OB Rag

By Jacob Knutson / Democracy Docket / Aug. 6, 2026

For the past year and a half, President Donald Trump has been trying to take control of U.S. elections.

He largely hasn’t succeeded. The reason is simple: The U.S. Constitution gives the president no lawful authority over how states run elections. And courts have said as much while knocking down many of his efforts.

But with each loss, Trump has grown more desperate and his actions more brazen, raising the risk that he will try something even more lawless as he struggles to stave off a Republican loss in the midterms.

With just under three months [this was published in early August — now it’s under one month] until Americans head to the polls, election officials across the country have been meeting privately to discuss how Trump may try to undermine a fair vote and to game out their responses to such attempts.

While officials have largely been tight-lipped about what scenarios they are preparing for, it’s not difficult to identify — based on the statements and actions of Trump and his allies — several alarming ways the president could undermine Americans’ right to vote this year.

Sending troops or law enforcement to the polls

For months now, prominent voices on the far right have called on Trump to deploy federal agents or members of the military to voting sites — a scheme clearly meant to harass and intimidate voters.

“We’re going to have ICE surround the polls come November,” Steve Bannon, the former Trump White House adviser who remains close to the administration, pledged earlier this year.

From Pt Loma & OB Democratic Club

Meet & Greet with Nicole Crosby Tuesday, October 13, 5:30pm
Join Gale and Jim Hill and get to know Nicole, candidate for District 2

Pt Loma & OB Dems clubmember Gale Hill and her husband, Jim, are hosting a meet and greet with District 2 City Council candidate Nicole Crosby on — Tuesday, October 13, at 5:30 PM

Gale & Jim have invited us to join them to meet Nicole, hear her perspective on the issues facing District 2 and San Diego, and join the conversation.

By Shelby Bremer / 7SanDiego / October 8, 2026 

ICE has launched a 45-day enforcement surge in California, according to a new report that says the crackdown began in San Diego, where community organizers say they’ve seen an uptick in agents on the streets.

The Washington Examiner reports the effort is called “Operation Safe California,” citing a source who said officers were “told to go after anybody,” including those without a criminal history.

ICE and the Department of Homeland Security – which marked record-high monthly arrests multiple times this past summer – did not respond to multiple requests for comment. The unannounced nature of the enforcement effort seems to be a continuation of the marked shift under DHS Sec. Markwayne Mullin away from very public displays like the operations that rolled into Minneapolis and other cities across the country.

Organizers in San Diego said Thursday they’ve already seen an increase in enforcement on the ground, spotting more agents in vehicles with out-of-state license plates, as well as near schools – including an incident with a student outside Hoover High School.

“There’s been a massive surge. We’re getting phone calls from all around the city,” said Mea Dominguez, who’s part of the City Heights Defense Committee, a group that coordinates mutual aid for families impacted by detention and documents the presence of ICE. She said City Heights has been particularly impacted, but they’re getting calls now “every 10 to 15 minutes” from all across the region.

by Nadia Lathan / Cal-Matters / October 7, 2026

Want to know who’s who in Republican politics? Look no further than the megadonors bankrolling California’s voter ID initiative.

Illinois billionaire packing supply magnate Richard Uihlein, who has poured tens of millions of dollars into conservative causes, has contributed $17 million to the campaign for Proposition 39, a GOP-backed ballot measure to require voters to show a driver’s license or other government ID to vote.

Uihlein’s involvement and that of other deep-pocketed Republican donors is a signal that conservatives view Prop. 39 as a test of support for future battleground states in the broader push by President Donald Trump to tighten voter restrictions.

Uihlein is joined by Airbnb co-founder and current White House official Joe Gebbia, who on Wednesday gave $8 million to the campaign. Southern California businessman Steven Bray is another top donor, having loaned the campaign more than $3 million and given $50,000 outright. The right-wing political group Reform California, tech entrepreneurs Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss and former Robert F. Kennedy Jr. presidential running mate Nicole Shanahan are also major donors. Combined, they have helped the campaign rake in more than $36 million —  $13 million more than their opponents a month from Election Day.

By Kate Callen

In the 24 hours since the Rag published “Bailey Backers Get Belligerent,” the story has received over 1,400 views and 13 comments.

That’s not unusual for a political article. What is unusual is that the Rag has been contacted by several readers with stories of being harassed because they posted on the Nextdoor forum.

By Kathryn Burton

Proposition 45, on the ballot for the November 3 general election, would weaken critical environmental and public health protections currently in place by fast tracking development projects.

