Political Breakdown

The state legislature continues to weigh reforms around utilities and wildfires, and Republicans jump on a failed attempt to audit the state DMV (00:40). Then, State Senator Kevin de Leon joins the show to talk about his childhood in San Diego, fatherhood, how he chooses his legislative battles, bringing organized labor into a clean-energy future, and his run for U.S. Senate (8:11). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The skyrocketing costs of California's wildfires raise new fiscal questions for the Governor and the legislature, while Barack Obama and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez make splashes in California (0:40). Then, Congressman Eric Swalwell joins Marisa and Guy Marzorati to talk about his Iowa roots (6:31) student loans (8:57), why his dad got fired from an Iowa police department (10:51), being the lone Democrat in his family (12:32), why Dianne Feinstein is not Pete Stark (15:49), and what event to focus on in the saga of Russian election interference and President Trump (21:24). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Governor Brown proposes new changes to laws governing utility liability in response to the state's wildfires (1:12) and Scott and Marisa talk about new data that sheds a different light on poverty in California (6:46). Then, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spokesman Drew Godinich discusses Democrat's prospects in Orange County House races (9:19), political diversity in his Texas family (13:20), how to make health care a top voting issue (16:25), and asking candidates to drop out in order to avoid a top-two primary disaster (23:25). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra joins Scott and Katie Orr to talk about the recent dismissal of challenges to California's sanctuary state law (1:30) how his parents dealt with bigotry as Mexican immigrants (6:30) what's to blame for California's increase in hate crimes (10:00) how he prepared for an interview with Stephen Colbert (13:17) and the story behind his appointment by Governor Jerry Brown (21:30). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Marisa and Scott run through a wild day in the state legislature, with last-minute deals on digital privacy, lead paint cleanup, and soda taxes to avoid ballot measure battles in November (0:50). Then, Sacramento mayor Darrell Steinberg talks about his 2014 law that allowed the legislature to negotiate ballot measures (8:32), his reputation as a nice guy in politics (14:50) the difference between addressing homelessness as a mayor and a legislator (16:47), the "cutting the ribbon syndrome" (17:45), how Jerry Brown has dealt with homelessness (19:02), and the statewide effort to expand rent control (22:27). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scott and Marisa discuss the retirement of Supreme Court Justice (and Sacramento native) Anthony Kennedy, and his departure's impact on California. With McGeorge School of Law Dean Michael Hunter Schwartz, Loyola Law School professor Jessica Levinson, Cook Political Report senior editor Jennifer Duffy, and the Family Research Council's Travis Weber. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California Report host John Sepulvado joins Scott and Marisa to share his experience of reporting from migrant camps in Tornillo, Texas (0:45) Then, State Senator Connie Leyva makes the case for visiting Chino (9:49), her rise from working at a supermarket to leading the California Labor Federation (11:55), why California Democrats need to choose more progressive candidates (19:55), and lessons from the legislature's handling of sexual misconduct claims (21:55). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scott and Marisa are joined by KQED's Katie Orr and the San Francisco Chronicle's Joe Garofoli to recap Tuesday's primary, look ahead to the general election in the Governor's race, and analyze the impact of the #MeToo movement on some state contests. State Senator Josh Newman, recalled by Orange County voters, calls in to discuss his gas tax vote and the impact of his recall on politics in Orange County and the state legislature. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After a heated jungle primary, Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom and Republican businessman John Cox are set to face off in the November governor's race. Plus, both Democrats and Republicans appear pleased with their performances in some of the state's hotly contested Congressional races. In this Political Breakdown special, hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos are joined by pollster Mark DiCamillo and reporters from across the state to discuss all the latest numbers in California's June primary election. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The State Assembly wraps up its sexual harassment investigation of Cristina Garcia, and California Republicans gather at the White House to denounce the state's 'sanctuary' law (0:45) Then, Scott and Marisa are joined by San Francisco mayoral candidate Angela Alioto, who talks about growing up as the daughter of the mayor (8:20), her mother's brief disappearance in 1974 (12:05), what Joe Alioto taught her about politics (13:56), her proposal to change San Francisco's 'sanctuary' law (17:15), and how she's changed politically over her career (23:08). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The six leading candidates for Governor square off in a high-profile debate, and (try to) talk about sacrifices in their lives. Political Breakdown hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos recap the debate with KQED's Guy Marzorati, and talk about where past GOP donors are spending their money in the race. Then, Democratic political operative Gil Duran talks about growing up in Kentucky (10:30) meeting Jerry Brown while working as a janitor (14:34), Mayor Jerry vs. Governor Jerry (15:43), and the most disciplined politician he's worked for (19:13). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A shakeup of leadership in the House of Representatives sets California up for increased influence in 2019 (00:25), and a California mayor has his sights on Iowa (3:23). Then, San Francisco supervisor and mayoral hopeful Jane Kim joins Political Breakdown hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos to talk about Wu-Tang as her campaign anthem (6:55), coming up in Chinatown politics as a Korean-American (11:50), learning from losses (19:10) and why she's focusing on clean streets in her mayoral campaign (24:49) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The shooting of Stephon Clark sparks protests in Sacramento and renews the conversation around statewide policing reforms. KQED's Katie Orr gives an update from Sacramento after Thursday's funeral. (00:37) Oakland civil rights attorney John Burris joins to talk about how the city of Sacramento has handled the response to the shooting (9:00), what he looks for before taking on a case (11:25), how video changed police misconduct cases (16:00), and why certain cases gain national attention (25:07). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Attorney General Jeff Sessions visits the Capitol on the heels of the Trump administration's immigration lawsuit against California (00:20). Devin Katayama, host of The Bay, joins to discuss the continued fallout from Oakland mayor Libby Schaaf's decision to warn of an immigration raid (1:00). Shannon Coulter, founder of #GrabYourWallet, tells Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos about her movement of consumer boycotts (10:10), and the time Tyra Banks called to get her name off of the boycott list (15:00). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Former California Assembly Speaker and San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown talks with Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos about the levers of power in Sacramento (5:40), growing up in Texas (12:15), his weekly newspaper column (23:25), and the Mayor's race (26:00). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices