/issues/fpf-seeks-order-to-stop-trump-from-monetizing-official-statements/\">lawsuit\u003c/a> in federal court aimed at stopping Trump Media from monetizing official government statements.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/bkrans\">\u003cem>Brian Krans\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/GettyImages-2285787606-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091600\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/GettyImages-2285787606-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/GettyImages-2285787606-2000x1333.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/GettyImages-2285787606-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/GettyImages-2285787606-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/GettyImages-2285787606-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">U.S. President Donald Trump addresses the nation from the East Room of the White House on July 16, 2026, in Washington, D.C.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Saul Loeb/Pool - Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Chiu’s office, along with other attorneys, including from the Democracy Defenders Fund, filed the suit on behalf of the people of California, who he said are being disadvantaged by the corrupt business practice. He said that he hopes that the court’s decision “could hopefully protect all Americans” in the process.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Chiu’s office, along with other attorneys, including from the Democracy Defenders Fund, filed the suit on behalf of the people of California, who he said are being disadvantaged by the corrupt business practice. He said that he hopes that the court’s decision “could hopefully protect all Americans” in the process.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In August, Trump launched “Truth API,” a feed that delivers posts from the “ten most influential accounts” on his social media platform, Truth Social, to users who pay $100,000 a month, before the same information is delivered to other users. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In August, Trump launched “Truth API,” a feed that delivers posts from the “ten most influential accounts” on his social media platform, Truth Social, to users who pay $100,000 a month, before the same information is delivered to other users. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>According to the lawsuit, Trump Media Interim CEO Kevin McGurn “expressly stated that Truth API pushes out information at a ‘50 millisecond advantage’ that ‘goes right into an algorithmic trading platform,’” allowing subscribers to gain an advantage in the financial market by trading on that information.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The accounts have included Trump’s, along with other executive branch officials, including Vice President JD Vance, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino and outgoing White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, according to the complaint. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Chiu alleges that Truth Social is aiding and abetting Trump’s violation of federal ethics and anti-corruption law, which prohibits federal officials from profiting off of nonpublic information they obtain through government service.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It also says Trump Media is violating other federal laws protecting against insider trading that prohibit selling nonpublic information from people with a duty of trust to individuals who might trade it for unfair financial advantage.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The suit alleges that Trump, who owns 41% of Trump Media, has made “numerous” announcements of policy decisions or official government information via posts on Truth Social that have influenced financial markets — including around high country-by-country tariffs in 2025, and conversations with international leaders regarding the war in Iran.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Chiu said Tuesday that the service is particularly troubling because Truth Social is “often the first and only venue where the president announces major federal actions” as the White House moves to \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2026/09/22/nx-s1-5976917/news-organizations-barred-from-white-house-sue-trump-as-other-outlets-protests-ban\">limit access\u003c/a> to traditional media outlets. He said it is also possible, and “troubling,” that foreign actors could be accessing the subscription service.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260922-TruthSocialSuit-13-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12100984\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260922-TruthSocialSuit-13-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260922-TruthSocialSuit-13-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260922-TruthSocialSuit-13-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Theresa Rutherford, president of SEIU Local 1021, speaks at a press conference at City Hall in San Francisco on Sept. 22, 2026, about a lawsuit against Truth Social over the sale of early access to President Donald Trump’s posts.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“When the President of the United States makes decisions that can move markets, access to that information should not be something wealthy traders can buy before everyone else,” said Matt Platkin, whose firm, Platkin LLP, is also representing California residents in the suit. “Trump Media should not be able to monetize presidential communications by selling Wall Street an early look at Truth Social posts.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“When the President of the United States makes decisions that can move markets, access to that information should not be something wealthy traders can buy before everyone else,” said Matt Platkin, whose firm, Platkin LLP, is also representing California residents in the suit. “Trump Media should not be able to monetize presidential communications by selling Wall Street an early look at Truth Social posts.