The Drain

Today we're looking at the state of the election in California, where the libs never fail to disappoint. We've got our eyes on a few key congressional races--some big wins, as well as some painful losses (we love you, Connie Chan!)--as well as the awful state of our ballot propositions, and some great lefty wins in Jane Kim, Angela Gonzales-Torres, and Nithya Raman. Oh, and we're tracking the biggest DSA wins throughout the Golden State. But first, we discuss our favorite races across the country, including Scott Colom's stunning senatorial upset in Mississippi and Gina Hinojosa becoming the next governor of communist Texas. Don't forget to like, rate and subscribe to The Drain on your favorite podcast platforms. Questions? Comments? Pitches? Email us at [email protected]. We're still hanging about on Twitter: @sweetxpalma and @youknowkempa

Hey there, trying to kill some time before election results start rolling in tonight? Well, we sat down with former Sacramento Bee columnist Robin Epley to take a look at some of the more interesting Dem-on-Dem races for Congress here in California. We begin with Mai Vang's push to dethrone billionaire/octogenarian congresswoman Doris Matsui for CA-7 here in the state's capital. This race has taken on a life of its own, particularly with socialist streamer Hasan Piker getting into the mix (we recorded before his visit to canvass with Mai was announced, but after Mai went on his show to make her case for Congress). We also discuss the following Dem-on-Dem competitions, including some really great lefties supported by DSA: CA-4 - Rep. Mike Thompson vs Eric Jones (no one worth supporting in this one, really) CA-11 - Scott Wiener vs. Connie Chan CA-14 - Aisha Wahab vs. Melissa Hernandez (go Aisha!) CA-34 Jimmy Gomez vs. Angela Gonzales-Torres (c'mon, Angela!) Oh, and just a reminder, apropos of nothing, that Doris Matsui is, in fact, 82 years old. Not 85. Don't forget to like, rate and subscribe to The Drain on your favorite podcast platforms. Questions? Comments? Pitches? Email us at [email protected]. We're still hanging about on Twitter: @sweetxpalma and @youknowkempa

Today Kempa sits down with his old friend Bobby Roy, lead negotiator for SEIU Local 1000, to discuss the 100,000-strong state worker union's decision to go on strike for the first time in history this Wednesday, October 21. California governor Gavin Newsom and the billionaire class are showing once more where their allegiances lie, and it looks like workers aren't going to take it without a fight. We look at what this means for Newsom's 2028 presidential prospects, and for worker solidarity in the country moving forward. Don't forget to like, rate and subscribe to The Drain on your favorite podcast platforms. Questions? Comments? Pitches? Email us at [email protected]. We're still hanging about on Twitter: @sweetxpalma and @youknowkempa

Hi all! Sorry for the delay once more; Max has been sick in San Diego and Kempa has been busy up in the capital of the Free World (Sacramento). But we've got a fun one for you before barraging you with a couple of great pre-election episodes: Today we're discussing the rise and fall of Manny Yekutiel, the owner of neoliberal/tech-fascist event space Manny's in San Francisco/former candidate for the SF Board of Supervisors. Many of us on the Left have long known Manny for hosting Zionist speakers at his 16th Street rendezvous. But since he decided to run for office in San Francisco, allegations have surfaced over his handsy encounters with non-consenting guys out in the scene. We discuss his history, the recent allegations, and what comes next for San Francisco's tech fascist movement, now that they've lost one of their faves. Don't forget to like, rate and subscribe to The Drain on your favorite podcast platforms. Questions? Comments? Pitches? Email us at [email protected]. We're still hanging about on Twitter: @sweetxpalma and @youknowkempa

Happy Saturday, folks! We're unlocking one of our favorite paywalled episodes. If you enjoy it and you're not a patron yet, please consider joining :) Today we've got a reading series on the Vanity Fair piece written by Ruby Rippey (free link), who had an affair with Governor Gavin Newsom during his tenure as mayor of San Francisco. It's a really fascinating essay, as well as the first time Rippey has come out and spoken about her side of the affair, which took place when she was married to Newsom's chief of staff/close friend. She discusses her struggles with addiction, how her husband found out, and the way that Newsom and now-first-partner Jennifer Siebel-Newsom trashed her in the press. Don't forget to like, rate and subscribe to The Drain on your favorite podcast platforms. Questions? Comments? Pitches? Email us at [email protected]. We're still hanging about on Twitter: @sweetxpalma and @youknowkempa

