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Presented by California Environmental Justice Alliance: Jeremy B. White’s must-read briefing on politics and government in the Golden State | | | | | |  | | By Jeremy B. White, Chris Ramirez and Graph Massara | Presented by California Environmental Justice Alliance | THE BUZZ — ONE FOR ALL: Single-payer health care has long been the shining, unattainable lodestar of California’s progressive left. If you think Democrats’ statewide hegemony makes “Medicare for All” a slam dunk, think again. The last serious effort in Sacramento collapsed amid rancor and recrimination. The Senate sent the Assembly a bill without a funding mechanism, and when Speaker Anthony Rendon pulled the plug, he faced an angry and violent backlash from outraged Democrats, some of whom revile Rendon for it to this day. Gov. Gavin Newsom campaigned on the issue but has made incremental progress at best. But the goal has continued to inform progressive politics. Vice President Kamala Harris preempted other Democratic presidential candidates on a primary-defining issue when she signed on to Medicare for All last cycle, although she’s somewhat backed away from it. For those on California’s left, the issue has become a test case of just how progressive our state is: What use are legislative mega-majorities if you can’t make progress on one of the overarching aims of progressives nationwide? Assemblymember Ash Kalra is going to find out just how far California can go. The San Jose Berniecrat on Thursday unveiled his plan to fund a transition to single-payer health care, with the backing of the California Nurses Association — long California’s preeminent institutional supporter of the idea. Kalra’s single-payer policy bill is moving again after halting last year, and Assembly Health Committee Chair Jim Wood has vowed to move it out of his committee ahead of an end-of-the-month deadline to get out of the Assembly. Unlike in 2017, when Assembly leadership felt the Senate essentially dumped an unfunded idea in their collective lap, Kalra worked for months to refine a way to pay for it: a constitutional amendment, which would move in parallel with the policy bill, to impose an array of tax increases on businesses and on individuals making roughly $150,000 or more. Kalra praised Rendon’s office for working with him to craft a workable idea. The product now sets up the latest stress test of Democrats’ legislative supermajorities. On paper, Democrats have the two-thirds margins to pass tax increases with votes to spare. In practice, wrangling enough votes to hike taxes from centrist Democrats is always a battle — especially in an election year, when vulnerable members are defending seats, and especially when newly drawn districts have members feeling extra cautious. The voters would also need to approve it, since Kalra is proposing a constitutional amendment. And the rest of the medical lobby is coming out swinging . A formidable coalition, led by the California Medical Association and joined by the California Chamber of Commerce, blasted Kalra’s proposal on Thursday, warning it “would immeasurably disrupt the health care that millions of Californians rely on every day, and at the worst possible time,” as coronavirus infection rates climb rapidly. (A reminder here that Newsom’s staff is populated with folks who have worked for the CMA.) BUENOS DÍAS, good Friday morning. The California State Bar may this morning consider a conflict-of-interest rule barring prosecutors who take law enforcement campaign money — a common source of D.A. campaign cash — from then overseeing use-of-force cases involving those donors. Bills to create that buffer have fallen short in Sacramento. Got a tip or story idea for California Playbook? Hit jwhite@politico.com or follow me on Twitter @jeremybwhite. QUOTE OF THE DAY: “We know the likelihood of single-payer health care legislation happening in Washington DC at this time is beyond unlikely. However, states can do it. … We’re California. We can show the rest of the country how to take care of one another and create a health care system that’s focused on patients over profits. Will it be easy? Of course not.” Kalra makes the case for “CalCare.” TWEET OF THE DAY: Rep. Jackie @RepSpeier on the Jan. 6 attack: “I remember putting my cheek on the cold floor of the gallery when the shots rang out #Jan6th. I thought “this is it.” If not for the bravery of the @CapitolPolice & @DCPoliceDept we would be living under an autocracy now. That’s how close we came to losing our precious democracy.” WHERE’S GAVIN? Nothing official