It would severely limit public participation in the process while making it easier for high polluting, corporate backed developers to poison our environment with no mechanism to fund cleanup. That would be left to the taxpayers. The nonpartisan California Legislative Analyst’s Office estimates that fast tracking polluting projects could cost taxpayers $100 million or more annually due to environmental harm and cleanup.

The California Environmental Quality Act currently requires state and local public agencies to identify, disclose, and minimize the potential negative environmental damage from proposed projects before approving them. It encourages public input on projects effecting the local community by exposing negative impacts. (For example, increased pollution, increased traffic, destruction of wildlife habitat.)

By Kit-Bacon Gressitt /  KB Gressitt Weekly Update / Oct. 7,, 2026

My friend said, “It’s not her fault, but . . .” and I gasped.

In the wake of four rapes and one sexual assault reported at Cal State University San Marcos this September, and the filing of the Cornell University gang rape civil case, chatter on every platform has been plentiful. Informed and otherwise.

None of it is surprising.

Those who are enlightened grasp the opportunity to educate the public.

“We must teach people to honor affirmative consent, but states’ definitions differ.”

“We must provide more security around residential halls, but that won’t stop rape by acquaintances.”

“We must help survivors seek justice, but so many are harmed by the process.

By Dan Plante / Yahoo News Fox-KUSI   / October 7, 2026

It’s one of the oldest residential neighborhoods in Ocean Beach, with families going back generations.

But as it stands now, it’s also the latest target for developers to build a massive Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) farm adjacent to where a single-family home now sits on a hillside.

“Twelve units on a single-family property? It’s abuse,” said Ocean Beach resident Scott Martinez. [He was referring to the 4600 block of Del Mar Avenue.]

Like other neighborhood groups fighting for the character of their communities, the battle is on to stop this project before it’s too late.

“When we heard about the units that were becoming available, we said, wait a minute, 12 units on a small single-family property — there’s no way that can fit,” said resident Dr. Mike Sherer.

The house at the center of this issue was most recently a short-term rental. But now it’s on the market, listed by Colwell Banker, with a hefty price tag.

On September 22, local news reported that there had been four rapes and one sexual assault at or near the campus of California State University San Marcos. Given the heightened awareness these days of how universities treat such sexual assaults like at Cornell, one would think that the local media would be on top of the most up-to-date news of the cases, their investigations, possible suspects.

Yet it’s been a full two weeks since the last news report of the scandal in San Marcos. And according to our take on the media, there hasn’t been anything.

The rapes and assault all occurred within a month — three on campus and one at an on-campus residency hall.

The only announcement coming out of the university administration is what they’re going to do to prevent future assaults.

The four incidents of rape reportedly occurred from Sept. 5 to 18, Cal State San Marcos representative Jerry McCormick said.

• Sept. 5 incident happened at The Quad Residence Hall
• Sept. 6 incident happened at the University Village Apartment
• Sept. 13 incident happened at Black Oak Hall
• Sept. 18 incident happened at The Quad Residence Hall
• Sept 21 sexual assault in Black Oak Hall.

All incidents are unrelated, and in each case, the people involved knew each other, except for the most recent incident.

By Debbie Sklar / Times of San Diego / October 6, 2026

For a brief moment in the 1880s, Ocean Beach was supposed to become one of San Diego’s grand seaside resorts.

At the center of that dream stood an imposing Victorian hotel at the foot of Niagara Avenue, overlooking the ocean.

It was called the Cliff House.

Built by real estate promoters William H. “Billy” Carlson and Frank J. Higgins, the Cliff House was designed to attract vacationers, prospective land buyers, and anyone willing to believe that the remote stretch of Point Loma was about to become San Diego’s next great resort destination.

The timing seemed perfect.

San Diego was in the middle of a spectacular real estate boom, and Carlson and Higgins were selling lots in their new Ocean Beach subdivision. They filed their subdivision map on May 28, 1887, and promoted the area with elaborate public events, including mussel roasts, bands, free ice cream, rental bathing suits, and hot-air balloons.

The developers needed something impressive to give their new community a centerpiece.

They built the Cliff House.

By Kate Callen

The OB Rag has always gotten pushback on its endorsements of political candidates and ballot measures. But our choice of Nicole Crosby for the District 2 Council seat has triggered an unusual backlash from supporters of Richard Bailey.

We expected individuals to post negative comments on our Crosby story — that comes with the territory. But we never thought an advocacy group like San Diego United Communities (SDUC) would use its Instagram account to vilify us as “the worst and cringiest newspaper in San Diego.”

We respect the work of SDUC in fighting for sustainable growth in residential neighborhoods. But we are saddened by their scorched-earth tactics. They don’t just disagree — they attack, and often in personal terms.