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Jeremy B. White’s must-read briefing on politics and government in the Golden State | | | | |  | | By Jeremy B. White, Chris Ramirez, Juhi Doshi and Graph Massara | THE BUZZ — REFORMERS ON TRIAL: Crime recalibration will be the key to this election cycle’s preeminent statewide race. Forget the less-than-compelling gubernatorial race: The attorney general contest could break Democrats' statewide office monopoly. It is the latest test of whether voters will stand behind the last decade’s remarkable shift from tough-on-crime policies to a vision of less incarceration and lighter sentences — an agenda embodied by Attorney General Rob Bonta, a progressive favorite who worked in the Legislature to end cash bail and private prisons, and who’s now seeking his first full term. Voters are more concerned about public safety than they have been in years. The share who see crime as a big problem or who think their elected officials are failing to address the issue has jumped in parallel with a rise in violent crime and property crime upticks in populous cities. A recent poll found the same share of voters who downgraded property crime penalties by passing Proposition 47 in 2014 would, in 2022, be open to changes — and while critics contest the wording of that question, a flurry of Prop 47 bills in the Legislature suggests lawmakers are attuned to such a shift. Indeed, evidence of Democratic politicians trying to respond to this public anxiety is everywhere. You can see it in Gov. Gavin Newsom vowing to crack down on property theft and describing scenes of mass package theft as something from a “third-world country;” in Rep. Karen Bass calling for more L.A. cops as she runs for mayor; in Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf asking the state for more crime-fighting collaboration; or in San Francisco Mayor London Breed decrying the “reign of criminals who are destroying our city.” | 
Rob Bonta. | Justin Sullivan/Getty Images |
Prosecutorial contests best distill those dynamics. Criminal justice reformers and law enforcement groups alike are closely watching the well-funded recall campaigns targeting a pair of prominent progressives: San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin and Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón. The Gascón recall has not qualified yet, although the encircled D.A. has hedged on some of his signature reforms. Boudin’s fate will be in voters’ hands in June, the same day when they’ll choose who will match up with Bonta in November.
Bonta’s challengers are working hard to equate him to Boudin and Gascón, believing that fearful voters are ready to renounce their leftward swing on criminal justice and that the pendulum has started to swing back. A similar gambit failed in 2020 when voters resoundingly rejected law enforcement’s push to roll back previously passed reforms. But a lot can change in two years. Bonta recently said the jury was out on Prop 47’s effects and said he was open to changing it. But who will advance to the general election, and who could beat Bonta there? To oversimplify, no-party-preference Sacramento District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert has garnered the backing of law enforcement, while GOP former U.S. Attorney Nathan Hochman has won over Republican elected officials. That (R) next to his name could help in a law-and-order primary but hurt in a general election. Here’s Jeremy’s look at California’s most important race of 2022. BUENOS DÍAS, good Monday morning. California’s school mask mandate is officially gone, although individual districts can still require students and teachers to cover up in classrooms, as L.A. is doing. And speaking of politically charged issues, Republicans are today pushing legislation to suspend the state’s gas tax — an idea Newsom also floated this year, before promoting a gas-linked rebate that’s more palatable to Democratic leaders. Got a tip or story idea for California Playbook? Hit jwhite@politico.com or follow me on Twitter @jeremybwhite. QUOTE OF THE DAY: “When our legislation passes and allows the law to be applied retroactively, UC Berkeley will be able to resume its enrollment plan, which was disrupted by a misguided court order.” Speaker Anthony Rendon, like President Pro Tem Toni Atkins, vows swift action on legislation to block Berkeley enrollment cuts. TWEET OF THE DAY: California Democratic Party Chair @RustyHicks backs BART board member Lateefah Simon, who was ousted in a residency dispute: “When an elected official makes a good faith effort to get the best info & then reasonably relies on the info given by those in the best position to give the best info, an immediate inquiry is appropriate - along with reinstatement until that inquiry is complete.”