Today we're discussing the massive layoffs throughout the country of McClatchy publishing's daily newspapers, including multiple Bees in California, as well as the Miami Herald. I know it's been a while since our last episode, but we've got a number of published ones in the pipeline, as well as LOTS of election season coverage this October. See you very soon, Drain Babies! Don't forget to like, rate and subscribe to The Drain on your favorite podcast platforms. Questions? Comments? Pitches? Email us at [email protected]. We're still hanging about on Twitter: @sweetxpalma and @youknowkempa

Today we're taking a deep dive into the congressional debate between Sacramento City Council member Mai Vang and U.S. Rep. Doris Matsui, as the DSA-backed progressive seeks to wrest California's 7th congressional district from the out-of-touch octogenarian. Spoiler: this was a one-sided bloodbath in favor of Vang. You may have caught the clip--which has made the rounds nationally--posted by friend-of-the-show Amar Shergill, showing Doris visibly confused as to why Mai would bring up all of the corporate/carceral donors backing Matsui's campaign. But that's just one highlight from this dog-walking of a debate, which was hosted by the Sacramento chapter of the League of Women Voters. We take a long look at the 90-minute session that may have single-handedly ended Doris's political career. Oh, and we also take a moment to touch on the devastating deportation of British national Milo Yiannopoulos. Diva down. Don't forget to like, rate and subscribe to The Drain on your favorite podcast platforms. Questions? Comments? Pitches? Email us at [email protected]. We're still hanging about on Twitter: @sweetxpalma and @youknowkempa

Hey guys, Kempa here. Sorry for the delay in episodes--Kempa has been dealing with the passing of his sweet baby pit bull, and Max is settling into life down in southern California. The good news is that we have a whole backlog of episodes coming your way in the next few days! Today we're looking at progressive Aisha Wahab defeating an AIPAC-backed moderate Democrat to replace the disgraced Eric Swalwell, representing the east Bay in the U.S. House of Representatives. Wahab defeated Melissa Hernandez by a solid six points in this special election. But she's not resting on her laurels just yet. The two will again go head-to-head in November with a rematch for the seat in the general election for 2027. Don't forget to like, rate and subscribe to The Drain on your favorite podcast platforms. Questions? Comments? Pitches? Email us at [email protected]. We're still hanging about on Twitter: @sweetxpalma and @youknowkempa

**This is a preview of our premium show, The Plug. To listen to the full episode, go to patreon.com/thedrain.** Today we've got a reading series on the Vanity Fair piece written by Ruby Rippey (free link), who had an affair with Governor Gavin Newsom during his tenure as mayor of San Francisco. It's a really fascinating essay, as well as the first time Rippey has come out and spoken about her side of the affair, which took place when she was married to Newsom's chief of staff/close friend. She discusses her struggles with addiction, how her husband found out, and the way that Newsom and now-first-partner Jennifer Siebel-Newsom trashed her in the press. Don't forget to like, rate and subscribe to The Drain on your favorite podcast platforms. Questions? Comments? Pitches? Email us at [email protected]. We're still hanging about on Twitter: @sweetxpalma and @youknowkempa

Sacramento made national news last week after a hot mic moment captured discussion between the mayor and a council member over how to remove people they deemed disruptive from council chambers. You may have heard about it from Fox News, or maybe in the California Post: City council member Karina Talamantes offering up to seemingly clueless Mayor Kevin McCarty on the protocols for removing protesters who have in recent been calling them names such as a "pick-me bitch," and a "fucking criminal." Why has this been going down? Well, council recently voted to renew a contract with the increasingly fascist federal government to share information on city residents. The California punditry class has predictably started wringing their hands over questions of "decorum," providing takes on the First Amendment based tenuously in reality. We discuss the ins and outs of the situation here in Sacramento and beyond, go over the city's rich, vibrant history of insulting local politicians to their faces, and look to our favorite idiot Democrat, Steve Maviglio, for his thoughts on the situation. Don't forget to like, rate and subscribe to The Drain on your favorite podcast platforms. Questions? Comments? Pitches? Email us at [email protected]. We're still hanging about on Twitter: @sweetxpalma and @youknowkempa