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Democratic Party’s 2016 loss blamed on DNC abandonment of average Americans

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Hillary Clinton accepts the nomination on the final night of the Democratic National Convention at the Wells Fargo Center, July 28, 2016 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. ; Credit: ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images

AirTalk

Some Democratic voters are calling for severe reforms or abandonment of the Democratic National Committee - arguing its loss of the presidential election was caused by the DNC being out of touch with dire, existential challenges facing middle- and lower-income Americans. As former Democratic congressional candidate Krystal Ball wrote this week:

"They said they were facing an economic apocalypse, we offered “retraining” and complained about their white privilege. Is it any wonder we lost? One after another, the dispatches came back from the provinces. The coal mines are gone, the steel mills are closed, the drugs are rampant, the towns are decimated and everywhere you look depression, despair, fear. In the face of Trump’s willingness to boldly proclaim without facts or evidence that he would bring the good times back, we offered a tepid gallows logic. Well, those jobs are actually gone for good, we knowingly told them. And we offered a fantastical non-solution. We will retrain you for good jobs! Never mind that these “good jobs” didn’t exist in East Kentucky or Cleveland. And as a final insult, we lectured a struggling people watching their kids die of drug overdoses about their white privilege."

Ball argues the old ways of the Democratic Party must die. As a start, progressives like her want: the DNC to elect a chair, rather than appoint one; leadership in Congress other than Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi and Senator Charles Schumer; an increase of union membership in the DNC, and more. Other Democrats, such as strategist Bill Burton, says "Having pros in high positions is what you need right now. Other voices will rise up from outside, but for now, in Congress, those are the folks we need."

Why do you think the Democrats lost on Tuesday? What reforms are necessary for the DNC, if any?

Guests: 

Krystal Ball, Former Democratic congressional candidate; this week, Ball wrote “The Democratic Party Deserved to Die” and "For Democrats, Cleaning House Means Pelosi And Schumer Too"

Bill Burton, Democratic political strategist; former deputy White House press secretary for Barack Obama; he tweets @billburton

 

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.


What you need to know: Trump protests planned for Saturday at MacArthur Park

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US-VOTE-TRUMP-PROTEST

University of California Loas Angeles students march through campus on November 10, 2016 in Los Angeles, California, during a "Love Trumps Hate" rally in reaction to President-elect Donald Trump's victory in the presidential elections. ; Credit: AFP/AFP/Getty Images

AirTalk

Protests against the presidential election results have roiled cities across the country, including Los Angeles. Tomorrow, organizers are planning a march from MacArthur Park to downtown L.A. to voice their frustrations at a Trump presidency.

About 185 people were arrested and one officer injured in Los Angeles during a third night of protests over the presidential election of Donald Trump, police said.

The protests were peaceful for most of the afternoon and evening, Los Angeles police Sgt. Barry Montgomery told KPCC.

"At some point during the evening, things went awry. We had some folks out there doing vandalism and blocking roadways and all of those are things we just can't tolerate," Montgomery said.

Around midnight, a group refused to leave the area around Olympic Boulevard and Olive Street, and about 35 people were arrested. Another 150 people were arrested about an hour later near Cesar Chavez and Grand Avenue.
One officer was injured and treated at a hospital before being released.

Read full story

Guests: 

Sgt. Barry Montgomery, officer with the LAPD

Joe Delaplaine, an organizer with Answer L.A.

Ron Gochez, an organizer with Union del Barrios, the group behind tomorrow's MacArthur Park march

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Narrowing down the list of possible choices for President-elect Trump’s cabinet

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President Obama Meets With President-Elect Donald Trump In The Oval Office Of White House

Obama administration employees stand on a balcony of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in hopes of catching a glimpse of President-Elect Donald Trump's arrival at the White House November 10, 2016 in Washington, DC. ; Credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

AirTalk

The transition of power from President Obama to President-elect Trump began in earnest on Thursday as the two met for 90 minutes in the Oval Office and, from the sounds of it, went over a variety of important issues both domestic and foreign.

