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Politico
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Politico
San Francisco progressives eye Mamdani's rise with envy
Presented by California Environmental Voters PROGRAMMING NOTE — We're off Friday but will be back in your inboxes Monday. LEFT IN A FOG — Zohran Mamdani's rise in New York enraptured progressives across the country. But for activists in San Francisco, it's a sobering reminder of just how far they've fallen in this onetime bastion of progressivism. Despite the city's history, voters in San Francisco have pivoted to the political center in recent years — in the opposite direction of New Yorkers who backed Mamdani, the 33-year-old democratic socialist who won the city's Democratic mayoral primary in a landslide. He's vowed to tax the rich to provide free city buses, free childcare for infants and to freeze rents for nearly 1 million people. By contrast, San Francisco leaders are slashing spending on nonprofit social service programs and weighing whether to roll back a tax on downtown real-estate sales. In the last year, business-friendly Democrats have won control of the mayor's office, Board of Supervisors and county Democratic Party. 'The electorate has changed a lot in the last 20 years in San Francisco,' said Jane Kim, a former city supervisor and head of the progressive California Working Families Party. 'We've lost the middle class. It has become a city of the rich and poor. That makes electioneering much more difficult for progressive candidates.' A day after Mamdani's win was solidified, the San Francisco chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America gathered over craft beers and ciders at a dive bar in the Mission District. The mood was a mixture of progressive soul searching and celebration — roughly 50 socialists around picnic tables on a patio sharing their hopes that San Francisco would be the next DSA conquest, while bemoaning the uphill battle with 'tech capitalists.' 'This is a very contradictory place, it's a very unequal place,' said Aditya Bhumbla, co-chair of the local DSA chapter and a software engineer. 'San Francisco, because of its symbolic role, is just worth fighting for. What better place to be a socialist than the heart of capital?' But there are reasons progressives in San Francisco are at a disadvantage. Even the attendees gathered at Zeitgeist, a former punk bar known for its gruff bartenders, were willing to concede them. San Francisco's political evolution has coincided with the rise of tech and artificial intelligence. As the industry brought new jobs over the past two decades, the city's population became wealthier and older. New York has also grown more expensive, but it's a much larger city and still has a sizable segment of young, working- and middle-class voters. Those groups turned out for Mamdani in droves. By comparison, the last progressive candidate for San Francisco mayor, former Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin, finished in third place in last year's election. He was defeated by now-Mayor Daniel Lurie, an heir to the Levi Strauss fortune who, combined with his immediate family, poured more than $10 million into the race. Lurie's self-funded campaign was unprecedented, but outsize spending in San Francisco elections has increasingly become the norm. Unlike New York, which has a wide range of powerful business interests, tech is the dominant spending force in San Francisco. And its players have opened their wallets — with ultra-wealthy tech entrepreneurs, especially younger men, spending tens of millions of dollars since 2020 to move the city away from progressive approaches to issues like crime and homelessness. Their spending, through moderate advocacy groups, can more easily saturate elections in San Francisco — which is about a tenth of the size of New York. Moderate politicians and advocacy groups in San Francisco argue their success reflects voters' frustration with crime, homelessness and the city's fentanyl addiction epidemic. New York also had its share of post-pandemic urban problems, but it's San Francisco that Republicans for years have been painting as a dystopia. Progressives in San Francisco hope the real difference is time — with the New York election unfolding shortly after President Donald Trump's return to power. His controversial domestic policy agenda, ICE raids and policies targeting LGBTQ+ people, they say, could help swing the pendulum leftward once again in their city. It's what many of them are banking on — viewing Mamdani not as an outlier from the other coast, but as a harbinger. 'His race shows the times are changing in some respects,' said Dean Preston, a democratic socialist and former San Francisco supervisor who was defeated by a moderate opponent last year. 'This billionaire, Big Tech agenda has been unmasked over and over in recent months.' GOOD MORNING. Happy Thursday. Thanks for waking up with Playbook. You can text us at 916-562-0685 — save it as 'CA Playbook' in your contacts. Or drop us a line at dgardiner@ and bjones@ or on X — @DustinGardiner and @jonesblakej. WHERE'S GAVIN? Nothing official announced. LOS ANGELES TURF TROUBLES — A legal group spearheaded by White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, who was raised in Santa Monica, launched a federal complaint calling out his home city's MLB team, the Dodgers, for its DEI practices, claiming that they 'appear to discriminate against employees, or prospective employees, solely because of their skin color or sex.' The complaint, filed by America First Legal, also names Guggenheim Partners, an investment firm run by the Dodgers' controlling owner, alleging that its diversity and inclusion practices are 'unlawfully discriminatory.' The complaint, filed with the EEOC, comes as the Dodgers, in partnership with the City of Los Angeles, pledged a $1 million donation in financial assistance for families of immigrants impacted by the recent upheaval in the region. In the release, AFL, which was launched in 2021 to focus on executive branch issues, took aim at Mark Walter, the majority owner of the Dodgers and the chief executive of Guggenheim Partners, citing his biography on the team's website where he is described as a 'social-justice advocate.' The filing 'alleges that the Dodgers and Guggenheim Partners appear to be engaging in similar unlawful DEI practices by allowing race, color, and sex to motivate employment decisions.' — Juliann Ventura ON CAMPUS BOYCOTT BAN — University of California President Michael Drake said yesterday that student governments and all other official university entities cannot boycott companies based on their association with a certain country, including Israel. The directive, sent in a letter addressed to university chancellors, comes as the Trump administration threatens to pull health and science grants from schools with such boycotts and as the Department of Justice continues to probe the UCs over antisemitism allegations. Drake's letter points to university policy that requires financial and business decisions rely on 'sound business practices,' adding that the boycotts 'would not align with these sound business practices.' Pro-Palestinian groups have for years called for the UCs to divest from companies associated with Israel, voices that have only grown louder amid the war in the Gaza. A UC spokesperson said in a statement last night that Drake's letter affirms existing policy and reinforces