Rage for Justice Report: Recent Episodes
Consumer Watchdog
Providing an effective voice for American consumers in an era when special interests dominate public discourse, government and politics. Non-partisan.
Pointing to windfall profits reported by California oil refiners to their investors, Consumer Watchdog Executive Director Carmen Balber discusses with Jamie Court a new report showing that a windfall profits tax is needed to bring California gas prices under control and outlining how to structure the tax.
Consumer watchdogs Jamie Court and Justin Kloczko discuss how pending federal legislation could strip Californians of new landmark privacy rights, including the right to be free from pregnancy surveillance, if House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Californian, doesn’t stop it.
Jamie Court discusses recent oil refiner investor profit reports with CW Energy director Liza Tucker. California's Big 5 oil refiners' profits doubled to $26 Billion — more than $1 per gallon.
Permit re-approvals for old, unproductive and idle oil wells shot up 124% this quarter over last year, approvals that threaten Californians’ health, Consumer Watchdog’s Carmen Balber and Liza Tucker discuss. Environmental justice activists disrupted business as usual this week at the state’s oil & gas regulator to protest the Newsom Administration’s lax oversight.
Why do Californians pay more for their gas than any other state? Consumer Watchdog Executive Director Carmen Balber talks with Jamie Court about how oil companies are making huge profits at the gas pump, and an upcoming bill to do something about it.
Carmen talks with UCLA’s Dr. Jack Needleman about his new study finding that California could reduce medical errors and save $245 million annually by updating the state’s cap on medical malpractice damages and increasing incentives to make health care safer. A legislative deal forged to head off a November 2022 ballot initiative would update the cap after 47 years, and index it for inflation going forward. The bill AB 35 is on the way to Governor Newsom
Jamie Court talks with Consumer Watchdog board member Scott Olsen, whose son survived medical malpractice, about a new legislative deal to increase the California cap set on medical malpractice survivors’ compensation in 1975 and never indexed for inflation.
Carmen Balber and Consumer Watchdog Litigation Director Jerry Flanagan talk government transparency and protecting public records from government purges. AB 2370 would require state agencies to keep records for two years – a response to recent whistleblower revelations that the California Department of Insurance was seeking to automatically delete employee emails after 6 months.
Carmen Balber and Justin Klozcko discuss an explosive KNBC-TV investigation that revealed City Attorney Mike Feuer was calendared at a meeting where his office okayed an extortion scheme to keep the DWP billing debacle from becoming public.
Jamie Court talks with Justin Kloczko the author of a new report detailing the privacy problems posed for consumers from connected cars and points to new rules to be developed in California as a potential model across the country, if the rules can withstand lobbying by the powerful auto and insurance industries.
With California gas prices topping $5 to $7 per gallon, California State Senator Ben Allen joins Consumer Watchdog President Jamie Court to announce new legislation that will require oil refiners to disclose once a month the price they pay for crude oil and the profit margins they make on the gasoline they refine and sell.
Jamie Court talks with the president of Healthy California and National Union of Health Care Workers consultant Michael Lighty about what the defeat of single payer legislation means for Gavin Newsom and his political future.
The Department of Insurance pulled back a policy to delete agency email databases days after Consumer Watchdog warned it would go to court to stop it. Consumer Watchdog President Jamie Court discusses what was at stake with Litigation Director Jerry Flanagan
In a move that shocked many, state physician regulators announced they support reforms to strengthen doctor oversight and patient safety in California. Did they get it right? What’s missing? Will the doctor lobby continue to stand in the way of reform? Carmen Balber and Kathy Olsen Patient Advocate Michele Monserratt-Ramos break down the good, the bad and the ugly.
Hundreds of millions of dollars are lost every year to fraud in California’s bottle deposit system. Consumer Watchdog’s Jamie Court discusses the problem with the author of a new report on the topic, Liza Tucker.
Journalist Justin Kloczko talks with Jamie Court about what a new federal plea bargain reveals about the corruption behind the DWP billing error scandal and what heads might roll next.
Carmen Balber and Sandy Perez, who lost her daughter to medical negligence, question the Medical Board of California’s shocked response after a whistleblower complaint to the state auditor that the Board protects dangerous doctors at the expense of patient safety.
Consumer Watchdog’s litigation director Jerry Flanagan talks with president Jamie Court about his surprise victory in the US Supreme Court that vindicated the rights of people with disabilities to have equal access to health care benefits.
Carmen Balber talks with Scott Olsen, Consumer Watchdog Board Member and father of a medical negligence victim, about this week’s launch of the Patients for Fairness Coalition at www.patientsforfairness.org. The coalition of families like Scott’s have come together to change the nearly 50-year-old law that caps damages in medical malpractice cases, and prevents injured patients from getting justice and accountability.
