The Brief

When the dam of discontented Democrats calling upon President Joe Biden to suspend his flagging presidential campaign finally broke last week, Rep. Nancy Pelosi was standing at the floodgates.

Pelosi stepped down from being speaker of the House in 2022. Technically, that makes her a mere congressional backbencher from San Francisco, just one member, well into her 80s, among 212 other Democrats in the House of Representatives. That she has played such a pivotal role, mostly out of the spotlight, in convincing, badgering and pressuring Biden to end his campaign — a decision he announced in a letter today — may surprise some.

Longtime allies and observers of the former House speaker say it shouldn’t. This, they say, is who Pelosi has always been.

“She is very much a behind-the scenes vote-counting tactician. That’s what she’s good at. She knows how to win,” said Marc Sandalow, the former Washington bureau chief for the San Francisco Chronicle whose Pelosi biography “Madam Speaker” debuted shortly after she was elected to lead the House in 2006.

Pelosi voiced doubts early

Pelosi was early to publicly voice concerns about the viability of Biden’s campaign after a disastrous late June debate performance. When Biden attempted to slam the door shut on that discussion, it was Pelosi who subtly, but very publicly, nudged the door back open. When vulnerable congressional Democrats began fretting that a flagging Biden would drag them down come November, Pelosi reportedly offered to be a sounding board and repository of their complaints. When Rep. Adam Schiff came out last week as the most high-profile Democrat yet to call on Biden to exit for the sake of the party and country, many saw in it the handiwork — or at least, the tacit approval — of Pelosi, Schiff’s mentor and political benefactor. And when it came time to deliver the unwelcome pitch and tell Biden that his hopes for reelection were faint, it was Pelosi who reportedly gave him a dispassionate analysis of the polls, even as she remained evasive in her public statements.

For a storied political strategist, this may be the last play in a career of gambits. In triggering a risky and entirely unprecedented electoral reset for the Democratic Party so close to a presidential election that many voters believe is pivotal for the future of American democracy, it also may be her most consequential.

Sandalow is now a faculty member at the University of California Washington Center and stressed that he has no specific knowledge of Pelosi’s activities over the last month. But he sees a familiar character in the speaker emerita working the phones and guiding Biden to the exit based on an unsentimental reading of the electoral environment.

“By all accounts, she has great affection for Joe Biden,” said Sandalow. “But for her, it’s all about winning.”

Cold-blooded focus on winning election

“Cold-blooded,” or some synonym of the term, comes up a lot when discussing Pelosi’s political reputation. It’s usually meant as a compliment. It’s a term that Pelosi has proudly applied to herself. That, or a synonym.

“I’m more reptilian,” she told CNN’s Anderson Cooper last year, describing the 2022 midterms. “Cold-blooded. To win the election.”

For Pelosi, any consideration of ideology is always tempered by electability. That’s sharply at odds with the caricature that Republicans and conservative media constructed around her during her years as speaker: the embodiment of San Francisco’s lefty politics and out-of-touch elitism. Pelosi’s personal views do tend to run progressive, but her leadership was never rooted in her policy preferences, said John Lawrence, her former chief of staff who now also works at the UC Washington Center.

“People have this mistaken notion of her as some sort of a zealous ideological warrior,” he said. “Her power, her strength, her reputation comes from the fact that she has a cold-blooded way of analyzing the facts, of taking her personal ideology or her personal aspirations out of the equation, and making decisions based on what is feasible.”

The backstory

Many who know Pelosi’s life story attribute that to her upbringing.

Her father, Tommy D’Alesandro Jr., was a state legislator turned congressman turned Baltimore mayor — a committed New Deal liberal. Growing up in the city’s Little Italy, Pelosi’s childhood home also served as a community meeting place, campaign headquarters and constituent services center. When her older brother was elected mayor of Baltimore, few were surprised.

But coming of age as a woman in the 1960s, Pelosi’s political career was much less of a sure thing. All the more so when she married Paul Pelosi, losing her politically prized last name, and then moved with him to San Francisco, a town where “D’Alesandro” didn’t open many doors anyway.

President Biden delivers his first State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress at the Capitol, as Vice President Kamala Harris and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., watch, Tuesday, March 1, 2022, in Washington.

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From her perch in the city’s ritzy Presidio Terrace neighborhood, she still managed to start climbing the rungs of California Democratic political power — first as a fundraiser, then a city party leader, then chair of the California Democratic Party. All the while, she raised five kids.

