Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Mike Bonin @mikebonin.bsky.social · 17d

Moving LA’s elections from odd-numbered years to even-numbered years was a game-changer, giving city elections an electorate that was much more representative of the city.

Bolts @boltsmag.org · 17d

Local candidates who have run in odd-year elections say it’s challenging for them to campaign on policies that favor communities that are less likely to vote in odd-year races, such as housing policies that’d help renters.

To Boost Turnout, Ballot Measure Proposes Moving New York City Elections to Even Years

When cities hold their local elections on off years, they tend to see terrible turnout. Many are rescheduling their contests when many more people go to the polls. Will New York be next?

boltsmag.org

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Mike Bonin @mikebonin.bsky.social · 18d

Arguing against a financial plan to modernize the LA Convention Center, Katy Yaroslavsky delivered one of the most cogent, powerful, intelligent and persuasive speeches I’ve ever heard in Council chambers. It was a tour de force.

(A short while later, the council voted 11-2 to approve the plan.)

Alissa Walker @awalkerinla.bsky.social · 18d

I had a whole story ready to publish about this convention center vote, but Yaroslavsky's speech — one of the most powerful I’ve ever seen on the council floor — said it better than I ever could. It's a must-read, and I also included a link to the video

"This expansion is unrealistic, unaffordable, and fiscally irresponsible"

Katy Yaroslavsky's words are about the city's convention center — but they are really about the city

www.torched.la

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Mike Bonin @mikebonin.bsky.social · 19d

Here’s how the LA congressional reps voted on the resolution honoring Charlie Kirk:

No -Gomez, Kamlager-Dove, Waters

Present- Friedman, Sherman,
Sanchez, Brownley, Whitesides, Rivas, ,Cisneros

Not Voting-Barragan, Garcia, Torres

Yes -Lieu, Chu, Takano

Source: clerk.house.gov/Votes/202528...

Roll Call 282 Roll Call 282, Bill Number: H. Res. 719, 119th Congress, 1st Session

VOTE QUESTION: On Agreeing to the Resolution, DESCRIPTION: Honoring the life and legacy of Charles “Charlie” James Kirk, VOTE TYPE: Yea-And-Nay, STATUS: Passed

clerk.house.gov

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Mike Bonin @mikebonin.bsky.social · 20d

Antifa isn’t a group. It’s an umbrella term - like MAGA. By declaring Antifa a “terrorist organization” they’re creating a legal framework to charge organizers, protesters, elected officials, commentators and anyone they want with domestic terrorism.

This is how freedom dies and fascism thrives.

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Reposted by Mike Bonin

Adam Bonin @adambonin.bsky.social · 20d

My mom called me last night about the Kimmel firing, saying "This is how Hitler got started!" I quickly responded, "By firing the late night tv hosts?"

Turns out, mom was right.

Goebbels Ends Careers of Five 'Aryan' Actors Who Made Witticisms About the Nazi Regime

Feb. 4, 1939

February 4, 1939, Page 1

BERLIN, Feb. 3.—Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels today ended the professional careers of five "Aryan" actors and cabaret announcers by expelling them from the Reich's Chamber of Culture on the grounds that “in their public appearances they displayed a lack of any positive attitude toward National Socialism and therewith caused grave annoyance in public and especially to party comrades.” The five include perhaps the best known German stage comedians who survived previous Chamber of Culture purges and still dared to indulge in political witticisms—namely, Werner Finck, Peter Sachse and “The Three Rulands,” represented by Helmuth Buth, Wilhelm Meissner and Manfred Dlugi. Their expulsion means that they are henceforth forbidden to appear before the public in Germany.

Besides motivating this action in an official communiqué, Dr. Goebbels also publishes a long article in the Voelkischer Beobachter in which he denounces them as “brazen, impertinent, arrogant and tactless" and generally imitators and successors to Jews. Simultaneously he denounces the "society rabble that followed them with thundering applause—parasitic scum, inhabiting our luxury streets, that seems to have only the task of proving with how little brains people can get along and even acquire money and prominence."

As regards the details of the "crimes" of which the five are accused, Dr. Goebbels mentions that they made political witticisms about the colonial problem, the Four-Year Plan and Chancellor Hitler's monumental building program and one of them even raised the question of whether there was any humor left in Germany today.

What amused the public most, however, and presumably roiled the National Socialist authorities most—although Dr. Goebbels does not mention it—is that they deftly, but unmistakably, caricatured some gestures, poses and physical characteristics of Nat…

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Reposted by Mike Bonin

Mother Jones @motherjones.com · 20d

Chris Christie observed recently that Trump has torn down the traditional barrier between the president’s personal ambitions and the DOJ's power to investigate & prosecute criminal wrongdoing.

