Meet the California Congressmen leading the investigation on Russian election interference, the future of the "gig economy" with the ACA, the meaning of Lent.
The (very) odd couple: California's Schiff, Nunes lead nation's most-watched investigation
It was more than five hours on the hot seat Monday for FBI director James Comey and the NSA's Mike Rogers.
The two were called to Capitol Hill to testify before members of the House Intelligence Committee, which is investigating possible Russian meddling in last year's election.
Committee chair Devin Nunes took the lead. Nunes is a Republican, representing California's 22nd District centered in the San Joaquin Valley. He and L.A. Congressman Adam Schiff, the ranking Democrat on the Intelligence Committee, got a big, national spotlight this week.
At first glance, their pairing is an odd one; they share little in terms of background. Their styles at the microphone differ. So who are the men leading the nation's most-watched investigation?
Take Two put that question to Scott Shafer, senior editor for politics and government at KQED.
Highlights
These two have gotten a lot of attention this week. Let's start with Adam Schiff, the Democrat, who represents a big swath of the L.A. area. The New York Times has a profile of him in today's edition.
Here's the opening line:
"As attack dogs go, Representative Adam B. Schiff, Democrat of California, is more Labradoodle than Doberman, his partisanship disguised by a thick fur of intense preparation, modulated locution, and gentle accusations."
Scott, do you think that's a fair description of Schiff?
Certainly, he's not a Doberman, at least not in terms of his personality. He kind of has a cherubic face, he's got a non-threatening demeanor, but he's easily underestimated, and that's not a bad thing for somebody who is a former prosecutor, which is what he is.
Democrats have very limited power on this committee because they're in the minority, but Schiff is making the most of it. You can see his skills as a former prosecutor. And in the first few minutes of the hearing, he got director Comey to confirm that the FBI's investigating the Trump campaign and its connection to Russian influences. And he said there was no evidence of wiretapping as Trump claimed, and that was what dominated the news all day long, so very effective opening of that hearing by Adam Schiff.
Is that Schiff's way of working in the legislature, too? Does he have that soft-spoken manner, or is it something that is new to these hearings?
It's very much who he his. He's not a bomb-thrower. This is really his national debut. He may be known somewhat in Southern California, but he's certainly not known nationally. Some people rise to the occasion when that happens; some don't. I think he's earned the respect of his Democratic colleagues and I think even his Republican colleagues on that committee.
Congressman Devin Nunes isn't nearly as media-friendly and accessible as Adam Schiff. How did a man with three degrees in agriculture come to head the intelligence committee?
Timing is always a good thing. He ran for Congress in 2002, and he had some luck in terms of who ran against him, and so he got elected. His district is not far down the road from Kevin McCarthy's district, the majority leader now from Bakersfield. Certainly, McCarthy has helped Nunes rise through the ranks.
He's not someone who's unpredictable. He's loyal. He's a team player. And so, John Boehner made him the chair of that committee because — I think — they could trust him. And that has a lot to do with success in Congress and politics in general.
Talk about the way these two work together: Schiff is in the minority, Nunes is the chair. What is that relationship like?
A committee often meets in private. They handle highly classified materials, so I don't know how they relate to each other in those meetings. One thing that they've done that I've been struck by is whenever they have press conferences, in general, they do it together. And that's what gives a patina of partisanship to both of them and helps both of them in their way.
But these guys are different: It's coast versus central valley, liberal versus conservative, city versus rural. Schiff went to Harvard Law; Devin Nunes went to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.
Very, very different, but as often happens with these committees where a lot is at stake, people figure out ways to work together, and that seems to be happening this time as well.
To hear the full story, click the blue player above.
(Answers have been edited for clarity and brevity.)
California's 'gig economy' could suffer under GOP health plan
The so-called gig economy has seen some pretty significant gains in recent years. Think Uber and Lyft drivers. Food deliveries. Odd-jobs.
