Amita Sharma
Investigative ReporterAs the public matters investigative reporter, Amita leads KPBS’ coverage on efforts to undermine democracy, including threats to public officials, bolstering the Big Lie, chipping away at voter’s rights, attempts to overturn election results, eroding institutions and weakening the government's capacity to do its job, as well as civic efforts to engage people with opposing views without rancor.
The goal of the position is to report on the stakes, from a San Diego County perspective, on the United States’ current political moment.
She has spent the last two years reporting on local threats to democracy, including regional extremism, the shrinking of local news coverage while the number of hyper partisan “news” websites grow, censorship at libraries and incivility at public meetings.
Her previous coverage includes: exposing abuses in local nursing homes at the height of the pandemic, including a serial rapist who had worked in several El Cajon facilities and was arrested following her reporting; unearthing a contract between the city of Chula Vista and Motorola that allowed the company to sell data collected by the Chula Vista Police Department; and reporting on discrimination and retaliation in the San Diego County Public Defender’s Office that led to court settlements and the retirement of the Public Defender.
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Amita Sharma speaks with Imam Taha Hassane, director of the Islamic Center of San Diego, about Muslim sentiment following a Florida pastor's intention to burn copies of the Koran. -
The jailing of an informant for talking to the media seems like a tale straight out of a Soviet-era police state. But that's exactly what FBI informant Andrea Gomez says happened to her after she spoke to JW August, managing editor, of 10news. J.W. August joins us to talk about what happened with Gomez. -
The cost of water in San Diego may go up, again. The proposal is the latest in a series of rate hikes over the past four years and is not without its critics. -
Imagine a world without apples, almonds and broccoli. It takes honey bees to pollinate most of our favorite fruits, nuts and vegetables. But the bees are mysteriously disappearing. Some commercial beekeepers in San Diego have already been affected by this phenomenon. KPBS Environment Reporter Ed Joyce tells us beekeepers are keeping a close eye on the research, some of it at UC San Diego. -
Tomorrow is the ninth anniversary of the September eleventh terrorist attacks. Memorials are being held throughout San Diego County and across the country to honor those who died. We spoke to San Diegans this week about how September eleventh changed their lives. -
Now that her bill to stop the open display of unloaded guns is dead, San Diego Assemblywoman Lori Saldaña says Californians aren't being protected. Meanwhile, gun rights advocates are rejoicing over the bill's demise.
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County requiring employees of grocery stores and many other retail outlets to wear masks as of midnight Friday. That’s a tall order, says the California Grocers Association.
- California bans masks meant to hide law enforcement officers' identities
- Defense Secretary Hegseth requires new 'pledge' for reporters at the Pentagon
- Trump nominates White House aide to be top U.S. prosecutor for office probing Letitia James
- Earlybirds Club: for ladies who want to get down and also get to bed on time
- Social media is shattering America's understanding of Charlie Kirk's death