Tag: california

From the eggs to the courts: A clash over animals, eggs and affordability

In an escalating federal-state battle over food policy, the Trump administration this week sued California over its animal welfare laws, alleging they drive sky-high egg prices. The lawsuit, filed July 9 in Los Angeles federal court, argues California’s ballot initiatives—which banned restrictive hen cages and set space requirements for farm animals—violate federal authority. Agriculture Secretary Greg Zoeller called the state standards “bureaucratic red tape” suppressing supply and hiking costs in a market already strained by avian flu outbreaks.

Legal battle over animal welfare standards shelved under the spotlight of price increases

The lawsuit targets two key California laws: Proposition 2 (2008) and Proposition 12 (2018). These measures mandated that egg-laying hens, veal calves and breeding pigs be allowed to stand, lie down and turn freely without cages—a rule applied to all eggs sold in California, including out-of-state imports.

The Justice Department claims these voter-approved requirements conflict with the 1970 Egg Products Inspection Act, which grants federal regulators sole authority to set safety and quality standards. “California has blocked affordable farming practices,” argued Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate, citing a 20% statewide price hike post-Proposition 2.

Critics, however, frame this as a repackaging of the administration’s prior inflation-fighting rhetoric. “This is another chapter in Trump’s crusade to dismantle humane laws while blaming states,” said Humane Society director Kitty Block. Her organization points to studies linking crowded cage systems to salmonella risks—arguments unresolved in Friday’s filing.

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Newsom Protests ICE Raid on Marijuana Farm Allegedly Found Using Child Labor

California Gov. Gavin Newsom protested against an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raid on a marijuana farm in his state this week that was allegedly found to have been using child labor.

Newsom reposted a video of the raid, calling President Donald Trump the “real scum” for enforcing the law.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott alleged that the farm had been found employing not only illegal aliens, but also “juveniles.”

Newsom was, in effect, trying to protect child labor.

The governor returned Thursday from a two-day swing to South Carolina, where he is testing the waters for a presidential run in three years’ time by introducing himself to voters in rural counties.

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California provided $73.6M to anti-deportation groups, including protestors

Government transparency group Open The Books reported the state of California provided anti-deportation groups with $73.6 million in 2023 and 2024, including the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles, which received $35 million. 

California Republican lawmakers responded by demanding an audit into the extent by which state funding is subsidizing CHIRLA’s protest and activism-related activities. 

“I’m formally requesting the Legislature audit the extent by which LA’s riots are being bankrolled by a taxpayer subsidized nonprofit,” said Assemblywoman Kate Sanchez, R-Trabuco Canyon, on X. “There is zero excuse for our tax dollars to go towards these riots.” 

OTB’s report highlights CHIRLA’s “Wise Up!” program, which it says teaches high schoolers how to become activists, and the organization’s policy platform.

According to CHIRLA’s website, the program seeks to “organize high school students — both undocumented and allies — around immigrant rights, and full access to educational opportunities,” and “activates students” by “engaging them civically to fight in the legislative arena and the public square for measures that ease their access to education and citizenship.”

CHIRLA’s website also outlines its policy advocacy pillars, which includes “challenge anti-immigrant legislation,” “reduce immigration enforcement,” and “invest in immigrant communities.”

Sanchez’s letter requesting the state audit detailed other CHIRLA activities, including some connected to the Los Angeles deportation riots — including its “Removal Defense Team” providing deportation defense, and allegations that CHIRLA “materially and financially supported the coordinated protests and riots that have wrecked havoc on portions of Los Angeles.”

CHIRLA’s social media presence on Bluesky includes recent posts on hotline to report sightings of federal immigration agents, and to get immigration-related help. 

On Tuesday, CHIRLA leaders spoke on stage at an anti-deportation protest in front of Los Angeles City Hall and were shortly followed by Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. 

“I need your prayer to be fierce,” said CHIRLA Executive Director Angelica Salas at the event. “I need your prayer to stop the raids. Provide our people due process.”

“Set us free as immigrants in this country,” continued Salas.

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California defies Trump admin, refuses to keep ‘transgender’ males out of women’s sports

California may soon find itself facing down a Department of Justice (DOJ) lawsuit after refusing to keep gender-confused men from dominating girls’ sports.

The Department of Education gave the California Department of Education and the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) until Monday to comply with federal law and prohibit males from competing against females in sports. However, both the CIF and the state Dept. of Education refused to comply with the law.

