The Drain

*Preview* Cooking the books in CA homeless counts

**This is a preview of our premium Saturday show, The Plug. To listen to the full episode, go to patreon.com/thedrain.**
What happens when California politicians place their careers ahead of fighting the homelessness crisis?
They leave millions on the table that could have served their unhoused constituents.
Today we're discussing Sacramento Bee columnist Robin Epley's jarring piece showing that Sacramento County shut itself out of some $21 million that could have helped ameliorate the region's homelessness crisis (free link). All so the region's local officials could pat themselves on one another's backs for a year.
The 2024 homelessness count showed a stunning--and spurious--drop in homelessness numbers, which went against everything residents in the county experienced that year. Now, new numbers show that the count was likely a devastating undercount that cut the region out of much needed homeless service funding.
We also touch on Sac Bee reporter Theresa Clift's newest three-part series outlining just how badly Sacramento politicians have been handling the region's homeless crisis (free link).
Do you have a similar story in your corner of the state? Let us know at thedrainpodcast@gmail.com.
Don't forget to like, rate and subscribe to The Drain on your favorite podcast platforms.
Questions? Comments? Pitches? Email us at thedrainpodcast@gmail.com.
We're still hanging about on Twitter: @sweetxpalma and @youknowkempa
We're also on Bluesky: @thedrain.bsky.social, @palma.ltd, @yeshelloitskempa.bsky.social

The Murdoch family's power grab in the city of Little Angels

Hold onto your laptops, California, because the New York Post is opening a tabloid in Los Angeles.
And we couldn't be more excited.
Yes, next year the Murdoch family is launching its coup attempt against the Golden State's liberal hegemony with a new print publication, the California Post.
It looks like the state's freshest rightwing rag will be on a short leash, with News Corp leadership from NYC and Australia running the show. Expect plenty of searing commentary from miserable oafs like Joel Pollak, anti-homeless missives from hacks poached from the San Francisco Standard, and cheerleading from billionaire Bay Area ghouls like Garry Tan.
We're curious to see how conservative blogs like Katy Grimes's languishing California Globe will fare with the Murdochs in town. But more interesting to us is if a newspaper consumed largely by men born in the tail-end of America's lead-paint era holds any future here in our home state.
We also take a moment to look at Capitol Weekly's poll last summer (conducted by political guru Paul Mitchell), which surveyed the state's 120 lawmakers and found Assemblymember Carl DeMaio to be the least palatable legislator in Sacramento. Seems like he could use some help from the Post in sessions to come.
Finally, we say goodbye to Claude, the albino alligator close to the hearts of countless northern California children for the last three decades.
Don't forget to like, rate and subscribe to The Drain on your favorite podcast platforms.
Questions? Comments? Pitches? Email us at thedrainpodcast@gmail.com.
We're still hanging about on Twitter: @sweetxpalma and @youknowkempa
And we're also on Bluesky: @thedrain.bsky.social, @palma.ltd, @yeshelloitskempa.bsky.social

UNLOCKED - Backpage, the fall of alt weeklies, and how Kamala Harris caused a suicide

Hello! Kempa here. Max and I are taking this week off, so we wanted to share one of our favorite early premium episodes that you might have missed. If you enjoy this one, there's plenty more where it came from--subscribe at patreon.com/thedrain. Here we go:
Today Kempa is sharing the story of the misguided vendetta by former Vice President Kamala Harris and California Assemblymember Maggy Krell against the publishers of the alt-weekly empire New Times Media, how they shuttered papers all over the country and endangered sex workers, and why they have blood on their hands over one man's suicide.
After listening to this episode, be sure to check out Hold Fast, a phenomenal series on the rise and fall of New Times Media.
Don't forget to like, rate and subscribe to The Drain on your favorite podcast platforms.
Questions? Comments? Pitches? Email us at thedrainpodcast@gmail.com.
We're still hanging about on Twitter: @sweetxpalma and @youknowkempa
And we're also on Bluesky: @thedrain.bsky.social, @palma.ltd, @yeshelloitskempa.bsky.social

*Preview* Timeshare grifter Cloobeck backs Swalwell for governor; Maviglio's legal defense fundraiser; Progressive Connie Chan joins race for Pelosi's seat

