Elon Musk told Joe Rogan that California made it illegal to show ID to vote. Rogan ran with it, Rand Paul repeated it, and now it's a ballot fight. Lydia walks through what California's 2024 law, SB 1174, actually does: it stops cities and counties from adding their own voter ID rules, and that's it. Then she digs into the voter ID initiative headed for California's ballot, the conservative activist and podcaster Carl DeMaio behind it, the big-money donors on the "yes" side, and what the measure would really require. Thomas and Lydia also check governor candidate Steve Hilton's version of the story. Patrons: our bonus with Noah Lugeons on the Ben Shapiro review takedown is up now.

Sources:

• California Senate Bill 1174 (2024), signed September 29, 2024

• The proposed California voter ID ballot initiative led by Carl DeMaio

• The Joe Rogan Experience episodes with Elon Musk and Rand Paul

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Correction: An earlier version had Thomas saying George Santos was a Democrat. Thomas was able to recognize his mistake after only a fact check. Also, he must have been thinking of Bob Menendez or something.

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