Independent employment in LA jumped by 136 percent between 2012 and 2014, according to the Census Bureau.
Some credit the Affordable Care Act. Workers no longer depend on employers for health insurance. Now, the Republican plan to repeal Obamacare is scheduled for a vote in the House on Thursday.
Some worry the new plan, called the American Health Care Act, could end up crippling California's gig economy.
Politico's Victoria Colliver wrote about it and joined Take Two for more.
To hear the full story, click the blue player above.
Will criminal charges against 4 social workers improve LA's child welfare system?
Four former L.A. County social workers were ordered this week to stand trial for the 2013 death of 8-year-old Gabriel Fernandez.
The four were supposed to protect the boy, who was in the care of his mother and her boyfriend. But Fernandez was found tortured to death – burned, shot with BB pellets and doused in pepper spray.
The mother and boyfriend have been charged with murder.
And the social workers overseeing his case are charged with child abuse and falsifying records.
But will prosecutions bring effective changes to the child welfare system in Los Angeles?
Take Two talks with Richard Gelles, professor of social policy at the University of Pennsylvania and author of, "Out of Harm's Way: Creating an Effective Child Welfare System."
Interview highlights
What are the challenges that social workers face when they ID a child who may be at risk?
Hindsight is 20/20. You've got 6 million children reported for child abuse in the United States every year, and 2,000 who die.
It's difficult on your best day to do risk assessment.
Let me give you two problems that the system has.
One: you and I and my taxi driver would know what to do. But the child welfare system has two conflicted objectives.
One is ensuring the safety and well-being of children, and the second is to preserve families. ...
Second: there are no tools – adequate, reliable, valid tools – that case workers can bring to bear in determining how risky the situation is for a child.
They're left to making their clinical judgment which, to make a long story short, is about as valuable and accurate as taking a quarter out of your pocket and flipping it.
Shortly after charges were filed against the social workers in the Gabriel Fernandez case, the LA Department of Children and Family services removed children from homes at a higher rate. Is that the goal?
That's not the goal. That's simply a knee-jerk, pendulum reaction.
They're not using any kind of judgments in doing that. They're simply covering their behinds.
Do you think prosecution of workers who fail kids will actually change the system?
Maybe. They will not be frequent, these prosecutions, and it depends on whether there's a punishment at the end of the road.
The real problems lies not in prosecuting. The real problem lies in looking where the weak link in the system is, and it's supervision.
We're paying supervisors to make sure the workers do their job. When the workers are not doing their job and falsifying data, you have to move up the chain of command one step and say, "Why are we paying the supervisor?"
Listen to the full interview by clicking the blue audio player above.
For families of Mexico's missing, mass grave discovery ends long and painful search
Thousands of people are missing in Mexico. After many years and what some say is insufficient support from authorities, the painstaking task of searching for loved ones often falls on the families of the missing.
Now, 250 skulls have been unearthed in Veracruz, in what could end up being Mexico's largest mass grave.
For two mothers, DNA confirmed that some of the remains dug up belong to their missing sons, ending their years-long search.
For more on the discovery and what it means to the families of the missing, Take Two's Libby Denkmann spoke with Patrick McDonnell, Mexico City Bureau chief for the Los Angeles Times.
To listen to the interview, click on the blue Media Player above.
What does Lent mean to you?
Monday, March 20th marked the first day of Spring.
But Tuesday, March 21st marks the halfway point of Lent, the 40-day religious period that runs from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday. It’s a time where those of the Christian faith devote themselves to fasting, abstinence, and penitence
But it's also treated as a second wind for your failed New Year’s resolution.
So, because Los Angeles is one of the top three most heavily Catholic cities in the nation, Take Two checked in with some listeners about what they’ve given up for lent and what this period means for them:
Shana Wright, Los Angeles
"I regularly participate in Lent as a way to renew, restore my desire for God's grace, mercy, forgiveness.