the UC's 'unwavering commitment to academic discourse, research, and innovation that improve the lives of Americans across the country. ' 'While our community members have the right to express their viewpoints, financial boycotts are inconsistent with UC's commitment to sound business practices, academic freedom and the free exchange of ideas,' the statement read. — Eric He STATE CAPITOL FOUL BALL — A Sacramento County Superior Court judge has denied a request from an online fantasy sports platform that sought an injunction to block state Attorney General Rob Bonta from releasing a forthcoming opinion about the legality of wagering on online fantasy leagues. Underdog, the platform behind the case, argued in a prior court filing that Bonta's opinion could 'decimate' the industry in California. Bonta's opinion hasn't been released, though industry insiders expect it will come out this week and that he will determine betting on fantasy sports platforms is illegal in all forms. The court denied Underdog's request in an order signed by a clerk, which states that Bonta's forthcoming opinion will 'not effect any change in the law,' noting that his opinions are advisory and 'do not carry the weight of law.' Bonta's office didn't respond to a request for comment. A spokesperson for Underdog thanked the court for its ruling, saying it 'explained that the protective relief we sought was not necessary.' CASH DASH BATTLEGROUND BUCKS — Esther Kim Varet, a Democratic challenger to frontline Republican Rep. Young Kim, raised more than $600,000 last quarter, her campaign said. Meanwhile, fellow Democrat Brandon Riker's campaign said he raised $457,000 from individual contributors and made a matching personal donation to his campaign against incumbent Republican Rep. Ken Calvert. Campaign representatives for Kim and Calvert — who both occupy target seats for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee this cycle — said they're still finalizing their quarterly fundraising numbers. CLIMATE AND ENERGY STEPPING ON THE GAS — Fears that gas prices would spike this week haven't materialized, but that isn't slowing down lawmakers' push to overhaul the state's fuel policies. Read last night's California Climate on Sacramento's scramble to tackle the state's persistently high prices at the pump — and why it won't result in immediate relief. TOP TALKERS OC MISGIVINGS — Some Republicans in Orange County have been hesitant about Trump's sweeps targeting immigrant workers, the Los Angeles Times reports. Legislators, including Assemblymembers Diane Dixon and Laurie Davies, wrote in a letter calling on Trump to direct ICE and DHS to modernize the country's immigration process to focus on criminals and 'avoid the kinds of sweeping raids that instill fear and disrupt the workplace.' They warned that 'fear is driving vital workers out of critical industries, taking California's affordability crisis and making it even worse.' PUSHING BACK — Sacramento Mayor Kevin McCarty is facing backlash for his proposal that would keep homeless people from sleeping outside City Hall, except in limited circumstances, The Sacramento Bee reports. At a hearing last week, Interim City Manager Leyne Milstein said the $353,000 the city spends each year on clean-up services at City Hall could be reallocated, and McCarty told The Bee that he would rather use that money to 'buy 30 tiny homes.' Ron Hochbaum, an associate professor and director of the homeless advocacy clinic at the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law, called the proposal the 'monster of poor judgment' and said it's 'not based on evidence.' AROUND THE STATE — A federal judge blocked an executive order by Trump to suspend asylum access at the southern border. (The Orange County Register) — San Francisco Zoo CEO Tanya Peterson will resign after months of controversy and following a push from Lurie for new leadership at the nonprofit that runs the zoo. (San Francisco Chronicle) — California is running low on safe places to build homes due to climate-related risks. (Bloomberg) Compiled by Juliann Ventura PLAYBOOKERS PEOPLE MOVES — Jonathan Blum has joined Noridian Healthcare Solutions' board of directors. Blum, a senior scholar at the USC Schaeffer Institute, was formerly the principal deputy administrator and chief operating officer at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. — Jackie Koenig has left the office of state Sen. Tom Umberg after 26 years in the Legislature. She'll do consulting work on policy, strategy and messaging under Koenig Consulting. BIRTHDAYS — State Sen. Dave Cortese (favorite cake: coconut) … Rabbi Steve Leder … PR consultant Eric Schmeltzer … producer Lauren Mekhael WANT A SHOUT-OUT FEATURED? — Send us a birthday, career move or another special occasion to include in POLITICO's California Playbook. You can now submit a shout-out using this Google form.
Politico
02-07-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Fresh polling on Harris, Newsom after LA
Presented by California Environmental Voters POLLING PALOOZA — Gov. Gavin Newsom's favorability ratings are surging. Kamala Harris is still the clear favorite to be the next governor, if she decides to run. And voters want more action to fix the state's housing shortage. Those are the key takeaways of a new poll out today from researchers at the UC Irvine School of Social Ecology, which was shared first with Playbook. Among its findings: TALE OF TWO GAVINS: Two differently worded questions gauged Newsom's support before and after he took on President Donald Trump over immigration raids, protests and the deployment of the National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles last month. In early June, voters were asked whether they approved of Newsom's handling of his job as governor, and only 36 percent said yes. After Newsom's feud with the president exploded, voters were asked if they had a favorable impression of the governor, and 56 percent answered yes. The comparison, though not direct, may suggest a boost in Newsom's support at home since he became more vocal in confronting Trump. Meanwhile, Trump's approval in California barely budged, climbing from 33 percent to 34 percent in an apples-to-apples comparison of voters' impressions of him before and after he sent the Guard to Los Angeles. KAMALA'S LUKEWARM SPOT: Harris would be Californians' top choice for governor if she entered the race. That said, just 41 percent of those surveyed said they'd choose the former vice president over an unnamed Republican — and many voters say they are unsure whom they would support. Harris set an end-of-summer deadline for a decision about the contest. When asked to pick between Harris or an unnamed Republican, 29 percent of respondents chose the unnamed GOP candidate, according to the poll. About 16 percent said they didn't know, and 14 percent said they wouldn't vote. Harris has been intensifying her outreach to longtime supporters, even as some Democratic donors express a lack of enthusiasm and have told POLITICO that they fear her candidacy would be a reminder of her loss in 2024. BUILD, BABY, BUILD: California voters overwhelmingly listed the state's worsening housing shortage as the biggest problem leaders in Sacramento need to do more to address. Moreover, 33 percent of likely voters say housing is their single highest priority — almost twice as many as listed the No. 2 issue, health care. Public safety and road and bridge maintenance trailed as the third and fourth priority issues in the poll. The UCI-OC survey was conducted before state lawmakers and Newsom approved an aggressive plan to turbocharge housing construction by slashing environmental reviews that were previously required for many new projects. Now, most housing projects in urban areas will be exempt. GOOD MORNING. Happy Wednesday. Thanks for waking up with Playbook. You can text us at 916-562-0685 — save it as 'CA Playbook' in your contacts. Or drop us a line at dgardiner@ and bjones@ or on X — @DustinGardiner and @jonesblakej. WHERE'S GAVIN? In Los Angeles for a morning news conference touting California's expanded Hollywood film tax credit. CAMPAIGN YEAR(S) FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: GIBBS IN — Frontline Democratic freshman Rep. George Whitesides is getting a GOP challenger for his competitive northern LA County district: Jason Gibbs, a Santa Clarita city councilmember. Gibbs is launching his campaign today with the backing of former Republican Rep. Mike Garcia, who held the seat for five years before losing to Whitesides last November by just under three points. 