Latest news with #GoliSheikholeslami
Politico
07-02-2025
- Politics
- Politico
AI needs rules to transform health care
A Note to Our Readers from POLITICO's CEO and Editor-in-Chief POLITICO has been the subject of debate on X this week. Some of it has been misinformed, and some of it has been flat-out false. Let's set the record straight POLITICO is a privately owned company. We have never received any government funding — no subsidies, no grants, no handouts. Not one dime, ever, in 18 years. Millions of people around the world read our journalism on and in newsletters like this one. It is supported by advertising and sponsorships. POLITICO Pro is different. It is a professional subscription service used by companies, organizations, and, yes, some government agencies. They subscribe because it makes them better at their jobs — helping them track policy, legislation and regulations in real-time with news, intelligence and a suite of data products. At its core, POLITICO Pro is about transparency and accountability: Shining a light on the work of the agencies, regulators and policymakers throughout our vast federal government. Businesses and entities within the government find it useful as they navigate the chaotic regulatory and legislative landscape. It's that simple. Most POLITICO Pro subscribers are in the private sector. They come from across the ideological spectrum and subscribe for one reason: value. And 90 percent renew every year because they rely on our reporting, data and insights. Government agencies that subscribe do so through standard public procurement processes — just like any other tool they buy to work smarter and be more efficient. This is not funding. It is a transaction — just as the government buys research, equipment, software and industry reports. Some online voices are deliberately spreading falsehoods. Let's be clear: POLITICO has no financial dependence on the government and no hidden agenda. We cover politics and policy — that's our job. We are so proud of our journalists and so proud of the connection we have with you, our readers. We stand by our work, our values and our commitment to transparency, accountability and efficiency — the same principles that drive great journalism and great business. Now, back to work. Goli Sheikholeslami and John Harris FUTURE THREATS Artificial intelligence could transform health care, but without robust safeguards, companies could put profit over patient well-being, writes Dr. Kenneth Mandl, director of the Computational Health Informatics Program at Boston Children's Hospital in the New England Journal of Medicine AI. Health systems are constantly under financial pressure — as companies selling AI tools are well aware, often touting how they can save or bring in more money. Mandl is concerned that AI tools will be configured to generate the largest financial reward. He cites revenue-cycle management products as one example, since they promise to boost reimbursements by exploiting every billing opportunity. AI can lead to more profits in other ways, he told Ruth. For example, depending on how specific the AI is or the criteria it uses to make recommendations, it could lead to people to schedule doctor appointments or take medications they don't need. 'You can drive revenue by choosing diagnostics that have more false positives,' Mandl said. What's next: He said that industry can do a lot on its own to safeguard against some of those potential issues. He suggests electronic health record companies adopt standard application programming interfaces that enable small developers to build tools for health systems. Mandl's paper also suggests creating a federated data ecosystem that will allow small and large health systems equal access to the data they need to test AI tools. As far as federal rules go, existing regulations can address some perverse business practices, like anti-kickback laws and the False Claims Act, he said. He added that the Department of Health and Human Services also has introduced some good, basic AI transparency rules. 'But it doesn't really address fully unseen commercial influences that could shape the way decision support behaves in the real world.' New rules, he said, particularly ones that create structures for monitoring adverse events driven by AI, could be needed. WELCOME TO FUTURE PULSE This is where we explore the ideas and innovators shaping health care. One idea that's being explored by the president of Colombia: that cocaine is no worse than whiskey — and selling it worldwide 'like wine' would dismantle illegal drug trafficking. Share any thoughts, news, tips and feedback with Carmen Paun at cpaun@ Daniel Payne at dpayne@ Ruth Reader at rreader@ or Erin Schumaker at eschumaker@ Send tips securely through SecureDrop, Signal, Telegram or WhatsApp. EXAM ROOM Primary care has changed substantially since the pandemic, according to new research published in JAMA Health Forum. The study, conducted by researchers at Dartmouth; University of California, Berkeley; and Johns Hopkins, reviewed several measures across more than 700 primary care practices, comparing their characteristics from 2017 to 2018 and 2022 to 2023. The researchers said the pandemic likely exacerbated lower access to primary care, suggesting staffing shortages and clinician burnout could be to blame. Why it matters: Primary care access shortages have concerned policymakers and patients alike. Primary care is the key to the early detection and treatment of a vast number of diseases, public health experts say, which creates better outcomes and lower care costs. Even so: On average, primary care practices increased their capabilities, scored by practices' abilities to provide behavioral and chronic care or to integrate clinical and technological tools, such as screening techniques or electronic health records. Those scores varied widely between individual practices, but on average, primary care delivered by physician groups and those participating in value-based payment models, such as being an accountable care organization, had better outcomes than their counterparts.