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In a statement, Trump Media spokesperson Shannon Device said, “The People of California should outsource their future lawsuits to AI chatbots who, unlike the left-wing activists masquerading as attorneys who filed this lawsuit, will grasp the basic distinction between public and nonpublic information.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In a statement, Trump Media spokesperson Shannon Device said, “The People of California should outsource their future lawsuits to AI chatbots who, unlike the left-wing activists masquerading as attorneys who filed this lawsuit, will grasp the basic distinction between public and nonpublic information.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Last month, \u003cem>The Intercept\u003c/em> and Freedom of the Press Foundation filed a similar \u003ca href=\"https://freedom.press/issues/fpf-seeks-order-to-stop-trump-from-monetizing-official-statements/\">lawsuit\u003c/a> in federal court aimed at stopping Trump Media from monetizing official government statements.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Last month, \u003cem>The Intercept\u003c/em> and Freedom of the Press Foundation filed a similar \u003ca href=\"https://freedom.press/issues/fpf-seeks-order-to-stop-trump-from-monetizing-official-statements/\">lawsuit\u003c/a> in federal court aimed at stopping Trump Media from monetizing official government statements.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/bkrans\">\u003cem>Brian Krans\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu said the president’s media company is likely violating federal law by selling investors faster access to his Truth Social posts.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>San Francisco is suing \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/donald-trump\">President Donald Trump’s\u003c/a> media company over a paid service that gives subscribers who pay $100,000 a month early access to the president’s Truth Social posts.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>City Attorney David Chiu filed the lawsuit in San Francisco Superior Court on Monday against Trump Media and Technology Group, which owns and operates Truth Social. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Chiu is asking the court to prohibit Trump Media from offering “Truth API” or a similar service, as well as monetary damages for its violations of the public trust and California’s unfair competition law.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Trump Media created a marketplace that enables insider trading, which Trump directly profits from,” Chiu said in a statement. “This scheme turns the public trust into private profit. It is corruption, plain and simple.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/GettyImages-2285787606-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091600\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/GettyImages-2285787606-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/GettyImages-2285787606-2000x1333.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/GettyImages-2285787606-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/GettyImages-2285787606-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/GettyImages-2285787606-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">U.S. President Donald Trump addresses the nation from the East Room of the White House on July 16, 2026, in Washington, D.C. (Saul Loeb/Pool - Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Chiu’s office, along with other attorneys, including from the Democracy Defenders Fund, filed the suit on behalf of the people of California, who he said are being disadvantaged by the corrupt business practice. He said that he hopes that the court’s decision “could hopefully protect all Americans” in the process.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In August, Trump launched “Truth API,” a feed that delivers posts from the “ten most influential accounts” on his social media platform, Truth Social, to users who pay $100,000 a month, before the same information is delivered to other users. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>According to the lawsuit, Trump Media Interim CEO Kevin McGurn “expressly stated that Truth API pushes out information at a ‘50 millisecond advantage’ that ‘goes right into an algorithmic trading platform,’” allowing subscribers to gain an advantage in the financial market by trading on that information.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The accounts have included Trump’s, along with other executive branch officials, including Vice President JD Vance, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino and outgoing White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, according to the complaint. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Chiu alleges that Truth Social is aiding and abetting Trump’s violation of federal ethics and anti-corruption law, which prohibits federal officials from profiting off of nonpublic information they obtain through government service.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It also says Trump Media is violating other federal laws protecting against insider trading that prohibit selling nonpublic information from people with a duty of trust to individuals who might trade it for unfair financial advantage.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The suit alleges that Trump, who owns 41% of Trump Media, has made “numerous” announcements of policy decisions or official government information via posts on Truth Social that have influenced financial markets — including around high country-by-country tariffs in 2025, and conversations with international leaders regarding the war in Iran.