Latest news with #GavinNewsom
The Guardian
an hour ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Gavin Newsom sues Fox News for defamation and demands $787m
The governor of California, Gavin Newsom, has sued Fox News for defamation and demanded $787m, almost exactly the same amount Fox paid in a previous defamation case over election misinformation. In the new lawsuit, filed on Friday, Newsom accuses the Fox host Jesse Watters of falsely claiming Newsom lied about a phone call with Donald Trump, who recently ordered national guard troops into Los Angeles. Newsom's attorneys say Watters aired a deceptively edited clip of Trump suggesting he spoke with the governor just before the military deployment, when in fact records show the call occurred days earlier, on 7 June. The lawsuit alleges that Fox manipulated the footage to push a false narrative that Newsom had misled the public. Trump had told reporters on 10 June he had spoken with Newsom 'a day ago', appearing to imply a conversation occurred on the same day that 700 US marines were deployed to LA. Newsom denied Trump's claim, writing on X minutes later: 'There was no call. Not even a voicemail. Americans should be alarmed that a President deploying Marines onto our streets doesn't even know who he's talking to.' The lawsuit says that Fox's own reporting confirmed Newsom's version. While Watters aired Trump's edited quote and asked viewers 'Why would Newsom lie?', the host simultaneously showed a screenshot of Trump's call history, which confirmed the most recent call was 7 June. Newsom's complaint also accuses the network of violating California's Unfair Competition Law by engaging in deceptive business practices. The damages sought mirror the $787.5m Fox paid Dominion Voting Systems in 2023 to settle a separate defamation case over election misinformation. 'If Fox News wants to lie to the American people on Donald Trump's behalf, it should face consequences – just like it did in the Dominion case,' Newsom told Politico in a statement. 'Until Fox is willing to be truthful, I will keep fighting against their propaganda machine.' The governor's team told Politico that they would drop the case if Fox retracts the claims and Watters issues an on-air apology. Newsom said legal costs would come from his campaign funds, and that if the case is successful the proceeds will go to support anti-Trump causes. A Fox News spokesperson said: 'Governor Newsom's transparent publicity stunt is frivolous and designed to chill free speech critical of him. We will defend this case vigorously and look forward to it being dismissed.' Trump has had his own legal battles with media outlets. He recently secured a $15m settlement from ABC over comments made by George Stephanopoulos, and he has sued CBS over alleged interview manipulation by its 60 Minutes program during the 2024 campaign, a case which remains unresolved.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
California closes $12B deficit by cutting back immigrants' access to health care
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed on Friday a budget that pares back a number of progressive priorities, including a landmark health care expansion for low-income adult immigrants without legal status, to close a $12 billion deficit. It's the third year in a row the nation's most populous state has been forced to slash funding or stop some of the programs championed by Democratic leaders. Lawmakers passed the budget earlier in the day following an agreement of a $321 billion spending plan between Newsom and Democratic leaders. But the whole budget will be void if lawmakers don't send him legislation to make it easier to build housing by Monday. The budget avoids some of the most devastating cuts to essential safety net programs, state leaders said. They mostly relied on using state savings, borrowing from special funds and delaying payments to plug the budget hole. 'It's balanced, it maintains substantial reserves, and it's focused on supporting Californians,' Newsom said in a statement about the budget. California also faces potential federal cuts to health care programs and broad economic uncertainty that could force even deeper cuts. Newsom in May estimated that federal policies — including on tariffs and immigration enforcement — could reduce state tax revenue by $16 billion. 'We've had to make some tough decisions,' Senate President Pro Tempore Mike McGuire said Friday. 'I know we're not going to please everyone, but we're doing this without any new taxes on everyday Californians.' Republican lawmakers said they were left out of budget negotiations. They also criticized Democrats for not doing enough to address future deficits, which could range between $17 billion to $24 billion annually. 'We're increasing borrowing, we're taking away from the rainy day fund, and we're not reducing our spending," said Republican state Sen. Tony Strickland prior to the vote. 