Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Josh Koehn

Josh Koehn

@joshkoehn.bsky.social

620 followers 55 following 37 posts

Political reporter at the San Francisco Standard.

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Josh Koehn @joshkoehn.bsky.social · 3d

Scott Wiener is done waiting on Nancy Pelosi. He’s running in 2026, sources say

San Francisco’s state senator previously said he would wait for Pelosi to retire from Congress, but polling and a progressive challenger changed the game.

sfstandard.com/2025/10/16/s...

Scott Wiener is done waiting on Nancy Pelosi. He’s running for Congress

San Francisco’s state senator previously said he would wait for Pelosi to retire before running, but polling and the emergence of a progressive challenger changed the game.

Josh Koehn @joshkoehn.bsky.social · Aug 7

NEW: Assemblymember Matt Haney was one of only a handful of elected officials in the CA Legislature who spent more campaign $ than they raised in the first half of 2025.

A big reason: Lawyer fees.

Haney is under 2 state political watchdog investigations
sfstandard.com/2025/08/07/m...

Matt Haney pays huge lawyer fees amid political watchdog probes

The San Francisco legislator's burn rate on campaign cash suggests his mixing of business with pleasure is coming back to bite him.

Josh Koehn @joshkoehn.bsky.social · Jul 15

Comments made by a San Francisco deputy chief have sparked a debate on whether police will side w/ federal immigration agents over protesters.

Police can't legally assist ICE, but SFPD sees coordination as arrests & providing info—not blocking protesters.

sfstandard.com/2025/07/15/s...

San Francisco balances on thin blue line with Trump ICE arrests

Violent clashes involving federal agents have raised difficult questions inside the SFPD and City Hall.

Josh Koehn @joshkoehn.bsky.social · Jun 27

JUST IN: State Sen. Scott Wiener filed paperwork Friday to run for Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi’s seat in Congress in 2028.

But if Pelosi decides to retire, the San Francisco state senator could transfer his warchest into a 2026 committee.

sfstandard.com/2025/06/27/n...

Wiener launches 2028 bid for Nancy Pelosi's seat in Congress

If Pelosi decides to retire, the San Francisco state senator could transfer his campaign warchest into a new committee to run in 2026.

Reposted by Josh Koehn

The San Francisco Standard @sfstandard.com · Jun 27

Wiener launches 2028 bid for Nancy Pelosi’s seat in Congress

Wiener launches 2028 bid for Nancy Pelosi’s seat in Congress

If Pelosi decides to retire, the San Francisco state senator could transfer his campaign warchest into a new committee to run in 2026.

Josh Koehn @joshkoehn.bsky.social · Jun 25

NEW: Zohran Mamdani's victory in the Democratic primary for New York mayor has some San Francisco political observers spiraling.

The city is fresh off its own progressive experiment & some of SF's loudest critics say the Big Apple is in for a rotten turn.

sfstandard.com/2025/06/25/z...

NYC mayor’s race sparks progressive PTSD in San Francisco

Zohran Mamdani’s victory in the Democratic primary for New York mayor has San Francisco moderates sounding the alarm.

Josh Koehn @joshkoehn.bsky.social · Jun 24

The Golden Gate Bridge CEO’s efforts to purge DEI language and policies suggest that the Trump administration’s aggressive actions are having the intended chilling effect.

sfstandard.com/2025/06/24/g...

The Golden Gate Bridge is dangerously woke, CEO warns

The CEO in charge of the landmark said the agency needs to distance itself from past statements — suggesting Trump attacks on DEI are having the intended chilling effect.

Josh Koehn @joshkoehn.bsky.social · Jun 23

NEW: Harmeet Dhillon, the head of Civil Rights in U.S., is one of the most complex political figures I’ve profiled.

How a conservative immigrant in San Francisco went full MAGA to lead Trump’s culture wars—and what this means for civil rights & elections
sfstandard.com/2025/06/23/h...

The San Francisco lawyer rewriting civil rights in Trump's America

After spending the last decade suing everyone under the sun, Harmeet Dhillon — the new head of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division — is inarguably equipped to wage Trump’s culture wars.

Josh Koehn @joshkoehn.bsky.social · Jun 10

TONIGHT: Thousands of demonstrators gathered at multiple locations across San Francisco to protest ICE raids and Trump sending soldiers to CA.

“We are not out here to burn shit or break shit, we are out here to show them we are not scared,” one speaker told the crowd

sfstandard.com/2025/06/09/s...