Yahoo
07-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Politico pushes back at 'misinformed,' 'flat-out false' claims over subscriptions to federal agencies
The top executives at Politico are strongly pushing back against what they call "misinformed" and "flat-out false" claims made against the outlet over subscription fees that came from federal agencies. "Politico has been the subject of debate on X this week. Some of it has been misinformed, and some of it has been flat-out false. Let's set the record straight," Politico CEO Goli Sheikholeslami and editor-in-chief John Harris jointly wrote in a note to readers. "Politico is a privately owned company. We have never received any government funding – no subsidies, no grants, no handouts. Not one dime, ever, in 18 years. Millions of people around the world read our journalism on and in newsletters. It is supported by advertising and sponsorships," they continued. "Politico Pro is different." Politico Denies It's A 'Beneficiary Of Government Programs' As Questions Swirl Over Receiving Taxpayer Funds Sheikholeslami and Harris then detailed the costly subscription service. "It is a professional subscription service used by companies, organizations, and, yes, some government agencies. They subscribe because it makes them better at their jobs – helping them track policy, legislation and regulations in real time with news, intelligence and a suite of data products," they wrote. "At its core, Politico Pro is about transparency and accountability: Shining a light on the work of the agencies, regulators and policymakers throughout our vast federal government. Businesses and entities within the government find it useful as they navigate the chaotic regulatory and legislative landscape." Read On The Fox News App They said the majority of Politico Pro subscribers are in the private sector and that 90% renew their subscription to the service. "Government agencies that subscribe do so through standard public procurement process – just like any other tool they buy to work smarter and be more efficient. This is not funding. It is a transaction – just as the government buys research, equipment, software and industry reports. Some online voices are deliberately spreading falsehoods," they continued. "Let's be clear: Politico has no financial dependence on the government and no hidden agenda. We cover politics and policy – that's our job." White House Announces Doge Is Canceling Payments To Politico On Wednesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt vowed any government payments Politico had been receiving will end as President Donald Trump's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) cracks down on spending. "I can confirm that the more than $8 million taxpayer dollars that have gone to, essentially, subsidizing subscriptions to Politico on the American taxpayers dime, will no longer be happening," Leavitt said. "The DOGE team is working on canceling those payments now," she continued. "This is a whole government effort to assure that we are going line by line when it comes to the federal government's books." There was speculation on social media that the $8 million in question all came from USAID, the agency currently being targeted by DOGE co-founder Elon Musk, but only $44,000 of it came from that agency. Base Politico Pro subscriptions are typically between $12,000 and $15,000 for three users, according to a person with knowledge of the pricing and The Washington Times. Government agency spending on Politico subscriptions pre-dates the Biden administration, according to article source: Politico pushes back at 'misinformed,' 'flat-out false' claims over subscriptions to federal agencies
Fox News
07-02-2025
- Business
- Fox News
Politico pushes back at 'misinformed,' 'flat-out false' claims over subscriptions to federal agencies
The top executives at Politico are strongly pushing back against what they call "misinformed" and "flat-out false" claims made against the outlet over subscription fees that came from federal agencies. "Politico has been the subject of debate on X this week. Some of it has been misinformed, and some of it has been flat-out false. Let's set the record straight," Politico CEO Goli Sheikholeslami and editor-in-chief John Harris jointly wrote in a note to readers. "Politico is a privately owned company. We have never received any government funding – no subsidies, no grants, no handouts. Not one dime, ever, in 18 years. Millions of people around the world read our journalism on and in newsletters. It is supported by advertising and sponsorships," they continued. "Politico Pro is different." Sheikholeslami and Harris then detailed the costly subscription service. "It is a professional subscription