Carmen Balber and Proposition 103 author Harvey Rosenfield discuss a recent court decision that would strip California’s Insurance Commissioner of the power to order refunds when insurance companies overcharge consumers. With billions at stake – including $3.5 billion in COVID auto insurance refunds – Consumer Watchdog will seek review by California’s Supreme Court.
This past week California Governor Gavin Newsom announced a landmark, new setback rule banning oil wells within a half mile of a home, school or business. Consumer Watchdog’s Carmen Balber and Jamie Court discuss the significance for California and the world.
Consumer Watchdog President Jamie Court and Energy Director Liza Tucker discuss the impact of the Orange County oil spill and why Governor Gavin Newsom needs to take greater action to limit drilling in offshore waters and onshore too.
This month a whistleblower told CBS This Morning the California Medical Board’s failure to discipline bad doctors “costs patient lives.” Carmen Balber interviews Alka Airy, who confronted the Board’s failure to act after the death of her sister Shilpa due to medical negligence.
Mike Feuer, city of LA’s top lawyer and mayoral front runner, is under investigation by the State Bar regarding the DWP billing saga. And he doesn't want to talk about it. Consumer Watchdog President Jamie Court and Justin Kloczko talk about what this means in a post-Girardi world. Will anything come of it?
Kimberly Turbin shares her traumatic story of assault during childbirth at the hands of her doctor with Carmen Balber on World Patient Safety Day. When she sought to hold the doctor accountable, 80 lawyers turned her away because of the state’s cap on compensation for medical negligence victims.
Carmen Balber talks with Consumer Watchdog Board Member RoseAnn DeMoro about her experience surviving several California wildfires, becoming a fire expert, and how a cactus wall can mitigate fire risk. As insurance companies’ downplay steps taken by homeowners’ to reduce wildfire risk, even as they continue insuring the fossil fuel projects that cause climate change, policymakers must do more.
The National Traffic Highway Safety Administration’s investigation of deaths involving Tesla’s Autopilot could result in a recall of the self-driving technology. Consumer Watchdog President Jamie Court talks with an anonymous technologist and whistleblower about Tesla’s problems and the future of self-driving cars.
A new report from the special master in the LA DWP billing scandal reveals that attorneys working for the City Attorney violated the rules of ethical conduct in filing a sham lawsuit against the City. Will they and City Attorney Mike Feuer lose their law licenses? Jamie Court talks with reporter Justin Klozco about whether California State Bar will take action in wake of the other scandal involving Tom Girardi, the famous trial lawyer who allegedly stole from his clients and whose abuses were ignored by the state bar because of his political connections.
Carmen Balber talks with Angela Asatrian, a social worker-turned filmmaker who wrote, directed and produced the new documentary Never Events about the medical malpractice crisis in America. Consumer Watchdog board member Tammy Smick, patient safety advocate Michele Monserratt-Ramos and allies Annette Ramirez and Bruce Brusavich are among those interviewed for the doc about their own medical negligence horro stories and the cap on compensation that prevents families from getting justice.
Following a 2019 pay-to-play scandal, California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara agreed to be transparent about its details. After a year and half of litigation over Public Records Act requests that are unanswered, Consumer Watchdog has found Lara in overt violation of the Public Records Act. Consumer Watchdog’s Litigation Director Jerry Flanagan discusses the case with President Jamie Court.
While the vast majority of Californians drove far less last year, most California insurance companies continued to charge pre-pandemic auto insurance rates, reaping a windfall of about $5.5 billion. Carmen Balber talks with Prop 103 author Harvey Rosenfield about how to get people their money back.
Charles Johnson joins Carmen Balber for a Father’s Day discussion about the preventable loss of his wife Kira in childbirth. As Charles shares on Oprah’s Father’s Day Special, Honoring Our Kings, his responsibility to Kira and their two sons propelled him to fight the Black maternal death crisis and to restore equal justice for women of color – and all families – who lose a loved one to medical negligence.
Does the California Medical Association own the state Senate? Legislation to make the Medical Board of California more accountable to patients harmed by negligent doctors was gutted this week because of doctor pressure after being in print for just one week. Carmen Balber talks with patient safety advocate Michele Monserratt-Ramos about new developments and patients’ demand for accountability.
You pay a deposit every time you buy a bottle or can, but how do you get it back? Liza Tucker talks with Nancy Hannickel about the disappearing act of recycling and return centers across California. They discuss how Senate Bill 38 will help restore recycling.
