Politics

Protesters before the Supreme Court hold the transgender flag, signs supporting LGBTQ+ people and signs in support of sex not gender in 2019. (Michael S. Williamson / The Washington Post / Getty Images) The outcome of the 2024 election has resulted in no shortage of Democratic finger-pointing. While the postmortem and soul-searching are necessary, the … Read more

The U.S. military’s Patriot air defense system, being demonstrated at a NATO site in Greece in 2017. Three more batteries like this could make a huge difference in Ukraine’s ability to defend against Russian onslaughts. (Sebastian Apel / Associated Press) Before leaving office in January, President Biden can still do much to bolster Ukraine’s security, … Read more

Incoming Sen. Adam B. Schiff says he wants to focus on the economy when he takes office. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) Sen.-elect Adam B. Schiff doesn’t really want to talk about President-elect Donald Trump. He wants to talk about the economy. “The issue of the last election — which we didn’t satisfactorily answer, … Read more

Nathan Hochman is scheduled to be sworn in Tuesday as district attorney, replacing George Gascón as L.A. County’s top prosecutor. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) Nathan Hochman will begin his term as Los Angeles County’s district attorney Tuesday, taking office after promising to restore balance to a criminal justice system he says was too … Read more

Assemblymembers Tri Ta (R-Westminster), front left, and Diane Dixon (R-Newport Beach), in red, say the Pledge of Allegiance at the state Capitol during the Assembly’s first meeting of the new legislative session Monday. (Paul Kitagaki Jr. / Associated Press) Hello dear readers. Laurel Rosenhall here, The Times’ California politics editor, filling in for Anita Chabria. … Read more

Stability is risk. That’s not Orwellian Newspeak. It’s the daunting dynamic in public opinion facing President Bush as he tries to catch Democrat Bill Clinton, key strategists in both campaigns believe. Bush hopes to overtake Clinton, who holds a double-digit lead in most national surveys, largely by convincing voters the Arkansas governor is too risky … Read more

Legislative leaders at the special session in Sacramento tried to balance their concerns about a second Trump term with issues such as the rising cost of living. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times) California lawmakers met at the state Capitol Monday to devise a plan to shield the state from President-elect Donald Trump’s conservative … Read more

Kash Patel speaks at a Donald Trump campaign rally in Las Vegas in October. (Alex Brandon / Associated Press) Democrats have warned for months that Donald Trump, if elected again, would bend the Justice Department to his own political will. But President Biden’s announcement Sunday that he had issued a sweeping pardon for his son … Read more

A dog in a kennel at Chesterfield Square, one of six shelters run by Los Angeles Animal Services. (Christina House/Los Angeles Times) The head of the L.A. city agency overseeing animal shelters is stepping down, according to an city email sent Monday to shelter volunteers and animal advocates. Staycee Dains resigned effective November 30, assistant … Read more

President Biden and his son Hunter Biden in 2022. (Manuel Balce Ceneta / Associated Press) In announcing that he was pardoning his son Hunter in two federal cases, President Biden said the criminal charges “came about only after several of my political opponents in Congress instigated them to attack me and oppose my election.” The … Read more