'And this budget also does nothing about affordability in California.' Here's a look at spending in key areas: Health care Under the budget deal, California will stop enrolling new adult patients without legal status in its state-funded health care program for low-income people starting 2026. The state will also implement a $30 monthly premium July 2027 for immigrants remaining on the program, including some with legal status. The premiums would apply to adults under 60 years old. The changes to the program, known as Medi-Cal, are a scaled-back version of Newsom's proposal in May. Still, it's a major blow to an ambitious program started last year to help the state inch closer to a goal of universal health care. Democratic state Sen. Maria Elena Durazo broke with her party and voted 'no' on the health care changes, calling them a betrayal of immigrant communities. The deal also removes $78 million in funding for mental health phone lines, including a program that served 100,000 people annually. It will eliminate funding that helps pay for dental services for low-income people in 2026 and delay implementation of legislation requiring health insurance to cover fertility services by six months to 2026. But lawmakers also successfully pushed back on several proposed cuts from Newsom that they called 'draconian.' The deal secures funding for a program providing in-home domestic and personal care services for some low-income residents and Californians with disabilities. It also avoids cuts to Planned Parenthood. Environment Lawmakers agreed to let the state tap $1 billion from its cap-and-trade program to fund state firefighting efforts. The cap-and-trade program is a market-based system aimed at reducing carbon emissions. Companies have to buy credits to pollute, and that money goes into a fund lawmakers are supposed to tap for climate-related spending. Newsom wanted to reauthorize the program through 2045, with a guarantee that $1 billion would annually go to the state's long-delayed high-speed rail project. The budget doesn't make that commitment, as lawmakers wanted to hash out spending plans outside of the budget process. The rail project currently receives 25% of the cap-and-trade proceeds, which is roughly $1 billion annually depending on the year. Legislative leaders also approved funding to help transition part-time firefighters into full-time positions. Many state firefighters only work nine months each year, which lawmakers said harms the state's ability to prevent and fight wildfires. The deal includes $10 million to increase the daily wage for incarcerated firefighters, who earn $5.80 to $10.24 a day currently. Public safety The budget agreement will provide $80 million to help implement a tough-on-crime initiative voters overwhelmingly approved last year. The measure makes shoplifting a felony for repeat offenders, increases penalties for some drug charges and gives judges the authority to order people with multiple drug charges into treatment. Most of the fund, $50 million, will help counties build more behavioral health beds. Probation officers will get $15 million for pre-trial services and courts will receive $20 million to support increased caseloads. Advocates of the measure — including sheriffs, district attorneys and probation officers — said that's not enough money. Some have estimated it would take around $400 million for the first year of the program. Other priorities Newsom and lawmakers agreed to raise the state's film tax credit from $330 million to $750 million annually to boost Hollywood. The program, a priority for Newsom, will start this year and expire in 2030. The budget provides $10 million to help support immigration legal services, including deportation defense. But cities and counties won't see new funding to help them address homelessness next year, which local leaders said could lead to the loss of thousands of shelter beds. The budget also doesn't act on Newsom's proposal to streamline a project to create a massive underground tunnel to reroute a big part of the state's water supply.
CBS News
2 hours ago
- Business
- CBS News
California increases tax incentives for film and television to $750 million
The California legislature approved a plan to hopefully incentivize studios to shoot in the state by increasing the cap on tax credits from $330 million to $750 million. "More than doubling the program's allotted cap to $750 million annually underscores just how vital our industry is to the economic health of our state, and the power of our members' voices," the Entertainment Union Coalition said in a statement. Los Angeles, long considered the center of film and TV production nationwide, has struggled to retain its dominance in the industry in recent years, losing business to other states that offer more attractive incentives, most notably New York and Georgia. To bridge the gap, Gov. Gavin Newsom and LA Mayor Karen Bass unveiled the proposal in October. Newsom's office said he expects to sign additional legislation as part fo the tax credit expansion. Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur, who represents parts of LA County, applauded the expansion of the tax credit. "After years of uncertainty, workers can once again set the stage, cue the lights, and roll the cameras—because California is keeping film and TV jobs anchored right here, where they belong," Zbur said. Zbur authored AB 1138, which aims to modernize and strengthen the film tax credit program. "This is a historic investment in our creative economy, our working families, small businesses, and the communities that depend on this industry to thrive," he said. "We're not just restarting production—we're rewriting the script to put workers back at the center of California's entertainment future." Zbur's office stated that the tax credit has created 197,000 jobs and generated $26 billion in economic activity since 2009.
