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Presented by The Nature Conservancy: Jeremy B. White and Lara Korte’s must-read briefing on politics and government in the Golden State | | | | |  | | By Lara Korte, Juhi Doshi and Chris Ramirez | Presented by The Nature Conservancy | THE BUZZ — ‘WAKE UP’: That was Gov. Gavin Newsom ’s message to California and the country on Wednesday morning. Standing outside a Planned Parenthood in Los Angeles, the governor spoke forcefully about what the Supreme Court’s draft majority opinion on Roe v. Wade could mean for the future of the country. And he wasn’t just talking about abortion access. “This Supreme Court is poised to roll back constitutioanally protected rights,” he said. “And don’t think for a second this is where they stop.”
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Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks at a news conference Wednesday, May 4, 2022, at a Planned Parenthood office in Los Angeles. | AP Photo/Michael R. Blood |
As keen readers and legal scholars have already noted, Roe relies on what the Supreme Court has called a right to privacy. While not explicitly mentioned in the Constitution, the right to privacy is the legal basis for a multitude of other rights that have been established since, including access to contraception, interracial marriage, and same-sex marriage. Justice Samuel Alito, in the draft opinion, argues that none of those other rights will be undermined if Roe is overturned, because they don’t involve “potential life.” But some worry that, with the repeal of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court could still put them in jeopardy.
“You think for a second same-sex marriage is safe in the United States of America? Give me a break,” Newsom said Wednesday. Democrats, undoubtedly, have strongly held convictions about abortion access and the right to marry. Newsom, after all, was issuing same-sex marriage licenses way back in 2004 as mayor of San Francisco, when it was still considered political suicide to do so. But with a tough midterm election ahead for Democrats, California’s Democratic leaders have argued that a ballot measure on abortion access could drive their voters to the polls. “I hope it boosts turnout, but that’s not why we’re doing this,” Senate President Pro Tempore Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) said at a Tuesday press conference. There’s not much good news for Democrats in California to run on this year. Gas prices are still high, homelessness is still pervasive, and feelings of rising crime continue to worry voters. But minutes before appearing before cameras on Wednesday, Newsom released anew campaign ad — and then declared that Roe will be the “defining issue of 2022,” touting his abortion rights bona fides. “Wake up, America, wake up to who you’re electing ,” he said. The governor added that he hopes the issue has an impact on the election, but that’s “not what this should be about, foundationally, because it’s so much more profound.” BUENOS DÍAS, good Thursday morning. On Wednesday, a Republican bill to stop California’s gas-tax inflation hike died in committee. No word yet on next steps in the Democrats’ relief plan. Got a tip or story idea for California Playbook? Hit us up jwhite@politico.com and lkorte@politico.com or follow us on Twitter @JeremyBWhite and @Lara_Korte. QUOTE OF THE DAY — “Please be careful. Please be cautious. Please put those masks on. It’s a simple thing you can do.” Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer in a briefing on Wednesday as Covid cases once again begin to rise, via the Los Angeles Times. TWEET OF THE DAY — California Rep. Ted Lieu @tedlieu responds to a tweet from Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz knocking ‘over-educated, under-loved millennial ’ female cat owners: “Republicans like Matt Gaetz are for government-mandated pregnancy, against education, and against cats.” WHERE’S GAVIN? Nothing official announced | | A message from The Nature Conservancy: GOVERNOR & LEGISLATORS: Fund Nature or Lose It.
Last year California made a historic commitment to protect 30% of its natural lands by 2030, but we must dedicate resources now in order to deliver on that commitment. Unless the Governor and Legislature build on last year’s commitments to nature, we will fall short of protecting our state’s biodiversity. A meaningful 30x30 conservation budget means $1B for programs that actually protect nature. | | | |  | Top Talkers | |
BAD DEAL — “A top California official pushed hard for a $600-million mask deal. Fraud claims followed,” by the Los Angeles Times’ Melody Gutierrez: “Lawsuits stemming from the failed contracts provide a glimpse into the dealmaking — including how California Controller Betty Yee, a two-term Democrat with no formal role in the contracting process, worked behind the scenes to help a pair of political operatives land a deal that turned out to be one of the state’s most flawed.”
