California Democrats plead with Washington for gun control

From: POLITICO California Playbook - Wednesday May 25,2022 02:42 pm

May 25, 2022

By Lara Korte, Jeremy B. White and Juhi Doshi

Presented by CVS Health

THE BUZZ — ‘INACTION IS A CHOICE’: The nation is, once again, shaken by the news of a mass shooting, the third in less than two weeks. And once again, the nation is wondering if anything will change.

This time, it was at a school in Uvalde, Texas, where a gunman killed 19 elementary school students and two adults Tuesday afternoon. It is the deadliest school shooting since the 2012 Sandy Hook tragedy that took the lives of 28 people, including 20 children, ages 6 to 7.

Just as they did a decade ago, politicians and pundits are demanding action from Capitol Hill in the wake of the tragedy. California Gov. Gavin Newsom directed his fury at the GOP, who “won’t do a damn thing about it,” he said in a tweet. “Who the hell are we if we cannot keep our kids safe. This is preventable. Our inaction is a choice. We need nationwide, comprehensive, commonsense gun safety NOW,” the governor said.

With Democrats controlling the White House and both chambers of Congress, the party would appear to have a better chance of passing something than they did in 2013 when Republicans held the House — but a thin majority in the Senate creates a high hurdle. President Joe Biden has recently called on members of Congress to OK a slate of gun controlmeasures, including bans on ghost guns, assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. And on Tuesday evening, he spoke forcefully about “standing up to the gun lobby," saying, “Where in god’s name is our backbone?”

Any federal restrictions would have a significant impact across the country. Even in California, home to some of the nation’s strictest policies, lawmakers say national gun control laws are sorely needed to stem the flow of illegal firearms and ghost guns coming in across state lines.

California is far and away the toughest state when it comes to gun restrictions. In 1967, then-Gov. Ronald Reagan signed a landmark law making it a felony to carry a firearm in public, either openly or concealed, without a government permit. In 1989, after a school shooting in Stockton, the state banned assault weapons. In the years since, the bills have continued to pile up. As of 2020, the state had 111 laws regulating the use, ownership and sales of firearms, according to a CalMatters analysis, whereas the average state had 20 laws of such nature.

This year, Democrats, including Newsom , are backing a package of bills aimed at cracking down on ghost guns and looking to hold gun manufacturers accountable for their role in illegal gun use.

News of the Texas school shooting broke Tuesday amid a floor session of the state Senate where lawmakers were voting on a number of bills related to gun violence, including one (Senate Bill 1327) that would create a private right of action against gun manufacturers, making them liable in the event their weapons are used illegally. The bill, co-authored by Sens. Bob Hertzberg (D-Van Nuys) and Anthony Portantino (D-La Canada-Flintridge) uses the same legal logic employed by a Texas abortion ban.

Portantino spoke on his bill shortly after reports of the Texas shooting. “Within the last hour 14 people were harmed in a tragic shooting in Texas,” he said on the floor. “So when we debate these issues, they're real. They're imminent. They're around us.”

SB 1327, along with two other gun violence prevention bills from Sen. Dave Min (D-Irvine), passed the chamber on Tuesday and now head to the Assembly.

BUENOS DÍAS, good Wednesday morning. Apologies for the late arrival this morning. We were delayed due to a production issue. The watering of decorative turf at commercial and institutional properties is now banned in California after the State Water Resources Control Board on Tuesday adopted an emergency water conservation regulation, which also requires all urban water suppliers to implement conservation actions under Level 2 of their Water Shortage Contingency Plans.

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 : “Fifty senators in Washington are going to hold us hostage. They refuse to even put it to a vote, despite what the American people want. They want to hold onto their own power. It’s pathetic. I’ve had enough.” Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr lambasts Republicans for inaction on background checks for gun purchases ahead of a game in Dallas on Tuesday, via the San Francisco Chronicle.

TWEET OF THE DAY: California Rep. Salud Carbajal @RepCarbajal. “8 years ago, it was Santa Barbara. Today, it is Uvalde. Tomorrow, it could be students in a classroom anywhere in America. How many more children have to die before those who oppose action realize which side of history they are on?”

WHERE’S GAVIN? Nothing official announced.

A message from CVS Health:

Californians want the lowest prescription drug costs possible and CVS Health’s pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) team is delivering for them. With big drug companies continually increasing the price of prescription drugs, we negotiate lower prescription drug costs for employers, consumers and working families across the state. That saves Californians and employers tens of millions of dollars each year so they can continue to provide affordable coverage that keeps their employees healthy. Learn more.