“She had the disadvantage in some ways of being a very attractive, wealthy San Franciscan,” said Lawrence, which some in the city’s male-dominated political class took to mean that she was a lightweight. “I don’t think that lasted very long,” he said.

Nothing about Pelosi suggested that she would be a strong campaigner of the handshaking, baby-kissing variety. She regularly described herself as shy. Her gender remained a liability. But when Rep. Sala Burton, the wife of the late Rep. Phillip Burton, lay on her deathbed, it was “Nancy” she named as her hoped-for successor.

The Burton political machine that had dominated local politics for 24 years. Reporter John Jacobs described the made-for-TV-movie scene in his Phillip Burton biography, “A Rage for Justice”:

An independently wealthy resident of Pacific Heights who was at home in some circles where it was impolite to mention Phillip’s name, Pelosi seemed an odd choice. But this daughter of one congressman from Baltimore and sister of another was a partisan, liberal Democrat to her core.From her sickbed, Sala questioned Pelosi closely on whether she was truly interested in the job. She would be 2,500 miles from her husband and five children; the hours would be long and grueling. Was Nancy Pelosi fully committed to serve? She looked at the dying woman and said, “I expect you to get well. If you do not, I would be honored to succeed you.”John Burton, the last member of the Burton dynasty, saw another reason why Pelosi would be a smart pick. She was, in his words, “operational,” someone who could get things done (the notoriously profane Burton would not have used the word “things.”)

What her political victories taught her

With him running her campaign, Pelosi won her first seat in 1987, her first and only close election. In the primary, she narrowly edged out Harry Britt, a socialist and political successor to Harvey Milk, who had the backing of organized labor, environmental activists and much of the gay community. But Pelosi had the San Francisco machine on her side, including then-Assembly Speaker Willie Brown. The Los Angeles Times reported that Pelosi spent more than her 13 opponents combined. Her role as political insider had its perks once she arrived in D.C. too. She already knew roughly half of the members of the Democratic delegation by name. Many had been at her home for fundraisers.

She would go on to become the first and only female House speaker and shepherd through landmark legislation, including the Affordable Care Act known as Obamacare. Along the way, she nurtured the political careers of younger Democrats. Among them are two Californians who’ve been prominently mentioned as potential Biden replacements: Vice President Kamala Harris and California Gov. Gavin Newsom — both of whom remained publicly loyal to Biden until the bitter end.

This month, as Pelosi worked with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and her successor, minority leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries cajoled Biden to close out his campaign, her personal and political connections to the rest of the House Democratic caucus were the source of her credibility and power, he said.

“She’s very much in the tradition of the smoke-filled backroom politician,” Sandalow said — minus the smoke. “There are still scores of House Democrats who owe their success to her…So the idea that she has enormous influence shouldn’t surprise anybody.”

Some government funding streams for L.A. County’s public health system are drying up, and officials are turning to private philanthropy to fill the gap.

A new privately funded foundation launched Thursday to strengthen public health services after $50 million in federal, state and local funding cuts to the county’s Department of Public Health since early last year.

“It is really a hard day for our community when we have to ask for private donations to fund a public good, but unfortunately, we've lost too much money to not take this important step,” said Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer.

In February, the county’s Public Health Department closed seven clinics, with six remaining open. About half of the patients seen in those clinics are uninsured, according to county officials. The department also cut hundreds of staff positions.

Ferrer is on the board of the new foundation, The Fund for Advancing Public Health LA, which held its first meeting Thursday.

She said the fund will help the county maintain its basic public health infrastructure, including disease prevention, health promotion, environmental health, and emergency response efforts.

Other board members include several health insurance executives, as well as actors Sean Penn and Danny Trejo. Board member Saree Kayne of the R&S Kayne Foundation pledged $150,000 to the fund Thursday. Kayne said she hopes the donation encourages others to give.

The foundation aims to raise $2 million this year.

More cuts expected

L.A. County Supervisor Holly Mitchell said it’s crucial to have an alternative funding stream to protect services for the county's most vulnerable residents.

“We are saving public health,” Mitchell said. “This fund represents a new approach, one that brings together government philanthropy in the private sector to invest in community-based solutions, protect vulnerable populations, and strengthen our public health infrastructure.”

Officials say more public health cuts are coming, through the federal budget law known as the "Big Beautiful Bill," which slashes funding for Medi-Cal.

