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Presented by YES on 26, NO on 27 - Coalition for Safe, Responsible Gaming: Jeremy B. White and Lara Korte’s must-read briefing on politics and government in the Golden State | | | | |  | | By Lara Korte , Jeremy B. White , Sakura Cannestra and Owen Tucker-Smith | Presented by YES on 26, NO on 27 - Coalition for Safe, Responsible Gaming | THE BUZZ: Declaring an end to the pandemic seems like a futile endeavor at this point. But if there ever was a finish line, we imagine it might look something like this. Gov. Gavin Newsom is ending the Covid-19 state of emergency on Feb. 28, his office announced yesterday, nearly three years to the day after he first declared it way back on March 4, 2020. It’s hard to forget those early days, when California and the world were gripped with fear about a mysterious illness bulldozing its way through the populace. At the time, the state had recorded one death, and the now-infamous Grand Princess cruise ship, with its 2,500 passengers, was still out at sea, unable to dock for fear of spreading the pathogen. The announcement yesterday marks the official end of a public health crisis that, to date, has taken the lives of nearly 96,000 Californians, more than could fit in the Rose Bowl. As POLITICO’s Victoria Colliver reported, many of the key provisions of the pandemic restrictions have ended in 2021 and this year. These include everything from travel restrictions to facial masking requirements to other Covid health protocols. The end of the state of emergency doesn’t mean the virus is eradicated — the latest statewide, 7-day positivity rate was 4.7 percent — but state officials say they’ve got enough tools in the toolbox, like vaccines, testing, and masking, to keep it under control. The state is also keeping an eye out for a possible surge in the coming months. Newsom’s office said the February end date is meant to give the health care system flexibility to handle potential post-holiday surges. The administration will also move to keep some provisions of the emergency order even after the mandate is lifted — including the continued ability of nurses to dispense Covid therapeutics; and the ability of laboratory workers to solely process Covid tests. Newsom is asking the Legislature to pass those laws when lawmakers reconvene. In ending the state of emergency, Newsom called it an “effective and necessary tool that we utilized to protect our state.” We know, of course, that some Californians did not always agree with that view. | 
California Gov. Gavin Newsom in Sacramento, Calif., Friday, June 24, 2022. | Rich Pedroncelli/AP Photo |
While Democratic leaders saw California’s strict Covid rules as critical to survival, Republicans saw them as oppressive. Newsom over the past three years has faced repeated criticism for keeping the state of emergency, and his own expanded powers, in place despite falling case rates. Much of it came from GOP opponents who saw it as a power grab — including two state lawmakers who tried to sue him over it. It also fueled the push for the recall election that Newsom handily defeated.
Even after many schools and businesses reopened and life seemed to be returning to normal, the governor defended keeping the order in place, saying it was needed to draw down federal benefits and help the state recover. Now, as Health and Human Services Secretary Mark Ghaly puts it, the state is ready for the next phase. “While the threat of this virus is still real, our preparedness and collective work have helped turn this once crisis emergency into a manageable situation,” he said in a statement. BUENOS DÍAS, good Tuesday morning. Los Angeles City Council will convene this morning after two meetings last week were shut down by protesters demanding the resignations of Gil Cedillo and Kevin de León. That might be a bit harder to do today, seeing as members are meeting via Zoom. On the agenda today: a vote for a new council president to fill the vacancy left by Nury Martinez and a resolution regarding an independent redistricting committee. 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 . Send us your political mailers! We’re looking to bring more transparency to the elections process. How you can help: Send us photos of the campaign ads you’ve gotten in the mail. You can upload photos here or email them to mailers@politico.com . QUOTE OF THE DAY: “I do not see the remaining two members who haven’t resigned coming back to council with any level of credibility whatsoever.” Acting LA City Council President Mitch O’Farrell on stripping Cedillo and de León of their committee assignments . TWEET OF THE DAY |  Today's Tweet of the Day | Twitter |
WHERE’S GAVIN? Nothing official announced.