Josh Koehn @joshkoehn.bsky.social · Jun 9

NEW: Mayor Daniel Lurie has resisted talking about President Donald Trump in public since taking office.

The last week — from mothers & children being arrested, protests & riots, & Trump sending 2K soldiers to CA — may require a change in that strategy.

sfstandard.com/2025/06/09/s...

ICE raids, soldiers in LA put heat on San Francisco's mayor

San Francisco officials convened an emergency meeting Sunday to discuss how President Trump’s escalation of immigration enforcement — including sending soldiers to Los Angeles — could impact the city....

Reposted by Josh Koehn

Annie Gaus @anniegaus.bsky.social · Jun 2

"Of the dozens of insiders I spoke with, most admitted that this year’s convention was alarmingly mired in the same themes and mantras that doomed Dems in 2024..."

Many CA Dems are tired of the status quo, but few will say so publicly, per @joshkoehn.bsky.social

sfstandard.com/2025/06/02/c...

Dark times in Disneyland with California Democrats

Many California Democrats are tired of the status quo — but few are willing to say so publicly.

Josh Koehn @joshkoehn.bsky.social · Jun 2

NEW: Trying to figure out what Democrats plan to do to win back voters always felt like a sucker’s bet. Conventions aren’t the place for new ideas & strategies, they’re an orgiastic celebration of the status quo.

But something felt very off in Disneyland.
sfstandard.com/2025/06/02/c...

Dark times in Disneyland with California Democrats

Many California Democrats are tired of the status quo — but few are willing to say so publicly.

Josh Koehn @joshkoehn.bsky.social · May 27

JUST IN: Plainclothes federal agents detained at least one man Tuesday morning and loaded him into an unmarked van, in what was believed to be among the first arrests of undocumented immigrants at San Francisco immigration court.

Story by @tomokichien.bsky.social

sfstandard.com/2025/05/27/u...

Undercover ICE agents begin making arrests at SF immigration court

"ICE is now following the law and placing these illegal aliens in expedited removal, as they always should have been," a spokesperson said.

Josh Koehn @joshkoehn.bsky.social · May 23

JUST IN: Supervisor Bilal Mahmood is pitching a plan to transform a popular block of Hayes Street into a new entertainment zone and “town square” that — hold on to your britches! — could permanently close the stretch of road to cars.

Read all about it 👇

sfstandard.com/2025/05/23/h...

Hayes Street could get an entertainment zone. Are cars included?

San Francisco Supervisor Bilal Mahmood is calling for a new town square and entertainment zone that would study impacts of going car-free.

Josh Koehn @joshkoehn.bsky.social · May 15

NEW: It’s nearly a foregone conclusion that Democrats will rally around Kamala Harris as their preferred candidate for California governor in the 2026 election.

Here’s why that plan could backfire.

sfstandard.com/2025/05/15/k...

Dems play risky game anointing Kamala Harris for CA governor

Kamala Harris is the frontrunner for California governor without even launching a campaign, but her candidacy comes with risks.

Josh Koehn @joshkoehn.bsky.social · May 8

This week in San Francisco people publicly faking their deaths:

"Jeffy Yu was days away from his 23rd birthday when he appeared to take his own life Sunday in a livestream ... @SFStandard found Yu on Wednesday, holed up at his parents’ Crocker-Amazon home"

sfstandard.com/2025/05/08/j...

Crypto founder faked own death. We found him alive at his dad's house

Crypto founder Jeffy Yu appeared to commit suicide in a Sunday livestream. Then we found him alive and well on Wednesday at his dad's San Francisco home.

Josh Koehn @joshkoehn.bsky.social · Apr 21

NEW: Uber officials sent a scathing letter threatening a lawsuit against San Francisco the same day Mayor Daniel Lurie announced a deal giving Waymo access to Market Street.

The mayor's team has been doing damage control meetings since then.

Exclusive 👇

sfstandard.com/2025/04/21/s...

Uber threatens lawsuit over Waymo robotaxis on Market Street

Mayor Daniel Lurie’s decision to let Waymo robotaxis onto Market Street has started a potential legal fight with Uber. The mayor’s team has been doing damage control meetings with Uber and Lyft since ...

Josh Koehn @joshkoehn.bsky.social · Apr 21

NEW: After seeing what happened with Biden and Feinstein, San Francisco Democrats want to put an age limit on politicians and hope to get the California party’s backing.