IT’S COMPLICATED — “ Essential Politics: Are Karen Bass and Kamala Harris frenemies?” by the LA Times’ Erin B. Logan: “[Gov. Gavin Newsom] and Harris spoke by phone and she left the ‘distinct impression’ she did not want Bass to take her old job.” EXPOSED! — “ Text messages reveal San Jose mayor, VTA tried to hide ballooning BART extension cost,” by the Mercury News’ Eliyahu Kamisher: “After months of downplaying the federal cost assessment, the VTA earlier this month said it may be short by up to $1.66 billion in needed project funds and indicated that the agency is scrambling to identify new state and federal sources to fill the gap.” — “ S.F. teacher got paid $0 in April. Her principal loaned her $4,500 for rent amid SFUSD payroll debacle,” by the SF Chronicle’s Jill Tucker: “For more than four months, teachers and other staff members across San Francisco Unified have faced countless errors in their paychecks.” | | CAMPAIGN MODE | | LIVE FROM OC, via Juhi Doshi: For the first time, residents in Orange County were able to watch the incumbent district attorney, Todd Spitzer, spar with three candidates vying for his office. Spitzer’s main opponent is Pete Hardin, whom he has likened to progressive DAs such as George Gascón and Chesa Boudin as he pushed his “#noLAinOC” tagline. Spitzer also drew attention to complaints about inappropriate workplace interactions Hardin allegedly had with women. Pete Hardin called Spitzer’s claims the “worst of politics” and pointed to a slew of scandals that have poured out of Spitzer’s office, including allegations that Spitzer failed to protect employees from sexual harassment and made racially insensitive comments about Black men. “Sadly, Spitzer has shown his true colors — that he is incapable of taking responsibility for the disaster that his time in office has been,” Hardin said. “He never once took responsibility for the shocking rise in homelessness and crime. Instead, he wants to make scapegoats, like district attorneys from different counties, to distract from the failures of his own administration.” After not showing up to a debate organized a week ago, Spitzer tried to solidify his “tough-on-crime” approach, stating that Orange County does not need any change. “I am not this Neanderthal prosecutor , but actually being very thoughtful — but without any reservation [about] keeping Orange County safe,” Spitzer said. — FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: The backers of a ballot measure that would raise income taxes on wealthy Californians to create a pandemic preparedness and research fund submitted more than 1.5 million signatures this week, far more than the 997,139 signatures needed to qualify for the November ballot. The California Pandemic Detection and Prevention Act is meant to generate up to $1.5 billion annually for 10 years to “prepare and protect” the state against the next emergent disease. It also has the backing of Sen. Alex Padilla and state Sen. Richard Pan (D-Sacramento). — Californians for Tribal Sovereignty and Safe Gaming is adding another $12 million to its statewide ad campaign countering a ballot measure to legalize online sports betting backed by gaming giants FanDuel and DraftKings. BASS BASHES CARUSO ON ABORTION: In the Los Angeles mayor’s race, Bass just launched an ad targeting billionaire developer Rick Caruso as an “anti-choice Republican.” (Caruso is now a registered Democrat.) — “ Many homeless people resist group shelters even as L.A. mayoral candidates push to build more,” by the LA Times’ Benjamin Oreskes and Doug Smith: “More than 40% said the reason they weren’t in housing is that no one followed up with them after the initial offer of housing.” SECOND TIME’S A CHARM? — “ He fooled voters once. Can Sheriff Villanueva do it again?” opines the LA Times’ Steve Lopez: “Unlike four years ago, when the L.A. County Democratic Party got fleeced and backed Villanueva, there is no endorsement from the group this time around.” — “ San Francisco propositions 2022: What’s on the ballot in June election,” by the SF Chronicle’s J.D. Morris. BEHIND THE CURTAIN — “The doorknocking mastermind who helped Haney get elected, ” by the SF Examiner’s Shanks: “By the time Haney triumphantly took the stage to declare victory on election night last month, Zou and his sizeable team had knocked on 85,509 doors and made 178,000 phone calls.”
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| | CALIFORNIA AND THE CAPITOL CORRIDOR | |
THE ROAD AHEAD — “California could be home to almost 30% of America’s abortion clinics if Roe v. Wade is overturned,” by the SF Chronicle’s Susie Neilson: “California had 168 clinics as of last year; if that number stayed constant, it would go from having 21% of all clinics in the country to about 29%.”
