California senator calls for law after judge releases convicted child predator who disappeared

May 24, 2026 By Staff Leave a Comment

A California state senator is calling for legislative changes after a judge in El Dorado County released a convicted child predator who later disappeared before his sentencing.

Carl Cacconie, convicted in July of six felony sex crimes against an 11-year-old girl, vanished in August and failed to appear for his sentencing hearing. Judge Michael McLaughlin had allowed Cacconie to leave the South Lake Tahoe courthouse on the same day he was convicted, releasing him on the same $1 million bond he had posted during the trial.

State Sen. Shannon Grove, a Republican from Bakersfield, expressed outrage over the judge’s decision.

“I was extraordinarily angry that no one stood up for that little girl that came to tell her story,” Grove said.

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“Jurors said this guy is guilty of six counts of sexually assaulting this beautiful little 11-year-old girl, and the judge just lets him out. What explanation does the judge have for this?” she added.

El Dorado County District Attorney Vern Pierson thinks the judge made a critical error in not taking Cacconie into custody immediately after the conviction.

“Who screwed up?” KCRA 3 asked.

“Well, in this instance, that part was the judge,” Pierson said.

Pierson criticized California’s approach to criminal defendants, saying it prioritizes releasing individuals from custody over public safety.

“In other words, we don’t want to hold people in custody. You know, we need to look at every [case] and give them every chance to be released from custody. And I think this is probably a byproduct of that type of mentality,” Pierson said.

The victim, now 23 years old, said the judicial process failed her after she worked hard to prepare for the trial.

“Everything that I did just to get ready and mentally, it just kind of went right out the window,” she said.

Click here to read the full article at KCRA

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Jack up taxes on California’s rich? Popular liberal mantra, but bad idea

May 21, 2026 By George Skelton 3 Comments

SACRAMENTO —  The Democrats’ mantra this election year — especially among wannabe governors — is that the richest Californians should “pay their fair share.” But by any objective measurement, they already do.

I’m referring to state taxes, not federal. It’s a valid argument that the most prosperous Americans should kick in more to the federal government, particularly after President Trump and the Republican Congress lowered taxes for the wealthy, who already had a pretty good deal.

But it’s a different story in California, where state government lives off the well-heeled. Yet, never-satisfied liberal Democrats and public employee unions constantly cry for more.

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In fact, an unexpected surge of $16.8 billion in state tax revenue, mostly due to the stock market boom and capital gains earnings, is bailing out Gov. Gavin Newsom and allowing him to claim a balanced budget as he prepares to depart Sacramento and run for president in 2028.

The state Franchise Tax Board recently reported which income groups pony up the most taxes. The more money you earn, the steeper your income tax burden. Of course, that’s the way it should be. But California pushes its progressive tax system to the extreme.

We’ve got by far the highest state income tax rate in the nation at 13.3%.

In 2024, the latest year for which there’s complete data, the top 1% of California taxpayers accounted for 40% of the total state income tax revenue, the FTB reported. But they earned just 24% of the taxable income. To be in the top 1%, your annual earnings had to be at least $973,000.

Click here to read the full article in the LA Times

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Governor’s race has CA Dems holding on to their ballots

May 13, 2026 By Lynn La Leave a Comment

To vote early, or not to vote early? That is the question — at least for some California Democrats who want to avoid seeing two Republicans as the only candidates for governor come November.

As CalMatters’ Maya C. Miller explains, fears that two GOP candidates will advance through the June primary because Democratic voters failed to coalesce around a top candidate has some liberals deciding to cast their ballots at the 11th hour.

The strategy — which has spread online among impassioned Democrats — supposes that if you hold off voting early and keep watching the polls, a standout should eventually emerge and that is when you should make your decision.

  • Katie Evans-Reber, a Democratic voter in San Francisco: “The thing that flipped for me was going from, ‘I don’t really know what to do,’ to, ‘I strategically am not making a decision.”

But turning in mail-in ballots on Election Day is the worst possible scenario for election administration officials who must process and verify ballots in a state notorious for its slow vote-counting process. 

The advice goes against pleas from top Democratic officials including Gov. Gavin Newsom and Secretary of State Shirley Weber who are urging voters to turn in their ballots early. 

Paul Mitchell, a Democratic political consultant, also argues that the strategy likely won’t produce significant results, and that “people vote for whoever they were going to vote for anyway.”

  • Mitchell: “It’s just a bad message. I think they should always have a message of, ‘As soon as you get your ballot, fill it out, turn it in, mail it in and get it done.”


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The issues defining California’s future don’t wait, and neither should you. From AI to immigration to the next governor’s challenges, join CalMatters on May 21 for the Ideas Festival and be part of the conversation. Secure your seat.