| | | | SUBSCRIBE TO NATIONAL SECURITY DAILY : Keep up with the latest critical developments from Ukraine and across Europe in our daily newsletter, National Security Daily. The Russian invasion of Ukraine could disrupt the established world order and result in a refugee crisis, increased cyberattacks, rising energy costs and additional disruption to global supply chains. Go inside the top national security and foreign-policymaking shops for insight on the global threats faced by the U.S. and its allies and what actions world leaders are taking to address them. Subscribe today. | | | | | |  | Top Talkers | | CSU CONFLICT — “Cal State pays millions to executives after they resign, with little oversight of what they do,” by the LA Times’ Robert J. Lopez and Colleen Shalby: “ More than a decade ago, a state audit singled out the program and its failure to document work performed by those enrolled in it, prompting CSU officials to agree to better track the program.” — “‘Intolerable sexualized environment’: Ex-USF baseball players sue coaches, school, NCAA, ” by the SF Chronicle’s Ron Kroichick: “The coaches’ behavior drove several players to leave USF and enter the NCAA’s transfer portal, according to the 113-page lawsuit. One former Dons player posted on social media that he considered suicide.” DISNEY IS DONE — “Disney to pause all business in Russia, ” by Reuters’ Chavi Mehta: “Other Hollywood studios Warner Bros. and Sony Pictures Entertainment too had decided on such a move last month in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.” ALL ABOARD — “California’s Ambitious High-Speed Rail at a Crossroads ,” by the New York Times’ Jill Cowan: “Experts say that the fragmented nature of transportation planning in the country has made the federal government hesitant to bet big on new projects rather than on fixing existing systems. That’s layered over a national political environment in which the appearance of California boosterism can be a liability, even for Democrats like the president.”
| | CAMPAIGN MODE | | ROLLING STONE — Friday’s midterm filing deadline brought news from Assemblymember Mark Stone, who became the latest Class of 2012 member to bow out of running for a final term. The Santa Cruz Democrat said in a statement that it would be “inherently unfair” to run for a single term in the newly drawn 28th Assembly district. NO MAYES — A final piece of the midterm puzzle was whether no-party-preference Assembly member Chad Mayes, who is not seeking another Assembly term, would join GOP Sen. Melissa Melendez in challenging GOP Rep. Ken Calvert. With the filing deadline behind us, we have our answer: It’s a nope. WONG OUT — Bill Wong, longtime political director for Assembly Democrats and aide to speaker Rendon, announced on Friday that he’s stepping down. Wong said in a text to POLITICO that it “seemed like the right time for a changing of the guard” with redistricting locking in “60 safe seats” — well above a supermajority — for Assembly Democrats. DATA WATCH — “Lowell was key to S.F.’s school board recall, according to one professor’s data analysis,” by the SF Chronicle’s Nami Sumida: “Precincts with larger shares of voters opposing the 2020 statewide Proposition 16 — which would have reinstated affirmative action in public education and employment — were far more likely to support recalling the school board members.”
| | CALIFORNIA AND THE CAPITOL CORRIDOR | |
BERKELEY BATTLES — “Lawmakers unveil rescue effort to help UC Berkeley avoid enrollment cuts after court battle,” by the LA Times’ Teresa Watanabe: “Under legislation introduced Friday, the state’s public colleges and universities would be given 18 months to complete any court-ordered environmental review before being subject to a mandatory reduction or freeze in campus population.”
NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK — “After historic recall, Mayor Breed taps three SFUSD parents to serve on school board, ” by the SF Chronicle’s Jill Tucker: “The appointments could have a significant impact on the district in the coming months, when the board is expected to determine the future of Lowell High Schools admissions while selecting a new superintendent and closing a $125 million deficit.” HARDER, BETTER, FASTER … California job growth stronger than originally estimated, report finds, by POLITICO’s Alex Nieves: EDD’s first release of employment data for 2022 paints the rosiest picture of the state’s job market since Covid-19 and related shutdowns derailed the economy — an improvement driven in part by the state agency's steep upward revision of its December jobs numbers. ASKING TOUGH QUESTIONS — “ Just How Liberal Is California? The Answer Matters to Democrats Everywhere,” opines the NYT’s Miriam Pawel: “If progressives here cannot translate their ideology into popular support that wins elections, it will not bode well for their efforts on a national scale.” YIKES … “ California sheriff charged with voter fraud, perjury in vacation rental address dispute,” by the Sac Bee’s Ryan Sabalow and Jason Pohl: “The address that he gave, which is listed in the documents, is for a short-term rental suite along Highway 101, a half-mile south of the Oregon border in Del Norte.” BACKTRACKING — “ Newsom promised to address California’s high gas costs. But the politics are tricky,” by the LA Times’ Phil Willon: “Though Newsom in his January budget proposal called for canceling an increase in California’s gas tax scheduled for July, his administration is also considering alternatives that could provide direct payments to residents.” WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN, LOCA — “Wolves Returned to California. So Did ‘Crazy’ Rumors,” by the NY Times’ Hillary Richard: “Now it seems that in the state’s far-north counties, families of wolves are there to stay, with a relatively stable population of about 20 wolves. That number may fluctuate once spring begins and new pups emerge from their dens, but California can probably expect to have wolves calling the state home for years to come.” YOU GOT A FRIEND IN ME — “ California’s National Guard Trained Ukraine’s Military for Decades—and Now It Helps From Afar,” by the Wall Street Journal’s Dan Frosch: “Initially, the requests were for rocket launchers, radios and ammunition. Now, the need has shifted to tents and medical supplies.” —“ Report finds schools in L.A. County’s youth justice system lacking,” by EdSource’s Betty Márquez Rosales: “Poor and inconsistent teaching plus student apathy were among the findings of a citizens review of the education offered to youth held in Los Angeles juvenile facilities. A recently released report described a setting that did little to foster learning and where students were more interested in getting a high school diploma than in learning.”