Consumer Watchdog President Jamie Court and Energy Director Liza Tucker discuss how California needs to revoke Tesla’s carbon credits, which give it hundreds of millions of dollars in subsidies annually for zero emissions vehicles, if the company is going to invest in Bitcoin, whose carbon emissions dwarf any savings from the Tesla fleet.
Celebrating 30 years as the Bay Area’s leading consumer reporter Michael Finney has seen it all. Consumer Watchdog President Jamie Court talks with Michael about his experiences on KGO’s Seven On Your Side consumer beat.
Gavin Newsom announced an historic ban on fracking, but what does it really mean? Consumer Watchdog President Jamie Court talks with environmental advocate Liza Tucker about the ban and what more is needed.
Carmen Balber and Nourbese Flint, Executive Director of Black Women for Wellness Action Project, close out Black Maternal Health Week with a conversation about legislation to close racial maternal health disparities and improve birth outcomes for all moms in California.
When you go into the Dr you assume they are looking out for your best interest. But what if they are looking out for their bank account instead? Carmen Balber talks with Wendy Knecht to discuss California Bill AB1278
With California greatly expanding COVID vaccine eligibility in April, Carmen Balber sits down with Anthony Wright of Health Access for tips on how, why and where you can get vaccinated, and a reminder that the program is free for everyone.
For Women’s History Month, Carmen Balber discusses the fight to get women represented in the halls of power with Val McGinty, founder and president of FundHer, the first PAC dedicated to winning gender parity in state legislatures.
Jamie Court and Mike Mattoch talk with veteran press agent and San Francisco legend Lee Houskeeper about Gavin Newsom’s recall and what it means for California political opportunities in 2021.
Carmen Balber and the Center for Public Interest Law’s Bridget Gramme discuss needed reforms of the Medical Board of California that is failing to protect patient safety. Among their top recommendations: Add public members to the Board that’s currently controlled by doctors.
Carmen Balber talks with environmental journalist Dan Bacher about SB 467, new California legislation by Senators Limón and Wiener to ban fracking and prevent new oil wells from being drilled next to schools, playgrounds and hospitals.
Does your job affect how much you pay for car insurance? Are insurers transparent about how they set prices as voter-approved Prop 103 requires? Carmen Balber talks with Prop 103 author Harvey Rosenfield about new regulations under consideration in California.
Bay Area Senator Bob Wieckowski joins Carmen Balber to talk about his bill, SB 38, to reform California’s broken bottle recycling law and hold producers responsible for making it easy for consumers to return bottles and cans.
Carmen Balber and Sharon Washington-Barnes, whose brother lost his life to medical negligence after waiting 8 hours in an ER for care, preview a march for justice for medical neglience in Manteca this weekend. Change 4 Shawn, Black Lives Matter Manteca and other Central Valley civil justice groups host the march and endorse the Fairness for Injured Patients Act to update California’s medical negligence laws.
Carmen Balber and Consumer Watchdog board member Tammy Smick discuss the hard questions posed about patient safety and doctor accountability at the confirmation hearing for two former presidents of the California Medical Association appointed by the governor to the state agency responsible for overseeing doctors.
This week, Carmen Balber talks with award-winning filmmaker Mary Mazzio, whose film I Am Jane Doe about online child sex trafficking helped catalyze reform of the law - Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act - giving blanket immunity to Internet companies for facilitating and profiting from illegal activity online. They discuss what to expect from the new Congress and Biden Administration on reform of the law.
For Inauguration week, Carmen Balber and Jamie Court discuss what consumers can expect from the new Biden administration on climate change including a just transition off fossil fuels, healthcare reforms like a public option and drug pricing reform, and stronger regulation of abuses by Big Banks and Big Tech.
Carmen Balber and Jamie Court discuss why Gov Newsom should withdraw his nomination of an opponent of patient safety reforms and former head of the doctors’ lobby to the Medical Board charged with overseeing patient safety, and the use of his pandemic emergency powers to delay public scrutiny of the appointment.
As the pandemic reaches crisis levels and health care rationing becomes a real possibility in California hospitals, Consumer Watchdog’s Carmen Balber and Jerry Flanagan remind us of our right to care and laws that prevent discrimination in treatment based on age, race, disability, or pre-existing condition.
Consumer Watchdog’s Carmen Balber and Harvey Rosenfield ring in the New Year with a conversation about big victories to protect homeowners’ access to insurance in 2020, new rules in 2021 to reward homeowners who take steps to protect their homes from wildfires, and the fight to protect Californians from insurers’ use of Big Data to impose arbitrary rate hikes.
2020 brought a lot of changes for everyone, not all of them bad. Consumer Watchdog’s leaders look back at some of our big consumer victories during the past year….and forward to next year’s campaigns.