One of the questions on the minds of many Americans as the transition gets underway is who Mr. Trump will choose to fill out his cabinet. The early word was that he would seek to put outsiders in the positions -- CEOs and other private sector executives on whom Mr. Trump has called in the past for advice on certain issues. Specific names that have come up include Lucas Oil founder Forrest Lucas, oil tycoon Harold Hamm, and former Goldman Sachs’ executive Steven Mnuchin. There’s also the possibility that he decides to reward some of the political heavy-hitters who have stuck with him throughout the campaign, which means people like Newt Gingrich, Chris Christie, Rudy Giuliani, and Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions could also be tapped.

The Trump transition team has stayed mum on speculation about who he might choose for cabinet positions, so whether the newly-elected president will stock his cabinet full of Washington outsiders and business executives or whether he chooses a mix of career politicians and outsiders remains to be seen. Today on AirTalk, we’ll go through the shortlist of possible candidates and talk about the experience and insight each would bring to a Trump White House.

Guest:

Isaac Dovere, senior White House reporter for POLITICO; he tweets @IsaacDovere

Lisa Mascaro, Los Angeles Times Congressional reporter 

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

What do Trump voters want to see the new president prioritize? Immigration, jobs, security

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US President Barack Obama shakes hands as he meets with Republican President-elect Donald Trump (L) on transition planning in the Oval Office at the White House on November 10, 2016 in Washington,DC.; Credit: JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images

Natalie Chudnovsky | AirTalk

Candidate Donald Trump made a number of promises throughout his campaign — promises to bring back jobs, build a wall at the Mexican border and make Mexico pay for it and increase screening of immigrants to this country, to name a few.

But he struck a different tone in his acceptance speech Tuesday night, when he called on America “to come together as one united people.”

AirTalk’s Larry Mantle spoke with former Riverside County Trump delegate Ben Clymer Jr. about what he wants to see from Trump’s presidency.

“First, focus on jobs,” said Clymer. “Second, and really close to equally important, unity... and third, it would be the Supreme Court picks.”

We also asked listeners to share the issues they want Trump to prioritize in hist first 100 days. Here are some responses:  

Immigration

Wakefield in Chicago: I want the government agency to protect the border and stop drugs flowing into the country and destroying our kids. I want him [Trump] to enforce strict vetting on all the refugees in certain areas, including those who are already in this country.

Abe in Laguna Niguel: I think that we need to crack down on illegal immigration in California. I'm a private contractor —  work with many day laborers —  my guys are all citizens, I know they're paying taxes. Day laborers [who are] undocumented workers aren't and that is unfair.

Infrastructure

Joe in Torrance: The most important thing we need to start off with is the infrastructure. This country is falling apart. The schools, the roads, the bridges, the highways —  there's talks of so many other things, but something you can actually start with, something that everybody can coalesce around, is the infrastructure.

ISIS

Deborah in Venice: I want Trump to take control of what's going on in the Middle East  — listen to the generals on the ground and focus on ISIS.

Security

Wakefield in Chicago: First thing I want Mr. Trump to focus on is definitely law and order. I live in Chicago... it's a crazy city. Everyday we have at least two or three persons get killed. So definitely I want policemen to protect our inner-city and suburbs.

The Supreme Court Vacancy

Leslie in Laguna Beach: Get our Supreme court filled. That vacancy is an important one and obviously as a conservative I'd like to see a Constitutional jurist on the bench.

Unity

Leslie in Laguna Beach: I really am hopeful that Donald Trump does  a much better job, very early, communicating that his supporters and his philosophy and the way he'll manage our country is not born out of racism and bigotry, and can be a much more inclusive dialogue... I hope he does a much better job of calming the fears of my neighbors, in California in particular, who I understand are afraid.

Veterans

Jack in Azusa: I want Trump to address veterans issues, specifically with government asking veterans to repay the signing bonus here in California.

Interviews have been edited for clarity. Click on the blue playhead above to hear the full discussion.

