| | | | | |  | | By Jeremy B. White, Carla Marinucci, Graph Massara and Mackenzie Hawkins | Presented by General Motors | THE BUZZ — Leadership by example has been in short supply among California elected officials of late. Bay Area mayors were the latest to face accusations of corona-pocrisy on Tuesday as we learned they gathered in extra-household groups, despite warning constituents to do no such thing. San Francisco Mayor London Breed was weathering a storm and drawing national attention after the SF Chronicle's Heather Knight reported that Breed joined a get-together at the opulent French Laundry — a visit that, incredibly, came one day after Gov. Gavin Newsom 's ill-advised decision to join a birthday party at the same restaurant, and just days before Breed shut down indoor dining in her city. | 
San Francisco Mayor London Breed speaks during a news conference on January 15, 2020 in San Francisco, California. | Justin Sullivan/Getty Images | San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo publicly apologized for attending a five-household Thanksgiving, two more than the maximum, saying in a statement that he failed in his obligation "to provide exemplary compliance with the public health orders, and certainly not to ignore them." Meanwhile, down south, protesters gathered yesterday outside the home of Los Angeles Supervisor Sheila Kuehl to express their anger that Kuehl had reportedly dined outdoors after voting to ban outdoor dining — a prohibition that desperate Los Angeles restaurants fear is effectively an extinction order. (If you doubt the scale of the outrage, take a gander at the ratio of replies to likes on Kuehl's innocuous World AIDS Day tweet on Tuesday, with hundreds of people roasting Kuehl for voting one way and acting another.) The national conservative media has also piled on, Liccardo has faced similar public shaming, and SF Chronicle food writer Soleil Ho had some choice words for Breed. Such stories aren't just politically damaging, although we will surely be looking for lingering aftereffects on Newsom's reelection bid. They also undermine the public's confidence in officials who are supposed to be steering us through this increasingly perilous pandemic (this also applies to Republicans who jetted to Maui, although GOP lawmakers have been less vocal than Democrats about backing more stringent restrictions). If citizens perceive that those in power aren't bothering to change their behavior, they could be less likely to limit social contacts or forego other risky activities. That type of backsliding could have deadly results as cases soar and public officials implore Californians to stay home, lest hospitals be overwhelmed. BUENOS DÍAS, good Wednesday morning. Sen. Dianne Feinstein's decision to step aside as top Judiciary Committee Democrat has already led to infighting over which of her colleagues will step into the coveted post. QUOTE OF THE DAY: "We are in trouble and we are sounding the alarm. … That's going to mean some real challenging months ahead." Breed warning of more cases and more restrictions. TWEET OF THE DAY: The state Building & Construction Trades Council @CA_Bldg_Trades comes out swinging against environmentalists: "@SierraClubCA is it our money or our jobs that are too dirty for you? We proudly represent nearly half a million workers statewide who come home dirty & depend on blue collar jobs to feed their families. #bluecollarrevolution #dirtyjobs" WHERE'S GAVIN? Nothing official announced. | | | | A message from General Motors: READY TO RISE TO THE CHALLENGE: When the nation needed PPE and ventilators, GM and UAW workers came together and came through. We turned around an automotive facility in four weeks, and in four months delivered 30,000 critical care ventilators to hospitals and the National Strategic Stockpile. This team's experience, skill, and determination has solved challenges for the nation for a long time. Whatever comes next, we'll be ready for that too. | | | |  | TOP TALKERS | | — "10 life-and-death moments in 40 years in the outdoors," by the SF Chronicle's Tom Stienstra: "In his four decades as an outdoors columnist, Tom Stienstra has gotten into some hairy situations. He nearly drowned, was chased by a grizzly bear and helped a pilot avoid a plane crash." — "California boat captain indicted in fire that killed 34," by the AP's Brian Melley and Stefanie Dazio: "The captain of a scuba diving boat that caught fire and sank off the coast of California last year, killing 34 people who were trapped below deck, was indicted Tuesday on federal manslaughter charges for one of the deadliest maritime disasters in recent U.S. history." — "2 Warriors test positive for coronavirus, start of training camp pushed back a day," by the SF Chronicle's Connor Letourneau. | | CORONAVIRUS UPDATES | | — "California church responds to Becerra arguments at SCOTUS, by POLITICO's Jeremy B. White: In a U.S. Supreme Court filing, Harvest Rock Church argued that Gov. Gavin Newsom's restrictions on