California Underground: Your Sane Insight into California Politics

California's proposed billionaire tax says it will raise $100 billion for healthcare, food assistance, and education. New research from Stanford's Hoover Institution puts the real number closer to $40 billion — and argues the measure could leave the state worse off once billionaire departures are factored in. This week, Phil talks with Hoover Institution research fellow Benjamin Robert Jar...

Spencer Pratt is calling Karen Bass "Karen Basura" over the Boyle Heights warehouse fire — and while his delivery is pure reality TV, the documented $17.6 million fire department budget cut he's pointing to is real. We dig into the permit history, the budget records, and why the firefighters' union is now bypassing City Hall to ask voters directly for funding. Then: Gavin Newsom...

Democrats have held this San Bernardino County Assembly seat since 2022. This week, theRepublican trying to flip it joins us to make his case. Greg Abdouch advanced to the November general election in California's AssemblyDistrict 45, and he's betting he can do what no Republican challenger has managed inthis district in years. We sit down with him to find out how — pushing past thecampaig...

Federal agents are knocking on the doors of Governor Gavin Newsom's family friends and former employees. Newsom says Trump ordered the investigation to derail his 2028 presidential run. The LA Times says the probe started under Biden — launched by whistleblowers in Sacramento, not directed from Washington. Tonight Phil and Camille separate what's confirmed from what's spin, and get int...

California held its primary election a week ago and we still don't have a governor or a Los Angeles mayor. Here's why — and why none of it is as simple as either side is telling you. This week Phil and Camille break down everything happening with California's election system in real time. How does counting actually work in the largest voting state in the country, and why does it take s...

California just voted — and the governor's race is shaping up as a matchup nobody fully predicted: Steve Hilton, former Fox News host and Trump-endorsed candidate, leading with roughly 28% in early returns, and Xavier Becerra, Biden's HHS secretary, holding second at around 25%. With ballots still being counted through June 9, the second-place slot isn't fully locked — but the likely N...

One week before the June 2nd California primary, we brought in five guests across the political spectrum to break down every race that matters. The governor's race is in chaos. Eric Swalwell resigned from Congress in April — his name is still on the ballot — and Democrats are splitting their vote five ways while Republicans have largely consolidated behind two candidates. There's a real scenario w...

Newsom's former chief of staff just pleaded guilty to federal fraud — FBI wiretaps, a $225,000 scheme run through the frontrunner for governor's own campaign account — and Xavier Becerra still won't answer whether he knew. This week Phil and Camille break down everything Sacramento hoped you'd miss before the June 2nd primary. In the first story, they walk through the guilty plea o...

Karen Bass just pulled out of tonight's Los Angeles mayoral forum. The primary is in three weeks. The last debate she showed up to, 88% of viewers said Spencer Pratt won. Tonight on California Underground, Phil is asking the question the incumbent doesn't want asked — and the one Sacramento doesn't have a good answer for either. On the Los Angeles mayor's race: Pratt lost his home...

California's Attorney General race is four weeks from a primary — and most voters don't know what the office actually does. In this episode, we sit down with Republican candidate Michael Gates, the former Huntington Beach City Attorney who spent a decade battling Sacramento in court and is now running to replace Rob Bonta as California's top law enforcement officer. Gates made his name...

A California man is charged with attempting to assassinate the President of the United States — and his own family had already raised concerns with local police before he boarded a train to Washington DC. Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, rushed a Secret Service checkpoint at the White House Correspondents' Dinner on Saturday night armed with a shotgun, a handgun, and multiple kni...

Two new polls on the California governor's race are telling completely different stories. Betty Yee just dropped out and said "conflict sells" on her way out the door. LA County cut homeless outreach in half while spending $843 million. And Gavin Newsom's PAC spent $1.56 million buying two-thirds of his own memoir — then his team called the sales "organic." Story 1 — Th...

Hold onto your seats, Californians — this week’s political rollercoaster could change the future of the Golden State forever. From a scandal that toppled a Congressman's career in just four days to the California GOP's confusing endorsement process, Phil and Camille break down the shocking details that every Californian must know. Plus, what does the chaos mean for the upcoming primary and...

