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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Opponents of a defense contractors proposal to build a training camp in San Diegos back country say a lobbying firm that works both for the county and the company has a conflict of interest. KPBS
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There's a backlash in the backcountry over Blackwater USA. Five members of the Potrero Planning Board endorsed a plan to train military and police in the East County town. Now they face a recall elect
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Five elected officials who favored plans by security firm Blackwater USA to build a training camp in San Diego's back country are headed for a recall. The registrar of voters is scheduled to announce
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Few people in county government need the public trust more than those responsible for counting votes. Yet questions continue to swirl around two people hired this year to run elections in San Diego Co
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It could be a first. The county may take a parking lot and turn it into a park. That's the plan the supervisors have for a creating a waterfront park surrounding the County Administration Building on
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San Diego County is mandated by state law to provide medical care for the county's poorest. A class-action lawsuit said the county excludes many poor patients who exceed the income cap. The state appe
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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
- Animal shelter supervisor ‘out of the office’ after revelation of profane recording
- New Terminal 1 at San Diego Airport opens to passengers
- Ramona cemetery district board member uncovers unusual compensation records
- Department of Homeland Security eyes military and veterans to join immigrant crackdown