indoor faith gatherings unconstitutionally curtail religious activities more than secular gatherings. — "More San Francisco restaurants are mulling a drastic step this winter: closing for 'hibernation,'" by the SF Chronicle's Justin Phillips: "There's a slew of other chefs and restaurateurs who are strongly considering the step despite complications such as working out deals with landlords, paying employees and the uncertainty of whether they'll be able to reopen." — " Coronavirus cases and deaths soared in nursing homes across California. Here's why," by the SF Chronicle's Tatiana Sanchez: A new report "found that the size of the facilities and resident demographics played significant roles in infection and death rates, among other factors." WE MEAN BUSINESS — " Nearly 200 Santa Clara County retailers fined for social distancing fails," by the Mercury News' John Woolfolk." NINERS TO AZ — "49ers move practices plus games to Arizona for NFL playoff push," by the Mercury News' Cam Inman: "The 49ers leave Wednesday for a desert oasis in Arizona, where they'll frolic on lush lands, find shelter in a four-star hotel and, ideally, enjoy safe passage in this month's playoff push. Such is their plan upon being exiled from Santa Clara County, due to COVID-19 concerns that prompted health officials to ban contact sports." | | | | TRACK THE TRANSITION: President-elect Biden has started to form a Cabinet and announce his senior White House staff. The appointments and staffing decisions made in the coming days send clear-cut signals about Biden's priorities. Transition Playbook is the definitive guide to one of the most consequential transfers of power in American history. Written for political insiders, it tracks the appointments, people, and the emerging power centers of the new administration. Track the transition and the first 100 days of the incoming Biden administration. Subscribe today. | | | | | | | TRANSITION TIME | | TONY WEST TRUMPETED — "Biden needs attorney general with integrity, proven record on civil rights," Ben Crump opines for USA Today: "In my view, there is no one more uniquely qualified for this role given this significant moment in history than Tony West, the brother-in-law of Vice President-elect Kamala Harris. … His reputation for integrity and effectiveness led Uber to hire him as chief legal officer to lead the effort to clean up its culture." NICHOLS' MOMENT — "The California air quality guru who taught business to love the environment, by POLITICO's Debra Kahn: Mary Nichols' ability to convince wary policymakers and industry executives that the environment and economy are not at odds lies at the heart of her success in forging a bipartisan consensus on climate change action in California. And it may be the reason that Nichols, who is termed out as chair of the state air pollution agency at the end of the year, tops the list of Joe Biden's potential picks to head the EPA, which will face much the same challenge if the new administration has any hope of meeting international goals to rein in greenhouse emissions. | | THE TRUMP ERA | | BIG FOR SILICON VALLEY — "Judge throws out Trump rules limiting skilled-worker visas," by the AP's Sophia Tareen: "U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White in California said the government didn't follow transparency procedures and its contention that the changes were an emergency response to pandemic job losses didn't hold water because the Trump administration has floated the idea for some time but only published the rules in October." — "Barr: No evidence of fraud that'd change election outcome," via the AP. | | CAMPAIGN MODE | | DELAINE'S LATEST DRIVE — After Democrats failed to regain the CA-25 seat Rep. Mike Garcia claimed when Democrat Katie Hill resigned, Delaine Eastin believes it's "time for a change" at the top of her party. That's why Eastin, 73, a former state superintendent of public instruction and a 2018 Democratic gubernatorial candidate, is challenging California Democratic party chair Rusty Hicks for the top job — and intends to make it a real contest. "I'm trying to lift up the party and get the energy back on issues we care about," she told POLITICO on Tuesday. "That means having a party with a vision that's progressive — that isn't just about protecting people in positions today. It's about energy for change, and for expanding our message." Eastin said losses by Democratic Reps Gil Cisneros, Harley Rouda and TJ Cox and President Donald Trump's gains with Latino, blue-collar and rural voters holds a lesson in California, underscoring the need for Democrats to speak to working-class families and rural Californians who feel "we're not taking care of them." And she noted that while women make up the majority of the voters in California, the California Democratic Party hasn't chosen a female chair since Betty Smith won in 1987 — and before that, Nancy Pelosi in 1983. Eastin said she's looking to disrupt "a backroom boys' club," and she's ready to campaign hard.