service used by companies, organizations, and, yes, some government agencies. They subscribe because it makes them better at their jobs – helping them track policy, legislation and regulations in real time with news, intelligence and a suite of data products," they wrote. "At its core, Politico Pro is about transparency and accountability: Shining a light on the work of the agencies, regulators and policymakers throughout our vast federal government. Businesses and entities within the government find it useful as they navigate the chaotic regulatory and legislative landscape." They said the majority of Politico Pro subscribers are in the private sector and that 90% renew their subscription to the service. "Government agencies that subscribe do so through standard public procurement process – just like any other tool they buy to work smarter and be more efficient. This is not funding. It is a transaction – just as the government buys research, equipment, software and industry reports. Some online voices are deliberately spreading falsehoods," they continued. "Let's be clear: Politico has no financial dependence on the government and no hidden agenda. We cover politics and policy – that's our job." On Wednesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt vowed any government payments Politico had been receiving will end as President Donald Trump's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) cracks down on spending. "I can confirm that the more than $8 million taxpayer dollars that have gone to, essentially, subsidizing subscriptions to Politico on the American taxpayers dime, will no longer be happening," Leavitt said. "The DOGE team is working on canceling those payments now," she continued. "This is a whole government effort to assure that we are going line by line when it comes to the federal government's books." There was speculation on social media that the $8 million in question all came from USAID, the agency currently being targeted by DOGE co-founder Elon Musk, but only $44,000 of it came from that agency. Base Politico Pro subscriptions are typically between $12,000 and $15,000 for three users, according to a person with knowledge of the pricing and The Washington Times. Government agency spending on Politico subscriptions pre-dates the Biden administration, according to
Politico
07-02-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Delays in federal health funding
With help from Mackenzie Wilkes A Note to Our Readers from POLITICO's CEO and Editor-in-Chief POLITICO has been the subject of debate on X this week. Some of it has been misinformed, and some of it has been flat-out false. Let's set the record straight POLITICO is a privately owned company. We have never received any government funding — no subsidies, no grants, no handouts. Not one dime, ever, in 18 years. Millions of people around the world read our journalism on and in newsletters like this one. It is supported by advertising and sponsorships. POLITICO Pro is different. It is a professional subscription service used by companies, organizations, and, yes, some government agencies. They subscribe because it makes them better at their jobs — helping them track policy, legislation and regulations in real-time with news, intelligence and a suite of data products. At its core, POLITICO Pro is about transparency and accountability: Shining a light on the work of the agencies, regulators and policymakers throughout our vast federal government. Businesses and entities within the government find it useful as they navigate the chaotic regulatory and legislative landscape. It's that simple. Most POLITICO Pro subscribers are in the private sector. They come from across the ideological spectrum and subscribe for one reason: value. And 90 percent renew every year because they rely on our reporting, data and insights. Government agencies that subscribe do so through standard public procurement processes — just like any other tool they buy to work smarter and be more efficient. This is not funding. It is a transaction — just as the government buys research, equipment, software and industry reports. Some online voices are deliberately spreading falsehoods. Let's be clear: POLITICO has no financial dependence on the government and no hidden agenda. We cover politics and policy — that's our job. We are so proud of our journalists and so proud of the connection we have with you, our readers. We stand by our work, our values and our commitment to transparency, accountability and efficiency — the same principles that drive great journalism and great business. Now, back to work. Goli Sheikholeslami and John Harris Driving The Day FUNDING FREEZE HAVOC — Providers and lawmakers fear that payments for some federally