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California under pressure — again — as partisan redistricting wars escalate

May 8, 2026 By Ana Ceballos Leave a Comment
  • The new maps could already lead to Democrats being elected in 48 of the California’s 52 congressional districts.
  • Some Democrats warn that further partisan redistricting could backfire on the party.

WASHINGTON — When the U.S. Supreme Court sharply curtailed a key provision of the Voting Rights Act last week, Democrats in Washington had a message: The rules of redistricting have changed, and California — the nation’s biggest blue bastion — may have a further role to play.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) said Democrats should “play by the same set of rules” as Republicans. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) vowed to fight in “the Deep South and all over the country.” And Rep. Terri Sewell, an Alabama Democrat, was blunt: “I’ll take 52 seats from California, I sure would. And 17 seats from Illinois.”

The calls for action came as Republican governors in Louisiana, Alabama, Mississipppi and Tennessee called special legislative sessions to redraw congressional maps ahead of this year’s midterm elections. Florida has also approved new maps that could give the GOP four more seats in the House, and President Trump urged other Republican states to follow suit.

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The Republican response has intensified the pressure on Democrats to act, including those in California — where the ruling could upend not just congressional maps, but also legislative and local races.

“We can’t allow this national gerrymandering effort of Republicans to go unanswered,” said Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Long Beach). “If Republicans go for it, I think we have to leave all options on the table.”

For now, California’s response is far from settled.

The chair of the California Democratic Party said there are no current plans to redraw maps — just months after voters approved a constitutional amendment authorizing a mid-decade redistricting backed by Gov. Gavin Newsom.

The Democratic consultant who drew the state’s current congressional district boundaries says an all-blue map, while possible to create, would probably hurt Democrats more than help them in the long run. And some of the state’s congressional Democrats are worried the impulse to match Republican partisan efforts would be bad for the American electorate.

“Rather than accelerating a race to the bottom, the next step is to dial it down because you can reach a point of no return,” said Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Los Angeles), one of the state’s most prominent Black lawmakers. “And that’s where we’re headed.”

Click here to read the full article in the LA Times

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New California Bill Would Let Deported Professors Keep Teaching under ‘Catastrophic Leave?’

May 7, 2026 By Katy Grimes 1 Comment

So deportation is just a ‘catastrophic leave program’ in California?

A new bill introduced in February 2026 from California Assemblyman Mike Gipson (D-Los Angeles) would let illegal immigrant community college professors who get deported, continue to teach students remotely.

From the “you can’t make this $@*! up file, Assembly Bill 2019 requires a community college district to allow a deported or detained faculty member to perform, to the extent possible, their instruction and professional duties remotely. And the bill requires a deported or detained faculty member provide verification their departure occurred due to immigration enforcement actions, voluntary removal due to the threat of immigration enforcement, or denial of reentry to the US while briefly traveling abroad.

According to the bill, this “would require a community college district to allow its faculty who departed the United States on or after January 1, 2027, for a specified reason, including, among others, due to immigration enforcement actions by the Department of Homeland Security, and who was teaching for the community college district at the time of departure to perform their instruction and professional duties through distance education or other remote modalities offered by the community college district, as provided. By imposing new duties on community college districts, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.”

AB 2019 Bill Analysis by Assembly Appropriations says:

Community colleges must abide by federal and state employment laws, meaning employees must have legal work authorization for employment at a CCD. Therefore, some faculty members may be lawfully employed at a CCD by virtue of a permanent resident card (green card), a J-1 Exchange Visitor Visa, H-1B Specialty Occupation Visa, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) eligibility. However, according to the Deportation Data Project, in 2025 “Immigrations and Custom enforcement began making more arrests of people without criminal convictions and more arrests at large in communities and at ICE check-ins,” which resulted in significantly increased detainments and deportations of immigrants, including those with lawful status. The bill’s author contends that by allowing a deported or detained faculty member to continue instruction remotely, the “bill ensures that when unexpected circumstances arise, our community colleges can respond with clarity, consistency, and a continued commitment to student success.”

According to AB 2019 Bill Analysis prepared by the Assembly Higher Education committee:

Author’s intent. As conveyed by the author, “California’s community colleges are built on the promise of access, stability, and opportunity. For many students who depend on our community colleges – particularly those who are first-generation, economically disadvantaged, or balancing work and family responsibilities—these disruptions can derail their academic progress and delay their path to a degree or transfer to an institution that grants four-year degrees. AB 2019 addresses this gap by providing limited faculty protections designed to maintain instructional continuity for students. This bill ensures that when unexpected circumstances arise, our community colleges can respond with clarity, consistency, and a continued commitment to student success.”

“As conveyed by the author,” and “comments” in the bill analyses don’t suffice for “author’s comments,” as is standard practice. Apparently Assemblyman Gipson doesn’t want to make an affirmative statement on his bill to allow illegal immigrants to continue teaching in California community colleges remotely if they have been deported.