'Washington is broken — it could use more problem solving and less political games,' Gibbs said in a statement. 'Families here are being crushed by rising costs, crime, and a political class that's completely out of touch. I'm a husband, an engineer, and a local leader who knows how to get results. That's what our district needs.' The contest will be among the most closely watched in California. The Cook Political Report ranks the seat as 'lean Democrat.' — Melanie Mason SAN DIEGO BALANCE OF POWER: The stakes were high but turnout was not in an election that will determine whether Republicans or Democrats control local government in California's second-largest county. A special election for the vacant seat on the San Diego County Board of Supervisors featured Chula Vista Mayor John McCann, a Republican, against Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre, a Democrat. Fewer than 20 percent of voters cast ballots, and Aguirre was up by about seven points, just a few thousand votes, in the early count. A seat on the five-member board is officially a nonpartisan office. But there are two Republicans and two Democrats on the board, and Tuesday's election will break a deadlock over how the county responds to Medicaid cuts under the megabill working its way through Congress as well as the sweeping deportation campaign under President Donald Trump. National politics has already intruded. The special election was called in the majority-Latino south county district to replace Nora Vargas, who abruptly resigned in December citing concerns about her personal safety after she backed an effort to prevent county resources from being used to support federal immigration enforcement. — Ben Fox ON THE HILL TRADING BLOWS — Democratic Reps. Dave Min and Linda Sánchez led a letter needling the Trump administration for not landing more trade deals ahead of the upcoming expiration of its 90-day freeze on sweeping tariffs. They pressed for information on the status of negotiations and benefits that Trump and his family members have received from foreign nationals, warning that gifts like the president's jet from Qatar could represent conflicts of interest. 'This dynamic has created an ongoing recipe for corruption in which President Trump personally stands to benefit from lavish gifts, business deals, and favors being showered upon him and his inner circle in exchange for tariff relief,' they wrote. The messaging likely foreshadows more Democrats pivoting back to talking about tariffs before Trump's pause on across-the-board import levies ends July 8, even as the focus of the minority party's attacks is on the congressional megabill to cut taxes and social safety net programs. The letter also infused conflict-of-interest allegations — which have been disputed by the White House — with more traditional economic arguments against protectionist policy. 'While we remain concerned that this trade strategy imposes immense uncertainty on businesses, workers, and consumers, including many that we represent, we have growing worries that it may also violate federal ethics laws—including the Constitution's Foreign Emoluments Clause,' the representatives wrote. TOP TALKERS PARAMOUNT SETTLES: Paramount Global will pay Trump $16 million to settle his lawsuit over edits to a '60 Minutes' interview last fall with Harris before the presidential election, money that will go to his future presidential library, the Los Angeles Times reports. Paramount did not offer an apology or express regret. The president had sought $20 billion in damages. OFF THE MARKET — The home of late Sen. Dianne Feinstein and her late husband, financier Richard Blum, has been sold to an unknown buyer for $19 million. But signs point to the buyer having a potential connection to New York as records show it was purchased by a limited liability company created in the Empire State this month, The San Francisco Chronicle reports. Charlie McCabe of San Francisco Capital Advisors said the home, which was previously valued at roughly $21 million based on reports from 2023, was paid for using 'all cash.' HOWLING START — COYOTE Media Collective, a newly announced, independent SF-based news outlet, hit its initial fundraising goal of $80,000 within one week and now hopes to raise an additional $70,000, Underscore SF reports. The total $150,000 would go toward wages for its 11 employees and freelancers, and to ramp up its publishing. CLIMATE AND ENERGY SILENCE IS GOLDEN — California regulators missed a key deadline Tuesday to finish their rules requiring businesses to report their greenhouse gas emissions — and that could save them in court. Read last night's California Climate to see how the delay is bolstering the state's argument against industry's request to immediately halt the laws. AROUND THE STATE — The Pentagon said it will pay San Diego's General Dynamics-NASSCO at least $72.6 million to develop submarine tenders. (The San Diego Union-Tribune) — The jury in the trial for Sean 'Diddy' Combs reached a partial verdict on four of five counts and will continue deliberating until it reaches a consensus on count one. (Los Angeles Times) — A new study that counts unsheltered populations in three neighborhoods in Los Angeles revealed a decrease in the population in 2024 overall compared to the year before. (LAist) Compiled by Juliann Ventura PLAYBOOKERS PEOPLE MOVES — Longtime political strategist Melanie V. Ramil has joined the California Democratic Party as deputy executive director. Ramil has served as an adviser to the party the last six months and was the California deputy state director for the Harris-Walz campaign. — Adrian Percer, previously a partner at Weil, Gotshal and Manges, has joined WilmerHale as a partner in the firm's Palo Alto office. — Samantha Kemp is now a director of government affairs at Target Corporation. She was previously at Albertsons Companies as a deputy director of government affairs. BIRTHDAYS — Rep. Doug LaMalfa … Assemblymember Dr. Jasmeet Bains (favorite treat: Chocoflan) … Graph Massara at SEMAFOR … Derek Gianino of Wells Fargo … Snap's Gina Woodworth … Brooke Oberwetter … Ethan Oberman … comedian Larry David … Rivka Dori WANT A SHOUT-OUT FEATURED? — Send us a birthday, career move or another special occasion to include in POLITICO's California Playbook. You can now submit a shout-out using this Google form.