funded health programs aren't being dispersed amid confusing federal guidance stemming from President Donald Trump's executive orders on gender and diversity. That includes funding for community health centers; Head Start, a school readiness program for low-income families; and other so-called safety-net programs. Background: A flurry of orders from the White House in recent weeks has caused delays to federal funding, including January executive orders targeting 'the use of Federal resources to advance Marxist equity, transgenderism, and green new deal social engineering policies,' calling that 'a waste of taxpayer dollars that does not improve the day-to-day lives of those we serve.' Last week, federal officials ordered a blanket freeze on most federal funding before rolling the order back on Monday. At least two judges have also ordered a suspension of the blanket freeze. At the same time, state Medicaid payment portals experienced an outage, causing confusion nationwide. The downstream effects of the funding freeze have become clearer this week. Here are some key impacts. — Some community health centers, which primarily serve low-income patients, have said they haven't received the federal funding that keeps them afloat, forcing some to temporarily shutter. — Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.), ranking member of the House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee, said a safety-net hospital in her state couldn't provide medical services last month because of a freeze in Medicaid funds. — Dozens of Head Start providers serving nearly 20,000 children report delays in accessing federal grant dollars, according to survey data from the National Head Start Association, an industry group representing the providers. That's despite officials later clarifying that Head Start was excluded from the freeze. HHS has said 'technical issues,' now resolved, affected the payment management system last week, but some providers may experience lags, Mackenzie reports. On Thursday, several Democratic lawmakers demanded answers from the Trump administration. Senate health leaders Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) wrote to the administration asking why the Medicaid platform was inoperable. 'These repeated blackouts are causing panic, confusion, and unnecessary frustration for our doctors, community health centers, hospitals and patients,' Schumer said in a statement. Virginia's Democratic senators, Tim Kaine and Mark Warner, also sent a letter Thursday to HHS asking why some health centers — including those in Virginia — weren't receiving funding. An HHS spokesperson told Pulse that the administration was aware of 'ongoing technical issues' affecting the payment system. 'The system is back up and running now, but some PMS users are experiencing lags due to the high volume of request. HHS is working to expedite a resolution ASAP,' they said. The confusion comes as many federal employees face a looming decision to resign and take deferred compensation. On Thursday, a judge hit pause on the plan until at least Monday, giving workers a bit more time. WELCOME TO FRIDAY PULSE. GO BIRDS! Send your tips, scoops and feedback to ccirruzzo@ and khooper@ and follow along @ChelseaCirruzzo and @Kelhoops. In Congress MEDICAID CUTS NOT OFF THE TABLE — Despite Medicaid 'love' from President Donald Trump, his administration and House Republicans are poised to make deep cuts in the program, POLITICO's Ben Leonard and Adam Cancryn report. Trump said last week that Medicaid was on the list of programs he wants to protect. He said he won't 'do anything' to Medicaid, except in cases of abuse or waste, claiming it wouldn't impact beneficiaries. 'It will only be more effective and better,' Trump said. The comments come as Republicans explore a sweeping overhaul of existing health policies that would likely include major changes to Medicaid to fund a significant portion of party-line legislation to enact Trump's domestic agenda. Working with the White House, the House Energy and Commerce Committee was already on track to slash hundreds of billions of dollars from programs within the panel's purview to offset the budget reconciliation effort, much of it coming from Medicaid. Now, fiscal hawks in the House Republican Conference are calling for even deeper spending cuts, threatening to exacerbate an already difficult task of explaining to constituents why Republicans want to scale back a program that insures more than 70 million Americans. 'He wants to protect people's health care, and so do we,' said Energy and Commerce Chair Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.) in an interview. 