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Ban on pretextual police stops? Interviews with Steve Hilton and Matt Mahan, and more
LAPD Headquarters in front of City Hall.
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Chava Sanchez
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LAist
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Jump to
- LA City Council votes to ban pretextual police stops — but will LAPD comply?
- What to know about the CA insurance commissioner’s race
- TV Talk: ‘Citadel,’ ‘Amadeus,’ ‘Lord of the Flies,’ and more!
- In-depth with California governor candidate Steve Hilton
- In-depth with California governor candidate Matt Mahan
Today's show: Austin Cross, filling in for AirTalk host Larry Mantle, discusses LA City Council votes to ban pretextual police stops; CA insurance commissioner’s race; TV Talk; and interviews with California gubernatorial candidates Steve Hilton and Matt Mahan. Cross is LAist's local Morning Edition host and also hosts Friday AirTalk.
LA City Council votes to ban pretextual police stops — but will LAPD comply?
The topic:
LA City’s Council voted yesterday to ban Los Angeles Police Department’s use of pretextual stops, in which officers detain or pull over a person for a minor offense in order to investigate the person for a more serious crime.
Context: Civil rights activists have long said that pretextual stops disproportionately impact communities of color, an argument that data backs up.
Yes, but: The council’s proposal does not directly impact LAPD policy. The Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners will ultimately decide if the practice should be banned. LAPD leaders have said in the past that eliminating pretextual stops could diminish the department’s ability to detect illegal activity.
Guests on AirTalk today:
- Jeff Wenninger, recently retired LAPD lieutenant with expertise in use of force; he served in the LAPD's Force Investigation Division
- Marqueece Harris-Dawson, LA City Council Member representing the Eighth District and president of the city council
What to know about the CA insurance commissioner’s race
The charred remains of a house on Feb. 8, 2025. The home burned during the Eaton Fire in Altadena.
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Jules Hotz
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CalMatters
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The topic:
Nine candidates are looking to be elected as the head of California’s insurance office. We’ll briefly go through the candidates and the level of support they’re garnering.
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Why it’s important: Following the Los Angeles fires in 2025, many Eaton and Palisades Fire survivors have dealt with insurance-related challenges. The commissioner is a key figure in regulating insurance companies.
Yes, but: Insurance companies are also seeing the California market as increasingly risky, and writing fewer home policies or leaving the state altogether. The commissioner will have to toe a careful line.
Guest on AirTalk today:
- Levi Sumagaysay, economy reporter for CalMatters
TV Talk: ‘Citadel,’ ‘Amadeus,’ ‘Lord of the Flies,’ and more!
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Netflix
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Netflix
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The topic:
Have you felt completely overwhelmed when deciding what new show to watch these days? Us too. There’s just so much content out there between network TV and numerous streaming platforms. This week, listeners will get the latest scoop on what’s worth watching.
Sponsored message
TV Shows:
- Citadel [Season 2] (Amazon Prime)
- Amadeus [Limited Series] (STARZ)
- Lord of the Flies [Limited Series] (Netflix)
- The Bear “Gary” [SPECIAL EPISODE] (FX)
- Stranger Things: Tales From '85 [Season 1] (Netflix)
- M.I.A. [Season 1] (Peacock)
- Conbody vs Everybody [5-part series] (Criterion)
- Twenty Twenty Six [Limited Series] (BBC |Tubi)
Guests on AirTalk today:
- Angie Han, TV critic for The Hollywood Reporter
- Liz Shannon-Miller, senior entertainment editor @ Consequence
In-depth with California governor candidate Steve Hilton
Steve Hilton, Republican gubernatorial candidate for California, speaks during a gubernatorial debate at KRON Studios in San Francisco, California, US, on Wednesday, April 22, 2026.
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Pool/Getty Images
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Getty Images North America
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The topic:
British and American political commentator and former political advisor Steve Hilton is running to be the next governor of California. He’s running as a Republican, and pitching himself as the change the state needs after years of Democrats controlling all levers of the state government.
The Context: AirTalk is sitting down with candidates vying to be California’s next governor for longform, in-depth discussions leading up to the June 2 primary.
Sponsored message
Voter Game Plan: Figure out who and what is on your ballot with the LAist voter game plan.
Guest on AirTalk today:
- Steve Hilton, British and American political commentator and former director of strategy for British Prime Minister David Cameron. He has lived in California since 2012.
In-depth with California governor candidate Matt Mahan
California gubernatorial candidate and San Jose mayor Matt Mahan speaks after a gubernatorial debate on April 22, 2026 in San Francisco, California.
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Benjamin Fanjoy/Getty Images
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Getty Images North America
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The topic:
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan is running for California governor on what he's calling a back to basics platform. He's pitching himself as the pragmatic alternative in a very crowded Democratic field, and Silicon Valley's biggest names are betting on him.
The Context: AirTalk is sitting down with candidates vying to be California’s next governor for longform, in-depth discussions leading up to the June 2 primary.
Sponsored message
Voter Game Plan: Figure out who and what is on your ballot with the LAist voter game plan.
Guest on AirTalk today:
- Matt Mahan, Mayor of San Jose and candidate for California governor
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The Immaculate Heart Sisters of Mary (IHMs) has a long history of pushing back on Catholic church norms and many of those efforts happened right here in SoCal. -
Listen to the full AirTalk episode for Tuesday, May 5, 2026. -
Today on AirTalk: What's your voting plan? Building tolerance for uncertainty; L.A. City primary races; Countercultural nuns; and LACMA opening.
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Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive from readers like you will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
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