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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Leading fire officials in San Diego County met behind closed doors earlier this month to talk about the lack of firefighting resources and political leadership during last month's wildfires.
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As home values went up in recent years, more minorities bought houses in San Diego County than ever before. Many used high interest, subprime loans. Now civil rights groups say lenders targeted minori
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The tiny town of Potrero east of San Diego first made national headlines this year when many of its residents opposed Blackwater USA's plan to build a military training camp on an old cattle ranch. A
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The disastrous fires that swept through San Diego County this week should have come as no surprise. Experts had predicted for months that this fire season could be the worst in a century. And state an -
While tens of thousands of San Diego County's evacuated residents have found their way to shelters, there are still people in the backcountry who are stuck in fire-affected areas. KPBS Reporter Amita
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San Diego Police officials say they detained eight undocumented immigrants today after the suspects allegedly stole emergency supplies for evacuees at Qualcomm Stadium. KPBS reporter Amita Sharma has
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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.
- Experts concerned about white nationalist imagery in ICE recruitment materials
- New Terminal 1 at San Diego Airport opens to passengers
- Ramona cemetery district board member uncovers unusual compensation records
- Trump blames Tylenol for autism. Science doesn't back him up
- Animal shelter supervisor ‘out of the office’ after revelation of profane recording