'I'm afraid we're going to get to a point where this is going to implode with $1.8 trillion worth of debt. It's better to fix it now than later. … I absolutely agree with the sentiment he's saying.' A White House spokesperson said the Trump administration 'is committed to closely examining Medicaid to improve care for beneficiaries while identifying waste and abuse.' While further discussions with the White House are needed, Guthrie said, he expects that many of the proposals would still fit Trump's criteria. KENNEDY PROCEDURAL VOTE — Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is one step closer to becoming the head of all federal health agencies after a key procedural vote Thursday night. The Senate voted 52-47 to move to executive session on Kennedy's nomination, setting up a confirmation vote next week. Kennedy still has to clear two more votes in the coming days to become Health and Human Services secretary as Democrats used delaying tactics permitted under Senate rules, indicating their particular displeasure with the Kennedy nomination. Still, it's been all but certain Kennedy will be confirmed as HHS secretary since Tuesday when Republican senators on the Finance Committee united to move his bid forward in a party-line vote. That included Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chair Bill Cassidy (R-La.), a doctor who initially said he was 'struggling' with Kennedy's reluctance to disavow false claims about vaccine safety but then agreed to support Kennedy after receiving several assurances from him. During his confirmation hearings, Kennedy said he'd prioritize combating chronic diseases that he believes are the result of additives in the food Americans eat and pollution in the environment. He said health agencies have spent too much time and money on infectious diseases, allowing chronic diseases to grow. NEW SUBCOMMITTEE TARGETS COVID SPENDING — A congressional panel dedicated to a Trump administration effort to cut spending in the government is taking aim at Covid-19-era funds in its first hearing. The House Oversight Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency will hold its first hearing on Feb. 12 titled 'The War on Waste: Stamping Out the Scourge of Improper Payments and Fraud.' According to a notice from Chair Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), the hearing will examine improper payments and fraud, which the notice says were exacerbated during the Biden administration by 'massively expanding Medicaid spending and rushing pandemic-era funding out the door without proper oversight mechanisms in place.' Why it matters: House Republicans and the new administration have criticized the Biden White House's handling of Covid-19 and threatened retribution. Hearing witnesses include a former FBI agent who's now part of The Foundation for Government Accountability, a conservative think tank and director of an antiwelfare fraud organization. AROUND THE AGENCIES RTO PENDING — A memo from the Office of Personnel Management sent to federal employees earlier this week urged managers to prepare to bring workers back to the office, but CMS told its employees this week it doesn't have a date yet. According to a Thursday email sent to CMS employees and viewed by POLITICO, CMS upper management told employees that they have no further details on when they will be expected back in the office and will update them once officials speak with the American Federation of Government Employees, which represents many HHS employees. The AFGE did not respond to requests for comment, but the group has pushed back on orders from the Trump administration impacting federal employees, including an early resignation offer many employees received last month. CMS also did not respond to requests for comment. In a separate email viewed by POLITICO, CMS employees were told by leadership not to speak with reporters and instead direct them to the official media email. Names in the News Kelly Langford, formerly an online communications director at HHS, is joining PhRMA's public affairs team as senior director working on paid media. Kim McCune, former vice president at Weber Shandwick, is also joining the PhRMA public affairs team as senior director of executive visibility. Dr. Meena Seshamani has been named Maryland Department of Health secretary, pending confirmation. She most recently was deputy administrator and director at CMS' Center for Medicare. WHAT WE'RE READING POLITICO's Ben Leonard reports that more Democrats joined Republicans in the House to pass legislation to crack down on fentanyl. The Associated Press reports that its diabetes and weight-loss drug propelled Eli Lilly's fourth-quarter profits last year. POLITICO's Rory O'Neill and Csongor Körömi report that Hungary is mulling an exit from the World Health Association.