Guest: 

Ben Clymer Jr., CFO of Ben Clymer’s The Body Shop and president of the Lincoln Club of Riverside County; he is also a delegate for Donald Trump

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

The history, benefits and flaws of the electoral college

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NPR Electoral College battleground map for July 17, 2016

NPR Electoral College battleground map for July 17, 2016. The electoral college system was established in the Constitution in 1787. ; Credit: Alyson Hurt and Domenico Montanaro/NPR

AirTalk

Donald Trump won the presidential election by clinching 290 electoral votes versus Hillary Clinton’s 228. But the popular votes tell a pretty different story. By the time the final tally comes in, Clinton could be ahead as many as 2 million votes over Trump.

The electoral college system was established in the Constitution in 1787, and has come under criticism for being antiquated.

Los Angeles Times’s reporter David G. Savage has written a piece on the history of the electoral college, and efforts over the years to reform the system.

Guest: 

David Savage, reporter covering the Supreme Court for the Los Angeles Times, who recently published a piece on the electoral college

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

President Obama’s first press conference since Trump's election

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Investigation Continues Into Bombing In New York's Chelsea Neighborhood

U.S. President Barack Obama holds a press conference about the recent bombings in the New York region at the Lotte New York Palace Hotel on September 19, 2016 in New York City. ; Credit: Pool/Getty Images

AirTalk

WASHINGTON (AP) - As President Barack Obama prepares to head out on a post-election overseas trip, he says he will be able to assure foreign leaders that there will be "no weakening of resolve" by the U.S. toward NATO under President-elect Donald Trump. He says Trump has assured him of his commitment to core U.S. alliances.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfxk5aeCNXo

Guest:

David Nakamura, White House Correspondent at the Washington Post.

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Trump admin taking shape with Pence, Priebus, Bannon

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President-Elect Donald Trump Holds Meetings At His Trump Tower Residence In New York

Trump campaign CEO Steve Bannon exits an elevator in the lobby of Trump Tower, November 11, 2016 in New York City.; Credit: Drew Angerer/Getty Images

AirTalk

On Sunday, President-elect Donald Trump tapped Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus as chief of staff and campaign adviser Steve Bannon as chief strategist and senior counselor.

Before joining the Trump campaign, Bannon was president of Breitbart News which he has described as "the platform for the alt-right" - a movement often associated with white supremacist ideas that oppose multiculturalism and defend "Western values." John Weaver, a Republican strategist who worked for Ohio Gov. John Kasich's presidential campaign, tweeted, "The racist, fascist extreme right is represented footsteps from the Oval Office. Be very vigilant, America."

While former associates of Bannon say there isn't proof that Bannon is a racist or an anti-Semite, some argue Bannon's willingness to pander to those audiences will be at play in the forming Trump administration.

Guests:

Louis Nelson, Reporter for Politico

Christina Bellantoni, is assistant managing editor for politics at the Los Angeles Times

 

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

4 things to know about Trump’s plan to crackdown on illegal immigration

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Immigrants Hold Marches Across U.S. On May Day

Thousands of demonstrators march through downtown to City Hall in one of several May Day marches and rallies in southern California and in at least 75 cities nationwide.; Credit: David McNew/Getty Images

Natalie Chudnovsky | AirTalk

Immigration was a key part of Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, and many have wondered whether he’d make good on his deportation plans, as well as the promise to build a Mexico-funded wall along the U.S. border.

In an interview with “60 Minutes” over the weekend, Trump told Lesley Stahl that his administration is still set on building a border wall, though some parts of it would actually be a fence, and that he wants to immediately deport 2 to 3 million undocumented immigrants from the country.

“What we are going to do is get the people that are criminal and have criminal records, gang members, drug dealers, where a lot of these people, probably two million, it could be even three million, we are getting them out of our country or we are going to incarcerate,” Trump said.

AirTalk’s Larry Mantle sat down with Ted Hesson, a reporter covering immigration for POLITICO, to break down Trump’s stance on immigration. Here are 4 takeaways:

1. Trump's estimate that there are 2 to 3 million illegal immigrants who have criminal backgrounds is high

Ted Hesson: The estimate of 2 to 3 million is definitely high, especially if you're talking about undocumented immigrants. There was one report by the Department of Homeland Security that said there could be roughly 1.9 million deportable immigrants in total and that was in 2013. But that figure also included green card holders who had previously been convicted of a crime.