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Chiu said Tuesday that the service is particularly troubling because Truth Social is “often the first and only venue where the president announces major federal actions” as the White House moves to \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2026/09/22/nx-s1-5976917/news-organizations-barred-from-white-house-sue-trump-as-other-outlets-protests-ban\">limit access\u003c/a> to traditional media outlets. He said it is also possible, and “troubling,” that foreign actors could be accessing the subscription service.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260922-TruthSocialSuit-13-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12100984\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260922-TruthSocialSuit-13-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260922-TruthSocialSuit-13-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260922-TruthSocialSuit-13-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Theresa Rutherford, president of SEIU Local 1021, speaks at a press conference at City Hall in San Francisco on Sept. 22, 2026, about a lawsuit against Truth Social over the sale of early access to President Donald Trump’s posts. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“When the President of the United States makes decisions that can move markets, access to that information should not be something wealthy traders can buy before everyone else,” said Matt Platkin, whose firm, Platkin LLP, is also representing California residents in the suit. “Trump Media should not be able to monetize presidential communications by selling Wall Street an early look at Truth Social posts.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a statement, Trump Media spokesperson Shannon Device said, “The People of California should outsource their future lawsuits to AI chatbots who, unlike the left-wing activists masquerading as attorneys who filed this lawsuit, will grasp the basic distinction between public and nonpublic information.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Last month, \u003cem>The Intercept\u003c/em> and Freedom of the Press Foundation filed a similar \u003ca href=\"https://freedom.press/issues/fpf-seeks-order-to-stop-trump-from-monetizing-official-statements/\">lawsuit\u003c/a> in federal court aimed at stopping Trump Media from monetizing official government statements.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/bkrans\">\u003cem>Brian Krans\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "states-settle-lawsuit-over-paramount-warner-merger-clearing-key-hurdle-for-81-billion-deal",
"title": "States Settle Lawsuit Over Paramount-Warner Merger, Clearing Key Hurdle for $81 Billion Deal",
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"headTitle": "States Settle Lawsuit Over Paramount-Warner Merger, Clearing Key Hurdle for $81 Billion Deal | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>Twelve states and Hollywood writers \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12091887/us-judge-says-paramount-and-warner-bros-must-temporarily-pause-merger\">challenging Paramount’s buyout\u003c/a> of Warner Bros. Discovery agreed to settle their lawsuits on Monday, effectively paving the way for the $81 billion mega merger to cross the finish line, with some new commitments from the company. The blockbuster deal \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/warner-discovery-paramount-skydance-cbs-cnn-26252771aa58c8b6b2243809bad13e77\">will still bring together\u003c/a> two of Hollywood’s oldest studios, key TV networks like CBS and CNN and streaming platforms HBO Max and Paramount+, as well as decades-old libraries with titles ranging from “Harry Potter” to “Top Gun.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But among terms of Monday’s agreement announced by California Attorney General Rob Bonta — who led the states’ case — Paramount pledged to increase film production in the U.S., commit millions of dollars to a fund aimed at supporting workers who are displaced by the merger and establish monitoring of editorial independence of the company’s news operations.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The settlement still needs a final sign-off by a judge. Bonta said Monday’s agreement was about “protecting people’s careers, the lives they’ve built here in California, the livelihoods their families rely on” — but he maintained it was not a vote in support of the merger.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260717-FILMMAKER-RALLY-MD-01-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091614\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260717-FILMMAKER-RALLY-MD-01-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260717-FILMMAKER-RALLY-MD-01-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260717-FILMMAKER-RALLY-MD-01-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Filmmaker and comedian W. Kamau Bell speaks at a rally calling for immediate action to stop the proposed $110 billion Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery merger, in front of the federal courthouse in Oakland on July 17, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I don’t think these two companies should merge,” Bonta said in a Monday press conference. “But that’s not something that we are focused on with our resolution here.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Paramount CEO David Ellison welcomed the settlement, which he said marked “complete clearance for this merger.” He added that “bringing Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery together will build that stronger Hollywood, creating expanded opportunity for our people and even more great entertainment for audiences around the world.