Politico
07-02-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Changing tides for the Coastal Commission
A Note to Our Readers from POLITICO's CEO and Editor-in-Chief POLITICO has been the subject of debate on X this week. Some of it has been misinformed, and some of it has been flat-out false. Let's set the record straight. POLITICO is a privately owned company. We have never received any government funding — no subsidies, no grants, no handouts. Not one dime, ever, in 18 years. Millions of people around the world read our journalism on and in newsletters like this one. It is supported by advertising and sponsorships. POLITICO Pro is different. It is a professional subscription service used by companies, organizations, and, yes, some government agencies. They subscribe because it makes them better at their jobs — helping them track policy, legislation and regulations in real-time with news, intelligence and a suite of data products. At its core, POLITICO Pro is about transparency and accountability: Shining a light on the work of the agencies, regulators and policymakers throughout our vast federal government. Businesses and entities within the government find it useful as they navigate the chaotic regulatory and legislative landscape. It's that simple. Most POLITICO Pro subscribers are in the private sector. They come from across the ideological spectrum and subscribe for one reason: value. And 90 percent renew every year because they rely on our reporting, data and insights. Government agencies that subscribe do so through standard public procurement processes — just like any other tool they buy to work smarter and be more efficient. This is not funding. It is a transaction — just as the government buys research, equipment, software and industry reports. Some online voices are deliberately spreading falsehoods. Let's be clear: POLITICO has no financial dependence on the government and no hidden agenda. We cover politics and policy — that's our job. We are so proud of our journalists and so proud of the connection we have with you, our readers. We stand by our work, our values and our commitment to transparency, accountability and efficiency — the same principles that drive great journalism and great business. Now, back to work. Goli Sheikholeslami and John Harris THE BUZZ: SEA CHANGE — The once-untouchable California Coastal Commission has taken hit after hit in the wake of the Los Angeles fires — and state lawmakers see an opening to check their power. Assembly Democrats are trying to pass legislation that would expedite construction of ocean-front housing by sidestepping the commission. Several bills are in the works that aim to limit the panel's authority to block or delay housing over permitting issues or gripes like neighborhood character — concerns about coastal views and aesthetics. In recent weeks, the commission has faced a confluence of criticism from both ends of the political spectrum — from Gov. Gavin Newsom to President Donald Trump — all over the idea that it makes building housing too burdensome and too expensive. The escalating tension was laid bare last week, when Newsom's aides chided the commission for getting sideways with his efforts to help LA quickly rebuild from last month's wildfires. Newsom's frustration came when the commission released a fact sheet that effectively contradicted his executive order allowing fire victims to rebuild homes and businesses in the burn area without obtaining a coastal permit (often a costly, yearslong process). Newsom's administration forced the commission to scrub the fact sheet from its website and called its move 'legally erroneous guidance.' And the governor issued another executive order that prohibits the commission from taking any action that 'interferes' with his LA reconstruction orders. The reprimands came after Trump — a developer seemingly speaking from personal experience — headlined a fire recovery roundtable with elected officials and displaced residents in LA where he maligned the commission's 'antics.' 'They are considered the most difficult in the entire country, and we cannot have them play their games and wait 10 years to give somebody a permit,' Trump said. Rep. Doug LaMalfa, a Republican from Northern California who attended the roundtable with Trump, told POLITICO he nudged Newsom over the commission in a meeting Wednesday in Washington: 'We need to have roadblocks knocked down in order to get rebuilding done,' LaMalfa recalled saying. He said Newsom listened and nodded along. YIMBY groups and lawmakers say the swell of bipartisan concern about the commission could bode well for their upcoming legislative efforts — despite numerous failed attempts to limit the commission's authority. 'We are at the inflection point,' said Laura Foote, president of YIMBY Action, a San Francisco-based housing group, and a frequent critic of the commission. Housing advocates are banking on heightened national scrutiny of state officials to spur a rebuild that is quick and mitigates California's glaring affordability crisis. 