| | | | | |  | | By Carla Marinucci, Jeremy B. White, Graph Massara and Richard Tzul | THE BUZZ — BIG SHOT IN THE ARM: Gov. Gavin Newsom's getting the shot next week. Starting April 1, California will expand its coronavirus vaccine distribution to all residents aged 50 and older. The governor, who's 53, has said he didn't want to jump the line, but now that he qualifies, he'll get vaccinated — presumably, live on social media. And in just a few weeks, he promised Wednesday, "there will be no rules, no limitations as it relates to the ability to get a vaccine." | 
California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks during a press conference at a COVID-19 vaccination site at AltaMed in Santa Ana, Calif., on Thursday, March 25, 2021. | Jeff Gritchen/The Orange County Register via AP | AND THAT'S BIG NEWS: As POLITICO's Victoria Colliver reported , Newsom's announcement was welcome news for millions of younger Californians who've been anxiously waiting their turn. Everyone at least 16 years old will be eligible to make an appointment starting April 15, according to the new criteria, putting California well ahead of President Joe Biden's goal of opening up vaccine eligibility by May 1. IF YOU JUST CAN'T WAIT: "How to get a COVID-19 vaccine even if you don't qualify for one yet (without cheating) ," by the LA Times' Haley Smith. Not that the vaccine news is a cure-all for Newsom's school reopening woes. The California Teachers' Association Thursday released a poll it commissioned that showed a majority of parents are still concerned about the spread of the coronavirus. A Hart Research Associates poll conducted earlier this month found more confidence that schools are safe, but three-quarters of parents and voters said they prioritize safety over speed in reopening, and most parents preferred a mixed model of in-person and remote learning rather than a return to fully in-person classes. The poll also found that parents of color are more acutely concerned; only 40 percent said they want schools to reopen now. BUENOS DÍAS, good Friday morning. Chag Pesach sameach to all our Playbookers who will celebrate Passover starting Saturday. To get you started: Here's Vice President Kamala Harris joining second gentleman Doug Emhoff in the White House's virtual Passover celebration. QUOTE OF THE DAY: "I think it's an unnecessary notion. … I don't think it even rises to the level of an idea. … I think the governor will beat this quite decisively, and we'll all help him do that.'' Speaker Nancy Pelosi warns Democrats for the sake of party unity not to get involved in the California recall, as Jeremy reports. TWEET OF THE DAY: Elon Musk @elonmusk: "If there's ever a scandal about me, *please* call it Elongate" WHERE'S GAVIN? Nothing official announced. | | | | SUBSCRIBE TO "THE RECAST" TO JOIN AN IMPORTANT CONVERSATION : Power dynamics are shifting in Washington and across the country, and more people are demanding a seat at the table, insisting that all politics is personal and not all policy is equitable. "The Recast" is a new twice-weekly newsletter that breaks down how race and identity are recasting politics, policy, and power in America. Get fresh insights, scoops, and dispatches on this crucial intersection from across the country, and hear from new voices that challenge business as usual. Don't miss out on this new newsletter, SUBSCRIBE NOW . Thank you to our sponsor, Intel. | | | | | |  | TOP TALKERS | | NOT BAILED OUT — California Supreme Court deals landmark blow to cash bail, by POLITICO's Jeremy B. White: Critics of cash bail argue it often conditions freedom purely on whether an arrestee can afford to post bail, rather than on a person's flight risk or level of danger to the community. The California Supreme Court vindicated that position Thursday in an opinion holding that courts must consider an individual's financial standing and cannot detain people "solely because" they cannot post bail. BIG BUCKS — " USC to pay $1.1 billion to settle decades of sex abuse claims against gynecologist," by the LA Times' Matt Hamilton and Harriet Ryan: "The huge sum was revealed Thursday in Los Angeles Superior Court as lawyers for a final group of 710 women suing the university told a judge they had settled their claims for $852 million. … The sole full-time gynecologist at the