Top Talkers

WHAT’S GOING ON IN OC? — Republican Rep. Young Kim raised eyebrows on Tuesday with a new broadcast ad buy in LAtargeting Greg Raths , suggesting Kim could see her GOP opponent as a serious obstacle to reelection in California’s 40th Congressional district. Just this week, Democratic candidate Asif Mahmood launched aseparate ad buy on cable TV, contrasting his views on abortion with those of Raths, a now all-too-common tactic to elevate one’s preferred opponent.

IE IN FULL FORCE — “Money wars: Special interests spend big in California primary,” by CalMatters’ Ben Christopher: “Independent expenditure committees funded by special interest groups are spending millions of dollars to make their picks in the California primary. In some races, they are clearly supporting or opposing candidates. In others, the strategy is more complicated.”

— “Disney power broker is part of a ‘cabal’ pulling the strings in Anaheim, FBI records show,” by the Los Angeles Times’ Adam Elmahrek, Nathan Fenno, and Gabriel San Román: “An FBI affidavit made public last week identified an employee of an influential, unnamed company as being a key participant in a “cabal” steering Anaheim’s government.”

YOU’RE OUT — “Anaheim City Council votes unanimously to halt the sale of Angel Stadium,” by the LATimes’ Bill Shaikin : “The Anaheim City Council voted unanimously late Tuesday night to kill the sale of Angel Stadium and the surrounding property, in the process bracing for what city councilmen said could be a long and nasty legal battle with Angels owner Arte Moreno.”

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.

CAMPAIGN MODE

KEEPING UP WITH CARUSO — Reality TV star and Kardashian matriarch Kris Jenner endorsed Los Angeles mayoral candidate Rick Caruso on Tuesday, adding to his already long list of celebrity endorsements, which includes Snoop Dogg. Jenner, in an Instagram post, said she’s known Caruso for a “long time” and he has her support. “I love this city and I want to see it thrive!” she added.

LA TRAFFIC — “ Congestion pricing? Free buses? Monorails? How L.A.’s next mayor could change your commute,” by the LATimes’ Rachel Uranga: “The next mayor could radically change how Angelenos move through traffic-choked streets and highways. Not only will the person be charged with framing the city’s near $12-billion budget, where funds for fixed potholes and crosswalks come from, but the mayor will also control four seats on the 13-member board of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Agency.”

CALIFORNIA AND THE CAPITOL CORRIDOR

A GRIM GUIDE — “Texas school shooting: How to help kids get through unspeakable horror,” by the LATimes’ Laura Newberry: “Experts have told The Times these are complex and sensitive conversations, but also vital — especially for the children of today, who’ve endured a pandemic.”

— “UCLA to pay record of nearly $700M in doctor abuse lawsuits,” by the AP’s Brian Melley: “ The University of California system announced Tuesday it will pay nearly $375 million to more than 300 women who said they were sexually abused by a UCLA gynecologist, bringing a record amount in total payouts by a public university in a wave of sexual misconduct scandals by campus doctors.”

— “As abortion wars escalate, Nancy Pelosi and Gavin Newsom push back on what it means to be ‘pro-life’ ,” by SF Chronicle’s Joe Garofoli: “With just a few brief words Tuesday, Pelosi outlined how Democrats — especially Catholics and other Christians who support abortion rights — can reclaim the moral high ground when it comes to the phrase “pro-life” as the nation’s abortion wars heat up in the midst of the expected demise of the Roe v. Wade decision.”

— “ California housing bill clears Assembly despite Trades opposition,” by POLITICO’s Jeremy B. White: A California housing bill that will test the intensity of organized-labor resistance passed the Assembly floor on Monday.

DIGITAL ID — “ California will test digital driver’s licenses. Should you worry about your personal info?” by the LATimes’ Jon Healey: “Now the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles is planning to test a version called a mobile driver’s license or digital ID — an identity-verifying credential stored on your smartphone. And unlike Real ID, a mobile license could give you more control over your personal information, although critics say a poorly designed system would threaten your privacy.”