Click here to read the full article in the California Globe

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Donald Trump weighs down state Republicans

May 6, 2026 By Lynn La 1 Comment

Though you are surely plumbing the depths of CalMatters’ comprehensive voter guide, let’s highlight two parts in particular: The race for state treasurer and California legislative elections:

State treasurer: Six candidates are vying to be California’s next money manager, but the race is largely between two top Democrats: Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, whom Gov. Gavin Newsom endorsed, and state Sen. Anna Caballero of Merced. Caballero is a longtime legislator and formerly served as Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency secretary under Gov. Jerry Brown. Though the two candidates agree on most issues, they do take different stances on clean energy alternatives. 

Under California’s electoral system, the two candidates who get the most votes advance to the November ballot, regardless of party. That means a Republican could also claim a spot. The California GOP has endorsed Jennifer Hawks, a Bay Area Republican Party activist, over Republican businessman David Serpa. Both candidates say they want to rein in spending from California Democrats.

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California Legislature: Two seats in the Assembly that Republicans recently flipped are up for reelection. But the GOP faces a twofold challenge this time: President Donald Trump’s approval rating has been slipping and the president’s party almost always loses in downballot races during the midterms. 

Two years ago, Republican incumbent Jeff Gonzalez of Coachella pulled off a stunning upset when he won his election for Assembly District 36, a left-leaning Latino-majority district. Now he faces three Democratic challengers who are linking him to Trump’s immigration enforcement. Gonzalez, in a statement, said he blames both parties for using immigration as “a political chess piece.” 

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California Republicans who flipped seats in 2024 are fighting to keep them

May 5, 2026 By Yue Stella Yu Leave a Comment

California’s primary election is just around the corner. Prepare to vote with the latest updates from our election newsletter.

In 2024, California Republicans flipped three legislative seats amid a nationwide rightward shift that helped elect President Donald Trump. 

Now, they must play defense.

Two of the seats they flipped in the state Assembly are up for reelection. Republicans are also fending off challenges in a few other purple districts. 

Defending their seats will be a tall task: The president’s party almost always loses in downballot races during the midterms, and Trump’s approval rating has slipped.

Democratic challengers in those hot races are bashing GOP incumbents for failing to defend Californians from Trump’s actions. 

“California Republicans have spent a decade wrapping their arms around Donald Trump, so they can’t run away from the president’s record,” said California Democratic Party Chair Rusty Hicks. 

For embattled Republicans, it’ll be crucial to keep Trump at arm’s length, GOP consultants and local party chairs agree. 

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The dynamic is playing out in the rematch between Assemblymember Leticia Castillo, a Corona Republican, and Clarissa Cervantes, a Democrat and Riverside city councilmember who lost to Castillo by fewer than 600 votes in 2024. Republicans slammed Cervantes for her two drunk driving convictions, and Castillo won despite being heavily outspent: Her campaign raised just $78,000 compared to Cervantes’ $1 million.

This time, Cervantes, whose sister Sen. Sabrina Cervantes previously held this seat, is banking on voters who’ve grown frustrated with the high cost of living Trump promised to bring down. In a CalMatters interview, she pointed to the war in Iran that has sent gas prices skyrocketing, saying Castillo is complacent about Trump’s policies. Castillo has focused on “conspiracy theories and culture wars,” Cervantes argued, referring to a bill the Republican authored to keep transgender women out of locker rooms and restrooms.

“She’s not getting anything done for us,” Cervantes said.

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Who’s running for Congress in California? These races could determine the majority

May 3, 2026 By Maya C. Miller Leave a Comment

California’s primary election is just around the corner. Prepare to vote with the latest updates from our election newsletter.

California voters could cast the deciding votes this November that flip control of the U.S. House. If Democrats win a majority, they could block President Donald Trump’s legislative agenda, grill his cabinet officials and launch investigations into his administration.

The road to a House majority runs through California. Democrats are on offense after voters last year approved new congressional maps that forced nine incumbent Republicans into more left-leaning districts. Three are designed to flip, and two others favor Democrats. 

Most national investment will focus on two remaining tossup races — one in the Central Valley and one in San Diego. 

Several incumbent Democrats also face challenges from younger, progressive candidates who say it’s time for new leadership. While incumbents traditionally have the fundraising advantage, newcomers are betting that voters want change. 

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Before the November election, California’s open primary system narrows each race to the top two vote-getters regardless of party — meaning many contested congressional races pit Democrats against each other.

Here are the races CalMatters is watching closely before the June 2 primary. 