student health clinic from 1989 until 2016, Tyndall was accused of preying on a generation of USC women." GONE VIRAL — "A meme about 'only-in-San Francisco' political scandals is tearing up the internet," by the SF Chronicle's Annie Vainshtein: "Thousands of San Francisco residents logged onto Twitter this week to find out they'd been arrested, recalled or canceled — by the Democratic Socialists of America, Recology, or Supervisor Matt Haney. That is, in the fictional universe created by a new 'San Francisco political scandal game' that has gone viral on Twitter." PUSHBACK — "Judge denies San Francisco's request to order schools to reopen to all students," by the SF Chronicle's Emma Talley: "Judge Ethan Schulman wrote in his ruling that the request was made pointless by several recent developments, including the approval of a plan to bring younger students, as well as more vulnerable older students, back to classrooms." | | ROAD TO RECALL | | FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — Silicon Valley giants provide tech support in Newsom recall fight, by POLITICO's Carla Marinucci: Some of Silicon Valley's biggest tech names are urging Californians to reject the "politically motivated" recall drive against Newsom, arguing it would "roll back growing progress" the Democratic governor has made on vaccines and business recovery in the pandemic. Among the 75 tech leaders who signed the letter are Laurene Powell Jobs, Steve Jobs' widow and Emerson Collective founder; Ron Conway, founder of SV Angels; former Google CEO Eric Schmidt; LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman; Napster co-founder Sean Parker; and former Yahoo president and CEO Marissa Mayer. Although the message of support for Newsom doesn't mention funding to fight the recall, Silicon Valley insiders say that's likely the next step for many of the deep-pocketed tech executives who have written big checks in elections before. Their public letter marks the first organized effort by tech leaders to rally opposition to the recall, and to raise awareness that the recall is likely real — and could have major impacts on California's business and political climate. | | CORONAVIRUS UPDATES | | ON TRACK — "200 million vaccines in 100 days is the new goal, Biden says, though the U.S. is already on track to meet that," by the NYT's Sheryl Gay Stolberg: "Vaccine makers are also hitting their stride. Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson have promised enough doses to inoculate all the nation's roughly 260 million adults by the end of May, as Mr. Biden promised." IT'S NOT TUSKEGEE — "Current medical racism fuels Black Americans' vaccine hesitancy," by KQED's April Dembosky: "It's the health inequities of today that Maxine Toler, 72, hears about when she asks her friends and neighbors in Los Angeles what they think about the vaccine. As president of her city's senior advocacy council and her neighborhood block club, Toler said she and most of the other Black seniors she talks with want the vaccine but are having trouble getting it." — "When will kids get the COVID-19 vaccine?" by the Mercury News' Lisa M. Krieger: "Will the vaccines get the go-ahead in time for the next school year? That's not known. While the federal authorization process will be shorter than it was for adult vaccines, manufacturers must still prove safety and efficacy." — "COVID Q&A: What California's new vaccine rules mean for you," by the Mercury News' Emily Deruy. — "Here are a bunch of things you can do to try to get a COVID vaccine in California," by the LA Times' Jessica Roy: "You can make your appointment now for a date after your eligibility begins. And there are lots of ways to do it." | | THE 46TH | | — "Biden Wants to 'End Endless Wars,' but Dodges the Big Battle," by the Daily Beast's Spencer Ackerman and Matt Fuller: "Nixing the law, known as the 2002 Authorization to Use Military Force (AUMF), has been an antiwar priority for years, and it finally has traction in Congress. On Thursday, the House Foreign Affairs Committee will mark up Rep. Barbara Lee's bill to repeal it." UNCHARTED WATERS— "'Judges are banning some Capitol riot suspects from the internet," by the LA Times' Evan Halper: "Beverly Hills esthetician and eyelash stylist Gina Bisignano was so present on social media that the federal criminal