Capitol Weekly Podcast

CAPITOLWEEKLY
  • 3.9 (17)
  • NEWS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

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. A conversation with Sanjay Wagle of the California Association of Realtors

    5D AGO

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

    MAR 2

    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
  3. A chat with Jennifer Barrera of CalChamber

    FEB 23

    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
  4. A chat with Clint Kellum of the Department of Cannabis Control

    FEB 16

    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

  5. FEB 9

    Where are we on SB 54? Plus more enviro updates with Jennifer Fearing

    This week we're joined by lobbyist Jennifer Fearing of Fearless Advocacy.  Fearing was a key player in the negotiations to pass SB 54, a landmark bill that regulates plastic waste in California. Governor Newsom signed the bill in 2022, but as we all know, passing legislation is one thing, implementation is another. Fearing walks us through the bill's complicated journey, and gives us an updates on it, and other environmental actions in the state.  Plus - Who had the Worst Week in California Politics. :42 Sports tix for electeds 7:06 Jennifer Fearing 8:55 Regulating SB 54 12:13 How often do regs change? 13:50 SB 54 has legs outside of California 16:57 The steps 19:39 Some environmental good news 24:54 "Deals are a bunch of trades" 26:21 Recycling: not a new idea 29:01 #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.

    47 min

  6. FEB 2

    Beyond the Governor's Race

    The race to replace Governor Gavin Newsom has taken up most of California's political oxygen so far this year, but there are other statewide races coming up, including Lt. Governor, State Insurance Commissioner, and - potentially - a slew of Ballot Measures. Capitol Weekly Editor Rich Ehisen, reporter Leah O'Tarrow and podcast co-host Tim Foster take a look at the 2026 ballot. Plus - Who Had the Worst Week in California Politics. 1:42 Gubertorial debate 3:23 Not talking about the Governor's race 5:46 Top Two: Republicans for Governor? 10:01 Lt. Gov's race 12:32 Tim Myers 17:25 The Insurance Commissioner's race 24:20 Ballot Measures 28:21 Polling - the Herding Effect 30:16 Auto accident liability payouts 32:27 Child safety - AI and smartphones 34:43 Liability for rideshare companies 40:30 Gratuitous Alex Vassar mention 44:43 #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
  7. Brian Green and California Voices

    JAN 26

    Brian Green and California Voices

    We're joined today by longtime capitol consultant - now retired - Brian Green, who worked in communications for the Senate Dem Caucus from 2011 until last year. As principal consultant, Green prepared talking points and issue updates, recorded videos, set up press conferences and hosted the “Then There’s California” podcast featuring in-depth interviews with Democratic senators. He began his career at 16, working as a DJ at a Redding radio station, parlaying that experience into talk radio gigs at high-power southern California stations KABC and KTMS. One year into retirement, he has launched his own podcast, "California Voices, with Brian Green." 1:32 What if Matt Mahan gets in the race for governor? 4:00 Housing Conference 5:44 Sacramento Bee article on tiny homes 6:18 Brian Green 8:28 Reading Lou Cannon 10:28 Memorable figures in #Caleg 12:08 "The voice of God" 12:37 Willie Brown's weekly radio broadcast 16:32 "Then There's California" 23:03 Sen. Leland Yee 24:53 "You are lucky if you can influence legislation on the fringes of public policy" 26:20 "California Voices with Brian Green" 31:07 A sit down with Sutter 34:16 Celebrities at the capitol 38:51 #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.

    45 min
  8. Jack Ohman: Politics, cartooning and the new media landscape

    JAN 19

    Jack Ohman: Politics, cartooning and the new media landscape

    Jack Ohman has been a political cartoonist for 48 years; he got his start at the Minnesota Daily when he was still a college student, and at 19 he became the youngest-ever syndicated cartoonist in the United States. He has worked at major papers across the US, including The Detroit Free Press, The Oregonian and The Sacramento Bee, where in 2016 he won the Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning. Since 2023 he has been the editorial cartoonist and a political columnist for The San Francisco Chronicle, and also publishes at his Substack, Jack Ohman's You Betcha. He joined us to talk about his history in the news biz, the state of editorial cartooning, the death of Scott Adams, and much, much more.   Plus - Who Had the Worst Week in California Politics. 1:00 Sports betting update 3:27 The Prop. 50 court decision 5:41 Clarissa Laguardia podcast 6:47 Jack Ohman 7:46 Origin story 9:23 Collapse of the afternoon papers 11:53 Substack 14:04 Political cartooning vs. comic strips 15:30 "I never really wanted to be a cartoonist, I wanted to be governor of Minnesota" 16:00 Kate Brown 18:27 Youngest syndicated cartoonist 23:46 Are we in a new Yellow Journalism era? 26:58 "In some ways we're fighting the same battles of the Civil War" 33:27 The Death of Scott Adams 36: 39 Bacchi Decision 40:21 Where is cartooning right now? 48:46 Thomas Nast 49:43 #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.

    55 min
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3.9
out of 5
17 Ratings

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
    448
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved
  • Show Website
    Capitol Weekly Podcast

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