This year I gave up pouring over news articles featuring the goings-on in our nation's capitol. In other words, I've kept myself from reading those articles and op-eds that have the potential to distract and frustrate and even stress me out.
I hope that this will help me to put aside my fear and misgivings and maybe after 40 days even be a better voice of peace."
Marco Rodas, Los Angeles
"After I had my own children and trying to be a good example to them, their mother and I did practice Lent more consistently but it was not for religious reasons, at least not for me.
For me, it was more cultural. You know, it was the whole family going to Ash Wednesday, we would all disclose what we'd be giving up. We would encourage each other or tease each other for not sticking with it.
I used to give up meat or coffee for Lent, when I used to go to church. Now, I've given up anger in my life...that blind anger, that feeling that comes from fear, yeah...that's behind me....
Finding inner peace is what I strive for. Not only at the end of Lent but throughout my life."
Charis Hill, Sacramento
"It helps me with my spirituality, it brings me closer to my belief that we are all one big human family and my role as a Christian is to use Lent as a period of time where I'm able to be more introspective.
As someone with a severe inflammatory disease that will never go away, it's a progressive degenerative disease...all of my decisions about taking care of myself and being spiritual are affected and influenced by my health and so Lent is a time where I'm also sort of reminded of all the things I don't have.
I don't have my health. I don't have financial stability. But Lent is a time where the playing field is leveled...it seems like for me. Where people pay attention to those parts of themselves that can be nurtured and grown to make us more whole people.
So during Lent, I feel a part of the human family, even stronger than I usually do."
To listen to the full segment, click the blue play button above.
Tuesday Reviewsday: Frank Ocean, Nicki Minaj and more
If you love music, but don't have the time to keep up with what's new, you should listen to Tuesday Reviewsday.
Every week our critics join our hosts in the studio to talk about what you should be listening to in one short segment. This week A Martinez is joined by Oliver Wang - music writer, scholar, and DJ.
Here are his picks:
Artist: Your Old Droog
Album: Packs
Song: White Rappers
Oliver talked about New York’s Your Old Droog back in 2014, when many people - including myself - thought he might have been an alter-ego for Nas. Need a reminder why? Here's a video from that year - Nutty Bars:
Turns out, Droog simply is a protege of the Queens legend, a 20-something rapper who clearly went back to the ‘90s hip-hop era and mastered every nuance of it. On this new album, he still delivers that golden era goodness.
Artist: Frank Ocean
Song: Chanel
This was a surprise release from the other week - a one-off song that, musically, sounds like it could have come out of his “Blonde” sessions from last year but lyrically has a bit more form to it unlike the more meandering tracks off that aforementioned album.
What’s funny is that Ocean gives a shout out to Chanel on the song and Chanel followed up a few days later with a shout out to Ocean but both are clear in stating that there is not “Frank Ocean Chanel” campaign. At least, not yet.
Artist:
Album: The Order of Time
Song: Long Lonely Road
June made a big splash in 2013 with “Pushin Against a Stone,” and after nearly four years, she’s back with her latest album, “The Order of Time.”
When we talk about great voices, there’s the ones that are technical marvels - Ella, Frank, Aretha - and then there’s the ones that are all about their texture, how the voice feels against your ears, if that makes any sense, and Valerine June has this remarkable, absolutely stunning instrument at her disposal where she sounds like one of those oracles who look young but have been alive for a 1000 years and are filled with mystical wisdom.
Artist: Nicki Minaj
Song: No Frauds
Remy Ma dissing Nicki Minaj a few weeks back with her epic “Shether”
Nicki took a minute but rather than releasing a more off-the-cuff, mixtape-style cut, she went fully produced, invited Lil Wayne and Drake to join her, and hit back with “No Frauds” which makes up in surgically precise hits what it lacks in furious anger.
You get the feeling that while Remy came hard, in the end, Nicki’s playing chess, not checkers.