Politics reporter

Casey Tolan

Casey Tolan covers national politics and the Trump administration for the Bay Area News Group. Previously, he was a reporter for the news website Fusion, where he covered criminal justice, immigration, and politics. His reporting has also been published in CNN, Slate, the Village Voice, the Texas Observer, the Daily Beast and other news outlets. Casey grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and graduated from Columbia University.

While some of his administration’s moves have sparked confusion, Newsom has won plaudits from California officials on both sides of the aisle for his rapid-fire, all-hands-on-deck approach to the crisis.

Politics |
Coronavirus: Newsom avoids clashing with Trump as he charts state’s coronavirus response

March 27, 2020 at 4:45 p.m.

While some of his administration’s moves have sparked confusion, Newsom has won plaudits from California officials on both sides of the aisle for his rapid-fire, all-hands-on-deck approach to the crisis.

Officials are developing a scale to rate counties as low, medium and high risk for the deadly virus, which would let state and local leaders make “decisions about maintaining, increasing, or relaxing social distancing and other measures they have put in place," Trump wrote in the letter.

Health |
Coronavirus: Trump tells governors he plans to revise social distancing guidelines

March 27, 2020 at 3:57 p.m.

Officials are developing a scale to rate counties as low, medium and high risk for the deadly virus, which would let state and local leaders make “decisions about maintaining, increasing,...

Gov. Gavin Newsom warned that California's young people have been disproportionately testing positive for the virus.

Health |
Half of California’s confirmed coronavirus patients are younger than 50, Newsom says

March 25, 2020 at 9:37 a.m.

Gov. Gavin Newsom warned that California's young people have been disproportionately testing positive for the virus.

California, which has massively ramped up its use of mail-in voting over the last few decades, could be a model for others to follow.

Politics |
As Coronavirus threatens general election, California could be example for states expanding vote-by-mail

March 25, 2020 at 2:44 p.m.

California, which has massively ramped up its use of mail-in voting over the last few decades, could be a model for others to follow.

The California governor also said the state must increase its hospital bed capacity by two-thirds.

Health |
Gov. Newsom says social distancing measures could last two or three months

March 24, 2020 at 12:52 p.m.

The California governor also said the state must increase its hospital bed capacity by two-thirds.

New York, Illinois and Connecticut all announced their own shelter-in-place mandates. But California is struggling to resolve differences between local rules and the new statewide decree.

California News |
Coronavirus: What the statewide ‘stay-at-home’ mandate means for the Bay Area

March 23, 2020 at 2:15 p.m.

New York, Illinois and Connecticut all announced their own shelter-in-place mandates. But California is struggling to resolve differences between local rules and the new statewide decree.

Newsom's order declares that employees working in specific critical infrastructure sectors "may continue their work" -- raising questions for local officials who have closed such businesses.

Health |
Coronavirus: Newsom’s stay-at-home order differs from the Bay Area’s shelter-in-place rules. Now what happens?

March 21, 2020 at 1:29 p.m.

Newsom's order declares that employees working in specific critical infrastructure sectors "may continue their work" -- raising questions for local officials who have closed such businesses.

As the coronavirus epidemic has shut down huge parts of the Bay Area’s the economy, passenger traffic at the region’s airports has fallen in a way that officials say is reminiscent of 9/11.

Health |
Bay Area airports face cratering passenger traffic as more domestic flights are cancelled

March 22, 2020 at 9:13 a.m.

As the coronavirus epidemic has shut down huge parts of the Bay Area’s the economy, passenger traffic at the region’s airports has fallen in a way that officials say is...

Model creates a "deep point of anxiety," Gov. Gavin Newsom said.

Health |
Coronavirus could infect more than 60,000 homeless in California, governor says

March 19, 2020 at 10:42 p.m.

Model creates a "deep point of anxiety," Gov. Gavin Newsom said.

As the Bay Area hunkered down for the second day of life under unprecedented shelter-in-place orders Wednesday, officials fielded a flood of questions about what residents are allowed to do and closed a few businesses that weren't complying.

Health |
Coronavirus: Bay Area shelter-in-place orders prompt questions, enforcement as case numbers continue to rise

March 19, 2020 at 11:09 a.m.

As the Bay Area hunkered down for the second day of life under unprecedented shelter-in-place orders Wednesday, officials fielded a flood of questions about what residents are allowed to do...

All Stories