2. Practically, carrying out these deportations could be difficult, especially in the case of undocumented immigrants who committed crimes many years ago

TH: There'd be huge challenges because you're talking about people who may have really established lives in the U.S. at this point. Perhaps this conviction is decades in the past and they work in their community... they have families here, they have children here... Practically, not only just tracking the people down but then apprehending them could involve going to homes, it could involve going to places of work. It just seems like a huge, huge undertaking, the way he's outlined it here.

3. Border security is Trump's first step, and it's nothing new  

TH: [Trump]'s talking about border security to begin with, and that's something President Obama has also focused on.

4. Trump could carry onward with Obama's policies, which also established priorities for deportation

TH: The Obama administration has prioritized people who've recently entered the country and people who've committed certain types of crimes, so in a way president-elect Trump could carry forward those Obama policies and enact them with more vigor, as he said...Under President Obama there were priorities for deportation and yes, under the top level categories it focused on people with felonies or with multiple misdemeanors. But those priorities actually extend fairly broadly and in the lower level categories for prioritization are people who are just in the country and have removal orders for deportation. So when you do hear by the Obama administration that their deportations are meeting priorities, those priorities are fairly broad.

Guest:

Ted Hesson, reporter covering immigration for POLITICO; he tweets @tedhesson

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.


What Trump’s presidency means for the Supreme Court

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U.S. Supreme Court Prepares For New Term

The courtroom of he U.S. Supreme Court is seen September 30, 2016 in Washington, DC. The Supreme Court will return for a new term on Monday, October 3. ; Credit: Alex Wong/Getty Images

AirTalk

Given Justice Antonin Scalia’s empty seat and the advanced age of some members of the Supreme Court, President-elect Trump could fundamentally shift the Court to the right by filling not one but potentially two justice slots during his four years in office.

During his campaign, Trump repeatedly promised to fill Scalia’s vacancy with a conservative justice, releasing a shortlist of potential nominees in September. Now, Trump’s win guarantees a conservative majority on the Court and many liberals fear that civil rights, marriage equality and reproductive rights may be at risk.

This Sunday, in an interview on “60 Minutes,” he sent seemingly mixed messages, saying the question of gay marriage was “settled” by the Court, though Roe v. Wade might still be overturned.

What do you think are the implications of a SCOTUS shaped by President Trump? What are your hopes or fears?

Guest: 

Margaret Russell, Professor of Law at Santa Clara University; her areas of expertise include Constitutional law and the Supreme Court

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Policy experts debate how Trump’s plan to deport 3 million immigrants would work

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ICE Detains And Deports Undocumented Immigrants From Arizona

A Honduran immigration detainee, his feet shackled and shoes laceless as a security precaution, boards a deportation flight to San Pedro Sula, Honduras.; Credit: John Moore/Getty Images

AirTalk

After President-elect Trump’s interview on CBS’ ‘60 Minutes’ in which he said his administration would deport 2-3 million immigrants who have committed crimes, many wondered how his administration will go about doing that and which immigrants will be targeted for deportation.

Many say that a mass removal of this scale would be impossible without workplace raids and other potentially divisive tactics. There’s also the issue of the massive backlogs in immigration courts, and since many of those who might be deported would have to go through the courts system before being deported, it’s unclear exactly how sweeping this deportation would be.

There’s also the issue of impact to sanctuary cities, federal funding for which President-elect Trump has promised to cut if they refuse to cooperate with the feds. Both Los Angeles and San Francisco are sanctuary cities, and LAPD Chief Charlie Beck has said publicly his agency will not help deport immigrants under President Trump because that’s not their job.

How exactly does President-elect Trump plan to carry out his plan to deport up to 3 million immigrants? Is this a realistic goal or more heightened rhetoric? What would it take on the federal level for funding to sanctuary cities to be cut and what would the impact be locally for those cities?