Consumer Watchdog President Jamie Court talks with an anonymous technologist and whistle blower about the dangers of Internet connected cars and what can be done to protect your car from hacking.
Carmen Balber sits down with Consumer Watchdog Attorney Ben Powell to discuss a win this week at the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal in a case enforcing protections under the Affordable Care Act. People with HIV can pursue a discrimination claim against CVS Caremark for requiring them to obtain their HIV medications by mail.
The shadow of the AIDS epidemic persists in 2020, even in medical care. Carmen Balber talks with Consumer Watchdog staff attorney Danny Sternberg about a lawsuit filed on World AIDS Day on behalf of an HIV positive patient who was denied medical care illegally because of his HIV status.
Carmen Balber sits down with Kyle Ferrar of FracTracker Alliance who shot guerilla video footage at oil and gas sites in neighborhoods across California. See those visualizations of otherwise invisible toxic air emissions from leaking wells, and find out where they are in your neighborhood, at NewsomWellWatch.com
Carmen Balber and guest Charles Johnson, whose wife died in childbirth from medical negligence, air California Governor Gavin Newsom’s laundry over his un-masked, un-distanced, dinner party at the exclusive French Laundry with head lobbyists for the California Medical Association. All year families harmed by medical negligence have sought, but been denied, a meeting with the governor to discuss California’s 45-year-old limits on recovery in malpractice cases.
What would you do if your car suddenly tells you it has been hacked? Consumer Watchdog President Jamie Court talks with Evan King about Consumer Watchdog’s hack of a Tesla, as recorded on this video https://youtu.be/RgpmJ6OhPns . The group demonstrated that it could take over the screen of a Tesla with a box it built for $30 in order to show the dangers of wireless connections to the safety critical systems of cars.
California has passed the most consumer oriented privacy Iniative in America. Jamie Court talks with Prop 24 author Alastair Mactaggart to discuss how California is shaping privacy protections for the country.
Roger McNamee, Activist, Musician and Author of Zucked: Waking Up to the Facebook Catastrophe talks with Carmen Balber about how social media’s manipulative algorithms are imperiling free will and democracy, and how Prop 24 will rein them in
Carmen Balber is joined by Alex Nagy, California Director for Food & Water Watch, on the 5-year anniversary of the largest natural gas blowout in US history at SoCalGas’s Aliso Canyon storage facility. They discuss a week of action calling on Governor Newsom to meet his promise to members of the community and shut down the facility that is a clear and present danger to public health and California’s climate. Take action at http://fwaction.us/commemorate and www.alisostories.com
Consumer Watchdog’s Jamie Court and Mike Mattoch discuss what Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara and the legislature can do to protect people from wildfires and being left without homeowners insurance to cover it.
Wondering what the story is with the dozen statewide propositions on your California ballot? Consumer Watchdog President Jamie Court and Executive Director Carmen Balber discuss the propositions and measures headed to your ballot.
When the cost to qualify a ballot measure in California approaches $5 million – like it did this year – are initiatives still a tool of direct democracy? Consumer Watchdog President Jamie Court is joined by Executive Director Carmen Balber to talk about how special interests dominate the initiative process and how electronic signatures can restore citizens’ access to the ballot.
Carmen Balber talks with Amy Bach, executive director of United Policyholders, who shares practical tips and mental strategies for the road to wildfire recovery: What consumers can do to get back on their feet in the wake of wildfires and get the insurance benefits they’re due.
Consumer Watchdog executive director Carmen Balber and patient advocate Michele Monserratt-Ramos talk about a new interactive website telling the stories of 55 injured patients across each of California’s 40 State Senate Districts who are fighting for change.
Consumer Watchdog President Jamie Court talks with raging artist Charles ‘Chick’ Bragg who created the Trump Raw Deal playing cards to satire the Trump inner circle about the deck and his creative process.
Carmen Balber talks with Kyle Ferrar, Western Program Director for FracTracker Alliance, about the 190% increase in oil and gas well permits issued by the Newsom Administration in the first half of this year as compared to last year.
How special interests use last minute tactics to pass shady laws that steal consumers’ money. Jamie Court discusses with CW lobbyist Mike Mattoch the tricks we are watching out for on the last night of session.
Carmen Balber talks with Alastair MacTaggart, author of the 2018 law that gave Californians the strongest privacy rights in the country, about Prop 24 on the November ballot that would give us new rights to tell Facebook, Uber and Spotify they can’t use sensitive information about our race, health, sexual orientation, religion or geo-location in their algorithms.
Carmen Balber talks with Consumer Watchdog litigation director Jerry Flanagan about our new lawsuit against Zoom for lying to the public about its privacy protections. Zoom gained huge market share during the pandemic while lying to the public about having top of the line security for video calls.