Politico
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Katie Porter changes her tune on Kamala Harris
Presented by California Environmental Voters STAYING PUT — Katie Porter has repeatedly said Kamala Harris would have a 'powerful field-clearing effect' if she entered the governor's race. Except, apparently, on Katie Porter. Porter is now telling supporters that she will stay in the running even if the former vice president joins the fray, according to multiple people who have heard Porter discuss her intentions. Harris' plan is the single biggest question hovering over the still-sleepy governor's race. It's also central to another top political parlor game: what the other Democratic candidates would do if Harris declared a run. Some contenders, such as ex-Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and former U.S. Health Secretary Xavier Becerra, have flatly insisted they'll run regardless. Others, like Lt. Gov Eleni Kounalakis, who is close friends with Harris, are likely to step aside. Donors have been slow to rally around other candidates; Harris would start with commanding advantages in name ID and fundraising prowess, and people aren't especially keen to write checks to candidates who may soon be bigfooted out of the field. But some of her potential rivals have been emboldened by her extended deliberations, encouraged by the tepid reaction party activists and some donors have had to a possible Harris candidacy. Porter was uncharacteristically cagey about the Harris factor when she launched her campaign in March. She spoke often about how Harris was a formidable political force and took pains to emphasize their personal relationship, dating back to when Harris as state attorney general appointed Porter to monitor the state's multibillion-dollar mortgage settlement with major banks. At the same time, she emphasized she was not waiting to plunge into the governor's race, a comment that some read as a subtle dig at the will-she-or-won't-she surrounding Harris. 'She was trying to strike a balance between being respectful of the vice president, and then wanting to let her supporters know that she was in it for the long haul,' said Gerald Singleton, a San Diego attorney and Porter's personal lawyer. 'And I think she's realized in the last month to two months that it really was time to let people know' that she would be staying in the contest. Singleton attributed Porter's change in tune to a fundamental mood shift. 'Back when Katie was just getting in and some other folks were just getting in, the sense was, if the vice president would have gotten in at that time, it may have resulted in a number of folks dropping out,' Singleton said. 'But the sense I get now is that that is not going to happen.' Singleton said he had not heard Porter say publicly that she would remain in the field regardless of Harris until she was asked about the dynamic last week at a fundraiser he hosted for her. The subject came up at a separate fundraiser in Orange County in late June, where, according to one attendee who was granted anonymity to discuss the event, Porter 'wanted to make it clear to people she was going to stay.' In a statement to Playbook Monday evening, Porter made it official: 'I'm running for Governor because I believe I'm the person best able to address the challenges we face, to stand up to Donald Trump, and to lead our state in a way that improves the lives of hard working Californians,' she said, 'and that's not going to change no matter who enters this race.' GOOD MORNING. Happy Tuesday. Thanks for waking up with Playbook. You can text us at 916-562-0685 — save it as 'CA Playbook' in your contacts. Or drop us a line at dgardiner@ and bjones@ or on X — @DustinGardiner and @jonesblakej. WHERE'S GAVIN? Holding a press conference near Sacramento at 10 a.m. on a 'new wildfire prevention strategy.' STATE CAPITOL SEE YA, CEQA — Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the latest and largest whack at the California Environmental Quality Act Monday after legislative Democrats largely acceded in floor votes to his demands that environmental rules for housing construction be scaled back. The governor attributed the passage of elusive changes like exempting infill housing development from CEQA to growth in the Yes In My Backyard movement and years of Assemblymember Buffy Wicks and Sen. Scott Wiener pushing on an issue that many view as a third rail in California politics. 'It's a flywheel. It's momentum, again, just building coalitions,' Newsom said at a news conference where he signed the bills. The governor forced the issue by making his signature of the entire state budget — due Monday — contingent on the housing changes becoming law. The YIMBY movement also had new branding, lent by the book 'Abundance,' in which authors Derek Thompson and Ezra Klein argue that Democrats should focus more on increasing the supply of housing and other basic goods and services. 'To the NIMBY movement that's now being replaced by the YIMBY movement: Go YIMBYs. Thank you for your abundant mindset — that's a plug to Ezra — and it really is about Abundance and the movement that they represent,' Newsom said. For more on the Legislature's housing action, read our Eric He's POLITICO Pro report. Check out Monday night's California Climate for more on the history and future of one of the state's most vaunted — and most attacked — environmental laws. FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: OFFENSIVE BLITZ — The online fantasy sports platform Underdog is asking a judge to block state Attorney General Rob Bonta from releasing a forthcoming opinion that the company argues could 'decimate' wagering on fantasy leagues. Bonta is expected to issue an opinion this week about whether quickly-growing fantasy sports sites are legally operating in California. While his opinion hasn't been released, industry insiders anticipate he will determine betting on fantasy sports platforms is illegal in all forms. In a lawsuit filed Monday, Underdog alleges Bonta doesn't have the legal authority to issue such an opinion, and that his inquiry has lacked a thorough gathering of facts about how the industry operates. 'Within a matter of days… (Bonta) will issue an opinion that seeks to cripple this thriving industry and deprive Californians of an activity that they enjoy,' the lawsuit states. Bonta's office didn't respond to a request for comment Monday night. CAMPAIGN YEAR(S) FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: BOON FOR BECERRA — Former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra has raised over $1.3 million and folded another $1.1 million from his congressional campaign committee into his campaign for governor since April, his team told Playbook. Becerra has around $2 million in cash on hand, thanks in part to freshly-cut max checks from the Pechanga Band of Indians and Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians — both major players in state campaigns. His fundraising came while Harris considered entering the field, showing there's been significant donor movement even if some groups have held back from giving until Harris makes a decision. Other Democratic candidates for governor — including Porter, Kounalakis, former state Senate leader Toni Atkins, state Superintendent Tony Thurmond, businessperson Stephen Cloobeck and former state Controller Betty Yee — did not share their figures for the first half of the year in response to inquiries from Playbook. Villaraigosa's campaign also declined to share numbers for the year, but adviser Josh Pulliam touted the sum Villaraigosa drew during his first week of campaigning last year. 'Antonio Villaraigosa raised more in his first week in this race, $1.5 million, than Xavier raised after three months of campaigning,' Pulliam said. The candidates have until the end of July to report their fundraising for the first half of the year publicly, as do candidates for lieutenant governor. FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: FRYDAY'S HAUL — Newsom's chief service officer Josh Fryday has pulled in $1.6 million in donations since announcing his campaign for lieutenant governor in March and still has $1.3 million of that in the bank, his campaign told Playbook. The hefty sum is the latest sign the down-ballot race remains open without a household name in the field. Fryday, a former Navy JAG and mayor of his home town of Novato, must still contend with Treasurer Fiona Ma — the leading fundraiser in the race — who has raised over $900,000 since January and has roughly $5 million on hand, according to her campaign. Also running for the office are Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs, whose campaign didn't disclose fundraising figures early, and former Sausalito Mayor Janelle Kellman. Kellman, who launched her campaign last year, had raised around $500,000 this year by Monday afternoon and had roughly $150,000 on hand, according to her campaign. RAISING IN THE SUN — Firebrand Republican Assemblymember Carl DeMaio's political group Reform California has raised $2.2 million this year, DeMaio said. That's more than twice what it raised in the first two quarters of the 2024 election cycle, before DeMaio joined the state Legislature and began fundraising off of his Capitol speeches, according to figures he previously provided to Playbook. Reform California ultimately drew $10 million during the 2024 cycle, and would hit that mark this cycle even if fundraising doesn't, as is typical, pick up during the election year. LOS ANGELES SANCTUARY STRESS TEST — The Trump administration is suing Los Angeles over its sanctuary status, accusing the city of limiting cooperation with federal immigration authorities in violation of federal law, our colleague Juliann Ventura reports. The broadside adds another front to President Donald Trump's legal war with California over immigration, as the parties fight a separate legal battle over Trump's deployment of the state National Guard to L.A. amid immigration protests last month. 