Guests:

Apolonio Morales, political director for Coalition of Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles

Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies, a D.C.-based organization that studies the impact of immigration on American society

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Here’s how Trump could carry out his deportation plan and what California could do to stop it

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California Town A 'Sanctuary' For Illegal Immigrants

A welcome flag is flanked by the flags of the U.S. and Mexico on top of a building May 16, 2006 in the Los Angeles-area city of Maywood, California.; Credit: David McNew/Getty Images

AirTalk

Mayors of several so-called “sanctuary cities” across the country are pushing back on President-elect Donald Trump’s plans to deport as many as 3 million undocumented immigrants immediately upon taking office.

Here in California, the state senate’s top leader, Kevin de León released a statement this week to assure undocumented immigrants living in California that “State leaders will defend your due process rights and aggressively avail ourselves of any and all tools to prevent an unconscionable over-reach by a Trump administration in California. We will protect our people and prosperity.”

But what exactly can the state government do to prevent Trump’s mass deportation plans? Larry talks with the California Senate President pro Tempore about his plans. We also drill down into the specifics of how such a deportation plan would work.

Guest:

Kevin de León (D-Los Angeles), California Senate President pro Tempore; he joins us live from the United Nations climate change conference (COP22), which is currently taking place in Marrakech, Morocco

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Why Latino groups are challenging exit poll data

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Latino Voters Go To The Polls Early In Florida

Hispanic voters go to the polls for early voting at the Miami-Dade Government Center on October 21, 2004 in Miami, Florida.; Credit: Gaston De Cardenas/Getty Images

AirTalk

As part of a string of surprises this election season, Edison Research, a leading exit poll company, showed that nearly 30 percent of Latinos voted for Trump.

But a coalition of Latino groups are disputing the results, and turning to pre-election data with much lower numbers supporting the president-elect. In particular, the coalition cites the Latino Decisions Election Eve Poll taken from November 4 to 7, which only showed 18 percent of Latinos supported Trump.

According to a recent POLITICO article, representatives of Edison Research, which conducts exit polls for various news outlets, has stood by the company’s results. Executive Vice President Joe Lenski claims that Edison’s polls better reflect the national landscape of Hispanic voters than the Latino Decisions poll.

But Latino Decisions representatives argue that Edison’s exit polls don’t give a fair representation of concentrated Hispanic communities.     

Larry speaks to Co-Founder of Latino Decisions Gary Segura and professor of political science, Francisco Pedraza, to get his take on the accuracy of exit polls and Latino voters.

*Note: AirTalk reached out to Edison Research, but their Executive Vice President Joe Lenski declined the interview due to a prior commitment.

Guests:

Gary M. Segura, co-founder and senior partner of the polling firm Latino Decisions

Francisco Pedraza, assistant professor of public policy and political science at UC Riverside

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Weighing the potential for budget in-fighting between Trump, Congressional Republicans

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President-Elect Trump And Vice President-Elect Pence Meet With House Speaker Paul Ryan On Capitol Hill

NOVEMBER 10: President-elect Donald Trump meets with House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) at the U.S. Capitol for a meeting November 10, 2016 in Washington, DC. ; Credit: Zach Gibson/Getty Images

AirTalk

With a Republican-controlled House and Senate, on paper it would seem Donald Trump’s ability to pass legislation is essentially unfettered by typical partisan bickering.

However, the President-elect may have more of a challenge in getting fiscal conservatives on board with his early plans, like his call for a $1 trillion overhaul of the nation’s infrastructure. He’s also promised increased defense spending and, of course, the border wall that has become a staple item for his campaign as well as increased spending on border security.

However, this clashes directly with Paul Ryan and the GOP establishment’s‘Better Way’ plan, their blueprint for smaller government with significantly decreased spending. Ryan was nominated Tuesday for another term as Speaker of the House, so he and President-elect Trump have work ahead if they want to continue showcasing GOP unity while still getting work done to pass legislation through Congress. Trump really doesn’t fall in line with any established wing of the conservative movement, a significant departure from the way things were during much of John Boehner’s term as Speaker, which was highlighted by GOP in-fighting between establishment and Tea Party conservatives.

