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Presented by Environmental Working Group: 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 Environmental Working Group | THE BUZZ: However the final balance of the next Congress shakes out, a Californian will still likely be in charge. That is, if Rep. Kevin McCarthy can effectively court the most conservative members of his party over the next seven weeks. Republicans on Tuesday voted to nominate the Bakersfield Congressman for speaker over far-right Arizona Rep. Andy Biggs by a 188 to 31 margin. The GOP is one seat away from cinching control in the chamber — an all but certainty at this point — after which members will cast an official vote for speaker on Jan. 3 It’s unclear exactly what a McCarthy speakership means for Californians, who have grown accustomed to seeing their liberal viewpoints fiercely defended on the national stage by Democratic Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a daughter of San Francisco politics. Not only does the speaker wield tremendous power when it comes to Legislation and policy, they’re also second in line to the presidency. Tuesday’s caucus vote is a relief for Minority Leader McCarthy, who has long been the presumptive GOP successor to Pelosi. But McCarthy has faced skepticism throughout this election cycle that he could indeed lead a party that is raring to go after Democrats and the Biden administration. The 188 votes were enough to nominate McCarthy for now, but he’ll need to get up to 218 to formally take over in January. Much of the opposition comes from the Freedom Caucus, the bloc of members that are considered furthest to the right and include Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz. Greene, who in the past has challenged McCarthy, actually tried to unify members around him Tuesday, saying a fractured party made them more vulnerable to Democrats. But other members of the Freedom Caucus remain unconvinced, and, as POLITICO reported yesterday, are looking to use this opportunity to push the Californian on a number changes to the rules that govern the conference and the whole House, including strengthening the ability to oust a speaker and greater representation on an internal panel that doles out committee posts. AS FOR PELOSI: Democrats are 15 days away from their own leadership vote, and it's unclear if the longtime leader of the caucus intends to stick around. President Joe Biden and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer certainly want her to stay, but Pelosi has not made a commitment. Our Congressional colleagues in D.C. reported that the speaker’s decision was the subject of much private chatter as her caucus huddled for its first big in-person meeting on Tuesday, and that one person present said it was perhaps the biggest topic of discussion on the sidelines of the meeting — other than lawmakers finding out whether they were wait-listed for Taylor Swift tickets. BUENOS DÍAS, good Wednesday morning. The Secretary of State estimates a remaining 2.98 million ballots to be counted statewide. 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: “Putting it in a box was a way of putting away my sadness, my fear, my trauma so I could move forward with my life.” First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom on Tuesday during her testimony against Harvey Weinstein , whom she said sexually assaulted her in 2005. TWEET OF THE DAY:
|  Today's Tweet of the Day | Twitter | WHERE’S GAVIN? Nothing official announced.
| | A message from Environmental Working Group: The average price for a gallon of gas in California is nearly twice the national average while oil companies’ profits have risen up to 500%. All in the current setting of a struggling economy with record inflation. Let’s put an end to oil company price gouging and put money back in the pockets of hard-working Californians. Go to http://ewg.org to find out more. | | | |  | Top Talkers | | HERE WE GO AGAIN — “ Trump’s return is ominous for California Republicans — and anyone touched by his racism ,” by the San Francisco Chronicle’s Joe Garofoli: “Donald Trump’s newly minted 2024 presidential campaign isn’t going to win California — if the ex-president survives the GOP primary — but his presence on the ballot has a lot of Californians concerned about the damage he could inspire on the way there.” — “ University of California disrupted as 48,000 academic workers continue strike ,” by EdSource’s Emma Gallegos and Betta Márquez Rosales: “Demanding better pay, more benefits and job security, 48,000 academic workers in the University of California system continued striking for a second day Tuesday, resulting in canceled classes and halted research.” IN COURT — “ Part of Harvey Weinstein’s defense strategy: Put Gavin Newsom on trial ,” by the San Francisco Chronicle’s Sophia Bollag: “Facing the prospect of another rape conviction, defense attorneys for disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein are seeking to haul Gov. Gavin Newsom into the spotlight in a bid to discredit his wife as an accuser.”