**This is a preview of our premium Saturday show, The Plug. To listen to the full episode, go to patreon.com/thedrain.**
Hey folks! We've got some spicy updates on a few stories we've been following the last few weeks:
Remember that weirdo multimillionaire, Stephen Cloobeck, running to be California's next Democratic governor? Well, he's dropped out of the race, and is putting his timeshare grifter money behind US Rep. Eric Swalwell.
You'll never guess who has started a legal defense fundraiser for Governor Gavin Newsom's former Chief of Staff Dana Williamson as she fights some serious federal charges for alleged misuse of both campaign and PPP funds. It's our baby boy, Steve Maviglio! We run a little background on the conservative Democratic operative's history, and discuss the folks throwing money in Williamson's direction.
It's official: Progressive Connie Chan is running to replace Nancy Pelosi in Congress!
Don't forget to like, rate and subscribe to The Drain on your favorite podcast platforms.
Questions? Comments? Pitches? Email us at thedrainpodcast@gmail.com.
We're still hanging about on Twitter: @sweetxpalma and @youknowkempa
We're also on Bluesky: @thedrain.bsky.social, @palma.ltd, @yeshelloitskempa.bsky.social

Lady Bird Boys, with Peter Lucas

Today we're joined by our friend Peter Lucas, a Brooklyn-based journalist, avid Sacramento enthusiast, and former staffer for Zohran Mamdani's successful 2020 run for the New York state assembly--long before NYC's mayor-elect became a household name.
We discuss Mamdani's surreal visit to the White House--where he positively charmed the pants off President Donald Trump--reflect on Zohran as a person, and explore what his win means for the greater Left movement in the United States.
We also rank the best Subway Takes episode among Peter, Zohran, and former Vice President Kamala Harris's appearances (spoiler: Peter wins).
If you don't know much about the Sacramento Kings, Old Soul at the Weatherstone or Greta Gerwig's timeless film classic Lady Bird, well, you're gonna learn today.
Don't forget to like, rate and subscribe to The Drain on your favorite podcast platforms.
Questions? Comments? Pitches? Email us at thedrainpodcast@gmail.com.
We're still hanging about on Twitter: @sweetxpalma and @youknowkempa
We're also on Bluesky: @thedrain.bsky.social, @palma.ltd, @yeshelloitskempa.bsky.social

*Preview* Berkeley boots Turning Point USA

**This is a preview of our premium Saturday show, The Plug. To listen to the full episode, go to patreon.com/thedrain.**
Hello, Plug brothers and Drain maybes. Today we're discussing Turning Point USA's final stop on their American Comeback Tour, and the Berkeley students who made it clear that TPUSA is not welcome on California campuses.
The late Charlie Kirk's trolling tour had an inauspicious beginning this semester, and it didn't end much better on its last stop.
We touch on how Berkeley locals expressed their disapproval of the visit, and how the US Department of Justice is wasting time and tax dollars to try and dox the protesters.
Not surprisingly, the libs joined the anti-protester chorus alongside Trump supporters in condemning the demonstrators expressing their First Amendment right to assemble and protest.
Don't forget to like, rate and subscribe to The Drain on your favorite podcast platforms.
Questions? Comments? Pitches? Email us at thedrainpodcast@gmail.com.
We're still hanging about on Twitter: @sweetxpalma and @youknowkempa
We're also on Bluesky: @thedrain.bsky.social, @palma.ltd, @yeshelloitskempa.bsky.social

Federal charges against Newsom and Becerra's former chiefs of staff, and SF Mayor Daniel Lurie's animal house bungle