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The coalition of states — including entertainment heavyweights like California and New York — sued to block the merger in July, alleging a Paramount-Warner combo would “extinguish competition” and lead to fewer choices for consumers, particularly movie theatergoers and cable customers across the U.S.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Writers Guild of America also filed suit, and both challenges were headed toward a full antitrust trial set to kick off in March. The WGA separately confirmed Monday that it settled its case, too.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We continue to believe the merger will cause damage to writers and the industry at large,” the guild said in a statement. “Now that the Attorneys General have settled with Paramount, however, as a nonprofit, the WGA must contend with the reality of forging ahead alone, with no backing from government enforcers, with a complex antitrust lawsuit that would cost millions of dollars to pursue through trial.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The union added that Paramount had agreed to prohibit writer layoffs at CBS News for five years and to pay $17.5 million to WGA’s health fund, along with attorneys’ fees from the litigation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Paramount previously agreed to \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/warner-bros-paramount-skydance-0f4ed7b4627b2d0ac8c1f1626689bf5d\">delay its transaction well into next year\u003c/a> so the challenges could make their way through court. It then \u003ca href=\"https://ir.paramount.com/news-releases/news-release-details/paramount-skydance-satisfies-all-regulatory-conditions-under\">quickly called\u003c/a> for a settlement — arguing that it had satisfied all regulatory clearances worldwide (including from \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/paramount-warner-regulation-antitrust-994c277d12297b8a7507fcb78004f679\">the Trump administration’s Justice Department\u003c/a> ), saying that the states’ lawsuit, in particular, was its “final obstacle.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As reports of the states reaching a settlement with Paramount emerged Monday, critics decried the deal — while warning of what further consolidation could mean in an industry \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/warner-discovery-paramount-skydance-cbs-cnn-26252771aa58c8b6b2243809bad13e77\">already controlled\u003c/a> by just a few major players.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Today, billionaires have yet again bribed, censored, and bullied their way to the top,” Alvaro Bedoya, senior adviser at the American Economic Liberties Project and a former commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission, said in a statement. “Layoffs will follow. People from L.A. to Atlanta will lose their jobs, small businesses will lose their contracts, your cable bill and movie ticket will be even more expensive.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>AP Writers Sophie Austin in Sacramento contributed. Sisak reported from New York.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We continue to believe the merger will cause damage to writers and the industry at large,” the guild said in a statement. “Now that the Attorneys General have settled with Paramount, however, as a nonprofit, the WGA must contend with the reality of forging ahead alone, with no backing from government enforcers, with a complex antitrust lawsuit that would cost millions of dollars to pursue through trial.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Paramount previously agreed to \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/warner-bros-paramount-skydance-0f4ed7b4627b2d0ac8c1f1626689bf5d\">delay its transaction well into next year\u003c/a> so the challenges could make their way through court. It then \u003ca href=\"https://ir.paramount.com/news-releases/news-release-details/paramount-skydance-satisfies-all-regulatory-conditions-under\">quickly called\u003c/a> for a settlement — arguing that it had satisfied all regulatory clearances worldwide (including from \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/paramount-warner-regulation-antitrust-994c277d12297b8a7507fcb78004f679\">the Trump administration’s Justice Department\u003c/a> ), saying that the states’ lawsuit, in particular, was its “final obstacle.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As reports of the states reaching a settlement with Paramount emerged Monday, critics decried the deal — while warning of what further consolidation could mean in an industry \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/warner-discovery-paramount-skydance-cbs-cnn-26252771aa58c8b6b2243809bad13e77\">already controlled\u003c/a> by just a few major players.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Today, billionaires have yet again bribed, censored, and bullied their way to the top,” Alvaro Bedoya, senior adviser at the American Economic Liberties Project and a former commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission, said in a statement. “Layoffs will follow. People from L.A. to Atlanta will lose their jobs, small businesses will lose their contracts, your cable bill and movie ticket will be even more expensive.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>AP Writers Sophie Austin in Sacramento contributed. Sisak reported from New York.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Twelve states and Hollywood writers challenging Paramount’s buyout of Warner Bros. Discovery have agreed to settle their lawsuits against the mega merger.