Kqeds Forum

House Democrats introduced an article of impeachment Monday charging President Trump with "incitement of insurrection" for his role in last week's riot at the U.S. Capitol. The insurrection "was a direct attack on our democracy," wrote Congresswoman Katie Porter, who represents California's 45th district in Orange County and is a member of the House Financial Services Committee and the House Oversight and Reform Committee. She amassed a national profile over the past year by directing tough questions to Trump administration officials and corporate executives in congressional hearings. We'll talk with Rep. Porter about the impeachment effort as well as her fight for equity in COVID-19 testing and vaccines.

Support for the second impeachment of President Donald Trump grew among House Democrats Friday, following Wednesday's violent pro-Trump insurrection that left five people dead at the U.S. Capitol. We'll discuss the latest developments. 

California announced plans last week to administer the first dose of the coronavirus vaccine to a million people in the course of only ten days. The decision came as the state continues to see a surge in cases, and as it faces criticism over a slow vaccine rollout for health care workers and nursing home residents. We'll get the details on the vaccination push.

QAnon conspiracists, white nationalists, business professionals and Proud Boys militants. Those are some of the perpetrators of the deadly pro-Trump insurrection at the U.S. Capitol last week that law enforcement officials have identified and begun to charge with federal crimes. We’ll talk about what we know about the insurrectionists, what they were planning and why some investigators say the violence could have been far worse. And we’ll look at some of the raid’s historical antecedents, and its racist roots.

The siege of the U.S Capitol by Pro-Trump extremists on Wednesday has many grappling with questions of accountability and justice. Democratic leaders Thursday demanded that President Trump be removed from office. Several White House officials have resigned, but what will be the punishment for members of Congress who supported Trump’s attempt to steal the election? Lawmakers are also calling for congressional hearings on the failure of law enforcement to protect what should have been one of America’s most secure buildings. We’ll discuss the aftermath of Wednesday's violence and who should be held accountable. 

More than one million California state unemployment claims--approximately 1 in 7-- were suspended this week in an attempt to avoid more fraudulent payouts. The California Employment Development Department has lost up to $4 billion on fraudulent claims since the pandemic started. We break down the latest problems besetting the state’s EDD, as a record number of Californians await much-needed financial relief.

On Thursday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called on Vice President Mike Pence and President Donald Trump’s Cabinet to use the 25th Amendment to remove the president from office. Pelosi said if not, the Democrats could seek to impeach the president a second time. This comes after the president tried to tamper with election results in Georgia and incited a riot at the U.S. Capitol that left five people dead. Experts say taking either path would be challenging for Democrats. We explain the various scenarios for forcing a president out of office and what it means for Trump’s limited time in the White House. 

On Thursday, Facebook announced it banned President Donald Trump from posting on its platform and on Instagram for at least the next two weeks. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the risks of allowing Trump to post "are simply too great" after the president posted a video calling violent insurrectionists "very special" as they rioted on Capitol Hill. Many see the bans as too little, too late, after years of allowing Trump to spread lies, conspiracy theories and disinformation online that fueled a base of extremist supporters. In her piece “Trump’s Internet is Celebrating” for The Atlantic, Kaitlyn Tiffany writes that the insurrectionists, known as the #StopTheSteal movement online, did exactly what they’d promised to do for months and are gleeful over yesterday’s riots. We’ll talk to Tiffany about how Trump’s attempted coup was born online and where social media companies go from here.

Violent extremists loyal to President Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol Wednesday in an attempt to prevent Congress from confirming electoral votes for president-elect Joe Biden. The mob smashed windows, clashed with police and four people are dead. In response, Trump called on the rioters to go home but at the same time reiterated false claims that the election was stolen. Many across the country are reeling in the aftermath of a stunning attack on this country's democratic process. We get the latest on the riots.

After violent supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol, many Americans are dismayed at the chaos and lawlessness that has unfolded. Some observers questioned the lax response from police, as well as galling discrepancies between the treatment of Black Lives Matter protesters and the pro-Trump mob. And the incident is sparking calls for a second impeachment of Trump, who invited the rioters to Washington D.C. In this statewide call-in special, we'll talk about the political and legal fallout from Wednesday's violence.