As if to prove Christie’s point, Trump publicly threatened to prosecute Christie just a few hours later.

The Supreme Court greenlit Trump’s political prosecutions—even the ones that are illegal

Thanks, John Roberts.

www.motherjones.com

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Mike Bonin @mikebonin.bsky.social · 21d

We are not starting our slide into authoritarianism. We are already there.

What comes next is the nightmare — the immense cruelty and harm they create with the power that our once coequal branches of government, our legacy media, and our elite institutions have so feebly surrendered to them.

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Mike Bonin @mikebonin.bsky.social · Sep 8

This is nothing short a shredding of the U.S. Constitution and an endorsement of racial profiling.

Essentially, armed, masked agents of the government can stop and detain anyone who is brown-skinned, or a Spanish speaker, or a low wage worker.

And this is just the beginning.

Chris Geidner @chrisgeidner.bsky.social · Sep 8

BREAKING: The Supreme Court — over the objection of Justices Sotomayor, Kagan, and Jackson — allows the Trump administration’s racial profiling of people working certain types of jobs in its immigration raids during litigation.

SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES
-
No. 25A169
-
KRISTI NOEM, SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, ET AL. U. PEDRO
VASQUEZ PERDOMO, ET AL.
ON APPLICATION FOR STAY
[September 8, 2025]
The application for stay presented to JUSTICE KAGAN and by her referred to the Court is granted. The July 11, 2025 order entered by the United States District Court for the Central District of California, case No. 2:25-cv-5605, is stayed pending the disposition of the appeal in the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and disposition of a petition for a writ of certiorari, if such a writ is timely sought. Should certiorari be denied, this stay shall terminate automatically. In the event certiorari is granted, the stay shall terminate upon the sending down of the judgment of this Court.

JUSTICE SOTOMAYOR, with whom JUSTICE KAGAN and
JUSTICE JACKSON join, dissenting.
In early June, the Government launched immigration enforcement raids across Los Angeles and its surrounding counties. During the raids, teams of armed and masked agents pulled up to car washes, tow yards, farms, and parks and began seizing individuals on sight, often before asking a single question.
A Federal District Court found that these raids were part of a pattern of conduct by the Government that likely violated the Fourth Amendment. Based on the evidence before it, the court held that the Government was stopping individuals based solely on four factors: (1) their apparent race or ethnicity; (2) whether they spoke Spanish or English with an accent; (3) the type of location at which they were found (such as a car wash or bus stop); and (4) the type of job they appeared to work. Concluding that stops based on these four factors alone, even when taken together, could not satisfy the Fourth Amendment's requirement of reasonable suspicion, the District Court temporarily enjoined the Government from continuing its pattern of unlawful mass arrests while it considered whether longer-term relief was appropriate.

Instead of allowing the District Court to consider these troubling allegations in the normal course, a majority of
2
NOEM v. VASQUEZ PERDOMO
SOTOMAYOR, J., dissenting
this Court decides to take the once-extraordinary step of staying the District Court's order. That decision is yet another grave misuse of our emergency docket. We should not have to live in a country where the Government can seize anyone who looks Latino, speaks Spanish, and appears to work a low wage job. Rather than stand idly by while our constitutional freedoms are lost, I dissent.

*
*
The Fourth Amendment protects every individual's constitutional right to be "free from arbitrary interference by law officers." Brignoni-Ponce, 422 U.S., at 878. After to-day, that may no longer be true for those who happen to look a certain way, speak a certain way, and appear to work a certain type of legitimate job that pays very little. Because this is unconscionably irreconcilable with our Nation's constitutional guarantees, I dissent.

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Reposted by Mike Bonin

Alissa Walker @awalkerinla.bsky.social · Sep 8

The hotel and airline bankrolled challenge to the Olympic wage *did not qualify* for the ballot according to the LA County Registrar.