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>Twelve states and Hollywood writers \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12091887/us-judge-says-paramount-and-warner-bros-must-temporarily-pause-merger\">challenging Paramount’s buyout\u003c/a> of Warner Bros. Discovery agreed to settle their lawsuits on Monday, effectively paving the way for the $81 billion mega merger to cross the finish line, with some new commitments from the company. The blockbuster deal \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/warner-discovery-paramount-skydance-cbs-cnn-26252771aa58c8b6b2243809bad13e77\">will still bring together\u003c/a> two of Hollywood’s oldest studios, key TV networks like CBS and CNN and streaming platforms HBO Max and Paramount+, as well as decades-old libraries with titles ranging from “Harry Potter” to “Top Gun.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But among terms of Monday’s agreement announced by California Attorney General Rob Bonta — who led the states’ case — Paramount pledged to increase film production in the U.S., commit millions of dollars to a fund aimed at supporting workers who are displaced by the merger and establish monitoring of editorial independence of the company’s news operations.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The settlement still needs a final sign-off by a judge. Bonta said Monday’s agreement was about “protecting people’s careers, the lives they’ve built here in California, the livelihoods their families rely on” — but he maintained it was not a vote in support of the merger.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260717-FILMMAKER-RALLY-MD-01-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091614\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260717-FILMMAKER-RALLY-MD-01-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260717-FILMMAKER-RALLY-MD-01-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260717-FILMMAKER-RALLY-MD-01-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Filmmaker and comedian W. Kamau Bell speaks at a rally calling for immediate action to stop the proposed $110 billion Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery merger, in front of the federal courthouse in Oakland on July 17, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I don’t think these two companies should merge,” Bonta said in a Monday press conference. “But that’s not something that we are focused on with our resolution here.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Paramount CEO David Ellison welcomed the settlement, which he said marked “complete clearance for this merger.” He added that “bringing Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery together will build that stronger Hollywood, creating expanded opportunity for our people and even more great entertainment for audiences around the world.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The coalition of states — including entertainment heavyweights like California and New York — sued to block the merger in July, alleging a Paramount-Warner combo would “extinguish competition” and lead to fewer choices for consumers, particularly movie theatergoers and cable customers across the U.S.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Writers Guild of America also filed suit, and both challenges were headed toward a full antitrust trial set to kick off in March. The WGA separately confirmed Monday that it settled its case, too.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We continue to believe the merger will cause damage to writers and the industry at large,” the guild said in a statement. “Now that the Attorneys General have settled with Paramount, however, as a nonprofit, the WGA must contend with the reality of forging ahead alone, with no backing from government enforcers, with a complex antitrust lawsuit that would cost millions of dollars to pursue through trial.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The union added that Paramount had agreed to prohibit writer layoffs at CBS News for five years and to pay $17.5 million to WGA’s health fund, along with attorneys’ fees from the litigation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Paramount previously agreed to \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/warner-bros-paramount-skydance-0f4ed7b4627b2d0ac8c1f1626689bf5d\">delay its transaction well into next year\u003c/a> so the challenges could make their way through court. It then \u003ca href=\"https://ir.paramount.com/news-releases/news-release-details/paramount-skydance-satisfies-all-regulatory-conditions-under\">quickly called\u003c/a> for a settlement — arguing that it had satisfied all regulatory clearances worldwide (including from \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/paramount-warner-regulation-antitrust-994c277d12297b8a7507fcb78004f679\">the Trump administration’s Justice Department\u003c/a> ), saying that the states’ lawsuit, in particular, was its “final obstacle.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As reports of the states reaching a settlement with Paramount emerged Monday, critics decried the deal — while warning of what further consolidation could mean in an industry \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/warner-discovery-paramount-skydance-cbs-cnn-26252771aa58c8b6b2243809bad13e77\">already controlled\u003c/a> by just a few major players.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Today, billionaires have yet again bribed, censored, and bullied their way to the top,” Alvaro Bedoya, senior adviser at the American Economic Liberties Project and a former commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission, said in a statement. “Layoffs will follow. People from L.A. to Atlanta will lose their jobs, small businesses will lose their contracts, your cable bill and movie ticket will be even more expensive.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>AP Writers Sophie Austin in Sacramento contributed. Sisak reported from New York.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"tagline": "Where conversation and cultura meet",
"info": "What kind of no sabo word is Hyphenación? For us, it’s about living within a hyphenation. Like being a third-gen Mexican-American from the Texas border now living that Bay Area Chicano life. Like Xorje! Each week we bring together a couple of hyphenated Latinos to talk all about personal life choices: family, careers, relationships, belonging … everything is on the table. ",