All eyes are on two U.S. Senate runoff elections in Georgia, the outcomes of which will determine which political party gains control of the Senate. Pastor and democrat Raphael Warnock is projected to have won over Republican Kelly Loeffler.  The race between Democrat Jon Ossoff and Republican David Perdue is still too close to call.  Meanwhile, in a joint session of Congress overseen by vice president Mike Pence, US lawmakers gather this morning to confirm Joe Biden's victory.  We get the latest.

With Democrat Raphael Warnock’s victory in one of Georgia’s two Senate runoffs Tuesday, he becomes the first Black U.S . senator in his state’s history. If Democrat Jon Ossoff’s lead holds in the other runoff, President-elect Joe Biden begins his term on January 20th with Democrats in control of Congress. We'll get the latest and talk about what a shift in the senate's balance of power could mean for California.

San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin filed manslaughter charges on Monday against Troy McAlister, a parolee accused of killing two pedestrians on New Years Eve while driving drunk. The case sparked intense criticism of Boudin, including a recall effort, for failing to charge McAlister with a new crime despite repeated arrests in recent months. The controversy caps the progressive district attorney’s first year in office. We’ll talk with Boudin about the case and what his office achieved last year, including ending cash bail, filing the first ever homicide charges in San Francisco against a police officer and reducing the city’s jail population by 40% to prevent a COVID 19 outbreak.

Despite President Donald Trump’s resounding loss in California during his bid for re-election last November, many Republican leaders in the state are supporting his efforts to overturn the results of the national election. Rep. Mike Garcia, who represents California’s 25th district north of Los Angeles, said Monday he joined a group of House Republicans who oppose certifying the election for President-elect Joe Biden. Another is Rep. Devin Nunes of Fresno, to whom Trump awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Monday. Political observers say Trump’s efforts are futile, improper and possibly illegal, but many in his party are sticking with him. We discuss the Californian leaders who support Trump and what it means for the Republican Party in California, a state where Democrats dominate.

President Donald Trump on Saturday pressured Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to "find" enough votes to reverse his November election loss in Georgia, according to an audio recording obtained by the Washington Post. The recording is another example of the president’s "assault on American democracy," a senior adviser for President-elect Joe Biden said. We'll talk with USF political scientist James Taylor about Trump's latest scandal, which comes two days before the special election in Georgia that will decide control of the U.S. Senate. We'll also discuss Rep. Nancy Pelosi's re-election as House Speaker on Sunday.

Lockdowns have been the blunt force instrument used to contain the coronavirus, and a recent study from UCSF proves that early on in the pandemic, shutdowns worked to curtail deaths in some, but not all populations. In particular, the study notes that Blacks, Latinos and those without a high school degree experienced a higher number of deaths per capita, even with a lockdown in place. While researchers are learning that shutdowns can work, what can be done to address the disparities experienced by high-risk communities? We'll talk about the study and what it means for crafting future policy responses.

About one fifth of adults in the U.S are taking care of a family member or friend who needs help. The unpaid work of caring for loved ones who are aging, sick or disabled is often rewarding but it can also be exhausting, stressful and it can take a toll on the caregiver’s mental health. These strains have only increased during the pandemic when many services, like adult daycares, that used to provide a respite for caregivers, are closed. We’ll talk about caregiving during the pandemic, and how to get support.

After following the notoriously bad relationship between baseball icons Barry Bonds and Jeff Kent as well as the meteoric path of the Giants, Bay Area based sports writer Joan Ryan grew curious about team chemistry and how it affects performance. She spent ten years probing sociology, neuroscience and psychology to answer questions about whether team chemistry was real. And if so, what is it exactly? And how do you measure it? Ryan joins us to talk about the importance of sports during the pandemic, how our relationships with friends, colleagues, and family are affected by team dynamics, and her new book, “Intangibles: Unlocking the Science and Soul of Team Chemistry”. (originally aired Aug. 14, 2020)

When the pandemic is in the rear window and we can go out safely and breathe within 6 feet of friends and strangers, what are the first things you’re going to do? We want to hear your post-pandemic fantasy. Is it a crowded dance floor? A trip around the globe? Or just simply dropping your kid off at school? And, what will you miss from this time? Is there anything from your pandemic lifestyle that you hope to hold on to, even after the world opens up again? We’ll open the phones to hear from you.

We'll listen back to Michael Krasny's 2002 conversation with famed poet, author and civil rights activist Maya Angelou, who died in 2014. They talked about "A Song Flung Up to Heaven", the sixth book in her series of autobiographies which started with "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.” (originally aired May 8, 2002)