announced. | | | | A message from California Environmental Justice Alliance: Governor Newsom: Commit to California’s 2022 Clean Energy Resolutions - Let’s ring in the New Year with healthier, more resilient communities and clean, affordable energy for all. Read the full list of Clean Energy Resolutions for 2022 from a dozen environmental justice, equity, clean energy and climate organizations. | | | |  | TOP TALKERS | | — “Harris was inside DNC on Jan. 6 when pipe bomb was discovered outside,” by POLITICO’s Betsy Woodruff Swan, Christopher Cadelago and Kyle Cheney: “Harris’ presence inside the building while a bomb was right outside raises sobering questions about her security that day. It also raises the chilling prospect that the riots could have been far more destructive than they already were, with the incoming vice president's life directly endangered.: PARTY PERILS — “California lawmakers skip floor session after post-party positive test,” by POLITICO’s Colby Bermel: Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon skipped Thursday's floor session and asked numerous colleagues to do the same after a state senator tested positive for Covid-19 following an event they both attended … which was a farewell gathering for outgoing Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez. FAMILY MATTERS — “Does it matter if Dad is unvaccinated? Family courts have started to weigh in,” by the LA Times’ Emily Alpert Reyes: “John F. Banzhaf III, professor emeritus of public interest law at George Washington University Law School, argued that there is a strong precedent for courts limiting visitation for unvaccinated parents: child custody cases involving cigarette smokers.” NOW OAKLAND — “Oakland teachers plan ‘sickout’ protest as omicron cases surge,” by Oaklandside’s Ashley McBride: “Teachers have been pressuring OUSD to improve COVID safety measures since the district first considered reopening fully to in-person learning last year. In October, teachers rallied outside a school board meeting calling for greater safety measures.” | | | | BECOME A GLOBAL INSIDER: The world is more connected than ever. It has never been more essential to identify, unpack and analyze important news, trends and decisions shaping our future — and we’ve got you covered! Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, Global Insider author Ryan Heath navigates the global news maze and connects you to power players and events changing our world. Don’t miss out on this influential global community. Subscribe now. | | | | | | | CALIFORNIA AND THE CAPITOL CORRIDOR | | TROUBLE IN PARADISE — “Judge halts mega-resort in California wildfire zone, says residents could die trying to flee,” by the Sac Bee’s Ryan Sabalow and Dale Kasler: “The ruling comes as state policymakers struggle to balance the state’s unrelenting demand for new housing and business opportunities, while also seeing lethal fires destroy entire communities nearly every summer.” — “PG&E has been blamed for the Dixie Fire. Now what’s in store for the company?” by SF Chronicle’s Julie Johnson: “The fire will probably be the first test of California’s wildfire insurance fund, which helps utilities pay for damage when blamed for sparking wildfires — and a test of the California Public Utilities Commission’s role in evaluating whether the utility acted reasonably enough to deserve the partial bailout.” HERE WE GO AGAIN — “Cruise ship docks in San Francisco with COVID-19 cases,” via the AP: “The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating a cruise ship that docked in San Francisco on Thursday after a dozen vaccinated passengers tested positive for coronavirus.” AFTER HOURS — “Garcetti OKs OT funds as LA scrambles to maintain police/fire staffing levels amid COVID surge,” by Daily News’ Elizabeth Chou: Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Ralph Terrazas said that “critical advanced life support response” has increased by 13 seconds and structure fires by six seconds. — “Nonprofits that support insurrection would lose tax-exempt status under proposed bill,” by the SF Chronicle’s Bob Egelko: “‘While the actions of rioters and the certification of elections are governed by numerous laws,’ [state Sen. Scott Wiener] said, ‘there is little regulation of the California nonprofits that are funding campaigns to support insurrectionists and efforts to discredit or overturn elections, and cut into public revenue with their tax-exempt status.’” — “Garcetti, Moore say tactics will be examined after LAPD killing of 14-year-old girl, ” by the LA Times’ Richard Winton: “In a mass-shooting scenario, officers rushing in to