Capitol Weekly Podcast

CAPITOLWEEKLY
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The Capitol Weekly Podcast covers California politics and public policy, and features interviews with elected officials, staffers, advocates, analysts, newsmakers, and even, -gasp- journalists. Listen at Apple Podcasts, SoundCloud, or at capitolweekly.net

  1. Covering the Capitol, with Lia Russell of the Sacramento Bee

    5 DAYS AGO

    Covering the Capitol, with Lia Russell of the Sacramento Bee

    Today's guest is Sacramento Bee reporter Lia Russell. Russell covers the governor for The Bee’s Capitol Bureau, and was part of the team that broke the story of Dana Williamson's arrest last year.  We asked about that story, covering the capitol, and what it was like to cover politics in their earlier gigs in Bangor, Maine and Baltimore, Maryland.  :47 Affordability 2:00 What's on Capitol Weekly 4:16 Lia Russell 6:09 The race to replace Gov. Newsom 8:20 "Whether they like it or not..." 10:15 View from Maine 16:37 Working for the Baltimore Sun 18:37 The Dana Williamson story 23:45 Reading indictments 26:16 Origin story 32:04 The tattoos 33:43 Asm. Matt Harper mention 38:06 #WWCA Want to support the Capitol Weekly Podcast? Make your tax deductible donation here: capitolweekly.net/donations/ Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang "#WorstWeekCA" Beat provided by freebeats.io Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    46 min
  2. California Labor: Lorena Gonzalez

    30 MAR

    California Labor: Lorena Gonzalez

    Membership in California labor unions grew by over 100,000 members between 2024 and 2025, and California union membership currently stands at 2.4 million - the most of any state. These gains come in the face of strong anti-labor policies put in place by the Trump Administration. Our guest today is one of the reasons for those gains. Former Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez is the President of the California Federation of Labor Unions, AFL-CIO, which is made up of more than 1,300 unions, representing 2.3 million members. in the Legislature, Gonzalez was one of the most respected - and feared - members.  She has brought her patented take-no-prisoners approach to the Labor Fed, getting arrested at protests and sparring online with foes ranging from Elon Musk to centrist Democrats. We spoke with Gonzalez about the status of the labor movement, the threat - and opportunities - of AI, and the impact of Cesar Chavez' sudden downfall.  1:26 Capitol Briefs 2:18 Jacqui Nguyen 3:21 Remembering Sam Kieth 6:27 Lorena Gonzalez 8:53 Where is the governor on AI bills? 10:52 And the gubernatorial candidates? 14:13 "Everything is AI enabled" 16:04 What are the big issues for Labor in 2026? 17:25 "Labor grew in California last year by 100,000 members" 19:29 Quad endorsement 22:08 More union members voted MAGA in 2024 - where are they now? 25:47 Are the Dems hearing the Labor message? 29:00 The impact of the Chavez revelations 38:10 #WWCA Want to support the Capitol Weekly Podcast? Make your tax deductible donation here: capitolweekly.net/donations/ Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang "#WorstWeekCA" Beat provided by freebeats.io Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    49 min

  3. 23 MAR

    From Cesar Chavez to We Said Enough.

    Last week's spectacular downfall of Labor icon Cesar Chavez was unprecedented. The New York Times' bombshell report on allegations of sexual abuse of young girls by Chavez, coupled with UFW co-founder Dolores Huerta's disturbing story of rape at his hands toppled the legacy of one of the most significant figures in California history. If Chavez' exposure was a surprise, the general content of the stories was tragically familiar. The revelations come as America is roiled in controversy over Jeffrey Epstein's crimes against women and girls, and nine years after the We Said Enough moment exposed rife sexual harassment - and worse - in the Capitol Community. Our guest, POLITICO Melanie Mason reported extensively on We Said Enough as that story broke, and joined us to reflect on the Chavez allegations, abuse of power and the difficulties survivors face in coming forward. Want to support the Capitol Weekly Podcast? Make your tax deductible donation here: capitolweekly.net/donations/ Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang "#WorstWeekCA" Beat provided by freebeats.io Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    52 min
  4. NEWSWELL wants to transform journalism. Can they help solve the local news crisis?

    16 MAR

    NEWSWELL wants to transform journalism. Can they help solve the local news crisis?

    Local journalism in the United States is in crisis. Almost 40% of all local newspapers in the US have vanished since 2005, leaving "news deserts," areas that lack consistent local reporting. Many of these areas now have no local reporting; in others, legitimate news outlets have been replaced by "Pink Slime" - partisan "fake news" websites masquerading as independent local news. What can be done to stop the collapse of local news? Two years ago, Arizona State University launched NEWSWELL, a nonprofit organization that offers comprehensive wraparound services - including fundraising - to their newsroom partners, helping them build sustainable business models. NEWSWELL now has a string of 15 news outlets, including 11 in California. We're joined by Nicole Carroll, Executive Director of NEWSWELL and a professor at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. She shares the vision behind NEWSWELL, explains the ASU connection and looks at what indie news needs to survive. 2:06 Billionaires tax 3:01 Litigation around card rooms 3:29 Insurance Commissioner candidates 5:56 Nicole Carroll 7:29 The California Connection 9:09 Plight of local news 11:09 The Cronkite School 11:57 ASU internship program 13:27 Capitol Weekly internships 14:11 New study: Media Impact Founders 21:33 The Pulitzer Committee 24:00 Leisure time? 25:43 3WWCA Want to support the Capitol Weekly Podcast? Make your tax deductible donation here: capitolweekly.net/donations/ Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang "#WorstWeekCA" Beat provided by freebeats.io Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    32 min
  5. A conversation with Sanjay Wagle of the California Association of Realtors

