LA Podcast
News & Politics
About
A news and politics podcast for people who live in Los Angeles.
Episodes
- To D Continued
Metro’s D line extension is finally open! Alissa, Mike, Godfrey, and David discuss the many ways a longer Wilshire subway can be a game-changer for LA. Then: more dark and dirty money is flooding into local races as ballots hit mailboxes.…
- Quality of Strife
Alissa, Rachel, and Sophie talk about yet another new ICE detention center that’s opened in a former private prison in the Central Valley. How a new citywide adaptive reuse ordinance could convert vacant buildings into housing. Then, UCLA’…
- Dollars and Nonsense
Alissa joins Mike and Godfrey to decipher LA’s new budget, Karen Bass’s second (or third?) State of the City, and which departments are getting more money this year. Then, how a plan to help Airbnb snuck into the budget, and fundraising up…
- New Hack City
Alissa, Mike, and Rachel on the 2 a.m. union deal that prevented an LAUSD strike. A major hack of sensitive LAPD information causes City Attorney Hydee Feldstein-Soto to lose her police endorsement. Mad about pricey LA28 tickets? So are LA…
- Dissembling in the Dark
Mike, Rachel, and Laura reveal the troubling story of the Neighbors First dark money network that’s mucking up LA City Council elections, including previously unreported details. Then: the latest in the ongoing Measure ULA saga, and a pote…
- I Heard It Through the K Line
Scott, Mike, and Godfrey go long on Metro’s greenlighting of a major regional transit expansion – the northern extension of the K Line – and the politics that almost derailed the action. Plus, what recent polls say about LA Mayor Karen Bas…
- Departure of Water and Power
Alissa, Mike, and Sammy discuss the resignation of Janisse Quiñones as head of LADWP and what this will mean for LA’s clean energy goals. Then, takeaways from the first LA mayoral debate and how climate is factoring into the governor’s rac…
- Revision of Labor
Alissa, Rachel, and Sophie discuss the bombshell sexual abuse accusations against the late labor leader Cesar Chavez, including by Chavez’s fellow labor leader Dolores Huerta and two women who were abused as children. A reckoning is underw…
- Just Say Noma
Alissa, Rachel, and Mike discuss LA city’s six-year journey to end the racist and ineffective practice of pretextual stops by police. For the first time in a decade, the number of homeless people who died in LA County went down, not up; fr…
- What’s the Fiscal Chief, Kenneth?
Mike, Godfrey and Oscar dive into two big charter reform debates: oversight of the LAPD and the role of LA’s city controller, which current Controller Kenneth Mejia is turning into a public battle. The Trump administration is planning to e…
- Gov Me Something to Believe In
Alissa, Mike, and Godfrey report back from the California Democratic Party state convention where endorsement battles plague the governor’s race. Will Republicans end up nabbing the top two spots on the November ballot? LAUSD Superintenden…
- Paved and Confused
Scott, Alissa, and Rachel dry off after yet another flash flooding event and absorb a new report that says LA County could eliminate half of its pavement. Casey Wasserman is leaving his own company but will apparently stay on as LA28 chair…
- Raman Up That Hill
Alissa, Mike, Rachel, and Olga unpack Nithya Raman’s surprise mayoral run. How the LA city councilmember’s last-minute decision to challenge incumbent Karen Bass has rattled establishment Democrats and angered activists on the left — and w…
- Casey Closed
Alissa, Mike, and Memo discuss the “No Secret Police Act,” which requires ICE agents to remove face coverings — and why LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell’s refusal to enforce it is such a red flag. Don Lemon’s federal detention highlights the doubl…
- If I Was Your Boycott
Alissa, Godfrey, and Sophie recount another week of accelerating immigration raids and how Angelenos are organizing against them. Why the “national shutdown” isn’t a general strike (yet). If ICE is going to the Winter Olympics, what does t…
- ULA Confidential
