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Chris Nichols
PolitiFact California 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.
No, America’s Auto Industry Not Expected To Lose ‘As Many As 300,000’ Jobs, As Kamala Harris Claimed
August 21, 2019
Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris recently claimed that as many as "300,000 auto workers" were expected to lose their jobs this year, suggesting Trump was to blame. PolitiFact California rates that claim "false."
Sacramento Sues Homeless People For ‘Public Nuisance,’ Civil Rights Advocates Call Lawsuit A ‘Dangerous’ New Tactic
August 16, 2019
The city of Sacramento is suing seven homeless people, asking a court to ban them from a business district over their past history of drug use and other crimes.
Gavin Newsom’s Ridiculous Claim ‘Vast Majority’ Of San Francisco’s Homeless People Come From Texas
August 14, 2019
California Gov. Gavin Newsom said the "vast majority" of San Francisco’s homeless people come in from Texas. PolitiFact California explored that head-scratching claim.
Why Is It So Expensive To Build A Home In California? Developer Fees Could Be One Reason
August 12, 2019
Residential ‘impact fees’ are a big reason it’s so expensive to build a home in California. Those charges are not only expensive, but unpredictable and lack transparency, according to a new state-commissioned study.
No, President Trump Wasn’t ‘Kicked Off’ The California Ballot. That’s Pants On Fire.
August 8, 2019
The California Republican Party made a misleading and blatantly inaccurate claim this week that President Donald Trump was "kicked off the California ballot" during a fundraising pitch on its website.
Fact Check: Are There ‘More Gun Deaths By Far' In America Than Any Other Country?
August 6, 2019
Sen. Dianne Feinstein made a sweeping statement about the number of guns and gun deaths in America. Is it true?
Were Tulsi Gabbard’s Attacks On Kamala Harris’ Record As A California Prosecutor On Target?
August 1, 2019
At the second Democratic presidential debate, Kamala Harris faced several specific critiques from Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. PolitiFact California examined the claims one-by-one.
Can California Force Homeless People Into Shelters? Civil Rights Groups Call Plan Legally Questionable.
July 30, 2019
‘Right to shelter’ plan would boost shelter spaces for homeless individuals, but advocacy groups say they’re opposed to forcing people into them against their will.
Fact-Checking Claims On California’s Unsheltered Homeless Population
July 25, 2019
During his recent push for a "right to shelter" law, Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg made eye-opening claims about California’s homeless population, including the soaring rate of homeless deaths in the state.
Has Gavin Newsom Made Progress On His Pledge To Boost California’s Housing Supply?
July 18, 2019
On the campaign trail, Gavin Newsom promised to rapidly expand California's housing supply, saying he would "lead the effort to develop 3.5 million new housing units" by 2025 to address the state's affordable housing crisis.