'Jurisdictions like Los Angeles that flout federal law by prioritizing illegal aliens over American citizens are undermining law enforcement at every level — it ends under President Trump,' Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement announcing the action. The administration has already sued Illinois and Chicago over similar laws, but had not challenged California immigration laws in court since Trump's first term — when the president unsuccessfully tried to nullify the state's sanctuary policy CHARTER CHALLENGES — Los Angeles' Charter Reform Commission is finally up and running, but advocacy groups are already raising complaints about the pace of its workload and what some see as a lackadaisical meeting schedule. In a letter to the commission, a coalition of public advocacy groups warn that it isn't meeting regularly enough — with 15 meetings scheduled over the next nine months — to tackle the scope of its charge. The list of concerned groups includes the California Clean Money Campaign and the League of Women Voters of Greater Los Angeles. 'The current meeting schedule severely constrains what the commission can accomplish,' they wrote. 'Delays in the (commission) formation process have essentially cut an already tight schedule in half.' Bass and the City Council created the commission last year, in the wake of corruption scandals and an explosive leaked audio controversy. But the panel was slow to get started after Bass waited nearly a year to name her appointees. SILICON VALLEY ANCESTRAL FEUD — Bonta's office said a deal to sell bankrupted genetic testing company 23andMe to a research institute violates state privacy law, our Tyler Katzenberger reports. A federal bankruptcy judge blessed a $305 million sale agreement on Friday over the California Department of Justice's objections — which centered on past customers' genetic information being sold in the deal. A spokesperson for Bonta said the DOJ is 'evaluating next steps,' suggesting the state could take further action to intervene in the company's future. Top Talkers SWITCH-UP — California lawmakers agreed to set aside $750 million in the state budget this year to subsidize movie and television production — an about face for the Legislature, which rejected a similar Hollywood tax credit proposal from Arnold Schwarzenegger two decades ago, The New York Times reports. In 2005, then-Gov. Schwarzenegger wanted lawmakers to give studios $50 million in tax breaks so that the movie industry wouldn't leave the state. But Democratic leaders at the time lambasted the idea of providing corporate subsidies to 'rich people.' TREND-SETTER — Housing prices have been rising sharply in red and purple states where people usually go to avoid high living costs, The Atlantic reports. The trend reflects a problem that has long been seen in places like California and New York, where some have argued that excessive regulations have made building enough homes more difficult. The Atlantic's Rogé Karma writes that land-use laws in the Sun Belt aren't so different from coastal cities. AROUND THE STATE — A top military commander asked Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth if 200 of the troops deployed to Los Angeles in response to the recent protests could be returned to wildfire fighting duty. (Associated Press) — Newsom negotiated agreements that pause spending for two years on health care benefits for civil servants during retirement, one of the state's larger debts. (CalMatters) — California's largest state worker union, SEIU Local 1000, secured a one-year pause for Newsom's return-to-office order. (The Sacramento Bee) Compiled by Juliann Ventura PLAYBOOKERS PEOPLE MOVES — Nicole Howell is now counsel at Munger, Tolles, & Olson in its Los Angeles office. She previously served as counsel at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP. — Kim Ericksen has been promoted to senior vice president at Elevate Public Affairs. BIRTHDAYS — Austin Webster at W Strategies … Travis Holler … Pamela Anderson … Ian Fregosi in the office of state Sen. Steve Padilla … BELATED BDAY WISHES — (was Monday): Carolyn Coleman at the League of California Cities … (was Sunday): L.A. Councilmember John S.B. Lee (favorite treat: hotteok) … WANT A SHOUT-OUT FEATURED? — Send us a birthday, career move or another special occasion to include in POLITICO's California Playbook. You can now submit a shout-out using this Google form.
Politico
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Newsom just can't quit Fox News
Presented by California Environmental Voters SIREN SONG — For all Gavin Newsom's experimentation with alternative media — hosting his own podcast, starting fact-checking sites and posting irreverent Star Wars-themed videos about his adversaries on social media — he can't seem to shake the allure of Fox News. The defamation lawsuit he filed against the multimedia giant Friday was the latest sign of Fox's enduring importance to him, even in an increasingly fractured media ecosystem. His connection to the network spans decades. And it's personal, not only because his ex-wife Kimberly Guilfoyle was one of its on-air stars; Newsom has texted with Sean Hannity, chatted with Bret Baier and known host Jesse Watters, the target of his lawsuit, for years. 'I'm in their head,' Newsom previously told POLITICO of such conservative media personalities. 'Even when I'm not making news, I'm in their news cycles.' The governor who has marveled at and lamented Fox's sway has, more than anything, tried to use it. There was an hour-plus sit-down with Hannity in 2023. His debate against Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (and the moderator, also Hannity) later that year. A barrage of ads aired on Fox bashing DeSantis over abortion policy and, more recently, another round blasting tariffs to the network's conservative audience. The lawsuit, over Watters' claim that Newsom lied about a call with Donald Trump before the president deployed National Guard troops to Los Angeles amid immigration protests, displays Newsom's continued attentiveness to Fox even as left-leaning cable news networks have seen their ratings fall since Trump's return to office. It also marks a shift from using the network to introduce himself to conservative audiences to making it a punching bag — much the way its hosts use him. The suit is 'a tactic that I think raises some of the liberal bona fides that he has tried to regain after some of the podcast stuff,' said Democratic consultant Danielle Cendejas, referencing the way Newsom frustrated progressives by inviting MAGA favorites on his podcast and breaking with Democrats on transgender athletes. 'Attacking Fox News is something you do to gin up your fundraising base. You get people to see you as leading the resistance, being proactive and going after this conservative media situation,' said Cendejas, who works for several progressive candidates in California. Indeed, Newsom's team blasted out a fundraising email on Friday after the lawsuit was announced, writing: 'Until they're willing to tell the truth, I'll keep fighting back against their propaganda machine.' The suit also helped keep Newsom in the national conversation now that the Los Angeles immigration protests have faded and state budget negotiations have pulled him back into less-than-flashy state business. Keeping national buzz is key for a figure who has at last acknowledged he could run for president. 'Is it a publicity stunt? I guess, to some degree it might be,' Democratic consultant Garry South said. 'But it's not as trivial as some people are making it out to be. This is a much larger issue dealing with the sending of the Marines to California for domestic law enforcement purposes without even notifying the governor of the state.' Fox was far more dismissive. 'Gov. Newsom's transparent publicity stunt is frivolous and designed to chill free speech critical of him,' the network said in a statement. 