How might things be different this time around with Paul Ryan as Speaker? What can be learned from the GOP’s history of budget in-fighting with Tea Party conservatives? Who is more likely to back down on their agenda, Congressional Republicans or a Trump White House?

Guest:

Lisa Mascaro, reporter for the Los Angeles Times covering Congress in Washington, D.C.; she tweets @lisamascaro

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Obama administration pushes for more security on internet-connected devices

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The police could be monitoring your cellphone.

Image of cellphone. ; Credit: /iStockphoto

AirTalk

The Obama administration urged the technology industry to secure millions of Internet-connected devices from hacking, including fitness trackers, medical implants, surveillance cameras, home appliances, video recorders, thermostats and computers in autos.

In a report obtained by the Associated Press, the Homeland Security Department cited runaway security problems with a range of devices that have been made Internet-capable in recent years. The report said they posed “substantial safety and economic risks” and recommended urgent action by software and hardware developers, service providers, manufacturers and commercial and government buyers.Robert Silvers, assistant secretary for cyber policy, led a six-month review, coordinating with cybersecurity experts, industry groups and other federal agencies.

The report’s suggestions include: ensuring security settings are turned on by default, requiring unique passwords for each device and enabling products to be fixed remotely.

With AP files. 

Guest:

Kim Zetter, journalist who covered security for “Wired” and other publications for more than a decade; author, "Countdown to Zero Day: Stuxnet and the Launch of the World's First Digital Weapon"

 

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

LAPD Chief Beck: 'Immigration is not the job of local law enforcement'

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Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck points to the black ribbon on his badge while addressing police recruits at their graduation ceremony on July 8, 2016 in Los Angeles, California.; Credit: FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/Getty Images

Jasmin Tuffaha and Natalie Chudnovsky | AirTalk

Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck joined AirTalk Wednesday to answer questions about challenges the LAPD might face from the federal government if the department does not follow stepped up enforcement of immigration laws.

Beck said nothing would change in how the LAPD deals with people in the country illegally. As is the case with all municipal police departments, it is not obligated nor resourced to look for people living in the country illegally. 

"I depend on them to be witnesses to crime, I depend on them to report crime, I depend on them to support the police department," Beck said on Airtalk, "and none of that is as likely to happen if we become an arm of immigration enforcement."

The chief also talked about criticism and praise over the policing of protests against Donald Trump in recent days, as well as racial profiling and the repercussions of the newly passed Props 57 and 64.

Interview Highlights

On deportation enforcement

Beck: We will continue to work with ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] where it's appropriate but also to maintain the posture that we've maintained for decades now, which is that immigration is not the job of local law enforcement... that it is the job of the federal government [...]

It is to the detriment of local law enforcement if we were to venture into that arena, and that's because no matter whether you think it's right, wrong or indifferent, the reality is that there are over 500,000 people in Los Angeles...that are undocumented immigrants and they are a portion of the population that I police...I depend on them for support, I depend on them to be witnesses to crime, I depend on them to report crime, I depend on them to support the police department. And none of that is as likely to happen if we become an arm of immigration enforcement.

On whether LAPD currently holds people who are undocumented and have felony convictions for ICE

Beck: No, we will not. What we will do is we will make ICE aware that we have this person in custody and if agents come before the release time or at the release time, they are available for them at that time.

On criticisms regarding racial profiling of African-Americans

Beck: We focus as a society way too much on race in these issues ... The primary determining factor about whether someone's going to go into the criminal justice system... is not the color of their skin, it's their degree of education. It's not who their parents were, it's whether or not they have access to jobs, whether or not they have access to health care, whether or not they have access to housing...

On preventing racial profiling

Beck: We do it through education, we do it through our anti-bias training...we do it through the selection of police officers, we do it by making sure our police officers represent the people that we serve.

On the L.A. Police Protective League's criticism of LAPD's supervision of the anti-Trump protests

Beck: Wednesday night was a difficult night, we were spread across the city with multiple incidents... it's a balancing act, so we had to spread our resources. I think the command officers that were in charge that night did a good job. What you saw was Los Angeles Police Department controlling thousands of people and in the end making arrests legally, without excessive force.

