It’s Not Just QAnon. Democrats and Independents Also Want to Recall California’s Governor.
By Angela Hart and Samantha Young
Gov. Gavin Newsom is painting the effort to remove him from office as a partisan power grab. But among the tens of thousands of Californians who signed the recall petition are Democrats and independent voters frustrated by his pandemic policies, from school closures to vaccine distribution.
California’s Progressive — and Expensive — Health Care Ambitions Rely on Biden Win
By Angela Hart
There couldn’t be more at stake for California’s Democratic health care agenda in the presidential race. State lawmakers are already penning big-ticket legislation they hope to pursue should Democrat Joe Biden win, from single-payer to a new wealth tax.
Blue Shield Spent Years Cultivating a Relationship with Newsom. It Got the State Vaccine Contract.
By Samantha Young and Angela Hart
Insurance giant Blue Shield of California has made millions in charitable and political donations to Gov. Gavin Newsom over nearly two decades, largely to his dearly held homeless initiatives. In turn, Newsom has rewarded the insurer with a $15 million no-bid contract to lead the state’s covid vaccination distribution.
Health Care Groups Dive Into Property Tax Ballot Fight, Eyeing Public Health Money
By Angela Hart
Health care leaders say Proposition 15, a ballot initiative that would raise property taxes for large-business owners, could help boost revenue for chronically underfunded public health departments.
Public Health Officials Are Our COVID Commanders. Treat Them With Respect.
By Angela Hart
This pandemic is like war, and California’s local health officers are leading the state’s response. Yet unlike war heroes, who are lionized, they are facing unprecedented attacks and death threats.
New Single-Payer Bill Intensifies Newsom’s Political Peril
By Angela Hart and Rachel Bluth
With the introduction of a single-payer bill Friday, a group of California Democratic lawmakers set the terms of the health care debate in the Capitol this year. The move puts Gov. Gavin Newsom in a delicate political position, threatening to alienate voters as he faces a likely recall election.
As the Vulnerable Wait, Some Political Leaders’ Spouses Get Covid Vaccines
By Laura Ungar
Spouses of governors and federal leaders are getting early access to scarce doses of covid-19 vaccines. Some officials have argued their inoculation sets an example for the public and shows the vaccines to be safe and effective. But critics say those doses should go to more vulnerable people first.
Vaccines Go Mobile to Keep Seniors From Slipping Through the Cracks
By Rachel Bluth
A strike team of nurses and others is vaccinating Contra Costa County’s hardest-hit populations right where they live.
California’s Top Hospital Lobbyist Cements Influence in Covid Crisis
By Samantha Young
Carmela Coyle, who represents California’s hospitals in the state Capitol, is a power player whose clout has grown during the pandemic. Though she hasn’t won every battle, she has helped shape the state’s response to the crisis.
With Becerra as HHS Pick, California Plots More Progressive Health Care Agenda
By Angela Hart and Samantha Young
Gov. Gavin Newsom said he has already begun discussing California health care priorities with Xavier Becerra, tapped this week by President-elect Joe Biden to serve as his Health and Human Services secretary.