| | CAMPAIGN MODE | | THE LONG HAUL: Rep. Karen Bass extended her lead over billionaire Rick Caruso by 6,000 votes Tuesday, and now holds a 5-point advantage a week after polls closed. The congresswoman has dominated the mail-in ballot count, grabbing roughly 60 percent of votes in each post-election day release. Bass is now up by more than 36,000 votes, a margin most political analysts say is likely to grow — Alexander Nieves BLAME GAME — “ Democrat Christy Smith knows she’s going to lose her congressional race. She blames her own party ,” by the Los Angeles Times’ Seema Mehta and Melanie Mason: “Smith is no different from scores of other candidates who believe victory would’ve been theirs if not for stingy support from Washington. But her unusually blunt remarks Sunday highlighted the stark turn of events in the campaign for California’s 27th District.” — “ Robert Luna to become L.A. County sheriff as Alex Villanueva concedes ,” by the Los Angeles Times’ Alene Tchekmedyian: “Robert Luna, a little-known retired police chief from Long Beach, will be the next sheriff of Los Angeles County after he soundly beat the incumbent, Alex Villanueva, who leaves office in the wake of a single term marred by the upheaval and discord he sowed.”
| | | | POLITICO APP USERS: UPGRADE YOUR APP BY DECEMBER 19! We recently upgraded the POLITICO app with a fresh look and improved features for easier access to POLITICO's scoops and groundbreaking reporting. Starting December 19, users will no longer have access to the previous version of the app. Update your app today to stay on top of essential political news, insights, and analysis from the best journalists in the business. UPDATE iOS APP – UPDATE ANDROID APP . | | | | | | | CALIFORNIA AND THE CAPITOL CORRIDOR | | — “ To fight wage theft California gets strong assist from worker centers ,” by CalMatters’ Alejandro Lazo and Jeanne Kuang: “The investigation also is part of a broad strategy the state launched six years ago to work alongside 17 labor-friendly organizations, most of them worker centers — nonprofit community hubs that advocate for low-wage workers. The state calls its collaboration with the groups the California Strategic Enforcement Partnership.” SALTY SOLUTION — “ The Monterey area may get a huge desalination plant. Is this the future of California’s water supply? ” by the San Francisco Chronicle’s Kurtis Alexander: “With California butting up against 840 miles of ocean, desalination seems an obvious solution to the state’s water woes. However, the cost, energy demands and environmental impacts have made the technology largely unworkable.” — “ With local control at risk, S.F. supes to sound off on California’s high-stakes housing plan ,” by the San Francisco Chronicle’s J.K. Dineen: “On Tuesday the board will hold an informational hearing on the fourth and latest draft of the state-mandated “housing element” published last month. While the board will ultimately vote up or down on the element in January, they won’t be able to rewrite things they don’t like or add language they do.” OBLITERATED — “ One California proposition is now among the most unpopular in history ,” by SFGate’s Katie Dowd: “Proposition 26, which would have legalized sports betting on tribal lands, is losing 69% to 31%, while Proposition 27, which tried to legalize online gambling, is losing by an astonishing 83% to 17%. There is not a single county in California that went majority "yes" for either ballot measure.” — “ California prison supervisors to receive $155 million settlement for unpaid time, court rules ,” by the Sacramento Bee’s Mathew Miranda: “A San Francisco Superior Court Judge last week tentatively approved a $155 million settlement for more than 10,000 current and retired California prison supervisors who sought compensation for tasks they performed before and after their shifts.” READY FOR ROBERT — “ What Kind Of LA County Sheriff Will Robert Luna Be? ” by LAist’s Frank Stoltze and Emily Elena Dugdale: “Luna, the former chief of the Long Beach Police Department, promises a “180-degree difference” from Villanueva that will include a new era of openness and cooperation with county bodies that oversee the Sheriff’s Department or its budget.” — “ Another step toward agreement on California’s water ,” Opines Dan Walters for CalMatters: “For at least a decade, off and on, state water managers and local water agencies have pursued the holy grail of a master agreement to improve the environmental health of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta by increasing its water flows.”
| | | | A message from Environmental Working Group:   | | | | | BIDEN, HARRIS AND THE HILL | | TAKE 3 — “ News Analysis: Trump is running again, uphill ,” by the Los Angeles Times’ Noah Bierman: “Over more than an hour, he vacillated between reading a teleprompter and speaking off the cuff — mixing boasts, insults, promises, grievances, threats and conspiracy, including an evidence-free insinuation that China interfered in the 2020 election.” — “ Republican infighting roils Congress as midterms fallout continues ,” by the Washington Post’s Liz Goodwin, Amy B Wang, Marianna Sotomayor, Jacqueline Alemany and Leigh Ann Caldwell: “Republicans in both chambers of Congress mounted challenges to their leaders on Tuesday as disappointment over their lackluster performance in the midterm elections manifested in infighting and instability at the Capitol.” TURNING THE TIDES — Same-sex marriage bill picks up more Senate GOP support , by POLITICO’s Marianne Levine: It’s a sign of what Majority Leader Chuck Schumer had hoped for when he delayed a vote in September on the bill to protect same-sex marriage rights, agreeing to Republican requests that the chamber take it up after the election. Some Democrats feared they were being played — convinced to take pressure off the opposing party only to have the GOP tank the legislation later.
