Governor Newsom and Behested Payments | ‘California Forever’ Updates | Local Poet-Turned-Musician Brandon Leake
The dome is photographed at the California State Capitol, Aug. 5, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif.
AP Photo/Juliana Yamada, File
Governor Newsom and Behested Payments
Governor Gavin Newsom has been fined more than $31,000 by California’s campaign finance watchdog for failing to report dozens of charitable donations known as “behested payments” in a timely fashion. These payments totaled millions of dollars from various corporations, were solicited by Newsom, and went to a nonprofit supporting recovery after the Los Angeles wildfires last year. CapRadio Statehouse Politics Reporter Laura Fitzgerald joins Insight with more about what behested payments are, and whether the fines are just the cost of doing business at the Capitol.
‘California Forever’ Updates
The tech billionaire-backed organization California Forever has been trying to build a city from scratch on farmland in Solano County. The effort has drawn significant local opposition, and led the backers to pull a ballot measure in 2024. But the group has not given up. CalMatters reporters Yue Stella Yu and Kate Wolffe break down the latest developments in the story of California Forever, including the political heavyweights the group have enlisted to curry influence.
CalMatters is a nonprofit newsroom that partners with public media stations across the state.
Local Poet-Turned-Musician Brandon Leake
Back in 2020 Stockton native Brandon Leake became the first spoken word artist to win America's Got Talent, using his unique ability to transform personal stories into powerful moments of connection to win the grand prize and build his career. Six years later he is now expanding his creativity to music, melding the natural rhythm and heartfelt lyricism of his poetry seamlessly with influences from gospel to hip hop. His first ever single, called “I’ve Got,” is out now. Leake joined Insight to tell us more about this artistic leap of faith.