'There's a lot of pressure on Newsom to prove that blue states can govern themselves,' Foote added. Past efforts to reform the commission have been vociferously opposed by environmental and labor groups, who argue regulations are needed to protect the state's shorelines from pollution and its construction laborers from exploitation. Last year, a handful of bills that sought to build more housing in urban coastal areas ran into a buzzsaw in the state Senate after the commission and its allies pushed to gut the bills. The commission has largely dismissed its critics, arguing it was empowered by voters to protect sensitive marine habitats, scenic bluffs, wetlands and other natural treasures. The Legislature then gave it permanent authority over development on the California shoreline. Commission spokesperson Joshua Smith said the panel is no stranger to controversy and the Coastal Act has often been targeted because it 'values public access and coastal resources over profits.' He added: 'Protecting the coast for the people is our priority.' Among the bills taking shape in the Assembly are measures that would: force the commission to follow the same building-permit review deadlines as cities and allow development of university housing and backyard cottages in Los Angeles County without a coastal permit. The Pacific Palisades, where thousands of houses burned in the fires, is also home to major Democratic donors. But that politically influential group is unlikely to advocate for rebuilding the neighborhood with dense high rises. They also may not be as sympathetic to progressive environmentalist legislators as lower-income fire survivors who live inland, outside the commission's jurisdiction. 'You can bet your bottom dollar that the more-housing lobby is going to jump on their bulldozers and try to drive bulldozers through the front door of the Coastal Commission,' said Warner Chabot, who served as a watchdog for the commission for years and directs the San Francisco Estuary Institute. 'But I don't think that they'll have a lot of successful arguments that it's necessary to help the disenfranchised millionaires and billionaires who live in Pacific Palisades.' Assemblymember Rick Zbur, a progressive who represents a coastal district that includes Santa Monica, acknowledged that the bills face a tough road as legislators balance their desire for building with environmental concerns. A former environmental attorney, Zbur said the commission needs to be checked. 'They have had a habit of slowing down housing development,' he said. 'That's the reality.' — Josh Siegel contributed reporting GOOD MORNING. Happy Friday. Thanks for waking up with Playbook. You can text us at 916-562-0685 — save it as 'CA Playbook' in your contacts. Or drop us a line at dgardiner@ and bjones@ or on X — @DustinGardiner and @jonesblakej. WHERE'S GAVIN? Nothing official announced. CAMPAIGN YEAR(S) NOT BITING, NOT AT ALL — Former Vice President Kamala Harris glided right past questions about her political future and a possible run for governor while touring wildfire damage in LA. 'I have been home for two weeks and three days,' Harris told reporters Thursday. 'My plans are to be in touch with my community, to be in touch with the leaders and figure out what I can do to support them, and most importantly, to lift up the folks who are surviving this extraordinary crisis and do what I can do to to offer any assistance, even if it is a kind word along the way.' Asked a second time, Harris added: 'I am here and would be here regardless of the office I hold, because it is the right thing to do, which is to show up in your community and thank the folks who are on the ground doing the hard work.' STATE CAPITOL FIRST IN POLITICO: PHONE WARS — Assemblymember Tina McKinnor is resurrecting her bid to phase out landlines in California — in part because of the Los Angeles fires, our Tyler Katzenberger scooped for POLITICO Pro subscribers yesterday. McKinnor — whose district is less than five miles from neighborhoods scorched by the destructive Palisades Fire — said her new plan to let telecom giant AT&T end landline service only in areas where other phone options exist will ensure access to safety information during natural disasters. 'Wireless text messages, even though not perfect, were far more effective in notifying residents of evacuation orders or other emergency information,' McKinnor said. 