@damoseditor profile picture
Denise Smith Amos @damoseditor

Deputy Editor at CalMatters, former Watchdog and Accountability Editor at San Diego Union-Tribune, and editor, reporter, columnist elsewhere

Joined March 2009
  • Tweets 4,300
  • Following 2,815
  • Followers 1,414
118 Photos and videos
Denise Smith Amos retweeted
WendyFry
@WendyFry_
4 Jul 2025
ICYMI: How did ICE know about its top “worst of the worst” targets that launched nearly a month of aggressive immigration raids in LA and weeks of protests? The State of California told them, as required by law. calmatters.org/justice/2025/… w/@ByrhondaLyons

Before LA immigration raids, California prisons tried to help ICE deport its top targets

The Trump administration said it seized the 'worst of the worst' in Los Angeles immigration raids. Despite the sanctuary state law, California helped locate the men.

calmatters.org
3
11
8
1,524
How the state sent Californians’ personal health data to LinkedIn calmatters.org/health/2025/0…

How the state sent Californians’ personal health data to LinkedIn

Health insurance exchange Covered California transmitted pregnancy and abuse data during a marketing campaign. It is reviewing its practices.

calmatters.org
1
201
Denise Smith Amos retweeted
Deborah Sullivan Brennan@Deborahsbrennan
12 Mar 2025
Can a new conservancy turn back the tide for the Salton Sea? California is betting half a billion dollars on a plan to clean up the polluted inland lake. calmatters.org/environment/2…

The Salton Sea is California’s most imperiled lake. Can a new conservancy turn back the tide?

State officials have wrestled with the sea’s deteriorating condition as its water becomes fouler and its footprint shrinks, exposing toxic dust that wafts through the region. 

calmatters.org
1
1
113
Californians rejected an anti-slavery ballot measure. Lawmakers want to try again calmatters.org/justice/2025/…

Californians rejected an anti-slavery ballot measure. Lawmakers want to try again

Californians rejected the anti-slavery ballot measure Proposition 6, which would have forbid forced prison labor. Reparations advocates want to try again in 2026.

calmatters.org
1
58
Denise Smith Amos retweeted
CalMatters@CalMatters
4 Dec 2024
This #GivingTuesday help build California’s future. Fuel independent, unbiased news for all with a donation to our nonprofit newsroom today. All donations tripled to triple your impact. giving.classy.org/campaign/6…
1
2
1
1,197
Californians want the rent to be less damn high. Is Proposition 33 the solution? calmatters.org/commentary/20…

Californians want the rent to be less damn high. Is Proposition 33 the solution?

The California ballot initiative could result in the state losing some ability to strong-arm cities into meeting affordable housing goals.

calmatters.org
60
Important story. How will your representatives react? Most California Republicans in Congress won’t commit to certifying the 2024 presidential election calmatters.org/politics/elec…

Most California Republicans in Congress won’t commit to certifying the 2024 presidential election

Only one-third of the California GOP congressional delegation has pledged to accept the 2024 presidential election results.

calmatters.org
53
CalMatters' Voters Guide, cool enough for this influencer @iamlorenp instagram.com/reel/DBd06Sfun…
51
Denise Smith Amos retweeted
Destiny Jackson@DestinyDreadful
8 Oct 2024
When it comes to voting for the California elections … I choose @CalMatters for unbiased coverage. Good stuff to be found here to make informed decisions. calmatters.org/california-vo…

Here's your 2024 California Voter Guide

What Californians need to know to vote in the November 5 general election.

calmatters.org
3
7
385
Denise Smith Amos retweeted
WendyFry
@WendyFry_
4 Oct 2024
Advocates blame Black lawmakers for unsigned reparations bills, but Newsom deserves more scrutiny calmatters.org/commentary/20… via @damoseditor

Advocates blame Black lawmakers for unsigned reparations bills, but Newsom deserves more scrutiny

Advocacy groups fault California's Black lawmakers for holding back two reparations bills while somehow Newsom remains out of the fray.

calmatters.org
1
6
13
590
Denise Smith Amos retweeted
CalMatters@CalMatters
23 Sep 2024
Commentary: I wish I could say the state was making progress at healing old scars, but this brand of reparations is still in its infancy here. And there’s still racism, opposition, unfairness and bureaucratic bungling wrapped up... cal.news/3ZyvSB8 📝 @damoseditor