Carmen Balber is joined by Consumer Watchdog’s Harvey Rosenfield and Mike Mattoch to break down the legislature’s pandemic procedures that are short-circuiting the deliberative process in Sacramento. They discuss a hearing this week that threw public participation out the window and moved California to the precipice of insurance deregulation and billions in rate hikes for homeowners and renters.
Carmen Balber is joined by Kobi Naseck, coalition coordinator for VISION – Voices In Solidarity Against Oil In Neighborhoods - they discuss a California bill to address the serious health impacts of toxic air pollution from oil wells operating near California homes in primarily low income and communities of color.
Carmen Balber is joined by Bob Hunter, the Director of Insurance at Consumer Federation of America and former National Insurance Administrator. Bob talks price-gouging on homeowners in Florida post-hurricane, why re-insurance (insurance for insurance companies) was to blame, and how much more homeowners will pay if insurers pass a bill to impose the same plan in California.
Jamie Court is joined by Consumer Watchdog’s Energy Advocate Liza Tucker to discuss new conflict of interest policies that prevent California regulators from owning stock in oil companies and what the bankruptcy of one of the state’s largest drillers means for taxpayers.
Carmen Balber is joined by Consumer Watchdog’s Liza Tucker talk about the hidden COVID-19 recycling crisis in California. Recycling centers are closing, and grocery stores are getting pandemic exemptions so they don’t have to take back bottles and cans. Carmen and Liza talk about what’s to be done when consumers are being cheated of hundreds of millions in bottle deposits.
Carmen Balber is joined by Los Angeles artist Charles Lynn Bragg to talk about his new political art book, “The Art of Corruption - Portraits of a Political Pandemic,” featuring his stunning portraits – in both art and words – of Donald Trump and the people in his orbit who are raiding the treasury, despoiling the planet, widening every inequality gap and destroying our democracy. Listen to learn how to get your limited edition.
Carmen Balber is joined by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist at the Los Angeles Times, Michael Hiltzik, to discuss insurance companies’ attempt to win a long-time goal in Sacramento – insurance deregulation - under cover of the pandemic and protests on racial injustice.
Carmen Balber is joined by Tracy Dominguez and Xavier De Leon, the mother and fiancée of 23-year-old Demi Dominguez. Demi and her son died because a Bakersfield doctor with a history of medical negligence failed to diagnose a well-known complication of pregnancy. They are fighting to update a 1975 law that caps compensation for victims of medical negligence and prevents dangerous doctors from being held accountable.
Carmen Balber is joined by Dr. Michele Goodwin, the Chancellor’s Professor at UC Irvine and founder and director of the Reproductive Justice Initiative, as protestors fill the streets to discuss how racism manifests in ways that can’t be captured on video, including health disparities for women of color.
Carmen Balber is joined by Dr. Michele Goodwin, the Chancellor’s Professor at UC Irvine and founder and director of the Reproductive Justice Initiative, as protestors fill the streets to discuss how racism manifests in ways that can’t be captured on video, including health disparities for women of color.
Harvey Rosenfield is joined by Consumer Watchdog President Jamie Court to discuss the legislative attack this week in Sacramento by the insurance companies to raise rates on homeowners in violation of voter approved law Proposition 103. They struck in the crisis to avoid public scrutiny.
Consumer Watchdog President Jamie Court is joined by medical negligence survivor Scott Olsen, who is the proponent of a ballot measure to lift California’s 45 year old cap on medical malpractice damages. Olsen’s son was permanently disabled. 980,000 signatures are being turned in to put the initiative before voters.
Carmen Balber is joined by Consumer Watchdog President Jamie Court to discuss Gavin Newsom's growing problems with the oil and gas industry.
Carmen Balber is joined by CW Sacramento counsel Mike Mattoch to talk about what’s changed, and what’s stayed the same, in Sacramento during the pandemic. Exhibit 1: a bill backed by the insurance industry moves forward that would raise homeowners’ insurance rates and gut the consumer protections of Proposition 103.
Carmen Balber is joined for Mother’s Day by Tammy Smick, Consumer Watchdog board member who lost her 20-year-old son Alex when the medical providers he went to for care gave him a toxic cocktail of medications in the hospital. Tammy shares how Alex gives her strength and tells lawmakers it’s time to change California’s 1975 malpractice law that prevents families who lose loved ones from getting justice.
Consumer Watchdog Executive Director Carmen Balber is joined by Patricia McGinnis, executive director of California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform to discuss the medical industry’s push for an executive order to immunize elder care homes and medical facilities from liability for medical injury or death that has nothing to do with COVID-19 for the length of the pandemic.