'We need to stop relying on outdated technology that does not protect our families.' But, but, but … Seniors and rural residents have long cited wildfires as a reason to keep landline phones, not dump them. They say the phones, which are connected by copper wires in the ground, are the only reliable way to call for help if cell service goes out during a fire. AT&T has tried but failed to sell landline users on calling alternatives, but it hasn't stuck, forcing the company to dole out more cash to maintain copper lines used by a sliver of Californians. And past legislative efforts to phase out the phones (hi, Evan Low!) fizzled out before becoming law, including a bill McKinnor gutted and amended last summer. So what's different this year? McKinnor said she will propose changes that reflect conversations she's held with local governments, public safety leaders, rural communities and labor groups since pulling her last attempt at dropping AT&T's landline obligations in July. The details, however, are TBA as those conversations continue, McKinnor said. ON THE AIRWAVES RESISTANCE 2.0 — Former Los Angeles Times opinion columnist Jean Guerrero, now a fellow at the Latina Futures 2050 Lab, will begin training Latina women and girls to write newspaper op-eds and do broadcast hits advocating against Trump administration policies. The lab was initially founded at UCLA in 2022 with upstart funding from the state, and its leadership advises the California Legislative Latino Caucus. 'Over the next four years we have significant work to do to hold the line against a concerted effort to dismantle decades of progress for communities of color, women and other marginalized communities with the stroke of a pen,' lab founders Veronica Terriquez and Sonja Diaz wrote in a letter explaining the initiative. Guerrero has written critically of federal immigration crackdowns, including in a book about White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller under the banner 'Hatemonger.' CLIMATE AND ENERGY LET'S MAKE A DEAL — Trump likes scoring political points off of California, but he also really loves a deal. Read where there might be room for an agreement (hint: water) and where there really is not in last night's California Climate. TOP TALKERS PUT IT ON ICE — U.S. District Judge John Coughenour, a Reagan appointee, extended a temporary hold on Trump's executive order that seeks outlaw birthright citizenship. The Seattle judge's nationwide injunction is the second to be issued by separate judges on separate days, POLITICO's Josh Gerstein reports. 'It has become ever more apparent that to our president, the rule of law is but an impediment to his policy goals. The rule of law is, according to him, something to navigate around or simply ignore, whether that be for political or personal gain,' Coughenour said. SWING AND A MISS — Democratic Rep. Jared Huffman protested the National Prayer Breakfast Thursday in a post on X, saying it was 'yet another example of MAGA Republicans taking a sledgehammer to the wall between church and state.' But the sentiment didn't land well as Barack Obama and Joe Biden both attended the same event when they were president. DON'T HOLD YOUR BREATH — It will take several months for the federal government to turn over the 250,000 files, or 140 gigabytes of data, that they say prove former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and her partner Andre Jones engaged in a bribery scheme with the Duong family. Lawyers for the defendants also said that it would take them months to look through the government's evidence, the Oaklandside reports. U.S. Attorney Molly Priedeman said that no one wore a wire as a part of the investigation but added that they seized numerous devices, which they still possess. Thao, Jones and the Duongs have denied any wrongdoing. AROUND THE STATE — Nearly 300 people who lost their homes to the Eaton fire will be relocated from their temporary shelter at Pasadena Convention Center as it is slated to hold events later this month. (Los Angeles Times) — Vista-based Dr. Bronner's is facing a wrongful death lawsuit from the family of an employee who overdosed at age 50 after David and Mia Bronner allegedly arranged for her to receive a 'ketamine massage.' (KPBS) — Former Merced Mayor Mike Murphy has formed a committee to run for the seat currently held by Assemblymember Esmeralda Soria. (SJV Sun) PLAYBOOKERS ENGAGED — Jeff Hasselman, who advises blockchain and crypto startups at 926 Ventures and founded blockchain crypto at AWS, on Sunday proposed to Denise Grace Gitsham, founder of Vitamin D Public Relations, a NewsNation contributor and former California Republican congressional candidate. The couple met on Bumble in May 2024, and he proposed at the Caribou Club in Aspen. Pic BIRTHDAYS — Jeff Marschner at The Hoover Institution … journalist Cameron Page Langford … Cappi Williamson at The Financial Times … Sean Elsbernd … BELATED B-DAY WISHES — (was Thursday): Rep. Luz Rivas (D-Calif.) … Michael Tucker ... Paul Kujawsky … Jacob Wijnberg … Alexa Cassanos … Eric Weiner … (was Wednesday): Michael Mann ... Jennifer Leigh ... Rabbi Niles Goldstein WANT A SHOUT-OUT FEATURED? — Send us a birthday, career move or another special occasion to include in POLITICO's California Playbook. You can now submit a shout-out using this Google form.
