Chris Nichols

PolitiFact Reporter

For the past dozen years, Chris Nichols has worked as a government and politics reporter at newspapers across California. Most recently, he covered the Capitol for the San Diego Union-Tribune. Previously, he worked at the North County Times in Escondido; the Lodi News-Sentinel and the Sonora Union-Democrat.

He is a native of sunny San Diego and long-suffering fan of the San Diego Padres and Chargers – but only if they stay in America’s Finest City. After obtaining his bachelor’s degree from UC Berkeley, Chris left California to earn his master’s degree from the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism in 2004, but quickly returned home after realizing his heart was in the Golden State, not the Big Apple.

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Stories by Chris Nichols

Should Rural Districts Have A Greater Voice In The California Senate?
June 7, 2017
Republican state lawmakers from rural counties are pushing a proposed constitutional amendment to give their constituents a louder voice in the California Senate.
Wednesday Roundup: Bail System Overhaul, Renewable Energy Requirement, Education Incentives For CalWORKS Recipients, Dialysis Staffing
May 31, 2017
State senators have passed a bill that would overhaul the state's bail system and a bill that requires California to go green by 2045. Meanwhile, lawmakers in the Assembly passed a bill offering grant increases to welfare recipients.
Lawmaker Misleads With Claim Jerry Brown Has Axed Funds For California’s Dying Trees
May 26, 2017
Republican Assemblyman Jim Patterson of Fresno recently claimed Gov. Jerry Brown has slashed nearly all the money in the state’s budget to help local governments remove dead and dying trees in California’s forests.
Is Jerry Brown 'Diverting' 30 Percent Of California's New Gas Tax Money?
May 22, 2017
California Republican Assemblywoman Melissa Melendez claimed Gov. Jerry Brown is 'diverting' 30 percent of the new gas tax revenue to non-road pet projects. PolitiFact California examined this and rated it Mostly False.
Did Congressman Jeff Denham Really Call The GOP Health Bill ‘Bipartisan’?
May 16, 2017
Congressman Jeff Denham’s use of the word "bipartisan" in response to a question about the recent GOP health bill sparked criticism this week from several news and political outlets. PolitiFact California found the truth was stretched.
Groups Concerned About Environmental Impacts Of SoCal Desalination Project
May 15, 2017
With water supply concerns still fresh following California’s severe drought, top Democrats in the state are lining up behind a controversial ocean desalination plant in Orange County that would convert seawater into freshwater.
Governor Says ‘Big Cuts’ Ahead For California’s Budget
May 11, 2017
Updated: California faces a $3.3 billion shortfall under Gov. Jerry Brown’s updated budget for the 2017-18 fiscal year released Thursday morning at the state Capitol.
Calif. Democrat Repeats Misleading Claim Rape A Pre-Existing Condition Under GOP Bill
May 9, 2017
Democratic Congresswoman Judy Chu of Los Angeles County repeated a deceptive claim about the GOP health care bill last week after it narrowly passed the U.S. House.
Bills To Fight Fake News Moving Forward At California Capitol
May 5, 2017
Bills that ask California public schools to fight fake news by developing media literacy curriculum are moving forward at the state Capitol. But a key advocate says they've been watered down and risk being ineffective.
Villaraigosa’s Mostly True Claim About The Rise In School Graduation Rates
May 5, 2017
Former Los Angeles Mayor Villaraigosa claims graduation rates grew from 44 percent to 72 percent because of his involvement with Los Angeles Unified School District. We set out on a fact check.