complaint against her practically wrote itself." — "Biden plan helps employers expand family leave. Will California offer it to state workers?" by the Sac Bee's Wes Venteicher: "A paid family leave expansion that helped many California state workers manage coronavirus disruptions last year remains in limbo this year under President Joe Biden's American Rescue Plan. When Congress approved the first coronavirus relief package a year ago, it required most employers, including the state of California, to offer expanded benefits to their employees." | | CAMPAIGN MODE | | AG CHALLENGER EMERGES — Sacramento DA Schubert seriously considers 2022 run against Bonta, by POLITICO's Jeremy B. White: The 2022 contest to be California's top prosecutor could become a major test of the criminal justice arc in California and the nation. Rob Bonta embodies a broader move away from stricter criminal justice policies that fueled a decadeslong incarceration boom. Opponents aligned with law enforcement fault a new generation of prosecutors for undermining public safety and failing victims with excessive leniency. Anne Marie Schubert did not return a call seeking comment Wednesday, but she would be a formidable opponent if she does jump into the race . She played a central role in cracking the Golden State Killer cold case — an achievement that could supply ready-made campaign ads touting her law enforcement bona fides. She is openly gay and recently switched her party affiliation from Republican to "decline to state," both of which could broaden her appeal. THE NEXT BATTLE — " Who will fill Rob Bonta's East Bay seat? The most prominent local official isn't interested," by the SF Chronicle's Joe Garofoli: "Perhaps the most prominent politician in the district, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, is not interested in the job, according to a spokesperson. She will be termed out next year. Neither is Oakland City Council President Nikki Fortunato Bas." | | CALIFORNIA AND THE CAPITOL CORRIDOR | | — "Would California's extensive gun laws have stopped Boulder, Atlanta shooters?" by the Mercury News' John Woolfolk: "Would they have prevented the bloodshed? Here is a look at California's gun laws and how they could have intersected with the men charged with the recent shootings." EDITORIAL — "Mass shootings demand a vote on gun control," by the Mercury News and East Bay Times editorial boards. — "COVID economy falters, but Bay Area luxury home sales boom," by the Mercury News' Louis Hansen: "A new study from the Bay Area Equity Atlas estimates 137,000 renters in the region have fallen behind in rent, accumulating $488 million in debt during the pandemic. Without financial relief, the rental debt could prevent these families from ever saving up enough for a down payment on a home in the Bay Area." — "'We don't need police, period.' Who should handle mental health 911 calls in Sacramento?" by the Sac Bee's Rosalio Ahumada: "Nearly a year after [George] Floyd's death, city leaders and the department's new director say they're on track to deploy the 'right response,' even though changes likely won't be fully implemented until July 2022." — "The LAPD Is Averaging Almost One Shooting Per Day," by LA Taco's Lexis-Olivier Ray: "On Tuesday morning, Chief Moore and the Los Angeles Police Commission — the civilian oversight board of the LAPD — heard from family members of Daniel Hernandez Bravo, a 28 year old man that was killed by Los Angeles police last year. Bravo was fatally shot roughly a mile away from where another Daniel Hernandez was killed days earlier by an LAPD officer that also moonlights as a model and competitive shooter." — " Police, protesters clash near Echo Park homeless cleanup in second night of tensions," by the LA Daily News' Josh Cain, Elizabeth Chou, Eric Licas, Jonah Valdez and David Rosenfeld: "Several local news reporters had also been covering the demonstration, at least three of which were detained. At least one was released a short time later." — " Garcetti keeps a low profile as Echo Park homeless battle rages," by the LA Times' Dakota Smith. COLUMN — "They warned about rising anti-Asian hate 32 years ago. Californians ignored them," by the LA Times' Gustavo Arellano. BREAKING BAD? — "Arrest of lab worker at SF medical examiner's office, allegedly with evidence bag of