On the legalization of marijuana

Beck: This is going to create an additional layer of danger for motorists... It's going to become really important that people do what we've been doing with alcohol and pick designated drivers or recognize that if you're feeling anything, then you are impaired and do not drive [...]

We adapted to the medicinal aspects of marijuana and we'll adapt to this... The hardest thing for your listeners is going to be... the way that we all live, with legal cannabis shops and legal cannabis cultivation and all that goes with it.

On fears that more pot shops, which are cash-only businesses, could cause an increase in robberies

Beck: The fact that it's a cash business, that makes it attractive for crime... We need to, as a society, find a different way to transfer funds.

On the passage of Prop 57, which is expected to lead to the release of thousands of “nonviolent” felons

Beck: It's not easy to make it into prison in California. People think it is but it takes a significant track record to go to state prison, especially now with [Prop] 47 where so many crimes are handled within the county system. Once somebody gets there, then I think we should be very diligent about their suitability for release and I hope that our parole system will be able to do that.

On what constitutes a “nonviolent” crime

Beck: Folks would be shocked at the definition of "nonviolent" crimes and I see that back and forth between the governor and the DA's about who's responsible for that definition... Hopefully our parole system will recognize which crimes are truly nonviolent and which are not.

Interviews have been edited for clarity. Hear the full discussion by clicking the playhead above.

Guest:

Charlie Beck, Chief, Los Angeles Police Department; he tweets @LAPDChiefBeck

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.


Twitter’s alt-right ban: crack down on hate speech or a step down a slippery slope?

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Social Media Site Twitter Debuts On The New York Stock Exchange

In this photo illustration, the Twitter logo and hashtag '#Ring!' is displayed on a mobile device as the company announced its initial public offering and debut on the New York Stock Exchange.; Credit: Bethany Clarke/Getty Images

AirTalk

Twitter has suspended several accounts belonging to prominent members of the alt-right movement.

One of the banned accounts belongs to Richard Spencer, who is credited with founding the movement with white nationalist leanings.

In a video posted two days ago, Spencer criticized Twitter’s actions as a kind of censorship. “It is corporate Stalinism, in a sense that there is a great purge going on and they’re purging people on the basis of their views,” he says in the video.

The company points to its policy as justification for the suspensions. What do you think of the ban? Would it achieve what Twitter and its supporters intend?

Guests:

Susan Benesch, Director of the nonprofit, Dangerous Speech Project. She is a member of Twitter’s “Trust and Safety Council,” which councils the company on content regulation.

Mathew Ingram, senior writer at Fortune magazine, who has published a piece on the ban this week

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

From President Obama to Harry Reid: should never-Trumpers take an alarmist or diplomatic approach?

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Senate Majority Leader Speaks On Election Results

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) speaks at a news conference discussing the election results on Capitol Hill on November 7, 2012 in Washington, DC.; Credit: Brendan Hoffman/Getty Images

AirTalk

It’s been a tough week-and-a-half for those who didn’t, and still don’t, support President-elect Trump.

Some are adamant that they not normalize a Trump presidency, even likening his election to the steady rise of Nazism, but others say that comparison is way out of line, and while they are deeply disappointed by last week’s election results, they must acclimate to a “new normal.” There’s also distinction among anti-Trump leaders. Critics like The Washington Post’s Dana Milbank have criticized President Obama and Hillary Clinton for approaching the post-election with a relatively dispassionate and calm tone. Others have lauded Harry Reid’s persistent condemnation of Trump.

How do you think leaders should conduct themselves? Are they obligated to call for calm and take a diplomatic tact? Or should they openly express their condemnation? If you’re someone who doesn’t support Trump, how are you talking about the election with your friends and family? Do you feel obligated to take a positive tone, or do you feel this election is too important and unprecedented for you to do that?

Guest:

Shane Goldmacher, senior political reporter at POLITICO, where he covered the 2016 presidential campaign

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Ethical and legal aspects of President-elect Trump's financial affairs, plus a look at his proposed lobbying ban

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Donald Trump Holds Ribbon Cutting Ceremony For The Trump International Hotel In Washington, D.C.