kill or arrest a shooter can reduce the potential death toll of a heavily armed assailant. But in cases such as the one at Burlington, where the suspect turned out not to have a gun, the tactic raises serious questions.” — “Kelly Ernby stood against vaccine mandates. Her death from COVID made her a symbol,” by the LA Times’ Hannah Fry: “ Ernby’s death highlighted simmering tensions between those who see mandates as government overreach and those who see vaccines as vital to ending the pandemic.” — “COVID surge upends some California courts – again,” by Cal Matters’ Byrhonda Lyons: “Since California no longer has an emergency order in place, which mandated that courts take certain actions, the presiding judges of each county are creating their own rules about how to balance justice and public health.” GUILTY — “Mohammed Nuru, Key Figure in SF Corruption Scandal, Formally Pleads Guilty,” by the SF Standard’s Michael Barba: “While prosecutors agreed not to seek more than nine years in custody for Nuru, he could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison for honest services wire fraud.” — “These Bay Area lawmakers were at the Capitol on Jan. 6. Today, they still are reeling: ‘The threat is not gone,’” by the SF Chronicle’s Tal Kopan: “And for the all-Democratic delegation that represents the Bay Area in Congress, there’s frustration with Republican colleagues they see as contributing to a narrative seeking to downplay the grave events, producing as divided a Congress as any of them have seen in their cumulative decades in Washington.” | | BIDEN, HARRIS AND THE HILL | | NEW YEAR, NEW ME— Harris hires a new comms director, Jamal Simmons, by POLITICO’s Eugene Daniels: “The vice president’s office has begun retooling after a year filled with scrutiny on Harris that neither the White House or her office were really prepared for, officials have acknowledged.” — “Supreme Court is set to review Biden’s vaccine rules for businesses, health-care workers. Here’s what to know,” by Washington Post’s Ann E. Marimow and Robert Barnes: “One measure requires large private companies to implement a vaccination requirement or impose a masking and weekly testing regime. The second applies to health-care workers at facilities that receive certain federal funding.” BACKTRACKING — “Biden administration asks court to toss family separation suit brought by Bay Area families,” by the SF Chronicle’s Bob Egelko. | | | | A message from California Environmental Justice Alliance:   | | | | | CAMPAIGN MODE | | MAKING MOVES — Kevin Kiley running for Congress in new CA-03, by POLITICO’s Jeremy B. White: Republican Rocklin Council Member Joe Patterson has already announced a run for the Assembly seat Kiley is vacating. In another ripple from Rep. Tom McClintock's apparent decision, state Sen. Andreas Borgeas (R-Fresno) announced on Thursday that he was suspending his campaign for the 5th congressional district. GALPERIN IN: The state controller race is heating up as Democratic L.A. Controller Ron Galperin joined the fray yesterday with an endorsement in hand from incumbent Controller Betty Yee. Galperin will be vying against fellow Democrats Malia Cohen, a Board of Equalization member, and Monterey Park City Council member Yvonne Yiu. Republican candidate Lanhee Chen is broadly seen as one of the CAGOP’s best shots at reclaiming statewide office. TOUGH PILL TO SWALLOW — “California Ballot Will Be Heavy on Health Care,” by California Healthline’s Samantha Young: “‘The stakes couldn’t be higher at a monetary and at a human level,’ said Thad Kousser, who chairs the political science department at the University of California-San Diego. ‘Health care is a massive industry, as well as something that affects people in their most vulnerable moments.’” HUNG UP — “A year after Jan. 6 insurrection, California Republicans still can’t quit Donald Trump,” by the SF Chronicle’s Joe Garfoli: “That intransigence continues to be a recipe for GOP defeat in California, where nearly 2 of every 3 voters backed Trump’s opponent in 2020 and nearly twice as many (64%) voters hold negative views of the former president than positive ones, according to a February survey from the UC Berkeley Institute for Governmental Studies.” | | SILICON VALLEYLAND | | — “Jury in Elizabeth Holmes Trial Seized on Two ‘Smoking Guns’ to Convict Theranos Founder, Juror Says,” by Wall Street Journal’s Sara Randazzo and Meghan Bobrowsky: “For some, the damning evidence … was a report Theranos gave investors that Ms. Holmes altered to make it look like it was an endorsement from Pfizer Inc. For [one juror], the second was a document