'We will defend this case vigorously and look forward to it being dismissed.' Newsom's filing, though focused on an established cable player, nabbed views in the alternative media ecosystem with which he's become fascinated. Pop Crave heralded the news, and Newsom talked with progressives including video host Brian Tyler Cohen and MeidasTouch about the case. And there is at least one way the suit could get the governor's face back in front of Fox viewers. Newsom's camp offered to drop the case if the network apologized on air. 'It's simple, just apologize, and give it as much air time as you did when you weaponized the lie,' Newsom told Cohen, before reflecting on the network's importance. 'Remember, this is the largest news organization, cable news organization, in the United States. Sixty-five-plus million people, Fox News. Fox Business, hundreds of millions of people as it relates to social networks.' GOOD MORNING. Happy Monday. Thanks for waking up with Playbook. You can text us at 916-562-0685 — save it as 'CA Playbook' in your contacts. Or drop us a line at dgardiner@ and bjones@ or on X — @DustinGardiner and @jonesblakej. WHERE'S GAVIN? Nothing official announced, though today is the deadline for the state budget to be passed and signed into law. More on that next… ON THE AGENDA DOWN TO THE WIRE — State lawmakers will vote today on the portion of the budget that Newsom has demanded they approve before he signs off on the rest of the state's $320 billion spending plan. The measure would ease environmental reviews for housing construction in urban areas and includes $500 million to combat homelessness. As our colleagues Eric He, Camille von Kaenel and Alex Nieves reported for POLITICO Pro subscribers, the housing measure is part of a budget bill that lawmakers unveiled Friday. They are aiming to approve it this afternoon, and Newsom would sign it shortly thereafter. Newsom has flexed his political muscle by inserting language in his budget agreement with lawmakers that conditions the entire spending plan on the housing measure's passage. The bill, AB 131, would create sweeping exceptions to the California Environmental Quality Act, or CEQA, which requires an environmental analysis for all new construction projects. But the proposal faces fierce opposition from some environmentalists, who've called it the 'worst rollback of environmental and public health protections' in decades. SENATE GOP'S BIG VOTE — Meanwhile on Capitol Hill, Senate Republicans are on a trajectory to vote today on their budget megabill to fund Trump's domestic agenda. The bill would cut spending on Medicaid and other safety-net programs while extending tax breaks that primarily benefit higher income earners. While enough Republicans voted to start debating the bill over the weekend, it's not yet assured they have enough to pass it in both the Senate and House. SAN FRANCISCO IS WIENER TIRED OF WAITING? — State Sen. Scott Wiener opened a fundraising committee on Friday to run for San Francisco's congressional seat — his boldest move yet in a yearslong shadow campaign to succeed Nancy Pelosi. Pelosi, the former House speaker who's represented the city in Congress since 1987, hasn't said whether she plans to run for another term in 2026. She's certainly left the door open. But Wiener's foray speaks to rumblings that the race could be more competitive than expected. Pelosi already faces a challenge on the left from Saikat Chakrabarti, a tech investor and former chief of staff to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Other wealthy contenders are also rumored to be eyeing the seat. Wiener has previously said he would not run against Pelosi, a San Francisco icon and arguably the most powerful speaker in modern political history. But he has been noticeably ambiguous about his plans in recent days. On Friday, his campaign declined to comment when asked if he would consider a challenge. Any money he raises for his 2028 committee could easily be transferred to the 2026 cycle. Despite Wiener's campaign sidestepping the question, his statement Friday indicated he wouldn't run unless the seat were open. 'I've been clear that I intend to run for this seat whenever the race opens up, whether in 2026 or 2028,' Wiener said in a statement. 'This filing is a critical step to prepare for the serious work of running to succeed one of the icons of American politics.' Wiener added, 'In a potential race against extremely wealthy candidates who can self-fund, I'll have to work very hard to prepare to go toe to toe.' ON THE AIRWAVES FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: COUNTERCLAIM — Public insurance adjusters will today unveil a TV ad to oppose one of the most high-profile insurance bills in the Legislature this session. The spot argues that AB 597, by Assemblymember John Harabedian, would harm victims of wildfires. His bill would limit how much insurance adjusters representing policyholders can be paid related to claims that involve catastrophic disasters. In the spot, a victim of the Palisades Fire argues that public adjusters are crucial for holding insurance companies accountable. 'We've had five different insurance-company adjusters. We've had no straight answers, delays, excuses,' the victim states. 'Dealing with the insurance company, that was the real disaster.' CAMPAIGN YEAR(S) FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: MONEY MOVES — Media consultant Brian Goldsmith said he has raised more than $1 million this quarter since he launched his campaign in mid-April to succeed state Sen. Ben Allen in District 24, an open seat that is expected to draw one of the most competitive Dem-on-Dem legislative races next year. Goldsmith, who founded two tech startups, also said that he's received endorsements from more than 100 community leaders, including Rick Caruso and Antonio Villaraigosa. CLIMATE AND ENERGY BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO — California climate officials are caught in a juggling act as Republicans attack them on gas prices. California Energy Commission Vice Chair Siva Gunda recommended pausing a profit cap on refineries Friday as part of a broader plan to boost the in-state oil industry. Meanwhile, California Air Resources Board Chair Liane Randolph is defending her agency's new rules reducing the carbon intensity of transportation fuels. Read more about what it all means in California Climate. TOP TALKERS GRUDGE MATCH — A former longtime friend of Elon Musk has a word of caution for Trump about the tech mogul: He doesn't really move on. That's what Philip Low, a Silicon Valley founder and former pal of the Musk's, told our colleague Christine Mui in an exclusive interview reported over the weekend. Low said he learned that the hard way in 2021 when he fired Musk, one of his early investors, from the advisory board of the Silicon Valley startup he founded. 'I've had my share of blowouts with Elon over the years,' Low said. 'Knowing Elon the way I know him, I do think he's going to do everything to damage the president.' AROUND THE STATE — Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis wants the county to explore legal action against the federal government over violent ICE raids. (Los Angeles Times) — San Diego's largest jail is facing complaints over its use of a small cage-like structure to provide inmates with mandatory out-of-cell time. (San Diego Union-Tribune) — A San Francisco bookstore has stopped carrying the 'Harry Potter' books, citing author J.K. Rowling's anti-transgender advocacy. (KQED) — Two men accused of pretending to be ICE officers in Fresno have been charged with one count each of misdemeanor impersonating an officer. (GV Wire) PLAYBOOKERS WEDDING BELLS — Jessica Gordon, special assistant attorney general and senior environmental adviser to Attorney General Rob Bonta, and Michael Colvin, California energy program director at the Environmental Defense Fund, married in Los Gatos on June 22. PEOPLE MOVES — Adam Taylor, the former military legislative assistant and legislative director for Rep. Scott Peters, is now his Washington chief of staff. BIRTHDAYS — Todd Campbell at Clean Energy Fuels … Evangeline George … Bob McBarton … BELATED B-DAY WISHES — (was Sunday): Molly Robson at Planned Parenthood Affiliates of CA … director Matthew Weiner … Savannah Causey at Social Proper Agency … Christina Pearson … Kaya Singleton at ROKU … Josh Meyer (was Saturday): Elon Musk … former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta … POLITICO's Alex Keeney … consultant Erin McPike … former U.S. Rep. Jane Harman … Stephanie Benedict … Mike Basch … Miranda Johnson … Jas Sajjan at the California Resources Corporation … actor Mel Brooks … James Ruxin at the USC School of Cinematic Arts … Kenneth Ribet … former state Sen. Marty Block … actress Ayelet Zurer WANT A SHOUT-OUT FEATURED? — Send us a birthday, career move or another special occasion to include in POLITICO's California Playbook. You can now submit a shout-out using this Google form.
