Politics

When Joe Biden’s brother and son wanted to buy a hedge fund company two years ago, they turned for financing to a law firm that had lobbied the Delaware senator’s office on an important piece of business in Congress — and in fact had recently benefited from his vote. The firm promised James and Hunter … Read more

Senate Judiciary Committee ranking members Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Chairman Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) question Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh during his Supreme Court confirmation hearing in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in 2018. Feinstein’s death leaves a slot open on the panel. (Win McNamee / Getty Images) Sen. Dianne Feinstein was the … Read more

Former President Trump and President Biden square off Thursday night. (Associated Press) Hello and happy Tuesday. There are 132 days until the election and today we’re talking about scary stuff, starting with the Orwellian-sounding Department of Life. You’ve probably heard a ton about Project 2025, the Heritage Foundation plan to remake America as some kind … Read more

To much of America, he may be Mr. Environment. But at home, Al Gore was just another scofflaw. Finally one of his kids urged: “Dad, turn off the water when you’re brushing your teeth!” He denounces violent images in entertainment. Yet one of his favorite movies is “The Matrix,” a sci-fi film filled with blood … Read more

Google and other tech companies are under pressure to prevent the spread of extremist propaganda on their platforms. Above, Google’s campus in Mountain View, Calif. (Getty Images) The idea began as a bait-and-switch: Give people searching online for terms like “join Oath Keepers” or “bomb instructions” some content that seemed to fit their request but … Read more

Steve Tappis wants to clear the air about his past and present lives: Yes, he was a radical who preached revolution, yes, he is a commodities trader who practices capitalism, and no, he’s not a turncoat. “I don’t want the headline to be, ‘See how the old protester sold out,’ ” he said with a … Read more

Tenant activists in Santa Monica can expect to receive strong support from Tom Hayden’s Campaign California, a new statewide political organization that has replaced the troubled Campaign for Economic Democracy. Hayden said Campaign California will continue CED’s work on behalf of rent control and other liberal political causes in Santa Monica. He added that the … Read more

Short on personal wealth and long on political ambition, gubernatorial hopeful Gray Davis always has financed his campaigns the hard way: by persuading donors he is a good investment. But the aggressive fund-raising that netted Davis’ campaigns more than $19 million during the past 11 years has left him juggling and sometimes shirking his state … Read more

In the aftermath of the election last week, housing the homeless remains a burning issue, fueled by federal cutbacks in construction financing. Voter approval of Proposition 84, a $300-million state bond issue, should provide some relief, but homeless advocates are not optimistic about getting aid from Washington after George Bush is inaugurated as President. As … Read more

Democratic presidential nominee Jimmy Carter speaks to reporters at Hobby International Airport in Houston on Sept. 24, 1976. (Jack Thornell / Associated Press) California lawmakers expressed their condolences Sunday after former U.S. President Jimmy Carter’s death at 100. He was remembered for the role he played in a post-Watergate world and for leaving one of … Read more