However, local officials said this is not an attempt to push out Nancy Pelosi.

sfstandard.com/2025/04/21/s...

San Francisco Democrats want to put an age limit on politicians

San Francisco Democrats want to put an age limit on elected officials after seeing what happened to Joe Biden and Dianne Feinstein. Nancy Pelosi is a different story. For now.

Josh Koehn @joshkoehn.bsky.social · Apr 15

NEW: Uber, Lyft & safe-street advocates are all upset with Mayor Daniel Lurie’s decision to let Waymo roll onto Market Street.

Critics also say Lurie cut a deal without extracting long-sought concessions on robotaxi data.

Is Lurie too cozy with Waymo?

sfstandard.com/2025/04/15/s...

Lurie gave Waymo the keys to Market Street. People are furious

In a rare alliance, Uber and Lyft are joining safe-street advocates in San Francisco in opposing Mayor Daniel Lurie’s decision to give Waymo robotaxis near-exclusive access to Market Street.

Josh Koehn @joshkoehn.bsky.social · Apr 10

NEW: My investigation for @sfstandard.com found Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara appears to have a “slush fund” to buy booze/food at some of California’s fanciest bars & restaurants.

And we got receipts—including a $700 dinner w/ Farmers Insurance CEO.

sfstandard.com/2025/04/10/c...

Insurance commissioner splurges on meals, drinks as CA burns

An @sfstandard investigation found that Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara has been using a shadowy campaign committee to spend thousands on fancy meals & cocktails. And we have the receipts 🧾🥩🍸 The ...

Josh Koehn @joshkoehn.bsky.social · Apr 1

NEW: After digging into city invoices & contracts, @anniegaus.bsky.social & I found what appears to be a major red flag 🚩regarding a $620K, 1-day women’s conference.

Suspended city director Kimberly Ellis gifted a $30K overpayment to a nonprofit she’s close with.

sfstandard.com/2025/04/01/s...

SF official overruled staff to push $30K extra to political group

A review of city contracts and invoices shows the Department on the Status of Women allowed a political nonprofit to keep excess funds from a splashy conference. A source said Kimberly Ellis overruled...

Josh Koehn @joshkoehn.bsky.social · Mar 31

In light of Trump saying he’s “not joking” about seeking a third term as President, I’m reupping a story from a couple weeks ago by @eshugs.bsky.social and me on a Democratic powerbrokers conference in San Francisco.

The “lay low” strategy will be seriously tested.

sfstandard.com/2025/03/15/d...

Democrat donors fume in San Francisco as party charts new path

One Democratic advisor said wealthy donors are still thinking, “What the fuck did I burn all that money for?”

Josh Koehn @joshkoehn.bsky.social · Mar 29

NEW: San Francisco is famous for burning taxpayer cash, but a women's policy summit last year may have set a new standard by lighting more than $600K ablaze.

We got receipts on hotels, massages, a DJ & speaker fees — including one tasked with oversight.

sfstandard.com/2025/03/28/s...

San Francisco spent $600K on an 8-hour conference. Here's how

The Standard obtained a trove of documents showing the department spared no expense on food, flowers, lighting, drapes, a fashion show, a DJ, plane tickets, hotel stays and speaker fees paid to a pers...

Josh Koehn @joshkoehn.bsky.social · Mar 28

EXCLUSIVE: @adamlashinsky.bsky.social got the deck Mayor Daniel Lurie’s team has been showing San Francisco’s wealthy donor class as he tries to raise $100 million to ramp up shelter beds.

The BIG question: will throwing private 💸 at homelessness change anything?

sfstandard.com/opinion/2025...

Opinion | Exclusive: Inside Lurie’s $100M plan to get private donors to pay for homeless beds - The San Francisco Standard

The mayor is rolling out another plan that asks San Francisco's rich to pony up for its poor.

Josh Koehn @joshkoehn.bsky.social · Mar 27

NEW: Former staff in SF Department on Status of women say suspended director Kimberly Ellis bullied & pushed out employees to have free reign over taxpayer money, funding lavish meals, contracts for friends & a fancy Tahoe retreat.

sfstandard.com/2025/03/27/s...

San Francisco official paid ‘dear friend’ $85K using city money

Exclusive: A suspended city official paid $85,000 to her “dear friend” who joined her department’s fancy Tahoe retreat.