New York Times
2 hours ago
- Health
- New York Times
Newsom Signs Budget That Includes Health Care Cuts for Undocumented Immigrants
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a California budget on Friday that relied on scaling back health care for undocumented immigrants, even as he and other California Democrats in recent weeks have condemned the Trump administration for cracking down on immigrant workers. In signing the budget, Mr. Newsom backtracked on his earlier pledge to insure all low-income residents, regardless of their immigration status. But it came as the state faced a $12 billion deficit, driven in part by a large cost overrun in the state's insurance plan for undocumented immigrants, and it would have been politically difficult to cut programs for citizens without reducing benefits for undocumented immigrants. When Mr. Newsom initially proposed the cuts in May, it was seen as a centrist pivot for a governor who is a potential presidential candidate in 2028. But after President Trump sent National Guard troops to Los Angeles nearly three weeks ago to thwart protesters, Mr. Newsom returned to his role as a liberal antagonist of the Republican administration and accused Mr. Trump of endangering American democracy. The California budget for the fiscal year that starts Tuesday relies on prohibiting new enrollment of undocumented immigrants in the state's Medicaid program, known as Medi-Cal, starting in January. Adults between the ages of 19 and 59 who were already enrolled will have to pay a new $30 monthly premium beginning in 2027. And the state will eliminate dental care in July 2026 for undocumented adults and other noncitizens. Medi-Cal serves roughly 15 million people, including 1.6 million undocumented immigrants. Because the federal government does not pay for most health care for undocumented immigrants, it costs California more to insure noncitizens than it does to cover citizens. Democrats have argued that the state has a moral responsibility to provide health care to its immigrant work force, and they have said that preventative treatment can avert more costly emergency care down the road. Democrats who control the State Capitol cast their decisions on Friday as a necessary move to help close the budget deficit and said it was not an ideological shift away from supporting immigrants. Some choked back tears in emotional floor speeches about their undocumented family members as they voted for cuts to Medi-Cal. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
New York Times
2 hours ago
- Health
- New York Times
Newsom Signs Budget That Relies on Health Care Cuts for Undocumented Immigrants
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a California budget on Friday that relied on scaling back health care for undocumented immigrants, even as he and other California Democrats in recent weeks have condemned the Trump administration for cracking down on immigrant workers. In signing the budget, Mr. Newsom backtracked on his earlier pledge to insure all low-income residents, regardless of their immigration status. But it came as the state faced a $12 billion deficit, driven in part by a large cost overrun in the state's insurance plan for undocumented immigrants, and it would have been politically difficult to cut programs for citizens without reducing benefits for undocumented immigrants. When Mr. Newsom initially proposed the cuts in May, it was seen as a centrist pivot for a governor who is a potential presidential candidate in 2028. But after President Trump sent National Guard troops to Los Angeles nearly three weeks ago to thwart protesters, Mr. Newsom returned to his role as a liberal antagonist of the Republican administration and accused Mr. Trump of endangering American democracy. The California budget for the fiscal year that starts Tuesday relies on prohibiting new enrollment of undocumented immigrants in the state's Medicaid program, known as Medi-Cal, starting in January. Adults between the ages of 19 and 59 who were already enrolled will have to pay a new $30 monthly premium beginning in 2027. And the state will eliminate dental care in July 2026 for undocumented adults and other noncitizens. Medi-Cal serves roughly 15 million people, including 1.6 million undocumented immigrants. Because the federal government does not pay for most health care for undocumented immigrants, it costs California more to insure noncitizens than it does to cover citizens. Democrats have argued that the state has a moral responsibility to provide health care to its immigrant work force, and they have said that preventative treatment can avert more costly emergency care down the road. Democrats who control the State Capitol cast their decisions on Friday as a necessary move to help close the budget deficit and said it was not an ideological shift away from supporting immigrants. Some choked back tears in emotional floor speeches about their undocumented family members as they voted for cuts to Medi-Cal. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