| | SILICON VALLEYLAND | |
TIMES ARE A CHANGIN’ — “One Elon Musk Tweet Supercharged a Texas Region’s Transformation,” by Bloomberg’s Sophie Alexander: “The city — located on the Mexico border, with a $39,000 median household income — has a new identity as the “gateway to Mars.”
THE HORROR — “Facebook’s Parent Company Will Make Employees Do Their Own Laundry,” by NYT’s Mike Isaac, Ryan Mac and Sheera Frenkel: “The moves are a reflection of changing workplace culture in Silicon Valley. Tech companies, which often offer lifestyle perks in return for employees spending long hours in the office, are preparing to adjust to a new hybrid work model.” TRENDING NOW —“TikTok Influencers Get Spotlight in Information Battle Over the Russia-Ukraine War ,” by the Wall Street Journals' Sarah E. Needleman and Deepa Seetharaman: “Victoria Hammett is a 23-year-old recent University of Southern California graduate who almost daily posts short TikTok videos of herself talking about, as she puts it, “politics and other stuff.””
| | HOLLYWOODLAND | |
— “Alec Baldwin, In Legal Filing, Says He's 'Not Culpable' For Fatally Shooting Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins,” by the LAist’s John Horn: “The actor and producer now claims the cinematographer herself ordered Baldwin to aim the gun at her and to pull back its hammer before the gun went off.”
| | MIXTAPE | | —“Containment of wind-driven Hollister fire in Santa Barbara County is up to 40%,” by the LATimes’ Alex Wigglesworth. — “Owning Their Ukrainian Identity Is an 'Act of Resistance' for These Stanford Students,” by KQED’s Anaïs-Ophelia Lino. — “ Majority of L.A. County sheriff’s deputies did not complete training requirements, audit says,” by the LA Times’ Alene Tcheckmedyian. — “Giant Forest, home to largest sequoias on Earth, reopens to the public daily, ” by the SF Chronicle’s Michael Cabanatuan: — “Sacramento’s Sutter Health defeats federal antitrust challenge filed by employers, patients,” by the Sac Bee’s Cathie Anderson: “California’s hottest real estate ZIP codes are in the High Desert. Here’s what it’s like to live there,” by the SF Chronicle’s Kellie Hwang.
| | BIRTHDAYS | |
Matt David of Crypto.com … Allen Gannett … White House’s Rory Brosius … Airbnb’s Kristen Jarvis West
SUNDAY: Meta’s Caroline Chalmers … Microsoft’s David Pryor Jr. … Benjamin Allen … Diamond Naga Siu SATURDAY: Protocol’s Justin Stuckey … USTelecom’s Brian Weiss … Marcy Stech of Emerson Collective … Scott Comer … Reed DesRosiers … Preston Maddock | | | | DON’T MISS POLITICO’S INAUGURAL HEALTH CARE SUMMIT ON 3/31: Join POLITICO for a discussion with health care providers, policymakers, federal regulators, patient representatives, and industry leaders to better understand the latest policy and industry solutions in place as we enter year three of the pandemic. Panelists will discuss the latest proposals to overcome long-standing health care challenges in the U.S., such as expanding access to care, affordability, and prescription drug prices. REGISTER HERE. | | | | |
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