The county Department of Public Health anticipates losing up to $300 million in revenue over the next three years because of the federal budget bill and other potential funding freezes. Federal funding accounts for almost 50% of the public health budget, according to county officials.

Mitchell also led an effort to put a half-percent county sales tax increase to fund public health on the June ballot.

If approved by voters, that proposal, known as Measure ER, is expected to raise about $1 billion a year for county safety net health services, including about $100 million for the public health department.

Board members

The Fund for Advancing Public Health LA announced its founding board of directors, which includes:

• Dr. Barbara Ferrer, LA County Department of Public Health director
• Debbie I. Chang, Blue Shield of California Foundation CEO
• Sean Penn, actor and co-founder of Community Organized Relief Effort (CORE)
• Martha Santana-Chin, LA Care Health Plan CEO
• Saree Kayne, R&S Kayne Foundation CEO
• Danny Trejo, actor and restaurateur
• Jarrett Barrios, an executive at the American Red Cross
• Dr. Deborah Prothrow-Stith, Charles R. Drew University College of Medicine Dean
• Kristin McCowan, an executive at the Los Angeles Dodgers

The Rose Bowl in Pasadena may be a centenarian, but it’s holding up pretty well as it continues to host events on its way to a starring role in the LA28 Olympics.

But before it can host the soccer final, it needs fixes, especially to the infrastructure serving the bathrooms and drinking fountains. Fears of a toilet backup while in the world’s spotlight led Rep. Laura Friedman to seek federal funds for upgrades. On Thursday she announced she secured just over $1 million.

“Two years from now, athletes around the world are going to compete for gold right where we are standing. This is not the time to find out whether or not these pipes are up to the task,” Friedman said.

The planned work, she added, will lead to improved water flow capacity and water drainage, eliminating the risk of backups and emergency maintenance.

The funds came from the House of Representatives Interior and Environment subcommittee. The fixes, an official said, will be completed by the LA28 Olympics.

The funds, however, are a drop in the bucket when it comes to what’s needed to make needed improvements to the Pasadena venue.

Officials, including (left to right) Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation President Dedan Brozino, Deputy Fire Chief of the City of Pasadena Tim Sell, Congresswoman Laura Friedman, and Rose Bowl Stadium CEO Jens Weiden announced infrastructure funding for the 103-year old Rose Bowl.

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“Over the  next 20 years there's about $200 million that we need to put in and that's everything from updating light fixtures to updating gas, water, wastewater lines, etc.,” said Dedan Brozino,  president of the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation, the nonprofit that supports the Rose Bowl stadium's preservation and enhancement.

Getting venues ready will be expensive

The money is a much-needed win at a time when elected officials in city, county, state and federal offices have been struggling to find the funds to get L.A.-area venues ready for the global Olympic stage in two years.

The entrance to a men's bathroom at the Rose Bowl.

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A $360 million proposal to spruce up asphalt in parking lots around Exposition Park won’t be done in time for the Olympics, as originally planned. Meanwhile, just up the street, there’s concern that a $2.6 billion expansion of the L.A. Convention Center, which is hosting Olympic wrestling, fencing and judo in 2028 won’t be ready for the Olympics.

Additionally, to save money, LA28 organizers moved Olympic diving to the Rose Bowl complex last year because it has two Olympic-sized pools, while the Exposition Park complex doesn't and would need expensive upgrades.

Topline:

About the chick: The chick hatched March 14. The zoo opened its Cape vulture enclosure in February 2025 after years of planning to encourage the birds to roost and nest, welcoming a new breeding pair that year. When it grows to be an adult, it’ll have a wingspan of 8 1/2 feet.

About the enclosure: The L.A. Zoo said it spent years developing the vulture habitat, which was designed to mimic the vultures’ natural environment in South Africa and nearby countries. Dominick Dorsa II, the zoo’s director of animal care, said in a statement the successful hatching is “a testament to the design and construction” of the habitat.

How to see the chick: You can’t for the time being. Zoo officials are keeping it away from visitors until the chick matures, though you can still see adult Cape vultures at the zoo’s enclosure.

Though visitors will have to wait until the chick matures to see it in the enclosure, you can still take in the impressive eight and a half foot wingspan of the adult Cape vultures.