With California's primaries just around the corner, a seismic shift is happening — and many Californians are either clueless or in denial. The recent endorsement of Steve Hilton by Donald Trump has turned the political rumor mill into a full-blown circus, threatening to upend the state's already fragile political landscape. If the Trump endorsement was meant to sway the race, it might just...

California has spent $24 billion on homelessness. It got worse. Gas prices are the highest in the country. And in 2026, nobody knows who's going to be the next Governor. Tonight we sit down with Libertarian candidate Tom Woodard — and ask the questions Sacramento won't. --- This week on California Underground, Phil and Camille sit down with Tom Woodard — Libertarian candidate for Californi...

Hollywood’s Golden Era is not just fading — it’s decaying in front of our eyes. Once the shining jewel of California’s economy and culture, the film industry is now a ghost town, abandoned by studios that chase greener pastures elsewhere. Production hubs have shifted out of state, and the iconic Hollywood lots sit eerily silent — relics of a once-thriving empire that now resembles a ghost town. Bu...

In this episode of California Underground, we reveal shocking truths about billions lost in hospice care fraud, rising gas prices driven by political power plays, and California's ongoing budget crisis impacting education and public services. Californians deserve to know how mismanagement, corruption, and politicized decisions are shaping their daily lives. In this episode: Billions of dollars...

In this episode of the California Underground podcast, Elaine Culotti shares her unconventional journey and bold vision for California, emphasizing the need to rethink the state's political and economic systems. She advocates for no-party preference candidacy, fiscal responsibility, and grassroots campaigns to bring real change. Key Topics: The rise of no-party preference candidates and what i...

Understanding the Power and Responsibility of California's State Controller with Herb Morgan In this episode, Herb Morgan, a candidate for California state controller, breaks down the often-overlooked yet critically important role of the controller and how it holds more power than many realize. We explore California's financial challenges, transparency innovations, and the potential for re...

Phil and Camille bring you the latest in California politics! In this episode, Phil and Camille discuss Newsom's recent racial gaffe in Atlanta, the California Democrats can't agree on a candidate for Governor, and BART is being bailed out by taxpayers...again. Original air date 2.24.26 *The California Underground Podcast is dedicated to discussing California politics from a place of sanit...

Gavin Newsom is galavanting in Munich and pretending to be President, Nancy Pelosi has made her selection for 2028 Democratic Presidential nominee, and we ask why is California ok with shipping gasoline all the way from the Bahamas when we could produce it here. Key Takeaways Gavin Newsom’s trip to Munich and his shadow campaign tactics California’s hypocrisy in energy and environmental policies T...

In this episode, we break down last week's California gubernatorial debate, highlighting the lack of substantive discussion, notable gaffes, and the absence of real solutions from the candidates. If you're tired of political grandstanding and empty promises, this summary is for you. Original air date 2.10.26 Timestamps:00:00 - Introduction and debate overview 01:17 - Initial thoughts: deba...

On this episode of the California Underground, we discuss California's recent "creative" attempts to combat ICE including cookies, bans from future employment, and punishing corporations who do business with ICE. Also, we discuss San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan jumping into the race. Does he see an opening with so many lackluster Democrats? All that and more on this episode of the Californ...

Join us as we speak with Assemblyman David Tangipa about the ongoing legal battles over Prop 50, California's gerrymandering issues, and the pervasive fraud, waste, and abuse in Sacramento. Discover the stakes, key legal arguments, and what citizens can do to get involved in reform efforts to restore integrity and representation in California. Original air date 1.28.26 The details of the Prop...

In this episode, Phil and Camille are joined by Amy Reichert to discuss her recent investigation into empty daycares in San Diego. They delve into the alarming issue of ghost daycares in California, revealing findings from her investigation into state-funded childcare facilities that appear to be fraudulent. They discuss the role of state inspectors, the lack of accountability, and the implication...