| | GAVINLAND | | — "Under fire from D.A.s, Gavin Newsom says he is taking action to curb prison unemployment fraud," by the Sac Bee's Wes Venteicher, David Lightman and Dale Kasler: "With the massive prison fraud case becoming his latest political headache, Newsom acknowledged that 'bad actors' had exploited the unemployment crisis that erupted when the pandemic shut down much of the economy in March." | | CALIFORNIA AND THE CAPITOL CORRIDOR | | CALDERON CLOUT — Outgoing Assemblymember Ian Calderon announced Tuesday that he's launching a political strategy firm, Majority Advisors, following a well-trodden post-Sacramento path as his stepmother, Assemblymember-elect Lisa Calderon, takes the reins in the 57th Assembly District. — "Two California Highway Patrol officers shot at in Oakland," by the Mercury News' Harry Harris. NO FIRE RELIEF— " California got $1.3 billion in wildfire relief. Victims have received nothing, prompting outrage," by the LA Times' Liam Dillon: "California has received more than $1.3 billion in federal aid to rebuild after the 2017 wine country wildfires, the 2018 Camp fire in Butte County and other disasters from those years. But disaster-affected homeowners and renters have yet to receive a single penny. The cause: years-long federal and state bureaucratic delays." UNEMPLOYMENT FRAUD — "California's prisoner unemployment fraud now estimated at $400 million, officials say," by the LA Times' Patrick McGreevy: "The new total is nearly three times the $140 million in claim payments estimated last week by a group of nine district attorneys across California and a federal prosecutor." — "Sacramento County supervisors select first woman county executive amid misconduct inquiry," by the Sac Bee's Michael Finch: "Edwards, who is the director of the department of human assistance, will be the first woman to hold the top position, which oversees thousands of employees. … The county has been bogged down by a series of issues surrounding Gill, who has been the county executive since 2016." — "Some Taiwanese immigrants fear Biden will 'Make China Great Again.' Can he win them over?" by the LA Times' Stephanie Lai: "What they all have in common is a deep concern for their native island, which transitioned from martial law to democracy and is de facto independent, with its own government and military, but is not officially recognized by most countries." | | SILICON VALLEYLAND | | BIG MOVE — "Salesforce acquires Slack for over $27 billion, marking cloud software vendor's largest deal ever," by CNBC's Ari Levy: "For Salesforce, the Slack deal is the latest in CEO Marc Benioff's multiyear acquisition spree." DASHED — "DoorDash Denied Arbitration of California Drivers' Tip Claims," by Bloomberg Law's Maeve Allsup: "Food-delivery platform DoorDash Inc. must face allegations that it impermissibly used customer tips to meet minimum pay requirements for drivers, after a California appeals court declined Monday to compel arbitration of claims filed on behalf of the state." — " Musk Urges Tesla Staff to Pinch Pennies, Buoy Surging Shares," by Bloomberg's Dana Hull and Josh Eidelson: CEO Elon Musk "urged employees to stay focused on cutting costs and prevent a reversal in Tesla's soaring stock price in an email sent Tuesday to employees as the Palo Alto, California-based company works to meet a target of delivering half a million cars this year." | | | | NEXT WEEK - DON'T MISS THE MILKEN INSTITUTE FUTURE OF HEALTH SUMMIT 2020: POLITICO will feature a special edition Future Pulse newsletter at the Milken Institute Future of Health Summit. The newsletter takes readers inside one of the most influential gatherings of global health industry leaders and innovators determined to confront and conquer the most significant health challenges. Covid-19 has exposed weaknesses across our health systems, particularly in the treatment of our most vulnerable communities, driving the focus of the 2020 conference on the converging crises of public health, economic insecurity, and social justice. Sign up today to receive exclusive coverage from December 7–9. | | | | | | | HOLLYWOODLAND | | — "Oscar-Nominated 'Umbrella Academy' Star Elliot Page Announces He Is Transgender," by Variety's Matt Donnelly. COSBY IN COURT — " Bill Cosby's Sex Assault Conviction Goes Before High-Level Court," via the AP: "Pennsylvania's highest court questioned Tuesday whether Bill Cosby's alleged history of intoxicating and sexually assaulting young women amounted to a signature crime pattern, given studies that show as many as half of all sexual assaults involve drugs or alcohol." | | CANNABIS COUNTRY | | — "California Marijuana Sales Are 'Very Strong' Despite Coronavirus, State Officials Say," by Marijuana Moment's Kyle Jaeger: The state Legislative Analyst's Office said 'cannabis tax revenues grew rapidly in 2018 and 2019' — and that growth 'has accelerated in 2020' amid the COVID-19 outbreak." — "Premium-priced cannabis products take a larger share of overall flower sales," by Marijuana Business Daily's Andrew Long. | | MIXTAPE | | — "Legendary Sacramento band Dance Gavin Dance announces new concert, performed on Tower Bridge," by Chris Macias for the Sac Bee. — " High-dollar real estate sales in San Francisco hit over coronavirus, Proposition I concerns," by the SF Chronicle's Kathleen Pender. — "This San Jose street may soon be renamed as Barack Obama Boulevard," by the Mercury News' Maggie Angst. — "Tenderloin residents struggle with bus cuts as Muni faces deficit: 'We're all suffering,'" by the SF Chronicle's Mallory Moench. | | BIRTHDAYS | | Conyers Davis … Leon Litwack | | IN MEMORIAM | | — "Remembering Bruce Herschensohn," by Newsmax's John Gizzi: "In losing to Democrat Barbara Boxer by 48% to 43%, the conservative hopeful nevertheless became and remained an inspiration to up-and-coming activists and leaders in California. Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Calif., former State GOP Chairman John McGraw, and former Assemblyman Howard Kaloogian, to name a few, all cite him as hero and role model." | | | |   | | | 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 subscriber-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 | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |
No comments:
Post a Comment