Consumer Watchdog Executive Director Carmen Balber and Consumer Advocate Liza Tucker discuss the Newsom Administration's decision to approve 24 new fracking permits after a six-month moratorium, even as new studies reveal higher death rates from Covid-19 in low-income communities of color exposed to the chronic air pollution created by oil drilling.
Carmen Balber is joined by Charles Johnson who worked relentlessly with congress to pass the preventing maternal death act( H.R.1318). This milestone legislation is the first ever to combat the maternal death crisis in the United States. 4kira4moms.com
Richard Holober, President of the Consumer Federation of California, and Harvey Rosenfield, Consumer Watchdog founder and author of insurance reform Proposition 103, join Carmen Balber to discuss what insurance regulators must do to return auto insurance overpayments to consumers who aren’t driving during the pandemic.
Carmen Balber is joined by journalist and health insurance whistleblower Wendell Potter to discuss how the pandemic is exposing the failures of a private health insurance system geared to making profits, not providing health care.
Carmen Balber is joined by CW litigation director and healthcare legal expert Jerry Flanagan to answer common health care access and cost questions during the coronavirus pandemic
Carmen Balber is joined by CW's Michele Ramos, Mario Guzman, who lost his limbs to infection due to medical negligence, and his partner Ludmila Parada to discuss lessons from their experience and recent Covid-19 scare
Carmen Balber and Joanne Doroshow from the Center for Justice and Democracy discuss how insurers fake crises to boost profits and how a phony crisis could play into California's November election
Jamie Court and Carmen Balber discuss how political attack ads in Tuesday’s election made use of a California campaign finance loophole to hide the identities of special interest groups funding the attacks.
Consumer Watchdog's litigation director Jerry Flanagan and public records expert Kelly Aviles talk about CW’s new lawsuit to make public the actual calendar of California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, who is embroiled in a pay to play scandal. Whistleblowers say the records were manipulated.
Renowned trial lawyer Nick Rowley discusses with CW President Jamie Court the death of jurist, doctor and attorney Russ Kussman and why he is financially backing the ballot measure to adjust the 1975 compensation cap on injured patients.
Consumer Watchdog’s Sacramento Lobbyist Michael Mattoch tells all about how beverage and wine industry lobbyists used their connections to kill a good recycling bill in the statehouse recently.
Acclaimed artist and political satirist Charles Lynn Bragg discusses his special edition playing cards featuring searing portraits of Trump’s Russian and American political accomplices with Consumer Watchdog’s Jamie Court. The cards are now available at https://www.TrumpRawDeal.com
An auto industry technologist discusses how the new fleet of Internet-connected cars can be hacked by foreign states and hostile actors with Consumer Watchdog President Jamie Court.
President Jamie Court and Chief Counsel Jerry Flanagan discuss Chevron and Exxon's attempt to harass Consumer Watchdog in federal court and force it to reveal its sources for reports proving price gouging.
Families who endured medical negligence tragedies tell their stories and why they have gathered 300,000 signatures to put the Fairness for Injured Patients Act on the November ballot. The families gathered at Frank Fat’s restaurant in Sacramento where the “napkin deal” between special interests and politicians decades ago limited their rights to compensation.
Liza Tucker and Jamie Court revamping California’s dysfunctional recycling program and new legislation to do it.
Carmen Balber is joined by Annette Ramirez, a quadruple amputee who turned her medical malpractice nightmare into a crusade to restore women’s and patients’ legal rights. A 45-year-old law capped compensation for her lifetime of disability and everything she will never do again in 1975 dollars.
Carmen Balber is joined by Susan Lieu a Vietnamese-American playwright, solo performer and activist to discuss her one-woman show, and updating a 1975 law that limited the rights of patients harmed by medical negligence. Lieu's first theatrical solo show makes its Southern California premiere on December 14th. “140 LBS: HOW BEAUTY KILLED MY MOTHER” is the true story of how Susan’s mother died from plastic surgery malpractice when she was 11 years old.
Jamie Court and Carmen Balber sit down with Raging Art Man Charles Lynn Bragg to discuss his political art and upcoming projects
Jamie Court discusses with former PUC president Loretta Lynch - how PG&E blackouts offer an opportunity for a public takeover of the company.
Kyle Ferrar from FracTracker, Jamie Court and Liza Tucker discuss California's Fracking Freeze and policy changes by Gov. Gavin Newsom to curb high risk oil and gas exploration, as well as the launch of NewsomWellWatch.com
A proposed ballot measure would adjust the maximum $250,000 compensation cap set in 1975 by the legislature on quality of life and wrongful death survivor damages that has never been updated. The initiative adjusts the compensation cap for inflation, allows judges and jurors to decide that compensation above the cap is appropriate in certain cases of catastrophic injury or death, and requires that juries be informed about the existence of the cap.