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump attends the grand opening ceremony at the new Trump International Hotel October 26, 2016 in Washington, DC. ; Credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

AirTalk

The vast and varied business dealings of President-elect Donald Trump would pose a plethora of conflicts of interest, and while the legality of those conflicts is in his favor, the ethics are open to question.

There are no laws on the books that prevent the President of the United States from being involved with the Trump Organization while in office. The President-elect has said he will turn control over to his children and a team of executives, which in itself presents its own ethical issues with how it could look if the Trump Administration does something that could help one of his businesses.

Furthermore, Trump has borrowed millions from banks all over the world to support his real estate empire, and his ties to banks are even more unclear because his tax returns aren’t public. Within that empire there are hotels, golf courses, and a slew of other properties he owns worldwide as well as involvements in hundreds of companies both domestically and in countries overseas, some of which aren’t necessarily friendly with the U.S. There’s also the matter of the federal civil case regarding fraud claims at Trump University. If and when Mr. Trump takes the witness stand during the trial, there are concerns the federal investigators on the case could be swayed because the focus of the investigation is their boss.

Elsewhere in the transition, top advisers on the President-elect’s transition team said on Wednesday that they are moving towards a ban on lobbying for five years after an official leaves the government. Anyone being considered for a high-profile position in Trump’s Administration will have to formally terminate their status as a registered lobbyist.

Guest:

Drew Harwell, national business reporter for The Washington Post; he tweets @drewharwell

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

With CIA, DOJ appointments, Trump administration goes hard right on national security

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President-Elect Donald Trump Holds Meetings At His Trump Tower Residence In New York

Retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn (C) arrives at Trump Tower, November 17, 2016 in New York City. ; Credit: Drew Angerer/Getty Images

AirTalk

In the first cabinet appointments, President-elect Donald Trump has signaled the direction he wants national security to take under his administration.

Trump appointed Representative Mike Pompeo as C.I.A director, Lt. Gen. Michael T Flynn as national security adviser, and Senator Jeff Sessions as attorney general. All three are considered controversial figures and represent a line of thinking outside of traditional Republican views.

Sessions, who holds staunch anti-immigration views, is tapped for a post with the authority to make sweeping changes to immigration policy in the country. Flynn is a retired three-star general with experience in intelligence has been vocal about his anti-Islamic views. And for the top post at the C.I.A., Trump has chosen Pompeo, who was behind the congressional investigation into the attack of the U.S. embassy in Benghazi, Libya.

Guests:

Nick Wadhams, reporter covering the State Department and national security at Bloomberg News

Lisa Mascaro, reporter covering Congress for the L.A. Times who’s been following the story

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

What to watch for in today’s Trump University hearing in San Diego

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Donald Trump Announces Trump University

Real estate mogul Donald Trump (background) speaks as course material stands on display during a news conference announcing the establishment of Trump University May 23, 2005 in New York City. ; Credit: Mario Tama/Getty Images

AirTalk

A U.S. District Judge in San Diego will hear arguments today from lawyers representing Donald Trump about postponing the federal civil case against Trump University, the President-elect’s now-belly-up real estate school, until after his January 20th inauguration.

Currently, the trial is scheduled to begin November 28th, but Trump’s lawyers are expected to argue that, given the all-consuming nature of the transition to the White House, the trial should wait until after he takes office. This week, they also requested that more information on how the pool of about 100 jurors being considered for the trial were summoned and chosen. Trump will not be present in San Diego for the hearing and will likely give any testimony via video. Lawyers for the plaintiffs in the class action suit want the trial to go on as planned, even if it means losing any further testimony from Mr. Trump.

The case, a class-action suit brought by former Trump University enrollees, alleges that Trump University not only falsely claimed to be run by instructors that Mr. Trump hand-picked, but also falsely purported to be an accredited university and was really just an infomercial claiming it would teach students inside secrets to real estate success but in reality just shook students down for even more money.

Guest:

Greg Moran, investigative reporter for the San Diego Union Tribune; he tweets @gregmoran

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

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