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"info": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown brings listeners the wisdom of the former Governor, Mayor, and presidential candidate. Scott Shafer interviewed Brown for more than 40 hours, covering the former governor's life and half-century in the political game – and Brown has some lessons he'd like to share. ",
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"info": "Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. Updated Monday through Friday at about 3:30 p.m. PT.",
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"info": "The MindShift podcast explores the innovations in education that are shaping how kids learn. Hosts Ki Sung and Katrina Schwartz introduce listeners to educators, researchers, parents and students who are developing effective ways to improve how kids learn. We cover topics like how fed-up administrators are developing surprising tactics to deal with classroom disruptions; how listening to podcasts are helping kids develop reading skills; the consequences of overparenting; and why interdisciplinary learning can engage students on all ends of the traditional achievement spectrum. This podcast is part of the MindShift education site, a division of KQED News. KQED is an NPR/PBS member station based in San Francisco. You can also visit the MindShift website for episodes and supplemental blog posts or tweet us \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MindShiftKQED\">@MindShiftKQED\u003c/a> or visit us at \u003ca href=\"/mindshift\">MindShift.KQED.org\u003c/a>",
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"info": "For decades, the process for how police police themselves has been inconsistent – if not opaque. In some states, like California, these proceedings were completely hidden. After a new police transparency law unsealed scores of internal affairs files, our reporters set out to examine these cases and the shadow world of police discipline. On Our Watch brings listeners into the rooms where officers are questioned and witnesses are interrogated to find out who this system is really protecting. Is it the officers, or the public they've sworn to serve?",
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"tagline": "Politics from a personal perspective",
"info": "Political Breakdown is a new series that explores the political intersection of California and the nation. Each week hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos are joined with a new special guest to unpack politics -- with personality — and offer an insider’s glimpse at how politics happens.",
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"possible": {
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"title": "Possible",
"info": "Possible is hosted by entrepreneur Reid Hoffman and writer Aria Finger. Together in Possible, Hoffman and Finger lead enlightening discussions about building a brighter collective future. The show features interviews with visionary guests like Trevor Noah, Sam Altman and Janette Sadik-Khan. Possible paints an optimistic portrait of the world we can create through science, policy, business, art and our shared humanity. It asks: What if everything goes right for once? How can we get there? Each episode also includes a short fiction story generated by advanced AI GPT-4, serving as a thought-provoking springboard to speculate how humanity could leverage technology for good.",
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"pri-the-world": {
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"radiolab": {
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},
"rightnowish": {
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"title": "Rightnowish",
"tagline": "Art is where you find it",
"info": "Rightnowish digs into life in the Bay Area right now… ish. Journalist Pendarvis Harshaw takes us to galleries painted on the sides of liquor stores in West Oakland. We'll dance in warehouses in the Bayview, make smoothies with kids in South Berkeley, and listen to classical music in a 1984 Cutlass Supreme in Richmond. Every week, Pen talks to movers and shakers about how the Bay Area shapes what they create, and how they shape the place we call home.",
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},
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"info": "Science Friday is a weekly science talk show, broadcast live over public radio stations nationwide. Each week, the show focuses on science topics that are in the news and tries to bring an educated, balanced discussion to bear on the scientific issues at hand. Panels of expert guests join host Ira Flatow, a veteran science journalist, to discuss science and to take questions from listeners during the call-in portion of the program.",
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"title": "Snap Judgment",
"tagline": "Real stories with killer beats",
"info": "The Snap Judgment radio show and podcast mixes real stories with killer beats to produce cinematic, dramatic radio. Snap's musical brand of storytelling dares listeners to see the world through the eyes of another. This is storytelling... with a BEAT!! Snap first aired on public radio stations nationwide in July 2010. Today, Snap Judgment airs on over 450 public radio stations and is brought to the airwaves by KQED & PRX.",
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},
"soldout": {
"id": "soldout",
"title": "SOLD OUT: Rethinking Housing in America",
"tagline": "A new future for housing",
"info": "Sold Out: Rethinking Housing in America",
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"description": "Get informed in minutes with our Voter Guide for California’s November 3 election."
},
"podcasts-radio": {},
"video-tv": {},
"events": {},
"support": {}
}
}
}