Congressional District 22: Fresno, Kings, Tulare and Kern counties

In the Central Valley, two Democrats are fighting for the chance to take on Rep. David Valadao, the vulnerable Republican incumbent whose only election loss came in 2018 during Trump’s first term. 

As the sole remaining GOP congressmember who voted to impeach Trump after Jan. 6, Valadao brands himself as a moderate despite frequently voting in line with his party. He cast the deciding vote for Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” which cuts an estimated $1 trillion from Medicaid over 10 years while extending tax cuts that disproportionately benefit the wealthy. 

Both Democratic opponents are attacking that vote as a “betrayal” of the nearly two-thirds of his constituents who rely on Medicaid for health insurance and SNAP for food assistance. 

Assemblymember Jasmeet Bains, a physician who has spent most of her career in hospitals and clinics that rely on Medi-Cal, has positioned herself as a moderate willing to buck her party. She was stripped of a notable committee position for refusing to support an anti-oil and gas bill. She’s backed by powerful labor groups including SEIU California and the California Labor Federation.

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California wealth tax push nears ballot as opposition spending grows

April 29, 2026 By Jenny Huh Leave a Comment

Supporters announced Monday they’re submitting more than 1.5 million signatures of support. Opponents say they’re ready to spend big

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California’s debate over a proposed wealth tax on billionaires intensified Monday as supporters say they submitted more than 1.5 million signatures of support in an effort to qualify the measure for the November 2026 ballot, setting up a high-stakes political fight with well-funded opposition already mobilizing.

The proposal, a one-time 5% tax on the net worth of California’s more than 200 billionaires, has drawn sharp divisions across the state’s political and economic landscape. 

Gov. Gavin Newsom has fiercely opposed the measure — primarily on the basis that such a push at the state level would drive away tax-paying corporations out of state, thereby driving away critical funding for education, public safety and health care.

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He does, however, support national efforts to tax billionaires more.  

Yet, some members of the Legislature and candidates for governor back it, including Democratic candidates billionaire Tom Steyer and Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond.

The healthcare union SEIU-UHW is the proponent of the measure.

Supporters like healthcare worker Mayra Castañeda say the tax is needed to offset what they describe as a looming $100 billion cut to healthcare programs tied to the so-called “Big Beautiful Bill,” warning of widespread consequences if funding gaps persist.

“Longer emergency room wait times. Fewer healthcare workers. Rural hospitals shutting down. Delayed care. And, lives lost that could have been saved,” Castañeda said of what funding cuts would mean.

Proponents argue the tax would generate that $100 billion over five years, helping stabilize healthcare services across California.

“[Billionaires] can afford to invest a little more in keeping California running,” Castañeda said.

Opponents, however, say the proposal is already having negative effects, warning it could and is driving wealthy residents and businesses out of the state.

“It’s already done damage, even though it hasn’t officially qualified yet,” said Jon Coupal with the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association. “The concept of a wealth tax is an idea that’s not ready for prime time.”

Click here to read the full article at ABC 10

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Trump’s divisive role in California politics is on display as GOP prepares election endorsements

April 11, 2026 By Nadia Lathan and Maya C. Miller 3 Comments

With so many candidates running for governor, it’s hard to keep up. We’re here to help: Sign up for our 2026 election newsletter to get the latest on the candidates.

This weekend’s California Republican Party convention was poised to be a drama-filled event. The party held out a slim hope that its two gubernatorial candidates, if they played nicely enough, could lock Democrats out of the November election and reclaim statewide office for the first time in 20 years.

But then President Donald Trump weighed in, backing former Fox News host Steve Hilton over Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco. 

Now, the state party’s endorsement is far less consequential.

“He screwed over California Republicans yet again,” said Rob Stutzman, a Republican political consultant, of Trump. “It’s just political malpractice to not have done a dual endorsement,” he added. “People were briefing the White House on the situation.”

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The weekend’s festivities in San Diego mark the first gathering since the state GOP’s bruising loss last November on Proposition 50, the Democrats’ gerrymandering plan designed to oust five Republicans from Congress in the midterm election. That loss only magnified the state party’s growing irrelevance since the ouster and resignation of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, the Bakersfield congressmember who made sure the national GOP didn’t forget about its California members.

The gubernatorial contest, as well as legislative races, had become the new focal points for a party in search of a way out of the political wilderness. Trump’s endorsement probably dashed any hope of a Republican governor, leaving the Legislature as Republicans’ best chance for wins. 

Bianco, who recently made headlines for seizing hundreds of thousands of ballots over claims of alleged voter fraud, is still expected to put up a fight for the 60% of delegate votes required to earn the party endorsement. Hilton will likely consolidate GOP support as loyal base voters fall in line behind Trump. Even without the party’s endorsement, Hilton is well positioned to finish in the top-two in June. 

Click here to read the full article in CalMatters

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