Mike, David, and Carla do a deep-dive on state and local efforts to build and fund — and also stop and kill — housing, while changes are proposed to LA city’s ULA transfer tax, also known as the “mansion tax.” More charter reform proposals…
- Subway, Someday
Alissa, Rachel, and Godfrey remember Keith Porter Jr., who was killed by an off-duty ICE agent on New Year’s Eve in Northridge. A new UCLA report shows how Metro’s unarmed ambassadors are helping Metro’s riders. A subway concept advances f…
- A Whole Post of Problems
Alissa, Mike, and guest co-host Golden State’s Mariel Garza talk about how local officials commemorated (or didn’t commemorate) the one-year anniversary of the fires, including a shocking statement from Councilmember Traci Park. Reality TV…
- Another Year Smolder
One year ago this week Los Angeles was forever changed by the most destructive natural disaster in the county’s history. Alissa, Mike, and Kate survey the impact of the firestorms, and discuss what year two of recovery looks like for the t…
- Fires and ICE
It’s the end-of-the-year episode! And what a horrible year it has been! Alissa, Rachel, and Mike recap the biggest stories, the stories that didn’t get nearly enough attention, and what to look forward to next year. (Yes, there are some th…
- Cadets, I’ve Had a Few
Mike, David, and Godfrey go deep on one of the wildest LA City Council votes in recent memory as councilmembers quarrel over Karen Bass’s manufactured deadline to increase police hiring. LAPD reform finally makes it onto the charter commis…
- Nobody's Asphalt
Alissa, Rachel, and Sophie dig into an investigation that shows the City of Los Angeles stopped repaving its streets instead of implementing multimodal safety improvements. Remembering Robert Silverstein, the lawyer who tried to halt nearl…
- Less-lethal Weapon
Mike, Rachel, and Oscar check in on six months of still-escalating ICE raids terrorizing Los Angeles County. House Dems held a special Congressional hearing to collect powerful testimony about the state-sponsored kidnappings — and immigrat…
- A Conversation with Karen Bass
As the LA Podcast team takes off for the Thanksgiving long weekend, we’re featuring Mike’s recent one-on-one interview with Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. In a wide-ranging conversation, they discuss Bass’s leadership style — she says she p…
- It's Raining Bin
Alissa and Mike are joined by journalist Sammy Roth to answer all your questions about LA’s climate and environment goals. Why are green bins clustered on every corner? How can we save even more water? When are we weaning ourselves off coa…
- Hydee in Plain Sight
Mike, Rachel, Godfrey, and Olga analyze the significance of last week’s vote by LA’s City Council to limit annual rent increases for 1.5 million tenants — and somehow explain it all using Dodgers metaphors. The LAPD and city attorney Hydee…
- 50 Ways to Leave Your Legislator
Alissa, Mike, and Rachel break down last week’s election results and some major progressive victories. Zohran Mamdani is the new democratic socialist mayor of New York City! Prop 50 passes, temporarily redrawing California’s districts! And…
- Re: LAX, Don’t Do It
Alissa, Godfrey, and Mike review a new city controller assessment of LAPD’s “armed-first, police-first, patrol-first” response to mental health crisis calls. Plus, what in the world is going on at LAX? The people mover is delayed to June 2…
- To Live and DEI in LA
Alissa, Mike, and guest co-host Liz Chou discuss a secretive $2 million payout to LA County’s CEO, who claims she suffered “reputational harm” from Measure G. An LA City charter reform proposal would bring dramatic changes to the Board of…
- Austin’s Powers
Mike, Godfrey and Carla welcome former LAUSD superintendent Austin Beutner to the LA mayoral race as the first serious challenger to incumbent Karen Bass. The state’s housing department sends a blistering letter to the City of Los Angeles…
- ChatGPT Didn't Start the Fire
Alissa, Mike, and Kate recount a dramatic week as an arson suspect is taken into custody for allegedly starting a fire which smoldered underground for a week, then rekindled in high winds to become the deadly Palisades Fire. Analysis of LA…
- Wait Wait... Don't Tell On Me!