— “40 years later, five Capital Christian students say teacher tied them up, abused them,” by the Sac Bee’s Sam Stanton: “The lawsuit … was filed under the auspices of California’s Child Victims Act, a measure passed as Assembly Bill 218 that became law in 2019 and opened a three-year window for victims of childhood sexual abuse to sue.” OPEN HOUSE — “Report finds hundreds of affordable units in mixed-income buildings are vacant, ” by Mission Local’s Annika Hom: “Some of the 305 units have sat empty for as long as three years — despite 21,000 applicants for the units.” OH, HOW THE TURNTABLES — “States’ rights? Building walls? Democrats’ new rhetoric, ” by CalMatters’ Emily Hoeven: “The two efforts are the latest indication that Democrats may turn to ‘states’ rights’ — a legal argument often invoked by Republicans to challenge federal policies they say encroach on states’ authority to set their own rules — if the U.S. Supreme Court weakens or overturns federal precedents such as Roe vs. Wade.” GOING NUCLEAR — “ Why Newsom is talking about saving California’s last nuclear plant,” by POLITICO’s Colby Bermel: “California has tried various policies to make up for the lost capacity. But the worsening Western drought means hydropower will be less available, and new energy projects have encountered delays.” HIGHER AND HIGHER — “ The Fed announces an interest rate hike. What does it mean for California consumers?” by the Sac Bee’s David Lightman and Hanh Truong: “Most rates, though, were already up in anticipation of the Fed’s action, said Song Won Sohn, president of SS Economics, a Los Angeles-base consulting firm.” POINTING FINGERS — “ In Letter to Boudin, Humboldt County Links Tenderloin Drug Sales to Rise in Local Fentanyl Cases,” by the SF Standard’s David Sjostedt: “The letter also cited an injunction by former San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera that sought to ban convicted drug dealers from entering the Tenderloin neighborhood, and asked Boudin’s office to support Mayor London Breed’s emergency declaration on drug overdoses and prosecute drug dealers ‘to the fullest extent of the law.’” | | BIDEN, HARRIS AND THE HILL | |
— “Kamala Harris finally found her moment and her message,” opines WaPo’s Jennifer Rubin: “To begin with, Harris is ideally suited to speak to the issue, not only because of her prosecutorial background but also because of her focus on the disparities in maternal health care for White women and Black women.”
| | | | A message from The Nature Conservancy:   | | | | | SILICON VALLEYLAND | |
CRYPTO CRUSADE — Newsom orders blockchain and crypto push, by POLITICO’s Susannah Luthi: It promises a general regulatory framework and a push for the state to launch pilot programs to explore ways the state can use blockchain.
INTO THE META-STORE — “Facebook-owner Meta gives preview of it’s first store, enterprise tools,” by Reuters’ Katie Paul: It “features a floor-to-ceiling screen for showing off games on its virtual reality headsets and rooms for testing video calling devices.” | | HOLLYWOODLAND | |
JUST A JOKE? — “With Dave Chappelle attack suspect in custody, questions about event’s security arise, ” by the LA Times’ Richard Winton, Christi Carras, Hannah Fry, Sonaiya Kelley, Nardine Saad and Matthew Ormseth: “It also heightened existing worries about the safety of comedians in the wake of Will Smith’s infamous slap of Chris Rock during the Oscars after Rock made a joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.’
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| | MIXTAPE | |
— “Judge rejects California Jan. 6 suspect’s bid to move trial out of DC because of Biden voters,” by the Sac Bee’s Sam Stanton.
— “LA County Deputy Charged With Assault While On Duty, Later Lying About It,” via LAist. — “ Oakland’s Madison Park to become ‘Wilma Chan Park’ in honor of late supervisor,” by the Mercury News’ Annie Sciacca. ICYMI — “Can Sustainable Suburbs Save Southern California? ” by the New Yorker’s Emily Witt. | | TRANSITIONS | |
George Hatamiya has been promoted to be communications director for Rep. Doris Matsui (D-Calif.).
Kris Perry, a senior advisor to Newsom, is leaving to take over as executive director of the nonprofit Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development. | | BIRTHDAYS | |
Christine Pelosi … Nathaniel Haas … Sacha Haworth of The Tech Oversight Project … Francis Larson
| | A message from The Nature Conservancy: GOVERNOR AND LEGISLATORS: Is California really committed to protecting our biodiversity?
Biodiversity isn’t just a list of California’s species; it's the web of life that sustains us and makes California such an incredible place. But our web is falling apart, and nature needs our help NOW!
There is a clear path to achieving California’s goal to conserve 30% of our wildlife habitat by 2030. That path requires $1 billion a year for the next five years to close the nature funding gap.
The choice is clear. Either we meet this moment and protect California’s amazing biodiversity and unique landscapes – or we fail our children and future generations. Funding nature means investing in programs and partnerships at the Wildlife Conservation Board and the State’s regional conservancies that will do this work with urgency.
$1B FOR BIODIVERSITY: TNC urges the Governor and Legislature to increase funding for biodiversity to save California. | | |
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.
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