Laura J. Nelson

An orange Mini Cooper parked in front of a brick and stone Tudor-style house with mullioned windows and a single tall palm tree

Hancock Park

Exclusive | Trump Administration to Drop Defense of Law Firm Sanctions The Justice Dept. plans to abandon its defense of the president’s executive orders that targeted Jenner & Block, WilmerHale, Perkins Coie, and Susman Godfrey.

The Trump administration plans to abandon its defense of the president’s executive orders sanctioning the law firms Jenner & Block, WilmerHale, Perkins Coie, and Susman Godfrey, according to people familiar: www.wsj.com/us-news/law/...

Woman Suing Meta, YouTube Testifies It’s ‘Too Hard to Be Without’ Social Media The now-20-year old told jurors she felt compelled to frequently check accounts to make sure she hadn’t missed anything.

The woman, now 20, said she started watching YouTube at age 6 and joined Instagram at age 9. Her attorney said that she once spent 16 hours in one day on Instagram.

"I wanted to be on it all the time," she said. "If I wasn’t on it, I felt like I was going to miss out." www.wsj.com/tech/woman-s...

Woman Suing Meta, YouTube Testifies It’s ‘Too Hard to Be Without’ Social Media The now-20-year old told jurors she felt compelled to frequently check accounts to make sure she hadn’t missed anything.

The plaintiff in a landmark trial over the alleged harms of social-media apps for children told a jury Thursday that using YouTube and Instagram had contributed to her social isolation and mental health issues, including anxiety, body dysmorphia and depression. www.wsj.com/tech/woman-s...

Nick Reiner Pleads Not Guilty in Parents’ Murder The son of the late Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner faces two counts of first-degree murder, as well as a special allegation that he used a dangerous and deadly weapon.

Nick Reiner Pleads Not Guilty in Parents’ Murder www.wsj.com/us-news/law/...

A $44,000 Bill Shows the Dysfunction in California’s Home-Insurance Market The state’s uphill battle to draw insurers back could prove a template—or cautionary tale—for other disaster-prone states.

My latest with @jeaneaglesham.bsky.social looks at the California home-insurance crisis that has led to eye-watering rate increases, rejected claims and growing pressure on the insurer of last resort, the FAIR Plan: www.wsj.com/finance/a-44...

Supreme Court Strikes Down Trump’s Global Tariffs Ruling finds president exceeded his powers by imposing duties without clear authorization from Congress.

Supreme Court Strikes Down Trump’s Global Tariffs: “Had Congress intended to convey the distinct and extraordinary power to impose tariffs, it would have done so expressly.” www.wsj.com/us-news/law/...

Tom Morello, the guitarist for Rage Against the Machine, is playing the L.A. kickoff event at the Wiltern for SEIU-UHW’s California billionaire tax ballot proposal.

Coming up soon: @sanders.senate.gov

Sergey Brin-Backed Group Tries to Undercut California’s Billionaire Tax Proposal Building a Better California is funding competing ballot measures that could nullify the proposed wealth tax.

A new political effort backed by the Google co-founder Sergey Brin and other Silicon Valley magnates is backing several ballot-measure campaigns aimed at undercutting a proposed wealth tax on California billionaires. More here: www.wsj.com/us-news/serg...

California Billionaires Are Freaking Out Over a New Tax Proposal - The Journal. - WSJ Podcasts An influential California labor union is gathering signatures for a proposed asset tax on billionaires. But some of California’s ultra-wealthy are threatening to pack their bags — leaving the state’s ...

I made my first appearance on the
@wsj.com's podcast, The Journal, to talk about the proposed billionaire tax that is roiling California. Thanks to the team for having me! www.wsj.com/podcasts/the...

I went to the pro-billionaire march in San Francisco yesterday and wrote about it: www.wsj.com/lifestyle/bi...

I’m really sorry. Thinking of you all.

A boxy blue-green sedan sits in front of two houses that are almost exactly the same color as the car

Silver Lake

Sergey Brin Backs New California Political Effort as Threat of Wealth Tax Looms The Google co-founder joined other wealthy individuals in backing a new nonpartisan, nonprofit organization aimed at tackling housing affordability.

Disclosures today show that Google co-founder Sergey Brin made a $20-million political contribution, one of his largest and most public donations ever. Details on the new effort that he and other wealthy founders/execs are funding, called Building a Better California: www.wsj.com/politics/pol...

California relies heavily on billionaires and other high earners. In 2023, more than one-sixth of the state's personal income tax revenue came from the top 0.1% of earners -- or about 17,500 tax returns.

www.wsj.com/lifestyle/ca...