| | | | A message from YES on 26, NO on 27 - Coalition for Safe, Responsible Gaming: Cardroom casinos have a well-documented history of flouting the law and have been fined millions of dollars for violating anti-money laundering laws, racketeering, and illegal gambling. Now, cardroom casinos and their gambling bankers are spending millions attacking California Indian tribes and tribal gaming. Hold these bad actors accountable! Get the Facts about Cardroom Casinos: www.FactsAboutCardrooms.com | | | |  | TOP TALKERS | | MIND THE GAP — Los Angeles council tries to get back to business after leaked tape scandal , by POLITICO’s Lara Korte and Alexander Nieves: The council can elect a new president to steer legislation, including important reforms of a tarnished municipal government, as early as Tuesday. The leader would replace Nury Martinez, who resigned last week under pressure following the release of a recording that captured her and two fellow members in a conversation that included racist, disparaging comments about colleagues and efforts to manipulate district boundaries. AND DON’T TRIP — “ Martinez’s resignation sets off scramble for mid-San Fernando Valley seat ,” by the Los Angeles Times’ Dakota Smith: “Cindy Montañez, who twice ran unsuccessfully against Martinez for the District 6 seat, told The Times on Sunday that three political consultants were among those who called her last week in the wake of the scandal to see if she would be interested in running. “ | | CAMPAIGN MODE | | ROE THE BOAT — “ Democrats are trying out a new pitch with Latino voters, one centered on abortion rights ,” by the Los Angeles Times’ Melanie Mason and Noah Bierman: “Just as the reversal of Roe vs. Wade has scrambled Democrats’ overall midterm playbook, it has also prompted the party to rethink its long-standing approach with Latino voters. The party is putting the abortion issue at the center, discarding decades of conventional wisdom that it would be a political loser with a group of voters that is overwhelmingly Catholic and seen as socially conservative.” MELTING IN THE SPOTLIGHT — “ Are Newsom’s national aspirations sucking all the oxygen out of California’s election? ” by the Mercury News’ John Woolfolk: “Gov. Gavin Newsom, that guy at the top of the ticket, must feel pretty good about his re-election chances. He’s not spending much time convincing California voters he deserves a second term.” GOP GAINS — Democrats’ midterm hopes fade: ‘We peaked a little early’ , by POLITICO’s David Siders: For Democrats, the timing could hardly be worse. Gas prices, after falling for weeks, are climbing again. Inflation is still out of control, and the stock market, despite a rally on Monday, has been taking a beating. | | | | NEW AND IMPROVED POLITICO APP: Stay up to speed with the newly updated POLITICO mobile app, featuring timely political news, insights and analysis from the best journalists in the business. With a fresh look and improved features, the sleek and navigable design offers a convenient way to access POLITICO's scoops and groundbreaking reporting. Don’t miss out on the app you can rely on for the news you need, reimagined. Already a POLITICO app user? Upgrade today! DOWNLOAD FOR iOS – DOWNLOAD FOR ANDROID . | | | | | | | CALIFORNIA AND THE CAPITOL CORRIDOR | | LESS MONEY, MORE PROBLEMS: Those exciting California surpluses couldn’t last forever. The Department of Finance reported yesterday that revenues for September came in $2.8 billion below month’s projections and $4.8 billion below for fiscal year to date. — “ L.A. Latinos grapple with familiar colorism against Black and Indigenous people in racist tape ,” by the Los Angeles Times’ Rachel Uranga: “Within Latino circles, a particularly unsettling aspect of the recording was the colorism that people sometimes still hear in their neighborhoods, at barbecues and around dinner tables.” CLOCKED OUT — “ Agency battling wage theft in California is too short-staffed to do its job ,” by CalMatters’ Alejandro Lazo, Jeanne Kuang and Julie Watts: “California’s laws targeting wage theft — which is the failure by bosses to pay workers what they are owed — make it a leader among states, national labor experts say. But in practice, enforcing those laws has not been easy.” — “ Jennifer Siebel Newsom Emailed Weinstein for Advice Amid Gavin Newsom Cheating Scandal in 2007 ,” by Variety Magazine’s Maane Khatchatourian: “Siebel Newsom, who was identified by the L.A. Times as Jane Doe 4 last week, emailed Weinstein in 2007, two years after he allegedly raped her, seeking advice for how to handle ‘bad press’ when then-boyfriend Gavin Newsom admitted to having an affair with his campaign manager’s wife.” — “ He wanted to blow up Sacramento’s Democratic HQ; judge now questions his mental state ,” by the Sacramento Bee’s Sam Stanton: “Both men were accused by federal prosecutors of concocting a bizarre plot to firebomb the Democratic headquarters in downtown Sacramento, as well as a number of other targets, over their anger at then-President Donald Trump’s loss in November 2020 to President Joe Biden.” — “ California’s tomato farmers are getting squeezed by water crisis as growing costs continue to rise ,” by CNN’sStephanie Elam: “California’s tomato growers produced less than hoped this season. In January, (California Tomato Growers Association) was targeting the production of 12.2 million tons of tomatoes. In May, that number was revised down to 11.7 million tons and now, as the growing season is coming to an end, Montna said the true number will be less than that.” POWER-UP — “ Expand The LA City Council? Leaked Tape Could Change Nearly 