Today we're starting with a quick hit on U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell's (D-CA) inexorable run for the California governor's office, and how he'll work to flank Katie Porter from the right. What else do you need to know about Swalwell? Well, he farts on national TV. He also made a name for himself alongside #Resist libs like now-senator Adam Schiff during President Trump's first term in office.
We then take a dive into San Francisco's billionaire mayor Daniel Lurie's absolutely bush-league appointment of a 29-year-old pet shop owner to the ever-complex Sunset District's board of supervisor's seat--which saw her last just one week in office. Apparently, when she handed the shop over earlier this year, the new owner found countless dead mice throughout the building, as well as some 40 dead reptiles and small mammals in the freezer. That doesn't even bring into play the concerns over her business's troublesome tax practices. This may be the first of many bungles for the hapless rich boy running The City.
Finally, we discuss the serious federal charges facing the former chiefs of staff for both Governor Gavin Newsom and 2026 gubernatorial hopeful Xavier Becerra (Archive link), with a cameo quote from our favorite little ghoul, Democratic consultant Steve Maviglio.
Sean McCluskie, who served Becerra during his tenure as US Health Secretary under President Joe Biden, appears to have struck a deal with the feds. Meanwhile, Newsom's former bulldog CoS Dana Williamson is fighting her charges, which include both fraud allegations involving a dormant campaign account of Becerra's, as well as allegations of misuse of funds from COVID-era PPP money she received for her business, which included:s
Luxury handbags and jewelry ($15,353 Chanel purse and a $5,818 Fendi wallet)
Private jet travel ($21,000)
Vacation spending in Mexico ($150,000 + $11,000 yacht trip)
installation of a home HVAC system
Don't forget to like, rate and subscribe to The Drain on your favorite podcast platforms.
Questions? Comments? Pitches? Email us at thedrainpodcast@gmail.com.
We're still hanging about on Twitter: @sweetxpalma and @youknowkempa
We're also on Bluesky: @thedrain.bsky.social, @palma.ltd, @yeshelloitskempa.bsky.social

San Francisco musical chairs, with the 48 Hills crew (Tim Redmond and Marke B.)

Today we're talking with two of our favorite San Francisco journalists in Tim Redmond and Marke B., founders of 48 Hills.
Tim is a longtime political and investigative reporter of San Francisco politics, covering the scene for over three decades. He was also the longtime Executive Editor of the SF Bay Guardian.
Marke B., our sweet baby boy, has been on the show before. He's the publisher and arts & culture editor for 48 Hills, as well as the co-owner of The Stud, an iconic San Francisco gay bar.
Today we're covering the political musical chairs taking place in the Bay due to Nancy Pelosi's recent announcement that she will not be running for reelection in the US House:
Pelosi's Legacy:
Rep. Nancy Pelosi's real legacy - 48 hills
Hand-picked by the Burton CA Dem machine to run for Congress
Helped Dem Party control the House in critical years; Ryan Act during the AIDS crisis; ACA (though never gave credence to single-payer); tore up Trump speech on national TV
“She showed only disdain for the left wing of the party, ignoring and belittling AOC and The Squad, dismissing the Green New Deal as “the Green Dream, or whatever they call it,” and helping ensure that Sen. Bernie Sanders didn’t become the party’s nominee for president.” Fought taxing the rich (which included multimillionaire husband).
D8 supe race will create fascinating political battle - 48 hills 
“Pelosi is strongly supporting her aide, Gary McCoy. McCoy, who will have a kickoff in the Castro this weekend, will also have access to Pelosi’s formidable fundraising machine.”