The Hardest Part About Being a Billionaire in California: Proving You Left Advisers recommend leaving breadcrumbs, like a ‘we’ve moved’ note on the Christmas card, and you really do have to quit the country club.

A proposed billionaire tax has some of the richest Californians eyeing the exits. First, they’ll have to contend with the state's dogged tax collectors.

Had fun with this @wsj.com story:
www.wsj.com/lifestyle/ca...

Hotels Are Getting Rid of Proper Bathroom Doors and Guests Are Revolting Lodgers looking for peace and quiet are struggling in the era of sliding barn doors, frosted glass panes and sometimes no separation at all.

If you've ever walked into a hotel room and realized with horror that the bathroom was behind a barn door, or even a curtain, this story is for you: www.wsj.com/lifestyle/tr...

I also drive a Fit and r/hondafit has been all over it lol

A gray VW bug convertible parked in front of a Spanish-style apartment building with lush plantings

Hancock Park

Rob Bonta passes on run for California governor The state attorney general won’t enter a crowded 2026 field and will seek reelection instead.

Rob Bonta passes on run for California governor

This video is short and effective at showing what happened.

‘She was an amazing human being’: Mother identifies woman shot, killed by ICE agent Renee Nicole Good, 37, lived in the Twin Cities with her partner.

The woman shot and killed by ICE in Minneapolis today, Renee Nicole Good, was the mother of a 6-year-old boy. His father died in 2023.

“There’s nobody else in his life,” his grandfather said. “I’ll drive. I’ll fly. To come and get my grandchild.” www.startribune.com/she-was-an-a...

We agree with Jensen Huang that California has a tremendous talent pool of workers uniquely qualified to continue moving many industries forward, including within the tech sector and beyond. This initiative will ensure the $100 billion healthcare funding crisis created by HR1 in July is fixed, so that all of those workers can access emergency rooms and vital healthcare in California. Frontline caregivers are glad to hear that, much like the overwhelming majority of billionaires, Mr. Huang will not be uprooting his life or business to make an ideological point over a 1% per year fix to a problem that Congress created last July -- and that California will unite to solve this November.” - Suzanne Jimenez, ballot sponsor and Chief of Staff, SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West

And where is the SEIU-UHWW, the union sponsoring the billionaire tax measure, on all of this? They’re glad that “much like the overwhelming majority of billionaires, Mr. Huang will not be uprooting his life or business to make an ideological point.”

Nvidia CEO Says He’s ‘Perfectly Fine’ With Billionaires Tax Nvidia Corp. Chief Executive Officer Jensen Huang, the world’s ninth-richest person and head of the most valuable company, said he isn’t concerned about a billionaires tax under consideration in his h...

How does Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang feel about California’s proposed billionaire tax?

“We chose to live in Silicon Valley, and whatever taxes I guess they would like to apply, so be it. I’m perfectly fine with it.” www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

The Front-Runner California’s Gavin Newsom would rather be wrong than weak.

“Newsom, who is 58, has a memoir coming out next month. This is a traditional rite of passage for people running for president, which he is, even though we are supposed to pretend that he hasn’t decided yet.” www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...

An orange mini cooper with Union Jack accents sits in front of a blank greige wall, tall tree and green hedge

Silver Lake

Threat of California Billionaire Tax Draws Criticism From Ultrawealthy Hedge-fund manager Bill Ackman is among the billionaires who have taken issue with the proposal’s idea of taxing the wealthy’s assets.

In the final hours of 2025, some high-profile tech investors criticized a proposed tax on the ultrawealthy in California, while some big-name billionaires took steps to create distance between themselves and the Golden State -- more from me and @benglickman.bsky.social: www.wsj.com/us-news/law/...

You: Wow, look at how badly Andrew Tate lost this fight

Me, also a normal person: Is that the guy from Too Hot To Handle?

Epstein Files Include 1996 Child Porn Complaint That F.B.I. Ignored

“I’ve waited 30 years,” said a woman who filed a complaint to the FBI about Jeffrey Epstein's interest in “child pornography” in 1996, about a decade before investigators began scrutinizing him. “I can’t believe it. They can’t call me a liar anymore.” www.nytimes.com/2025/12/19/u...

The Final Hours and Shocking End to Rob and Michele Reiner’s Efforts to Save Their Son The Reiners supported their son through stints in rehab, made a movie about addiction with him, and let him live in a guesthouse. Prosecutors charged him with their murder.

A tough one to report and write, but hopefully conveys with sensitivity the difficulty the Reiners faced as a family: www.wsj.com/us-news/rob-...