Politico
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Nancy Pelosi's midterms mission
Presented by California Environmental Voters THE BUZZ: GROUND GAME — Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi has a go-to line these days to criticize Rep. David Valadao: He could be the 'one vote that cut Medicaid' by backing Republican's megabill to bolster President Donald Trump's domestic agenda. Pelosi, in her post-speaker act as San Francisco's representative in Congress, has made defending federal health care programs her key focus as she tries to help Democrats flip the House next year. She regularly targets battleground Republicans like Valadao — who, as Pelosi will note, 'has close to 500,000 people on Medicaid' in his Central Valley district. About 64 percent of his constituents were enrolled in the program as of last August. 'I know the grassroots of California down to the last blade of grass. These people have made themselves really vulnerable,' Pelosi told Playbook in an extended interview. 'We're not doing this in the San Francisco Bay area, we're doing this in the districts where the Republicans are.' More than a year ahead of the midterms, she's deploying her volunteer army to target GOP members in swing seats, including Valadao, Orange County Rep. Young Kim and Riverside County Rep. Ken Calvert. Pelosi's Save Our Health Care campaign, part of her national PAC, is organizing multiple phone banks per week to target those vulnerable Republicans, and she's raised more than $5.5 million this year to help boost the effort via the DCCC and her campaign committees. Pelosi's team said her volunteer events — including support from the state party and labor unions — have produced 140,000 phone calls to voters in those districts in the last six weeks. Volunteers urge voters to call Republican offices on Capitol Hill to protest proposed cuts to Medicaid, food stamps and other safety-net programs. Pelosi's offensive is part of a volley of attacks Democrats have launched against Republicans over their push to slash safety-net spending. The effort is reminiscent of Democrats' strategy during the 2018 midterms, when GOP efforts to gut Obamacare led to a blue-wave year during Trump's first term (when Democrats flipped 40 seats in the House). Pelosi, who championed the Affordable Care Act and has led a yearslong effort to protect the law, was the architect of the party's successful strategy to flip control of the House that cycle. Pelosi, who was first elected in 1987, hasn't said whether she intends to run for another term in 2026, though she has a committee open. Her allies say her prominent role in Washington's health care fights is clearly driving her decision to wade so heavily into the midterms at this stage of her career. 'She's been the spokesperson on this issue since she walked into the House of Representatives. It's in her blood, it's her,' said John Burton, a former chair of the California Democratic Party who is a friend of Pelosi's. 'She'd no more give up this fight now than jump over the moon.' Pelosi argues a midterm cycle comparable to 2018 is already taking shape and that House Republicans sealed their fate last week when they narrowly passed Trump's budget megabill on a 215-214 vote. The bill's proposed changes to the Medicaid program, including new work requirements, would likely cause millions of recipients to lose coverage. Valadao, Calvert and Kim have argued the bill protects crucial health care benefits for children, seniors, individuals with disabilities and pregnant women, groups that wouldn't be subject to work requirements. Senators are pledging to make major changes to the legislation, and Valadao — who has warned his colleagues against making deeper cuts to the program — has said he plans to work with the Senate to protect Medicaid and food assistance 'for those who need them most.' Valadao, in a statement, argued the bill would achieve that aim 'while rooting out waste, fraud and abuse from bad actors.' But Pelosi says it's outrageous to label food stamps and Medicaid benefits as waste without providing evidence of malfeasance. She also questions the sincerity of California Republicans who've vowed to make changes to the bill: 'They all masquerade, but they all voted for it.' Pelosi said she's comfortable predicting that her successor, Hakeem Jeffries, will be the next speaker. It starts, she added, by capturing voter sentiment early: 'Own the ground, and we will win.' GOOD MORNING. Happy Tuesday. Thanks for waking up with Playbook. You can text us at 916-562-0685 — save it as 'CA Playbook' in your contacts. Or drop us a line at dgardiner@ and bjones@ or on X — @DustinGardiner and @jonesblakej. WHERE'S GAVIN? Nothing official announced. CAMPAIGN YEAR(S) REPUBLICANS FOR … KAMALA — Former Vice President Kamala Harris still hasn't said whether she plans to run for California governor in 2026 (she's given herself until the late summer to make a decision). But Republicans in the Golden State are jonesing for her to get into the fray. As our colleague Jeremy B. White reports, her possible entry is already bringing GOP candidates tactical benefits, allowing them to run against a high-profile adversary who's likely to energize donors and the conservative rank-and-file. A Republican is highly unlikely to be the next governor of deep-blue California. Still, GOP candidates are already treating Harris like their main opponent in interviews, fundraising emails and remarks to voters. 'The candidate who's going to win in 2026, regardless of party label, is the change candidate,' said conservative pundit and author Steve Hilton. 