    9 MAR

    A conversation with Sanjay Wagle of the California Association of Realtors

    Housing remains the hottest topic in California policy, and our guest today is Sanjay Wagle, who heads up the Governmental Affairs team for the California Association of Realtors. The Realtors' Gubernatorial Forum was a hot ticket in Sacramento last week, and we discuss the topics raised there, and many others. And, of course we tell you who had the Worst Week in California Politics. 1:32 CAR Gubernatorial Forum 6:55 Single Stair reform 7:58 Insurance Commissioner's Race 9:53 Ticketmaster 11:43 TV picks? 17:06 Sanjay Wagle 18:05 The state of the housing market 20:30 Home prices: California vs. rest of US 23:03 You need an average income of $213K to afford a home in CA 24:35 How many houses does California need? 30:28 Cost of permits and fees is a de facto block on housing 34:58 Insurance 38:52 Impact of Fire Hardening on curb appeal 42:40 Housing bond 43:48 #WWCA Want to support the Capitol Weekly Podcast? Make your tax deductible donation here: capitolweekly.net/donations/ Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang "#WorstWeekCA" Beat provided by freebeats.io Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    57 min
  6. Special Episode: A Conversation on housing with Asm. Buffy Wicks

    2 MAR

    Special Episode: A Conversation on housing with Asm. Buffy Wicks

    This Special Episode of the Capitol Weekly Podcast was recorded live at A Conference on Housing, which was held in Sacramento on Tuesday, February 24, 2026. This is the Keynote: Asm. Buffy Wicks in conversation with Capitol Weekly Editor Rich Ehisen. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    36 min
  7. A chat with Jennifer Barrera of CalChamber

    23 FEB

    A chat with Jennifer Barrera of CalChamber

    Our guest Jennifer Barrera has been President and CEO of the California Chamber of Commerce since 2021. The venerable institution - founded in 1890 as the California State Board of Trade - advocates for pro-business policies and investments. Barrera is well known and well respected in the capitol community, and has been an effective messenger for the CalChamber's many causes, including reform of the Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA). She spoke with us about the Chamber's approach to the state's affordability crisis, the increasing calls to tax the ultra-rich and a ballot measure to reform CEQA.  1:27 What's on Capitol Weekly? 4:00 February 25, 1942: The Battle of Los Angeles 5:30 Jennifer Barrera 6:08 Thoughts and expectations for 2026 8:10 Affordability 10:28 CEQA ballot measure 19:29 Ballot measure process 24:39 PAGA reform 31:49 AI - Boon or bubble? 35:42 Taxing the ultra-rich 41:13 #WWCA Want to support the Capitol Weekly Podcast? Make your tax deductible donation here: capitolweekly.net/donations/ Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang  "#WorstWeekCA" Beat provided by freebeats.io Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    50 min
  8. A chat with Clint Kellum of the Department of Cannabis Control

    16 FEB

    A chat with Clint Kellum of the Department of Cannabis Control

    Today we welcome Clint Kellum, the new (as of November 2025) Director of the California Department of Cannabis Control.  The CDCC licenses and regulates cannabis businesses, including regulation of cannabis growers, manufacture of cannabis products, and sales, transportation and tracking of cannabis goods. Kellum took the helm just after Governor Newsom signed AB 564, a bill to reset the state’s cannabis excise tax rate at 15% until 2028, giving California's struggling legal cannabis market hope after a rough few years. Kellum explains what AB 564 means for the industry and the state, and looks at challenges and opportunities ahead. And, as always, we tell you who had the Worst Week in California Politics. 1:03 Bill introductions and lobbying reports 3:42 The Top Two Simulator 6:04 Clint Kellum 6:45 AB564 8:09 The taxation environment 12:42 Complexities of descheduling 13:30 Startups? 15:02 Illegal cannabis seizures 19:46 Direct to consumer sales 21:54 Biggest challenges and opportunities 25:49 How did you get into this? 29:03 #WWCA Want to support the Capitol Weekly Podcast? Make your tax deductible donation here: capitolweekly.net/donations/ Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang  "#WorstWeekCA" Beat provided by freebeats.io Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    40 min
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About

The Capitol Weekly Podcast covers California politics and public policy, and features interviews with elected officials, staffers, advocates, analysts, newsmakers, and even, -gasp- journalists. Listen at Apple Podcasts, SoundCloud, or at capitolweekly.net

Information

  • Creator
    CAPITOLWEEKLY
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2026
  • Episodes
    452
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved
  • Show Website
    Capitol Weekly Podcast

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