of financial projections given to prospective investors, the juror said, including prosecution witness Lisa Peterson, who works for the DeVos family office, which invested $100 million in Theranos.” — “U.S. Labor Agencies Strike Deal to Share Enforcement Information, ” by Bloomberg Law’s Rebecca Rainey and Ian Kullgren: “The agreement is the latest sign that the Biden administration is toughening its enforcement posture on the issue of businesses shedding legal liability by classifying workers as independent contractors rather than employees who are subject to additional protections under the law.” LET’S GET DIGITAL — “The online world still can’t quit the ‘Big Lie,’” by POLITICO’s Mark Scott and Rebecca Kern: “The online world has become even more polarized, violent and politicized since rioters stormed the Capitol in January 2021, according to policymakers, law enforcement and misinformation experts. That situation could prove to be a tinderbox once campaigning begins to heat up for November’s midterm elections.” — “Facebook sued over death of federal officer,” by NBC’s Ben Collins: “‘The shooting was not a random act of violence,’ the complaint reads. ‘It was the culmination of an extremist plot hatched and planned on Facebook by two men who Meta connected through Facebook’s groups infrastructure and its use of algorithms designed and intended to increase user engagement and, correspondingly, Meta’s profits.’” | | | | STEP INSIDE THE WEST WING: What's really happening in West Wing offices? Find out who's up, who's down, and who really has the president’s ear in our West Wing Playbook newsletter, the insider's guide to the Biden White House and Cabinet. For buzzy nuggets and details that you won't find anywhere else, subscribe today. | | | | | | | MIXTAPE | | — “California attorney general says prosecutors should not file murder charges in stillbirths,” via the AP — “21-Year Veteran Firefighter Dies In Rancho Palos Verdes Fire, Department 'Devastated,’” by LAist’s Caitlin Hernández. — “Sacramento sheriff hit with pair of $100 million lawsuits over Carmichael shooting death,” by the Sac Bee’s Sam Stanton. FASTER, STRONGER — “Kanye West to headline 2022 Coachella festival,” by the LA Times’ August Brown. — “49ers’ Raheem Mostert’s 3-year-old son hospitalized with severe COVID-19 symptoms,” by the SF Chronicle’s Eric Branch — “Third person confirmed dead in Vallejo’s Project RoomKey,” by Vallejo Sun’s Scott Morris. | | BIRTHDAYS | | former Rep. Loretta Sanchez … Meta’s Nick Clegg … The Atlantic’s Conor Friedersdorf … Rishi Sahgal … Stewart Verdery of Monument Advocacy … Britta Ritter-Armour … Taylor Gee … Dana Schwartz … Ezra Kest ... Lauren Cohan | | | | A message from California Environmental Justice Alliance: As we enter 2022, California is at a crossroads.
Our communities are reeling from COVID-19, and the climate crisis continues to shape our lives in new and frightening ways. High fossil fuel prices are adding to this pressure for many families, while air quality remains dangerous to breathe in many communities. Urgent action is needed.
Fortunately, creating healthier, more resilient communities and building an economy rooted in prosperity for all are inextricably linked by clean, affordable energy that is available to everyone.
That’s why a dozen environmental justice, equity, and climate organizations are asking Gov. Newsom to adopt these Clean Energy Resolutions:
- Eliminate utility debt
- Increase access to affordable, truly clean electricity
- Invest in transmission
- Install solar + storage on 1 million homes & community buildings
- Reject fossil fuels
- Retire California’s dirtiest fossil fuel power plants
- Invest in increased climate resilience infrastructure
Read the full list here. | | | CALIFORNIA POLICY IS ALWAYS CHANGING: Know your next move. From Sacramento to Silicon Valley, POLITICO California Pro provides policy professionals with the in-depth reporting and tools they need to get ahead of policy trends and political developments shaping the Golden State. To learn more about the exclusive insight and analysis this -only service offers, click here. Want to make an impact? POLITICO California has a variety of solutions available for partners looking to reach and activate the most influential people in the Golden State. Have a petition you want signed? A cause you’re promoting? Seeking to increase brand awareness amongst this key audience? Share your message with our influential readers to foster engagement and drive action. Contact Jesse Shapiro to find out how: jshapiro@politico.com.
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