This means the city’s Olympic wage ordinance , $25/hour beginning this year and $30/hour by 2028, goes into effect for tourism workers immediately

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ALIFORNIA
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES CITY OF LOS ANGELES
) SS
CERTIFICATION OF INSUFFICIENCY
REFERENDUM PETITION TO REPEAL ORDINANCE NO. 188610
I, PETTY F. SANTOS, Interim City Clerk of the City of Los Angeles, hereby certify to the Los
Angeles City Council: that the signatures submitted with the Referendum Petition referenced above have been examined by the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk (County Registrar); that based on the County Registrar's examination, the Referendum Petition does not contain the number of valid signatures of registered voters of the City required under City Charter Section 461(a) and therefore the Referendum Petition is INSUFFICIENT; and that the attached summary from the County Registrar represents a true, correct, and complete summary of the County Registrar's examination of the Referendum Petition.
Ordinance No. 188610 shall take effect upon the date of this Certification pursuant to City
Charter Section 461(c).
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I hereunto set my hand and affix the seal of the City of Los Angeles
this 8th day of September, 2025.
lettlitk
PETTY F. SANTOS
INTERIM CITY CLERK
for,

Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk
September 5, 2025
Jinny Pak, Division Manager
City of Los Angeles, Office of the City Clerk, Election and BIDS Division
555 Ramirez Street, Space 300
Los Angeles, California 90012
Dear Jinny Pak:
We have completed the signature verification submitted on July 9, 2025, for A Referendum Petition Seeking to Overturn Ordinance 188610 Increasing Wages and Healthcare Benefits for Hotel and Airport Workers and Hotel Worker Training.

140,774

140,774

84,007
56,767

2,339
117,607

17,082
The results of the signature verification are as follows:
Number of signatures filed
Number of signatures verified
Number of signatures found sufficient
Number of signatures found not sufficient
Not sufficient because duplicate
Number of signature withdrawal requests
Number of signatures withdrawn
Please call Tiffany Olsen, Head, Data Entry and Signature Verification at
(562) 462-2376 if you have any questions regarding the signature verification of this petition.
Jerome Jordan to
EAN C. LOGAN
Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk
County of Los Angeles
Digitally Signed using ClerkSign (Document: 0231ca68-45cd-4287-b48a-3c7128bf5cbd

Petition Statistics
9/3/2025 4:03:49PM
LA CITY REF SEEKING TO OVERTURN ORD INCREASING WAGES ORD 188610
Petition ID: 19639
Total Sigs Required
Total Sigs Submitted
Total Sample Size
Total Sigs Verified
140,774
140,774
140,774
OCADD
ADD
AEV
AGE
CAN
FP
MADD
MAX
MS
MS2
MSPET
NADD
NR
OD
RD
SIG
WD
TOTAL
TOTAL VALID:
OUT OF COUNTY ADDRESS
Total
DIFFERENT ADDRESS
Total
INFO ENTERED BY CIRCULATOR
Total
UNDERAGE AT SIGNING
Total
CANCELED
Total
FATAL PENDING
Total
PO BOX/MAILING ADDRESS
Total
MAX NUMBER OF TIMES SIGNED
Total
MISCELLANEOUS
Total
PRINTED SIGNATURE
Total
MISSING SIG ON PETITION
Total
NO ADDRESS
Total
NOT REGISTERED
Total
OUT OF DISTRICT
Total
INVALID REGISTRATION DATE
Total
MISMATCH SIGNATURE
Total
WITHDRAWN SIGNATURES
Total
TOTAL CHALLENGED
249
6,898
5
18
1,933
695
164
2,339
76
211
135
28
18,054
4,342
1,625
2,913
17,082
56,767
84.007
ESSVR. LLC —2025
9/3/2025 4:03-49PM
R802.01
Page 1 of 1

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Mike Bonin @mikebonin.bsky.social · Sep 1

How did LA go from being a notorious anti-worker city to a stronghold of labor power?

Listen to this re-air of my interview with Kent Wong of UCLA Labor Ctr on What’s Next, Los Angeles. Brought to you in partnership with @laforward.bsky.social . whatsnextlosangeles.buzzsprout.com

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Mike Bonin @mikebonin.bsky.social · Aug 6

Wallis Annenberg was a titan. But the obituaries failed to mention that she was a lesbian. It was a noteworthy example of queer erasure.

I talk with her former partner, journalist @karenocamb.bsky.social on What's Next, Los Angeles -- wherever you get your podcasts.

@laforward.bsky.social

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Mike Bonin @mikebonin.bsky.social · Aug 6

Is there really anybody in LA who seriously thinks this will end well? I can't imagine what benefits LA could receive that would justify what is coming.

Los Angeles Times @latimes.com · Aug 6

Trump names himself chair of L.A. Olympics task force, sees role for military during Games

Trump’s news conference may prompt questions about whether a president with a penchant for showmanship might assume an unusually active role in planning the Olympics.

www.latimes.com

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Mike Bonin @mikebonin.bsky.social · Aug 6

INFRASTRUCTURE WEAK: On this week's LA Podcast, Alissa, Mike, and Godfrey discuss the next era for LA’s homeless services, a terrifying Trump executive order, LA Charter reform and the CA governor's race.