“California has just REJECTED our resolution agreement to follow federal law and keep men out of women’s sports,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon wrote on X. “Turns out Gov. Newsom’s acknowledgment that ‘it’s an issue of fairness’ was empty political grandstanding.”

She then tagged Newsom and wrote, “you’ll be hearing from [Attorney General] Pam Bondi.”

McMahon previously warned the state about potential consequences for noncompliance.

“The Trump Administration will relentlessly enforce Title IX protections for women and girls, and our findings today make clear that California has failed to adhere to its obligations under federal law,” McMahon stated in a June 25 news release, announcing the offer for resolution after finding California was in violation of the law. “The state must swiftly come into compliance with Title IX or face the consequences that follow.”

The resolution would have also required California to rescind “individual records, titles, and awards misappropriated by male athletes competing in female competitions” and issue an apology.

A database maintained by HeCheated.org lists nearly 400 instances of males competing against females in California since 2019 just in track and field. It includes numerous titles won by gender-confused male track athlete “AB Hernandez,” whom Turning Point USA CEO Charlie Kirk specifically asked Newsom about in a March interview.

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Six Months After California Wildfires, Less Than 100 Building Permits Have Been Issued in Los Angeles

The wildfires that ravaged southern California and destroyed thousands of homes in the Pacific Palisades and other neighborhoods happened six months ago, and yet, less than 100 building permits have been issued.

Adam Carolla’s predictions from January are coming true.

The rebuilding process has been so slow that many people in the area have decided to sell their destroyed homes rather than try to rebuild.

How is it even possible that so little has been done?

From KTLA News:

It’s been six months since wildfires devastated Pacific Palisades, Altadena and other parts of Southern California, and a prominent local figure has called out political leaders for what he sees as a lack of action.

Developer Rick Caruso took to social media on Monday to lambast local government officials for “endless red tape” causing what he calls a lack of progress in rebuilding after the fires. Caruso challenged Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass for that position in 2022.

“Thousands of homes were destroyed, and yet fewer than 100 building permits have been issued after six months,” he wrote alongside a video promoting his nonprofit Steadfast LA. “Does anyone believe this is rapid rebuilding?”

Caruso does cite some progress — power lines will be rebuilt underground, for instance — though he also criticizes officials for a focus on “lofty rhetoric” instead of answers for fire victims and tangible action on the ground.

It looks like nothing has been done, other than clearing some debris.

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Politico Deeply Disappointed That Democrats Are ‘Retreating’ on Climate Change – Especially in California

The liberal outlet Politico is deeply disappointed that Democrats seem to be ‘retreating’ on the issue of climate change, especially in deep blue California.

This completely ignores the fact that over the last six months, we have seen leftists set electric vehicles and dealerships on fire, not to mention the car fires in the anti-ICE riots in Los Angeles. Politico realizes that people saw these things happen, don’t they?

How can anyone take the left seriously on their pet issue of climate change ever again? Their concerns obviously go right out the window the moment they want to start burning cars to make a political point.

From Politico:

Democrats retreat on climate: ‘It’s one of the more disappointing turnabouts’

SACRAMENTO, California — Donald Trump is coming for California’s signature climate policies — and so is California.

Stung by the party’s sweeping losses in November and desperate to win back working-class voters, the Democratic Party is in retreat on climate change. Nowhere is that retrenchment more jarring than in the nation’s most populous state, a longtime bastion of progressive politics on the environment.

In the past two weeks alone, California Democrats have retrenched on environmental reviews for construction projects, a cap on oil industry profits and clean fuel mandates. Elected officials are warning that ambitious laws and mandates are driving up the state’s onerous cost of living, echoing longstanding Republican arguments and frustrating some allies who say Democrats are capitulating to political pressure.

“California was the vocal climate leader during the first Trump administration,” said Chris Chavez, deputy policy director for the Coalition for Clean Air. “It’s questionable whether or not that leadership is still there.”

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New Cal State policy bans professors from showing Native American artifacts in class

The California State University system has rolled out a new policy that prohibits professors from using Native American “cultural items” in class – unless they obtain permission from the tribe.

The policy, announced last week, drew criticism from a California anthropologist who described it as an “attack” on the preservation of knowledge. However, a campus free speech attorney praised CSU for dropping a section of the policy that restricted free speech.

The 23-campus system has been working on the revised policy for several years in connection to the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, or NAGPRA, and California’s state version. The laws require government and public entities to restore human remains and “cultural items” to their direct descendants.