100 Years Of Concentrated Power ,” by the LAist’s Caitlin Hernández: “One of the reasons that was possible is that there are only 15 council members representing a city of 4 million, with each member representing about 260,000 residents. (And there are concerns about that concentrated power after the recording showed how racism influenced district maps.)” — “ Report clearing Sacramento Councilman Loloee tells different story than what he told media ,” by the Sacramento Bee’sRyan Lillis: “For months, Sacramento City Councilman Sean Loloee has maintained he resides in a home in his North Sacramento district, despite evidence that another family lived there and that Loloee’s family lives in Granite Bay. And on Wednesday, a law firm hired by the city of Sacramento to investigate the matter issued a report exonerating the embattled first-term councilman.” — “ California prison guard apologizes for assault on inmate, then gets lengthy sentence ,” by the Sacramento Bee’s Sam Stanton: “Arturo Pacheco, 40, is one of two California State Prison, Sacramento, guards who have pleaded guilty to charges stemming from the 2016 incident involving inmate Ronnie Price, who was handcuffed and had his legs yanked out behind him by Pacheco as he and co-worker Ashley Aurich were escorting Price.” SURVEY SILENCER — “ Judge blocks California law allowing gun owners’ personal information to be shared with researchers ,” by the San Francisco Chronicle’s Bob Egelko: “The information, which also includes the addresses, phone numbers, fingerprints and any criminal records of the more than 4 million Californians who own firearms, is collected by the state attorney general’s office, which uses it for background checks on purchases and for studies of the relationships between gun ownership, homicides and suicides.” | | | | A message from YES on 26, NO on 27 - Coalition for Safe, Responsible Gaming:   | | | | | BIDEN, HARRIS AND THE HILL | | NANCY LOOKING BACK — The Legacy Nancy Pelosi Never Wanted , by POLITICO’s Rachel Bade and the Washington Post’s Karoun Demirjian: “As Pelosi looked up from the pages, a combination of disbelief and devastation on her face. She caught the gaze of Judiciary Committee counsel Aaron Hiller, who eagerly awaited her reaction. ‘Aaron,’ Pelosi said, ‘do you think this is impeachable?’” — Biden’s student debt relief draws 8M+ applications in first two days , by POLITICO’s Michael Stratford: The success of Biden’s debt relief program will hinge in large part on the administration’s ability to get borrowers to apply for it. More than 40 million Americans are eligible for the debt relief program, according to the Education Department. | | SILICON VALLEYLAND | | — “ Microsoft quietly laid off under 1,000 employees in teams across the company, from Xbox to government tech ,” by Business Insider’s Ashley Stewart: “The cuts appears widespread across the company: conversations with people close to the company and posts on social media sites like Blind and Twitter indicate that the cuts affected everything from the Xbox console gaming division to the cutting-edge Microsoft Strategic Missions and Technology organization.” LINKED UP — “ Pentagon in Talks on Ukraine Starlink Funding, but Elon Musk Says Request ‘Withdrawn’ ,” by the Wall Street Journal’s Micah Maidenberg: “The Ukrainian military has been using Starlink connections during its campaign against Russian forces who invaded the country earlier this year, with officials describing the service as a crucial part of their war effort.” | | HOLLYWOODLAND | | — Kanye West to buy social media platform Parler , by POLITICO’s Kelly Hooper: West just earlier this month was locked out of his Twitter and Instagram accounts for antisemitic posts. He has since created an account on Parler — which launched in September 2018 and is favored by many conservatives who take issue with moderation policies on mainstream apps such as Facebook and Twitter. | | | | 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 baker creates a life-size Han Solo out of bread ,” by the Associated Press. — “ Loud boos. Audible vomiting. How Broadway’s edgy ‘Oklahoma!’ fared across America ,” by the Los Angeles Times’ Ashley Lee. — “ How Big Sur’s luxury resorts plan to protect themselves from the next big wildfire ,” by the San Francisco Chronicle’s Gregory Thomas. CLOCK’S TICKING — “ 7 midterm races to watch in Orange County ,” by the Orange County Register’s Kaitlyn Schallhorn. — “ Chipotle ‘will probably have to raise prices’ because of California's fast food wage bill: CEO ,” by Yahoo’s Brian Sozz. | | TRANSITIONS | | — Anthony Reyes is now VP of communications at WME. He most recently was president of strategic comms firm Tonycom and is an Obama Treasury and MSNBC alum. | | BIRTHDAYS | | Rep. Young Kim (R-Calif.) (6-0) … Walt Disney Co.’s Caitlin Conant | | | | A message from YES on 26, NO on 27 - Coalition for Safe, Responsible Gaming: Cardroom casinos are contributing millions to politicians to curry political favors. These bad actor cardroom casinos have dished out more than $50,000,000 on contributions to politicians, party bosses and other political campaigns. It's time to finally crack down on cardroom casino's unlawful gambling and criminal activity.
Learn more about cardroom casinos: www.FactsAboutCardrooms.com | | | 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 | | | | Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook | Playbook PM | California Playbook | Florida Playbook | Illinois Playbook | Massachusetts Playbook | New Jersey Playbook | New York Playbook | Ottawa Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |  |