— “Climate worries galvanize a new pro-nuclear movement in the U.S.,” by WaPo’s Evan Halper: “The movement to keep plants open comes despite persistent worries about toxic waste and just a decade after the nuclear disaster at Japan’s Fukushima plant. It has been boosted by growing public acceptance of nuclear power and has nurtured an unlikely coalition of industry players, erstwhile anti-nukers, and legions of young grass-roots environmental activists more worried about climate change than nuclear accidents.”

COLLATERAL DAMAGE — “ Going electric: California car mandate would hit mechanics hard,” by CalMatters’ Nadia Lopez: “Who loses and who gains as California cleans up its cars? Nearly 32,000 mechanics would lose jobs by 2040 under the proposed phaseout of new gas-powered cars. Electric companies would be the big winners.”

— “ San Francisco police appear to have killed both the assailant and victim in reported stabbing,” by SF Chronicle’s Dominic Fracassa and Megan Cassidy: “The two men fired upon by San Francisco police officers last Friday died from gunshot wounds, according to a copy of the medical examiner’s conclusions into the causes of their deaths reviewed by The Chronicle.”

IT’S A JUNGLE OUT THERE — “Monkeypox case ‘likely’ in California. Health officials say risk of outbreak ‘extremely low’,” by Sacramento Bee’s Darrel Smith and Cathie Anderson: “California health officials are investigating a “likely” case of monkeypox virus in a resident who recently returned from Europe. Sacramento County officials are awaiting tests by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that would confirm the infection, it was announced Tuesday.”

A message from CVS Health:

BIDEN, HARRIS AND THE HILL

— “Kevin McCarthy claims Biden rarely takes his calls. What does it mean if the House flips?” by the LATimes’ Jennifer Haberkorn: “The Bakersfield Republican got a quizzical call back from a White House staffer who wanted to know if it was actually him who left a message, according to McCarthy’s retelling during a record-long House floor speech in November. President Biden followed up with a call, in which the two men clashed over the last Americans left in the country as the U.S.’ longest war ended.”

DEMANDING ACTION — “ 'Why are we willing to live with this carnage?': Biden demands action on guns after Texas school shooting,” by POLITICO’s Christopher Cadelago and Laura Barrón-López: President Joe Biden again tried to comfort a nation grieving after a mass shooting, urging action to counter powerful gunmakers and repeatedly questioning why the country he leads lacks “the backbone” to stem the bloodshed.

— “These Investors Are Putting $1 Billion Into Trump Media ,” by the New York Times’ Matthew Goldstein: “When former President Donald J. Trump’s fledgling social media company and its merger partner announced in December that they had secured $1 billion in additional private funds for the deal, it set off speculation about the identities of the investors.”

HAPPENING TODAY—A WOMEN RULE TALK ON THE MIDTERMS : Join POLITICO’S Women Rule for a conversation with the women running the midterm campaigns and how they are shaping messaging and strategy for their candidates. The program will look into what a win for either party could mean for access to reproductive health care, economic advancement of women, and how the final stages of the Covid-19 pandemic are managed. REGISTER HERE.

SILICON VALLEYLAND

— “After layoffs at Netflix, questions mount over diversity efforts,” by the LATimes’ Wendy Lee and Melissa Hernandez: “As the company fights to maintain its leading position in the streaming world, some of the laid-off workers are questioning whether diversity efforts will become part of the collateral damage.”

MEDIA MATTERS

— “Madi Bolaños Is the Newest Voice of KQED’s 'The California Report',” by KQED’s Peter Cavagnaro.

MIXTAPE

COMPLICATIONS — “SoCal needs to keep vital trees alive despite unprecedented watering restrictions,” by the LATimes’ Jaimie Ding.

INSPIRATIONAL — “Mother raccoon chewed through a California home’s roof to get back to her babies,” by SF Chronicle’s Jessica Flores.

C’MON GUYS — “ A customer threw a drink at an employee over 25 cents. It's not an isolated incident,” by SF Chronicle's Elena Kadvany.
— “Chihuahua found with arrow through neck expected to survive ,” by the AP.

BIRTHDAYS

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum’s Hayley Miller

A message from CVS Health:

CVS Health manages prescription drug plans for millions of Californians.

Every day, our PBM is helping the people of California reduce their prescription drug costs while improving their health outcomes. This means patients can access and afford medications while getting personalized support along the way.

Through end-to-end coordination of care, we work hard to keep costs down and improve medication adherence — because we know that people who take their medications as prescribed have better results.

Healthier happens together.

Learn more.

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.

Follow us on Twitter