Jamie and Norm talk about the end of Norm's show and how opioid deaths spurred change in spite of setbacks.
Jamie and Norm discuss how PG&E's bankruptcy announcement is just a con to scam Californians. And how a municipalization or a buy-out of the utility would be a better deal for CA ratepayers and homeowners.
Jamie and Norm talk about the Wailea 12. A group of California legislators who met with utility industry lobbyists at a cushy Hawaiian resort to negotiate a bailout as fires that they helped cause raged in California.
Jamie and Norm talk about the Governor of California, Gavin Newsom. And what he could do, that Brown did not, which will put California on a more progressive path to a green economy and truly universal health care coverage.
Jamie and Norm discuss positive pro consumer legislative achievements made in California and nationally.
Facebook's Lies To Congress and What it Means for Privacy Legislation by Consumer Watchdog
Jamie and Norm talk about Jamie's excursion to the Sanders Institute's summit in Vermont. Where progressive activists, journalists, and academics met to discuss the progressive agenda going into 2020.
Jamie and Norm discuss the wildfires in California and how utility companies are trying to escape accountability.
Jamie and Norm talk about Waymo's dangerous green light to unregulated robot car testing as well as consumer issues at stake in this election.
Jamie and Norm discuss the mail bombs that were sent to the Clintons, Obama, CNN, and others. And how Trumps open advocacy for violence and norm violation have lead to this act of political violence.
Jamie and Norm discuss how a California ballot initiative has saved Californian drivers billions and how divestment from Big Oil by the insurance industry could be a key piece to fighting climate change in light of the UN's dire climate report.
Carmen Balber, Executive Director of Consumer Watchdog, talks with Norm about the "Divest" movement and how public pressure to get the insurance industry to drop their investments in big oil can fight climate change.
Jamie and Norm talk about political malaise in the wake of a potential Brett Kavanaugh confirmation and how a statewide battle in California over negligent doctor accountability acts as template for long term fights for justice.
Jamie and Norm discuss how a California bill, signed by the Governor, will protect patients by bringing transparency to the doctors office, as well as how this fits into a larger fight to bring America single-payer healthcare.
Jamie and Norm discuss the climate protests in San Francisco during Jerry Brown's climate summit and how their demands require real climate leadership in California.
Jamie and Norm talk about the end of the California state legislature session and how environmental groups beat the special interests trying to regulate California's utilities
Jamie and Norm discuss the end of the legislative session in the California state legislature and what it means for Californians.
Jamie and Norm talk about Verizon wireless's unforgivable data throttling of firefighters dealing with California's historic wildfires and what politicians can do to put a stop to it.
Jamie and Norm discuss how a Consumer Watchdog video revealed the conflict of interests in Sacramento in the wake of the debate regarding a bill that would let utility companies off the hook.
Jamie and Norm discuss how a bill at the California state capitol would let utility companies off the hook for starting wild fires.
Jamie and Norm talk about the EU's fine against Google Android for their anti competitive practices and what can be done in the U.S. to fight these practices as well.
Jamie and Norm talk about how Governor Jerry Brown, at the end of his final term, can still do the right thing to attack the demand side of oil production to fight climate change.
Carmen Balber of Consumer Watchdog discusses two recent consumer victories in California with Norm.
Jamie and Norm talk about how the Trump administration is crippling America's top consumer protection regulator and how forced arbitration stipulations in contracts hurt consumers.
Jamie and Norm talk about the aftermath of the June 5th California primary election and what it means for ballot initiatives and the fight for universal health care.
Jamie and Norm discuss what recent car crashes involving driverless cars reveals about the state of the developing technology. As well as how more oversight is required.
Public Faith in Driverless Cars and Doctor Discipline in California by Consumer Watchdog
Jamie and Norm talk about how a California DNA database of newborns would be a concern for new parents in the state of California.
Jamie and Norm talk about how Big Utility and Big Insurance are teaming up to leave Californians on the hook for their failures.
Jamie and Norm talk about how Jerry Brown can leave a positive climate legacy by grappling with the supply side of oil.
Jamie and Norm discuss how investor owned utilities, increasingly strapped for cash, are trying to socialize losses by making ratepayers and taxpayers pay for their mistakes, mismanagement, and grid integration schemes.
Jamie and Norm discuss Jerry Brown's questionable record on climate action and the future of data privacy in light of Mark Zuckerberg's congressional testimony
Jamie and Norm talk about Facebook's privacy blunders as well as how Amazon's home assistant devices are liable to similar problems.