| | SILICON VALLEYLAND | | MEANWHILE — Elon Musk's other unfinished project , by POLITICO’s Matt Berg: It’s no secret that Ukraine’s military relies heavily on the SpaceX service for a number of critical functions in its fight against Russian troops, including voice and electronic communications, helping fly drones and even correcting artillery fire. But what if the satellites are capable of more than we know? ON THE MARKET — “ Meta, Lyft, Salesforce and Other Tech Firms Dump Office Space as They Downsize ,” by the Wall Street Journal’s Peter Grant: “The big technology companies that drove U.S. office demand for years as they expanded their empires are now canceling leases and flooding business districts with office space as they downsize.” — “ Bay Area sports teams flee FTX after its spectacular collapse ,” by SFGate’s Dennis Young: “What a Ponzi scheme needs more than anything is a steady stream of hype to attract new marks. FTX, whatever prosecutors determine it was, indisputably invested heavily in marketing and celebrity endorsements.”
| | CANNABIS COUNTRY | | — “ Marijuana May Hurt Smokers More Than Cigarettes Alone ,” by the Wall Street Journal’s Julie Wernau: “A study published Tuesday in the journal Radiology demonstrated higher rates of conditions including emphysema and airway inflammation among people who smoke marijuana than among nonsmokers and people who smoked only tobacco.”
| | HOLLYWOODLAND | | CHURCH ON TRIAL — “ Church of Scientology is on opposite ends of two celebrity rape cases in L.A., New York ,” by the Los Angeles Times’ Noah Goldberg and Alexandra E. Petri: “In a Manhattan courtroom, defense attorneys suggested the Church of Scientology fabricated rape allegations to tar an Oscar-winning former member’s reputation. In a courtroom in Los Angeles, prosecutors contend the same controversial religion worked to suppress rape allegations in order to protect a celebrity member.”
| | | | GO INSIDE THE MILKEN INSTITUTE FUTURE OF HEALTH SUMMIT: POLITICO is featuring a special edition of our “Future Pulse” newsletter at the 2022 Milken Institute Future of Health Summit from Dec. 6 to 8. The newsletter takes readers inside one of the most influential gatherings of health industry leaders and innovators solving the biggest global health issues to ensure a healthier, more resilient future for all. SUBSCRIBE TODAY TO RECEIVE EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE . | | | | | | | MIXTAPE | | PARK PLANNING — “ Why you won’t need reservations to visit Yosemite National Park next year ,” by the Mercury News’ Paul Rogers. — “ Was meteorite really to blame for California home set ablaze? Firefighters now have answer, ” by the Sacramento Bee’s Ryan Sabalow. ROAD TEST — “ Why does California revoke licenses as punishment for things that have nothing to do with driving? ” Opines Miriam Pinski for the San Francisco Chronicle. — “ A California police chief said his wife killed herself. Her family asks: Was it murder? ” by the Sacramento Bee’s Ariane Lange and Jason Pohl. — “ LA County Supervisors Ramp Up Support For Project To Help People Living With Mental Illness In Hollywood ,” by LAist’s Robert Garrova.
| | TRANSITIONS | | — Tim Del Monico is leaving the office of Rep. Raul Ruiz (D-Calif.), where he was chief of staff. He is heading to the EPA to serve as Associate Administrator of Congressional and Government Affairs.
| | A message from Environmental Working Group: While Big Oil enjoys record profits from California consumers, working-and middle-class families are being forced to make difficult pocketbook decisions between the need to commute and the rising costs of living.
The average price for a gallon of gas in California is nearly twice the national average, reaching as high as $7 in some areas in recent weeks, with oil companies pocketing up to 5x their normal profit per gallon.
This rampant price gouging needs to stop and the outrageous profits taken from the pockets of hard-working Californians needs to be returned.
Gov. Gavin Newsom has called a special session of the state legislature in early December to vote on a price-gouging penalty tax on these companies that will be sent directly back to California consumers in the form of rebates and refunds.
Go to http://ewg.org to find out more. | | | | | BIRTHDAYS | | Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) 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 | | | | |  |