Alissa, Mike and Rachel recap Trump’s declared war on cities run by the “radical left” (we wish!) and fresh threats to Cal State campuses. LA County’s long-awaited after-action report on the failure to issue alerts and evacuations during t…
- The Tracks of My Palantirs
Mike, Rachel, and guest co-host TV writer Olga Lexell discuss censorship in Hollywood and how unions rallied to reinstate Jimmy Kimmel Live . How ICE is using Palantir’s data to track you, and how rapid response groups are fighting back. P…
- May We Have Your Convention Please
Alissa, Mike, and David discuss a contentious vote about expanding LA’s neglected convention center. The ULA transfer tax is making $387 million available for affordable housing right as a backroom deal to undermine ULA implodes in the sta…
- Take the Monica and Run
Alissa, Scott, Hayes, and Mike try to decipher the electoral intentions of LA City Councilmember Monica Rodriguez and preview other key city and county races as local candidates launch their campaigns for the June primary. Plus, a devastat…
- 82 Degrees and Rising
Alissa, Mike, and LA Taco ’s Memo Torres break down three months of ICE raids and explain why a Labor Day lull doesn’t mean the feds are letting up. LA County passes a law that says your landlord must keep your apartment below 82 degrees,…
- Airbnb Apparent
Alissa, Rachel, Mike, and Godfrey discuss how LA’s Unarmed Model of Crisis Response had a very successful first year of diverting 911 calls away from LAPD. What is the Save Our Services campaign claiming to prevent budget cuts and why is A…
- Big Little Liabilities
Alissa, David, and Carla sweat it out during LA’s first major heat wave of the summer and wonder if the city is any better prepared for catastrophic fires. Former LAFD chief Kristin Crowley files a defamation claim against LA Mayor Karen B…
- Back to Cruel
Alissa, Mike, and Rachel talk about how LAUSD plans to protect students from their federal government. ICE crashes Gavin Newsom’s redistricting press conference. DC is invaded by Trump, just like LA leaders warned would happen. Then: DIY c…
- Olympic Meddle
Mike and Godfrey are joined by Spectrum 1 News’ Kate Cagle to talk about new “Trojan Horse” immigration raids, Trump launching a new LA28 White House task force while continuing to bash LA, and the escalating war over the potential redistr…
- Infrastructure Weak
Alissa, Mike, and Godfrey discuss the next era for LA’s homeless services with a newly named interim CEO for LAHSA and a terrifying executive order from the Trump administration. Then LA’s charter reform commission is finally underway, sta…
- Smoke and Smearers
Alissa and Mike sit down for a full assessment of recovery efforts six months after the January fires — and discuss why a key rebuilding effort went off the rails. Plus, we check in on the accomplishments of the fire-recovery billionaires,…
- Never Admit Retreat
Alissa, Rachel, and Sophie come bearing (some) good news as 2000 National Guard troops are withdrawn from LA and a federal court ruling invokes a temporary restraining order that stops ICE agents from racial profiling. Plus: Children’s Hos…
- Bass Pro Shots
Alissa, Mike, and Godfrey on the terrifying U.S. military invasion of MacArthur Park that sent LA Mayor Karen Bass racing to the scene. Why homicides in LA have hit a 60-year low (hint: it’s not because of cops). And when LA County voters…
- CEQA No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil
Alissa, Hayes, Mike, and Carla recap another week of relentless ICE raids. The Trump administration sues LA over its sanctuary city status, and a coalition of immigrants rights groups sue the federal government right back. A ruling in the…
- For Mayor Consideration
Alissa, Mike, and Godfrey track a third week of ICE raids that are more violent, more brazen, and raising more questions about how LAPD is assisting with these kidnappings. The Olympic Wage coalition strikes back with a new referendum to r…
- ICE Guys Finish Last
Alissa, Mike, Rachel, and Oscar give an update on LA under siege as at least 500 people are taken from their families in federal raids. Plus, the massive No Kings rally in Downtown LA ends in police violence, how CHIRLA’s rapid response te…
- LA Misérables
Scott, Alissa, Rachel, and Mike recap an astonishing week as Los Angeles is occupied by the federal government. How the city and state are responding to ongoing ICE raids, the federalization of the National Guard, the handcuffing of Senato…
- Let’s Get It Chartered In Here
Alissa, Mike, Godfrey, and Rachel discuss charter reform at the city and county, including the powerful new LA County CEO position voters will elect in 2028. Then, a referendum to overturn the Olympic Wage attempts to gather signatures, an…
- Streaming, Crying, Throwing Up
Mike, Hayes, and Carla discuss the growing desire among LA Councilmembers to rein in mayoral oversight of homelessness as they’re potentially being called into Judge David O. Carter’s federal courtroom. Plus, new city and state efforts to…