“The incumbent supe, Rafael Mandleman, former D8 Sup Bevan Dufty, and possibly the mayor … are backing Manny Yekutiel, who owns Manny’s the Mission District cafe that is a gathering spot for political events (and has created its own controversy).”
Nancy's Replacement?
These are the top contenders to replace Nancy Pelosi in Congress - SF Chronicle (free link)
Scott Weiner
Served in the state senate since 2016 representing SF, previously member of the board of supes + city attorney's office
Launched his bid for the seat last month, got tired after waiting a year for Pelosi to announce retirement
Legislative focus: Known for tackling housing density, transgender rights, and transit funding (CEQA repeal)
Political standing: Strong support from some groups (YIMBYs) and strong opposition from others (conservatives, progressives)
Saikat Chakrabarti
Centimillionaire, former Stripe engineer
Served as a top campaign aide to AOC and as director of organizing technology on Bernie Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign
Advocates for “new ideas” and a more aggressive approach to confronting the far-right movement in politics.
Is he “SF’s Zohran”? (No.)
Connie Chan
Represents Richmond District on Board of Supervisors since 2021
Progressive, aligned with labor, led SF Board budget committee.
Anti-Weiner: pro-housing, affordability absolutist, hated by YIMBYs
Chan has not publicly stated her intention to run for Pelosi’s seat, but former Sup. Aaron Peskin believes she would give a congressional campaign serious consideration if Pelosi retired
Where is Christine Pelosi???
London Breed?
Christine Pelosi running for state Senate
Christine Pelosi is running for office, but not for her mom's congressional seat
“Four days after the Speaker Emerita said she would retire in 2026 after more than 38 years in Congress, the daughter put to rest speculation she would run for her mother's 11th Congressional District seat.”
Instead, she is setting her sights on state Sen. Scott Wiener's seat, after he entered the 2026 race to fill the former House speaker's seat.
We're also covering:
Queer activists 'Scare the State' at ICE protest on Halloween - 48 hills
Gay Shame and Queers Undermining Israeli Terrorism (QUIT)
“Fags and Dykes, we all hate ICE,” one chant went. “Bottoms, tops: We all hate cops!” 
Drag queen snatched by ICE released with asylum: 'It was terrible' - 48 hills  
“Rivers was taken first to the San Francisco ICE Field Office and then transferred to the Golden State Annex detention center in McFarland, California, where she spent nearly three months. She described being held in freezing, overcrowded cells.”
“‘We had to stand for hours because there was no space to sit, no air, and we were freezing,’ she said.”
“Despite informing staff that she was part of the LGBTQ community, Rivers said there was no protection from harassment or sexual violence.”
And in national news...
'Let's bring some of those vittles back to the table:' What the Nov. 4 election means - 48 hills 
Zohran Mamdani brings a new energy and direction to the Democratic Party. Why couldn’t someone like him come from someplace like California, which is full of Democrats? We seem to be stuck with wingless wonders like Pelosi, Newsom, Harris &c. 
“Why has New York, which is generally considered a less progressive city, moved in the direction of economic democracy, while the supposedly liberal San Francisco is under the control of billionaires?”
“Daniel Lurie can operate with the support of a very big-money political operation, and can depend on Gov. Gavin Newson, who mostly shares his agenda. Mamdani will be fighting the New York big money from Day One, and can’t raise taxes on the rich without the permission of the governor, who so far is siding with the big money and won’t go along.”
Don't forget to like, rate and subscribe to The Drain on your favorite podcast platforms.
Questions? Comments? Pitches? Email us at thedrainpodcast@gmail.com.
We're still hanging about on Twitter: @sweetxpalma and @youknowkempa
We're also on Bluesky: @thedrain.bsky.social, @palma.ltd, @yeshelloitskempa.bsky.social