As Caltrans sells homes it bought for defunct road project, some LA residents are being shut out

Caltrans' road projects sliced through neighborhoods. Now it's trying to repair the damage by selling back hundreds of homes.

calmatters.org
1
3
1,110
Caltrans is selling hundreds of homes it bought for defunct road project, but some LA residents are being shut out calmatters.org/commentary/20…

As Caltrans sells homes it bought for defunct road project, some LA residents are being shut out

Caltrans' road projects sliced through neighborhoods. Now it's trying to repair the damage by selling back hundreds of homes.

calmatters.org
54
‘I won’t let them drink the water’: The California towns where clean drinking water is out of reach calmatters.org/environment/w…

‘I won’t let them drink the water’: The California towns where clean drinking water is out of reach

Drinking water contamination is a chronic, insidious threat in CA rural communities. Some have been waiting for clean water for years.

calmatters.org
48
cnbc.com/2024/08/02/elon-mus… Article on voter data use by X to help Trump

How an Elon Musk PAC is using voter data to help Trump beat Harris in 2024 election

Tesla CEO Elon Musk says he created America PAC, which collects data in swing states key to the 2024 election between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris.

cnbc.com
69
Denise Smith Amos retweeted
WendyFry
@WendyFry_
15 Jul 2024
Latest on #reparations for @PBSSoCal @CalMatters with @AsmLoriDWilson @AsmCoreyJackson ... I also spy @IAMFridayJones @KamilahVMoore and other task force members and participants in the video #socalmatters youtube.com/watch?v=HrRbZUwK…

California Legislative Black Caucus promotes Reparations Bills |...

Members of California's Legislative Black Caucus are touring the st...

youtube.com
1
5
5
1,431
Denise Smith Amos retweeted
Kathleen Ronayne@kronayne
28 May 2024
Exciting news: You can now read some @CalMatters content on the @AP wire. I'm very excited to see this partnership between AP and a great California newsroom! ap.org/media-center/press-re…

AP announces content collaborations with 5 nonprofit news outlets | The Associated Press

The Associated Press today announced five new content sharing agreements with U.S. nonprofit news outlets: CalMatters, Honolulu Civil Beat, Montana Free

ap.org
3
20
107
8,097
Denise Smith Amos retweeted
Nigel Duara@nigelduara
29 May 2024
An unhoused man in San Mateo tried to buy a $7 cheeseburger with credit cards he found at gas stations. He then tried to return the food and refund the charges. A judge set his bail at $75,000. Is that constitutional? calmatters.org/justice/2024/…

How a lost credit card and $7 cheeseburger reignited California’s debate over excessive bail

A homeless man who used a lost credit is at the center of a CA Supreme Court case over whether judges can set bail far higher than what someone can pay.

calmatters.org
2
14
14
2,926
Planned Parenthood sought a building permit. Then a California city changed zoning rules calmatters.org/california-di…

Planned Parenthood sought a building permit. Then a California city changed zoning rules

California’s state politicians are determined to guard abortion rights, but some local officials want to limit them.

calmatters.org
68
Anyone who's been burned on hot playground equipment or sweated going to recess can relate: California groups want to cool scorching schoolyards with more trees, less asphalt calmatters.org/california-di…

Scorching schoolyards: California groups want more trees, less asphalt at schools

Groups push California to plant more trees at schools to protect students from a warming planet. Here’s how they want to pay for it.

calmatters.org
40
Denise Smith Amos retweeted
Jeanne Kuang@JeanneKuang
22 May 2024
Grateful to make this list but deeply saddened to hear of two other crashes nationwide (FL and ID) in the past week that killed migrant workers. Read our story about how California’s farmworker safety laws lost their effectiveness: calmatters.org/politics/capi…

California cracked down after a crash killed 13 farmworkers. Why are workers still dying on the...

After 13 California farmworkers died in a single crash, the state passed new rules. Now workers are being killed in unregulated vehicles.

calmatters.org
Brett Murphy@BrettMmurphy
20 May 2024
Some truly great and inspiring local investigative journalism last week. Take a look at this range of stories from our newsletter:
13
15
5,773
Load more