The policy, published July 1, outlines the method by which universities must identify and repatriate these items to Native American tribes.

“All CSU campuses must implement processes that ensure timely, lawful repatriation of Human Remains and Cultural Items, including respectful treatment and handling while in CSU custody,” the policy states.

It also requires campuses to “respect Native American traditional knowledge and cultural protocols, ensuring that no decisions are made without meaningful Tribal consultation.”

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Anti White Legislation Proposed in California Taps University System For Verifying Student Reparations

According to Campus Reform, The California State University system “could soon be required to verify whether students descend from enslaved Americans under a bill advancing in the state legislature.”

The bill known as 437 advanced in the Senate authored by state Senator Akilah Weber directed CSU to establish a process by which genealogical eligibility for reparations could be verified.

The bill passed in the Senate and was now set for a hearing in the Assembly. As Campus Reform points out “while the bill does not mandate that CSU directly implement reparations screening, Weber’s office told Campus Reform that the university system would help develop methods the state could use to verify lineage.”

CSU as of now has not put out an official statement about these proposed reparations. S.B 437 is part of a full package of reparations-related legislation.

Sadly, California is not alone in their reparations as part of so called ‘higher education’. In 2022 Harvard pledged $100 million to a “Legacy of Slavery” fund.

This was not enough for Howard University’s Knight Chair of race and Journalism who argued this was insufficient and told The New York Times magazine “A true investment would be hundreds of millions more,”

This is proof yet again that the race hustlers will never be satisfied no matter what crazy initiatives liberal universities take.

Reparations are clearly a bad and fundamentally unjust idea.

Harvard like CSU is pandering and engaging in prejudiced behavior and yet despite this its still not enough for some.

Ultimately Americans overwhelmingly agree reparations are unfair and predjucial. This proposal would be cruel and unAmerican.

American universities must be purged of DEI and racial division.

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Feds seize $1M OC home at center of corruption scandal

The U.S. government has seized a home in unincorporated Tustin at the center of the corruption scheme involving former Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do. The home was purchased by Do’s daughter Rhiannon Do for a little more than $1 million in 2023.

The downpayment came from taxpayer money awarded to a nonprofit led by Rhiannon Do. That money was supposed to be used to feed needy seniors.

The backstory: Andrew Do was sentenced to five years in prison last month for accepting bribes disguised as payments to his two adult daughters, including the $385,000 downpayment for Rhiannon Do’s home in unincorporated Tustin.

The forfeited assets: As part of Do’s sentencing, Judge James V. Selna found that he had an interest in the Tustin home, another property, and $2.4 million in bank accounts. Selna ordered the immediate transfer of the assets to the federal government.

What happens now? Ciaran McEvoy, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, said the Tustin home would be “sold just like any other property,” and the money will be returned to Orange County.

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Patriotism Denied: Cities Drop Independence Day Celebrations to Shield Illegals From ICE

Several cities in California have canceled or postponed their Independence Day celebrations, citing federal immigration enforcement operations as the main concern. These decisions, made in areas with large illegal immigrant populations, have sparked backlash for prioritizing non-citizens over honoring America’s founding.

Key Facts:

  • Multiple cities in Los Angeles County, including Cudahy and Bell Gardens, canceled July 4th events, citing fears of ICE enforcement.
  • Cudahy Vice Mayor Cynthia Gonzalez faced calls to resign after appearing to call on street gangs to resist ICE.
  • Bell Gardens promoted “Know Your Rights” immigration workshops in place of holiday events.
  • Boyle Heights and nearby neighborhoods delayed celebrations to August, directly blaming ICE presence.
  • Officials linked to the cancellations have ties to previous anti-ICE riots and arrests.

The Rest of The Story:

In the days leading up to Independence Day, several California cities quietly canceled their festivities.

Cudahy’s July 3rd event was “postponed” over safety concerns, without directly naming ICE.

Other cities like Bell Gardens and Boyle Heights were more explicit, halting celebrations due to a federal immigration presence in their neighborhoods.

Bell Gardens’ notice acknowledged that “concerns for resident safety over federal immigration enforcement” drove the cancellations.

The city has since promoted immigration workshops online, urging residents not to open their doors to ICE agents and to remain silent.

The controversy deepened when Vice Mayor Cynthia Gonzalez called on Los Angeles street gangs in a now-deleted video, accusing them of being silent while ICE, “the biggest gang,” entered their turf.

Her remarks caused public outrage and drew condemnation from law enforcement groups and residents.

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