Listen at thinkforward.la, on Apple Podcasts, via Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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Mike Bonin @mikebonin.bsky.social · Jul 9

If homicides were on the rise, there undoubtedly would be a flood of stories linking that to the reduced size of the LAPD.

But when crime is down, no outlet will use the headline “LAPD Shrinks, Crime Plummets.”

www.latimes.com/california/s...

L.A. on pace to see lowest homicide total in nearly 60 years as killings plummet

Experts say the city and other parts of the country may be in the midst of the sharpest decline in killings in history — one that can’t be attributed to any single factor.

www.latimes.com

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Reposted by Mike Bonin

LA Forward @laforward.bsky.social · Jul 9

new LA PODCAST ep - recaping another week of relentless ICE raids, Trump admin sues LA over its sanctuary city status, and a coalition of immigrants rights groups sue the federal government right back. A ruling in the Alliance lawsuit raises questions about LA City’s homelessness count numbers

LA Podcast - 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 ...

thinkforward.la

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Reposted by Mike Bonin

LA Forward @laforward.bsky.social · Jul 9

And the biggest-ever rollback of California’s often-abused environmental quality law, CEQA. Featuring @awalkerinla.bsky.social @hayesdavenport.bsky.social @mikebonin.bsky.social and Carla Hall

Check it out wherever you get your podcasts or at thinkforward.la/la-podcast-c...

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Mike Bonin @mikebonin.bsky.social · Jul 7

This is naked, ugly authoritarianism. The Trump Gestapo terrorizing our kids.

L.A. TACO @lataco.bsky.social · Jul 7

Full blown militarized raid on horseback, military tactical vehicles, and soldiers on foot with a perimeter set around McArthur Park. Looks like a big show of force by ICE/Border Patrol. It’s unclear which other military presence is there. Our reporter is on the way.

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Mike Bonin @mikebonin.bsky.social · Jul 3

The real story here is that Congress just approved giving Trump his own massive army of secret police and stormtroopers, unaccountable to no one but him.

I am afraid history is going to show this vote was the bullet that killed America.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez @aoc.bsky.social · Jul 3

I don’t think anyone is prepared for what they just did w/ ICE.

This is not a simple budget increase. It is an explosion - making ICE bigger than the FBI, US Bureau of Prisons, DEA,& others combined.

It is setting up to make what’s happening now look like child’s play. And people are disappearing.

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Mike Bonin @mikebonin.bsky.social · Jul 2

Can we fix a broken Los Angeles? I talk with @urbanistcole.bsky.social on the latest episode of WNLA. Rick has a unique insights and strong opinions to share. Check it out wherever you listen to podcasts. Brought to you in partnership with @laforward.bsky.social.

podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/c...

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Reposted by Mike Bonin

Stephen Robinson @playtyperguy.com · Jul 1

If this were a repeated line from congressional Democrats, there would be countless think pieces about why such rhetoric is alienating young men from the party.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · Jul 1

Scalise: "The 35-year-old who's sitting in his mom's basement playing video games is gonna have to go get a job again."

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Mike Bonin @mikebonin.bsky.social · Jul 1

Pay close to attention to which Democratic Party leaders try to emulate the way Mamdani built a coalition of and for the working class, and which leaders try to destroy the candidate who forged it.

What we won on Election Day

YouTube video by Zohran Mamdani for NYC

www.youtube.com

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Reposted by Mike Bonin

LA Forward @laforward.bsky.social · Jul 1

NEW LA PODCAST - @awalkerinla.bsky.social @mikebonin.bsky.social & @godfreyplata.bsky.social discuss a third week of ICE raids that are more violent, more brazen, and raising more questions about how LAPD is assisting with these kidnappings...

www.thinkforward.la/la-podcast-f...

LA Podcast - June 30, 2025 - Episode 259 - For Mayor Consideration

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Mike Bonin @mikebonin.bsky.social · Jul 1

On this week's LA Podcast, we track a third week of ICE raids that are more violent, more brazen, and raising more questions about LAPD's role in these kidnappings. Plus, the fight over the Olympic Wage -- and the impact of Mamdani's win.

www.thinkforward.la

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Mike Bonin @mikebonin.bsky.social · Jun 30

The Trump administration is suing Los Angeles for refusing to use its resources to terrorize neighborhoods, tear apart families, and shred the U.S. Constitution.

Trump administration sues Los Angeles over sanctuary city immigration policies

Los Angeles has been a key battleground in the Trump administration's clashes with Democrats over immigration.

www.nbcnews.com

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Reposted by Mike Bonin

Jon Cooper @joncooper-us.bsky.social · Jun 28

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