Jamie and Norm discuss the lack of oversight that lead to Uber's deadly car crash and how grassroots activism lead to a legislative success in battling online sex trafficking.
Jamie and Norm discuss the failure of LA's Ratepayer Advocate, Fred Pickel, to stand up for LADWP customers as the city raised utility rates and scammed ratepayers.
Jamie and Norm talk about recent revelations regarding to Movie Pass's business practices. Movie Pass, a subscription service for theaters, tracks the movements, habits, and other data about it's users even when its outside of theaters.
Jamie and Norm talk about how new California driverless car regulations allow auto company to put cars on the roads without humans to act as a backup during testing.
Jamie and Norm talk about how insurance companies bilk ratepayers by upping rates at renewal and how new revelations about the Equifax data hack shows the extent to which consumers are at risk.
Jamie and Norm talk about how a database used by Doctors could reign in the overprescription of opioids.
Jamie and Norm talk about continued problems with driverless cars, the hidden agenda of genetic testing firms like "23 and Me", as well as Amazon's bid to 'disrupt' Health Care.
Jamie and Norm discuss the difficulty in ensuring driverless car tests have proper oversight and how Trump appointed regulators are undermining the mission of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Jamie and Norm talk about how auto insurers are trying to pass a law that would allow them to steer consumers into bad auto body shops for their own profit.
Jamie and Norm discuss Trump's expansion of offshore drilling and what Jerry Brown can do to stop it. As well as the attacks on the regulatory state and what it means for consumers.
Jamie and Norm discuss how the states can take on the Net Neutrality fight and how federal regulators are making roads less safe with lax regs on robot cars.
Jamie and Norm talk about Trump's attack on the regulatory state and how that hurts consumers.
Gov. Jerry Brown talks big about the environment, but his record in California is full of dirty energy giveaways. To keep track of them all, Consumer Watchdog shares this re-imagined holiday carol, "The Twelve Days of Jerry," a dirty energy ditty for the holidays!
Jamie and Norm talk about how Google and Amazon use home assistants to spy on their owner's homes and how the Disney Fox merger is a bad deal consumers.
Jamie and Norm talk about the damage caused by California's Wildfires and how home insurers are trying to skirt the bill bankrupting homeowners.
Jamie and Norm discuss the shake up at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the corporate giveaway that is the GOP tax plan.
Jamie and Norm talk about the House GOP's planned tax cut and what it means for middle class Americans.
Jamie and Norm talk about how a bill has gained enough support to hold websites accountable for hosting sex traffickers.
Jamie and Norm talk about Tom Steyer's petition to impeach Donald Trump as well as the GOP bill that strips people of their right to sue banks. (11/2/17)
Jamie and Norm talk about how a failure to hold Public Utilities accountable lead to northern California's devastating wildfires. And how Governor Brown's administration is responsible for this failure to regulate. (10/26/17)
Jamie and Norm, in light of the Harvey Weinstein allegations, discuss sexual assault and harassment. Specifically, how power silences women at the capitol in Sacramento.
Jamie and Norm discuss recent out-of-court settlements Backpage has negotiated and how it relates to current legislation in congress.
In light of the politically charged shooting of a Republican congressman this week, Jamie and Norm discuss the importance of nonviolence and peaceful activism.
In light of Donald Trump backing out of the Paris Climate Agreement, Jamie and Norm discuss how individuals and states can lead the way where the federal government has faltered.
Jamie and Norm discuss SB 562's price tag. Can California give its residents medicare for all?
Jamie and Norm talk about the GOP's passage of the house bill that would repeal Obamacare and whether this is an opportunity to pass a Single Payer system in California.
Jamie and Norm discuss the recent debacle with United Airlines and other ongoing issues the airline industry has with consumer rights.
Jamie and Norm discuss SB 562, a bill being proposed in the state senate that would create a single-payer healthcare system in the state of California.
Carmen and Norm talk about Jerry Brown's proposed gas tax and California consumers continued gouging at the pump.
Norm and Jamie discuss the efficacy of driverless cars and the moral dilemmas that allowing them on public roads come with.
Norm and Jamie talk about a recent Consumer Watchdog report showing Amazon's fake discounts as well as the future of the American healthcare system.
Norm and Jamie talk about the viability of Trumpcare and how blue states can react by enacting healthcare reform at the state level.
On this episode, Jamie and Norm talk about a recent California Supreme court decision which mandates a level of transparency with government email accounts as well as ways for regular people to get involved.
Jamie and Norm dicuss Otto, Uber's driverless Truck company and the company's continued violation of California's laws.
Jamie and Norm talk about how regular folks can get engaged and lobby their representatives.