How 2 fringe groups and a friendly judge helped pull off Sheriff Chad Bianco’s ballot seizure Emails obtained by CalMatters trace the development of a years-long case that ultimately led to the unprecedented seizure of 650,000 ballots.

Chad Bianco is not telling the truth on this debate stage. @calmatters.org has the receipts about what really led to this phony and unprecedented seizure cal.news/4n1xEEV

People walk up to the Secretary of State building in Sacramento on Nov. 7, 2022. Photo by Miguel Gutierrez Jr., CalMatters

Come fall, anti-tax advocates and real estate developers may have reason to rejoice; city governments, public sector unions and the city of Los Angeles could have reason to worry. cal.news/41ROI6n

📸 Miguel Gutierrez Jr.

Monterey Park becomes the first city in California to ban "all data centers within city limits" Residents of the small enclave east of LA not only killed their city's proposed 250,000 square foot data center, they pushed city council to ban them altogether

Last night, after an hours-long public hearing, Monterey Park became the first city in California to pass an ordinance permanently banning data centers.

The city council voted unanimously to declare data centers a public nuisance, and to "prohibit all data centers within city limits."

My story:

How 2 fringe groups and a friendly judge helped pull off Sheriff Chad Bianco’s ballot seizure Emails obtained by CalMatters trace the development of a years-long case that ultimately led to the unprecedented seizure of 650,000 ballots.

Anat Rubin and I co-wrote a story for @calmatters.org about the people behind Sheriff Chad Bianco's "election investigation" -- sovereign citizens, Christian nationalists, and "constitutional sheriffs."
calmatters.org/investigatio...

California Uber drivers sue over ‘deactivations’ in new challenge to rideshare law The drivers say Uber is violating the law it wrote in California because drivers have no real way to appeal when they’re kicked off the app

A California drivers group is suing Uber over "deactivations," saying the company has failed to provide ride-hailing drivers an appeals system with due process, as promised by Prop 22. I've covered the deactivation problem in gig work for years. My story:
calmatters.org/economy/2026...

Emails show Amazon colluding with other firms to raise prices, California authorities allege The previously redacted messages were unveiled as part of an antitrust battle with California attorney general Rob Bonta

Emails released on Monday by California’s attorney general show Amazon allegedly colluding with other companies to raise the prices of pet treats, khaki pants, eyedrops and other products sold online

The California Highway Patrol hosts a swearing-in ceremony for more than 100 new officers at the CHP Academy in Sacramento on Sept. 13, 2024. Photo by Florence Middleton, CalMatters. HED: How a CHP hiring spree started to bend the curve on CalPERS contribution rates

There’s a surprise in the upcoming budget for the California Public Employees’ Retirement System: The cost of paying for pensions is actually starting to come down. But here's why not to get too excited: cal.news/48dzHiZ

📷️ Florence Middleton

Concertgoers cheer as KATSEYE perform at Youtube Theater in Inglewood on Dec. 12, 2025. Photo by Andrew Park, Invision via AP

Bruno Mars tickets running for $2,000 and ones for SZA costing $600 caught California lawmakers’ attention. They’re advancing two bills targeting the resale market. cal.news/4cin20A

📸 Andrew Park, AP

Key Trump lawyer who tried to overturn 2020 election permanently disbarred Eastman has remained active in election denial circles, continuing to push conspiracy theories about voting and elections.

🚨BREAKING: The California Supreme Court permanently disbarred John Eastman — a key architect in President Donald Trump’s failed attempt to overturn the 2020 election — delivering one of the most consequential professional penalties yet for an election denier. www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/...

ICE Has Arrested Dozens of Delivery Drivers at the Gates of a San Diego Military Base Advocates warn immigrants to avoid military bases when working for apps like Uber, Lyft and DoorDash.

ICE is arresting delivery drivers at a San Diego military base. According to an attorney interviewed by Kate Morrissey, military police at the gates call ICE on any driver who is not a citizen or green card holder, even if they have permission to be in the country. capitalandmain.com/ice-has-arre...