'Kamala Harris is the one who least represents change.' FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: AAPI INFLUENCERS — The National Association of Asian Pacifics in Politics and Public Affairs will today release its '40 Under 40' list of top political operatives and professionals. Playbook got an early peek at the list; among the Californians recognized: Hannah Cho, principal at Athena Strategy Group … Nurges Gheyaszada, chief of staff to state Sen. Aisha Wahab … Kyle Griffith, senior account supervisor at BCFS Public Affairs … Zahra Hajee, senior communications deputy for LA County Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath … George Hatamiya, senior adviser and comms director for Rep. Doris Matsui … Kayla Hausmann, political director for LA billionaire Rick Caruso … Evette Kim, chief of staff to Irvine Councilmember Melinda Liu … Nikita Koraddi, principal consultant to the state Assembly Appropriations Committee … Uma Krishnan, president of the San Mateo County AAPI Alliance … Alyssa Lee, researcher, UC Berkeley Othering & Belonging Institute … Shine Lee, legislative director for Rep. Young Kim … Callie Lichti, a fellow for Assemblymember Phillip Chen … Kinza Malik, senior government relations manager at Turo … Jaliya Nagahawatte, policy adviser for Rep. Young Kim … Sabina Nussipov, government relations manager at Intuit … Faraz Rizvi, policy and campaign manager at the Asian Pacific Environmental Network … Victor Shi, new media deputy for LA Mayor Karen Bass … Jason Tso, legislative assistant to Assemblyman Phillip Chen … Denise Tugade, legislative staff analyst at the LA County Dept. of Public Health Substance Abuse Prevention & Control Bureau … Lenh Voong, legislative Director for Assemblymember Gregg Hart … Diana Vu, legislative advocate at the Association of California School Administrators … Sakshi Walia, former chief of staff to state Sen. Steve Glazer … Lina Yabuta, account executive at Focuscom Inc. … Justin Yamamura, legislative assistant to Rep. Young Kim STATE CAPITOL SHOW POSTPONED — This year's ticket wars were brought to an abrupt end Friday as the Assembly appropriations committee kicked both bills aiming to rework the events market to next year. Proponents of AB 1349, a suite of rules that would have been applied to resellers such as StubHub and SeatGeek, vented their frustration with the decision while a competing faction highly critical of the country's dominant primary seller, Ticketmaster, celebrated. 'The Assembly was right to delay the bill and focus on real, equitable solutions for consumers,' wrote Empower Fans CA, a coalition that was fighting to impose new rules on Ticketmaster that ultimately saw the rival bill it was supporting watered down and then pushed to next year. The fall of the bills again demonstrated the difficulty of reaching consensus on ticketing issues in California, where the Legislature has for several years in a row been unable to agree on how to balance concerns about Ticketmaster's dominance in the market and third-party sellers' profiting from reselling tickets to popular events at a significant markup. Reps for Live Nation, the parent company of Ticketmaster, meanwhile said the delay in legislating would let 'scalpers off the hook,' alluding to provisions meant to limit software used by scalpers who sell tickets on competing sites. 'Stalling AB1349 lets scalpers off the hook,' said a statement from Live Nation. 'Astroturf groups have tried to fear monger about this bill because they don't want to see bans on deceptive practices like speculative ticketing and fake URLs.' CLIMATE AND ENERGY THE RACE TO REBUILD — Los Angeles is caught between going fast and going far when it comes to rebuilding from January's destructive fires. Former state Sen. Fran Pavley — best known for writing AB 32, the landmark 2006 law that established California's first binding climate targets — will be central to the debate. She's vice chair of the county's 'blue-ribbon commission on climate action and fire-safe recovery.' Read Friday's edition of California Climate for an interview with Pavley about the panel's recommendations. TOP TALKERS STRIKING OIL — Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is pivoting toward the oil industry in his run for California governor. So far, his campaign has accepted $176,000 in contributions from people with ties to the industry, the LA Times reports. Villaraigosa's coziness with fossil-fuel companies comes as a shock to some climate advocates who viewed him as an ally in the past. 'I'm honestly shocked at just how bad it is,' said RL Miller, president of Climate Hawks Vote and chair of the state party's environmental caucus. ICYMI: SUSPENSE RESULTS — The state Assembly and Senate Appropriations committees decided the fate of hundreds of bills last week, including shelving the proposals to regulate the state's ticket market. But they advanced bills to increase wages for incarcerated firefighters, safeguard schools from immigration enforcement and require social media safety warnings. Read more from our colleague Lindsey Holden in Friday's edition of California Playbook PM. AROUND THE STATE — An 11-mile stretch of the Pacific Coast Highway connecting Los Angeles to Malibu has reopened. But repairing the iconic seaside highway has become a costly, never-ending endeavor for Caltrans. (Los Angeles Times) — Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer announced that the state revoked his city's 'prohousing designation' after it failed to adopt multiple policies to streamline construction in time for a fall 2024 deadline. (Fresnoland) — Multiple investigations into financial mismanagement have recently enveloped San Francisco's Parks Alliance. The nonprofit's troubles have been festering for many years, however. (Mission Local) — Lake Oroville, the state's second-largest reservoir, has filled to capacity for a third year in a row following a moderately wet winter. Just four years ago, drought plunged the reservoir to its lowest level since 1968. (San Francisco Chronicle) PLAYBOOKERS IN MEMORIAM — John Briscoe, a longtime member of the Ocean View School District Board of Trustees, died on May 16 due to complications from open heart surgery. As the Daily Pilot reports, Briscoe served on the board for over 16 years, and he also ran for Congress and the state Legislature on a platform focused on his passion for education. Briscoe was 72. PEOPLE MOVES — Baillee Brown is now head of government and external affairs at Inclusive Abundance. She previously was chief of staff for Rep. Scott Peters (D-Calif.). BIRTHDAYS — former Obama adviser David Plouffe … former Sen. Chris Dodd … rapper André 3000 … BELATED B-DAY WISHES — (was Monday): POLITICO's Rebecca Haase, vice president and general manager states (NY-based) … Amnon Shashua at Mobileye … Mia Shaw … Amir Salehzadeh at Kinetic Strategies … Jared Ficker at Axiom Advisors (was Sunday): former DNC Secretary Alice Travis Germond … (was Saturday): Jodi Hicks at Planned Parenthood Affiliates of CA … Giulia DiGuglielmo in the office of Rep. Darrell Issa WANT A SHOUT-OUT FEATURED? — Send us a birthday, career move or another special occasion to include in POLITICO's California Playbook. You can now submit a shout-out using this Google form.