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What zoo officials are saying: “Welcoming a Cape vulture chick is a thrilling moment for our team and a beacon of hope for African vultures,” the L.A. Zoo’s curator of birds Rose Legato said in a statement. “Vultures are one of nature's most misunderstood marvels, and I cannot wait for our guests to eventually watch this chick grow and learn just how vital they are to our ecosystems.”

About the species: Cape vultures are listed as a vulnerable species due to human activities and encroachment. According to the L.A. Zoo, African vultures are more closely related to eagles and hawks than vultures native to the Americas, like the zoo's California condors that hatched last year.

This story first appeared on The LA Local.

What should have been a celebration for formerly incarcerated youth completing a reentry program at the Boyle Heights Arts Conservatory (BHAC) last week instead ended with seven students and two staff members detained by the Los Angeles Police Department, according to witnesses. 

Now, nearly a week later, BHAC staff and city officials are demanding answers from the LAPD, with some accusing officers of racial profiling. 

According to the LAPD, officers observed a large group gathered on the corner of Cesar E. Chavez Avenue and Mott Street around 4:16 p.m. on March 26. Authorities then requested backup for what they described as “a large group surrounding officers,” LAPD Public Information Officer Tony Im said. 

The group, classified by police as an “aggressive gang group,” consisted of seven 18-year-old students from the BHAC’s Bridge Academy Movement (BAM) program and two BHAC staff members.

The BAM program pays formerly incarcerated youth to complete 200-250 hours in media and visual arts training to prepare them for creative careers. That day, students were set to showcase their work at the BAM program graduation for families and community members. 

Rene Weber, a teaching artist at the BHAC, had been with the students setting up for the ceremony minutes before the incident occurred. 

According to Weber, the students had gone to coffee across the street at Milpa Kitchen as they often did, when staff were alerted that they were being detained. 

Weber said he arrived to find students and a staff member pressed against the wall in handcuffs. 

Video from the scene, taken by a staff member at the BHAC, shows multiple officers surrounding the group. At one point, an officer orders a person to “get on the wall” and displays a stun gun.  

“No, none of that, these are kids right here,” the staff member replies.

Another staff member, Teotl Veliz, recorded a large police response.  

“I counted 12 cop cars, that’s at least 25 cops, and they had a helicopter,” Veliz said. “It was just so comedic, tragically comedic, that it was on their graduation day too.”

Officers established a perimeter with yellow tape along the side of Ashley’s Beauty Salon as local business owners and witnesses gathered around the students. 

“I was just incredibly disappointed in LAPD… because it became so apparent to everybody, all at the same time, that it was racial profiling and nothing else,” Veliz said.

Weber said officers gave shifting explanations for the stop at the scene, including blocking the sidewalk and possible underage vaping. After Weber told the officers that all of the students were 18, they said they would investigate whether the group had any gang affiliation. 

Police have not responded to questions about what led officers to believe that the group was gang-affiliated. 

Weber recalled pleading with the officers to let the group go and explaining to them that they worked across the street. Community members and local business owners also stepped in to vouch for the students. 

“Our job is to help them gain a new perspective on life,” Weber said. “They’re coming out of juvenile detention and they’re turning their lives around. We can do our part in keeping them off the streets and keeping them doing better but what does it mean if they’re going to be profiled and treated exactly the same way?” 

In total, seven 18-year-old students and two staff members were detained. BHAC staff said one student and one staff member were taken to Hollenbeck Community Police Station and released less than two hours later after advocacy from community members and Councilmember Ysabel Jurado.

The incident ultimately resulted in an infraction for smoking a cannabis e-vape on a public sidewalk, according to a photo of the infraction shared with the Beat. LAPD did not provide details about the people taken to Hollenbeck Station or the infraction. 

The graduation ceremony was cancelled that night and is expected to be rescheduled in April. 

“Graduation should be a moment of pride and possibility — not fear,” Jurado said in a statement. “I’m seeking answers about what occurred, and this underscores the need for stronger relationships between law enforcement and community organizations so moments like these are protected, not disrupted.”

Carmelita Ramirez‑Sanchez, the conservatory’s executive director, said she was grateful to the community and Jurado for advocating for the students’ release. Jurado met her at Hollenbeck Station within 20 minutes of being alerted to the incident, she said. 

“They had store owners, señoras, barbers, that ran out and were trying to explain to the police who our kids were,” Ramirez‑Sanchez said. 

Still, she said the incident tarnished what should have been a joyous celebration.

“I imagine that what this does is derail this entire idea that you can be an active participant in your own restorative growth,” she said.