Good story by @frombenc.bsky.social

A person is connected to a dialysis machine at the St. Joseph Hospital Renal Center in Orange where they receive dialysis three times a week. Photo by Mark Boster, Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

A federal appeals court ruled last week that California’s attempt to limit how much dialysis companies profit from certain privately insured patients is unconstitutional — a victory for an industry that has repeatedly beaten back efforts to control its costs. cal.news/4cbYpm7

📸 Mark Boster

The CalPERS regional offices in Sacramento on March 15, 2022. Photo by Miguel Gutierrez Jr., CalMatters

CalPERS on Tuesday gave up a seven-year legal battle to claw back hundreds of thousands of dollars from four pensioners who the fund accused of breaking the rules about working after retirement. cal.news/4eltvJl

📸 Miguel Gutierrez Jr.

I give up.

NLRB General Counsel Crystal Carey has moved to end a major labor law case against Amazon, which has also sued to have the entire agency declared unconstitutional.

Before being appointed by Trump, Carey worked at a corporate law firm that represented Amazon.

Connect the dots.

Coachella performers are funding the MAGA movement Following the money from Sabrina Carpenter, Justin Bieber, and Karol G to the politicians advancing Trump’s agenda

1. Coachella performers, including Sabrina Carpenter, Justin Bieber and Karol G, are funding the MAGA movement.

Let's follow the money.

🧵

Bay Area Council names former Oakland mayor as next CEO — Here are her priorities - San Francisco Business Times The next CEO of the Bay Area Council is a former Oakland mayor, who explained why she took this job and her priorities in an interview with the Business Times.

Former Oakland mayor Libby Schaaf had not taken a permanent full-time job in 3+ years since leaving city hall - until now.

I spoke with Libby on Sunday about her next role as CEO of the Bay Area Council, why she picked this job and what she will prioritize.

www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco...

A woman who worked for nearly two years for Rep. Eric Swalwell told the Chronicle she had sexual encounters with him while he was her boss and alleged he twice sexually assaulted her when she was too intoxicated to consent. www.sfchronicle.com/politics/art...

Republican gubernatorial candidate Chad Bianco speaks on stage during The Western Growers California Gubernatorial Candidate Forum at Fresno State in Fresno on April 1, 2026. Photo by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters

Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco’s investigators had no insider tipsters, no witnesses and no independent analyses from forensic experts when they approached a local judge and asked to take the unprecedented step of seizing hundreds of thousands of ballots cal.news/41oU74K

📸 Larry Valenzuela

Another must-read story from my colleague @calireporter.bsky.social

Years ago, I covered activism inside tech companies. This great story shows it is not dead.

California Supreme Court halts Republican sheriff's ballot investigation The justices agreed unanimously to hear state Attorney General Rob Bonta’s challenge to the actions by Bianco, a Republican candidate for governor, and decide whether the sheriff was acting...

The justices agreed unanimously to hear state Attorney General Rob Bonta’s challenge to the actions by Bianco, a Republican candidate for governor, and decide whether the sheriff was acting...

Alfred Aldrete in the Tower District of Fresno on Feb. 27, 2026. The Clovis Police Department referred to prosecutors a criminal charge against him after he helped with security during a student-walkout protest against federal immigration raids. Photo by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters

A central California police department this week filed criminal charges against a man who helped escort student protesters during a protest against the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, but the case quickly dissipated... cal.news/3OsLMtJ

📸 Larry Valenzuela

$2 million per ship — to cross a Strait that was free six weeks ago.

@nytimes.com
www.nytimes.com/2026/04/06/w...

Let’s not forget that Donald Trump threatened to destroy an entire civilization. We move so quickly through our insane new cycles. But this outrage should be a keeper and not cast quickly to the side because Trump again decided not to make good on an absurd and extreme threat.

From my colleague's story: The DMV is delaying because it is under pressure from the U.S. Department of Transportation, which has threatened to punish California if it issues commercial licenses to these immigrants.

Voters wait in line at the Riverside County Registrar of Voters office in Riverside on Nov. 5, 2024. Photo by Jules Hotz for CalMatters

Breaking: Several media organizations, including CalMatters, filed a motion seeking public access to the warrants a judge approved allowing Sheriff Chad Bianco to seize hundreds of thousands of ballots cal.news/47FNsGS

📸 Jules Hotz

The @apnews.com picks up @levisu.bsky.social's story on new SBA qualifications that exclude green-card holders.

Read this by my colleague @jeremiak.com

good lord www.politico.com/newsletters/...