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Rubio to Push Colombia’s New Leader to Tackle Cocaine Trade
Trump Admin
18 hours ago

Judge Reinforces Order Barring Immediate Work on Trump Arch in Washington
Courts
18 hours ago

Canada Imposes New Tariffs on US Goods as Trade War Intensifies
Economy
19 hours ago

Britain Accuses Israeli Settlers of ‘Ethnic Cleansing’ in Parts of West Bank
World
20 hours ago

Britain Set to Impose Trade Ban on Israeli West Bank Settlements
Global Conflicts
20 hours ago

How ‘Hypermilers’ Are Trying to Beat High Gas Prices
Economy
21 hours ago

‘It Offends Me’: Giuliani Says Mamdani Should Skip 9/11 Memorial
U.S.
2 days ago

Merced County Driver Stopped at 112 MPH on Highway 99
Crime
2 days ago

EggBred’s Clovis Debut Draws Lines Out the Door
Business
3 days ago

Madera County Deputies Arrest Suspect After Woman Fatally Shot in Domestic Violence Case
Crime
1 week ago
Group 4
ELECTIONS
Portrait of CalMatters Columnist Dan Walters
Dan Walters,
CalMatters Commentary

Dan Walters has been a journalist for nearly 60 years, spending all but a few of those years working for California newspapers. He has written more than 9,000 columns about the state and its politics and is the founding editor of the “California Political Almanac.” Dan has also been a frequent guest on national television news shows, commenting on California issues and policies.

Stories by Dan Walters

Silhouette of Gov. Gavin Newsom facing right against a multicolored background

As Newsom’s Reign Nears End, His Ability to Sway Legislators Wanes

During his nearly eight years as California governor, Gavin Newsom has had a somewhat unusual approach to dealing with a Legislature dominat...
Opinion

/ 1 week ago

Image of an apartment complex being built adjacent to a stately old home in Santa Monica

California Battle Over Key Environmental Law Brews on Two Fronts

Business as usual in California politics always includes at least one squabble over the California Environmental Quality Act, a law signed 5...
Opinion

/ 2 weeks ago

Attorney General Rob Bonta addresses the media during a press conference at the California Department of Justice in Sacramento on Feb. 4, 2025. Photo by Fred Greaves, CalMatters

AG Bonta Excels at Self-Promotion but Buries Legal Losses That Cost California

Driven by either genetic impulse or vocational training, politicians habitually brag about how they are serving those who voted them into of...
Cal Matters

/ 3 weeks ago

Image of Gov. Gavin Newsom in a dark suit, white shirt, and red tie in front of a blue-and-white Holding Big Oil Accountable banner

How Newsom’s Complex History With the Oil Industry Could Affect a Presidential Run

Gavin Newsom and his family have had a long and complicated relationship with the oil industry. The latest chapter in the saga, a legal and ...
Opinion

/ 2 months ago

Image of the high-tech screens behind the steering wheel of a BMW car

Tech Devices in California’s New Cars Create Thorny Political Issues

Automobiles have gradually evolved over the last two decades from mechanical devices into electronic platforms featuring computer screens an...
Opinion

/ 2 months ago

Image of US Flag waving beneath a blue sky and reflecting the sun

On USA’s 250th Birthday, Californians Should Remember When We Saved the World From Tyranny

If there ever was a moment for citizens of the United States of America to contemplate and appreciate how their nation has affected humankin...
Opinion

/ 2 months ago

CA Unions Want to Unwind Landmark Pension Reform. Who Will Foot the Bill?

The 1998 election of Gray Davis as governor was something of a fluke. By Dan Walters CalMatters Davis had climbed the political ladder on...
Opinion

/ 2 months ago

Image of voting booths, of which 1 is occupied

CA Voters Will Decide 14 Ballot Measures, Billionaire Tax Included

When California voters in 1978 passed Proposition 13, the iconic property tax limitation, they simultaneously rejected Proposition 8, which ...
Opinion

/ 2 months ago

Image of Gavin Newsom facing left and pointing to a screen with the words "California 2027-28 Budget Balanced" and a checkmark

Reality Check: Is the California Budget Actually Balanced?

Accurately describing the state financial situation depends largely on a person’s definitions of “balanced” and “deficit.” By Dan Wa...
Opinion

/ 2 months ago

Image of a well-dressed woman and man standing at a podium with the American Flag and Seal of California in the background

What Does Federal Probe of Newsom Mean for His Presidential Ambitions?

Last week Gov. Gavin Newsom revealed in a video and a social media post that the U.S. Department of Justice is investigating him and his wif...
Cal Matters

/ 2 months ago

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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel addresses the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York, Sept. 26, 2025. Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations on Monday, July 20, 2026, fired back at New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani who has said he is looking into whether he can arrest Netanyahu when he visits the U.N. headquarters in September. (Dave Sanders/The New York Times)
World /

12 hours ago

Netanyahu’s Rivals Call Him ‘Unfit’ After Report He Was Warned Before Oct. 7 Attack

Image of President Trump walking past the Supreme Court justices to greet Gen. Dan Caine on the House floor.
Courts /

13 hours ago

Kavanaugh Blocks Missouri Voting Map Benefiting Republicans

Crime /

14 hours ago

Fresno County DA and Sheriff Get Closer to Arming Prosecutors

Defendant Lindsay Clancy and attorney Kevin Reddington listen to the judge declare a mistrial, in Plymouth, U.S., September 4, 2026. (Greg Derr/Pool via REUTERS)
Crime /

15 hours ago

Lawyer Asks Trump to Pardon Lindsay Clancy After Mistrial in Murder of 3 Kids

Image of a husband and wife holding three children and posing for a picture on a green lawn in a park
Local Education /

15 hours ago

Why These Valley Parents Want Cameras in Special Ed Classrooms

U.S. President Donald Trump makes a fist as he boards Air Force One, en route to Bedminster, New Jersey, at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, U.S., September, 4, 2026. (REUTERS/Eric Lee)
Trump Admin /

17 hours ago

Trump Promotes Idea of Changing Name of New Mexico to ‘New America’