043 - AHNOLD goes AWOL, and Gavin's email collection scheme

It's a new day. California is now gerrymandered for the Democratic Party, and New York City is a socialist caliphate. All is right in the world.
We're discussing how movie star/former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger created California's nonpartisan redistricting commission, how his legacy is going up in flames, and why he appears to be choosing Pope-hangs and beers in Berlin as opposed to protecting one of the few things he held dear from his time in Sacramento.
We also discuss how current governor Gavin Newsom is going to pivot from his Prop 50 win to use the 100,000+ email list he assembled during the campaign to try and land in the White House in 2028. Can he do it? Unfortunately, it's looking good for the Golden State's Patrick Bateman.
Don't forget to like, rate and subscribe to The Drain on your favorite podcast platforms.
Questions? Comments? Pitches? Email us at thedrainpodcast@gmail.com.
We're still hanging about on Twitter: @sweetxpalma and @youknowkempa
We're also on Bluesky: @thedrain.bsky.social, @palma.ltd, @yeshelloitskempa.bsky.social

042 - ICE operations heat up, plus a California potpourri of updates

Hey all, we've been enjoying a boom in listeners, and so we'd like to remind you to like, subscribe, rate, comment, and tell your friends about the Drain. Many, many fun things to come!
We're hitting you a couple days late, due to Kempa moving on up to a nicer part of town. He's also gonna be out east, but we'll be recording through ALL of that, so do not fret.
Today, however, we've got some interesting stuff for you:
California Potpourri:
Cal Fresh is set to stop November 1 – Paris Barraza Palm Springs Desert Sun (look at lawsuit, and call to action)
National context: What's in the House GOP's budget resolution? Here's what to know about the plan. - CBS News
$1.5 trillion in spending cuts over a 10-year period 
$230 b. will come from SNAP program alone
OBBBA already neuters SNAP somewhat by lowering the amount the FDA pays states for implementing the program, while raising the amount of money it requires states to match.
The shutdown did not impact funding for October benefits. But on Oct. 10, the USDA said in a letter that “if the current lapse in appropriations continues, there will be insufficient funds to pay full November SNAP benefits for approximately 42 million individuals across the Nation.”
Democratic officials throughout the country “believe the USDA has up to $6 billion in contingency funds and “possibly more” to fund SNAP.”
But a highly-partisan announcement — and likely grim news to the millions of Americans nationwide who rely on food assistance — published on the USDA’s website blamed Senate Democrats over SNAP funding amid the shutdown, and that benefits wouldn't be issued next month.
Perhaps this is why “California has joined a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture over the loss of SNAP benefits expected in November amid the federal government shutdown.”
Gov. Gavin Newsom had warned Californians were likely to have their CalFresh benefits delayed in November due to the shutdown. CalFresh, known federally as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, provides scores of lower-income Californians with food assistance and is federally funded.
$11 insulin announced in California (though Newsom promised in 2024)
Story from by Kristen Hwang and Ana B. Ibarra
“Long-acting insulin pens will be available at pharmacies for $11 per pen — or $55 for a five-pack — beginning Jan. 1. The pens are interchangeable with glargine, the generic alternative for Lantus, a once-a-day injection that regulates blood sugar. An equivalent amount of Lantus sells to pharmacies for more than $92, according to data compiled by the governor’s office, but consumers may pay a different price based on their insurance”
“California Gurl” Katy Perry and former Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau are dating (squeeeeee)
Apparently she and Orlando Bloom broke up last month?
CA GOP retreats on Prop 50 (Will McCarthy in Politico)
“The biggest funder of the campaign to defeat Proposition 50, Charles Munger Jr., has not contributed any significant cash to the cause in weeks, and his Protect Voters First committee cut its weekly spending from more than $4 million to less than $300. The other opposition committee, Stop Sacramento’s Power Grab, spent $155,000 on advertising last week, compared to $3.8 million from Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Yes on 50 campaign.”
“It’s as full-throated a campaign for Democrats in California as if we were in the middle of a presidential election,” said Jon Fleischman, a former executive director of the California Republican Party. “But you can go to the house next door, occupied by Republicans, and it’s crickets — other than receiving their ballot in the mail.”
“Prop 50 opponents have been greatly outmatched in resources and are now bracing for an embarrassing loss. A CBS News poll released last week showed 62 percent of likely voters support the initiative.
“We still believe that there is a pathway here,” Jessica Millan Patterson, a former California Republican Party chair leading McCarthy’s committee, insisted at an American Association of Political Consultants panel in Long Beach last week. “Despite being outspent two to one.”
Republican Assemblymember Carl DeMaio said that he believed the opposition campaign “defrauded” donors with a poor campaign strategy and “inauthentic” videos.
“I knew they were going to waste money,” he told POLITICO at a No on 50 rally in the Sacramento suburb of Roseville. “The same people who gave us a superminority are the ones running these committees and profiting off the failure.”
Speaking of DeMaio… he’s starting a voter ID initiative, and they’re touting reaching 250,000 of the 875,000 votes they need (deadline is Jan. 22, 2026)
National story:
DOJ removes 5 top ICE officials, replaces them with senior border patrol agents (Anna Giaritelli Twitter thread) (Examiner story)
ICE's top officials in Denver; Los Angeles; Philadelphia; Phoenix; and San Diego were quietly relieved of their duties last Friday 
DHS's Kristi Noem & Corey Lewandowski had pushed for them to be fired.
Not only has the Trump admin kicked ICE field office directors in five major cities out of their jobs, this is all part of a plan within DHS to bring BORDER PATROL officials into ICE leadership, an unprecedented move, sources say. 
The Trump administration wants to remake ICE with Border Patrol's more in-your-face, aggressive style
Both are federal law enforcement agencies that deal with immigration but in very different ways. Border Patrol is on the border, ICE is in the interior mostly
Anna Giaritelli cites Greg Bovino’s Operation Midway Blitz as model for future ICE operations.
More on Greg Bovino: Who’s Gregory Bovino, and why is he appearing in a Chicago courtroom Tuesday?
He’s worked for the Border Patrol since 1996 and was the chief patrol agent of the El Centro sector headquartered near the Mexico border in California.
Bovino’s tactics consist of stopping people based on race, language and other factors. Bovino has sincetold a WBEZ reporter that agents in Chicago were stopping people based partly on “how they look.”
Don't forget to like, rate and subscribe to The Drain on your favorite podcast platforms.
Questions? Comments? Pitches? Email us at thedrainpodcast@gmail.com.
We're still hanging about on Twitter: @sweetxpalma and @youknowkempa
We're also on Bluesky: @thedrain.bsky.social, @palma.ltd, @yeshelloitskempa.bsky.social