meth, could taint cases," by the SF Chronicle's Megan Cassidy: "An initial assessment shows Volk was involved in 2,500 cases in the past eight years with the medical examiner's office, including 500 death investigations and toxicology testing for 1,200 sexual assaults and 800 DUIs." GO BEARS? COME, BEARS! — "Amid an uncertain future, Mills College campus will be home to hundreds of UC Berkeley students," by the Mercury News' Annie Sciacca: "UC Berkeley already allows a cohort of students on its campus to take core classes together their first semester, giving them the feel of 'a small liberal arts college, with the resources and opportunities of a large research university.'" ARCHULETA GETS A BREAK, via the Sac Bee's Hannah Wiley — State Sen. Bob Archuleta will retain his committee seats after both he and the State Senate were the subject of a new lawsuit filed by a former staffer alleging sexual harassment, retaliation and discrimination. The California Legislative Women's Caucus — co-chaired by Assemblymember Cristina Garcia, who is herself the subject of an ongoing sexual harassment lawsuit — confirmed Wednesday that Archuleta will remain on his committees, saying the investigation "is now on hold because of the lawsuit,'' according to the Bee. But the lawsuit was filed, the Bee reports, after the legislative Workplace Conduct Unit "failed to act in a timely manner,'' the victim said. Reaction from California Democratic Party women's caucus chair Christine PelosI : The WCU's move "puts victims in a double bind — the process is too slow and opaque to achieve transparent results that would achieve survivor justice and/or compel legislative colleagues to take action. … She is damned if she sues and condemned to purgatory if she doesn't. That's not good for anyone." | | SILICON VALLEYLAND | | UNION ISSUE — "Tesla Is Ordered to Rehire Worker, Make Musk Delete Tweet," by Bloomberg's Josh Eidelson: "U.S. labor law allows companies to make negative predictions about the consequences if workers unionize, but prohibits them from threatening to punish employees for doing so." ROYAL TECH — "Prince Harry secretly started tech executive job months ago," by PageSix's Lee Brown: "Just a day after the Duke of Sussex was named as the chief impact officer of online mental health coaching service BetterUp Inc., he was confirmed as an expert investigating the 'modern-day crisis' of online disinformation." UNFRIENDED — " Congress Grills Social Media CEOs, Slams Instagram; "Your Platforms Are My Biggest Fear As A Parent,'" by Deadline's Jill Goldsmith. | | HOLLYWOODLAND | | — "Disneyland unveils plans for theme park, retail and parking expansion," by the OC Register's Brady MacDonald and Ian Wheeler. — " Clippers acquire Rajon Rondo for Lou Williams at NBA trade deadline," by the LA Daily News' Mirjam Swanson. — "Jay Leno Apologizes for Decades of Jokes About Asians: 'In My Heart I Knew It Was Wrong,'" by Variety's Matt Donnelly. — " Top FBI special agent breaks into Hollywood," by PageSix's Emily Smith. | | CANNABIS COUNTRY | | THE POT ANGLE — "California gov appoints cannabis industry ally as state's attorney general," via Marijuana Business Daily: "He was one of the principal authors in 2015 of California's statewide medical marijuana regulatory system, and he ran bills in the Legislature for three straight years – 2018-20 – in attempts to lower state cannabis tax rates." | | MEDIA MATTERS | | — "LAPD detains, then releases, Los Angeles Times reporter covering unrest in Echo Park," by the LA Times' Kevin Rector: James Queally "said he was wearing an LAPD-issued press badge on a lanyard around his neck when he was grabbed by two officers and placed in zip ties despite immediately and repeatedly telling them that he was a working Times reporter." | | MIXTAPE | | — "Woman's body discovered near site of Highway 1 construction," by the SF Chronicle's Vanessa Arredondo. — " OC Fair will be held in person this summer," by the OC Register's Alicia Robinson. — "Hate crime charged in maskless assault and racist outburst at Mountain View McDonald's," by the Mercury News Robert Salonga. — " BART Rolls Out Machines That Dispense Short Stories to Riders," by the Bold Italic's Clara Hogan. — "The Cuban-Mexican Story Of The Best Chilaquiles In The Westside Of Los Angeles," by LA Taco's Memo Torres. | | IN MEMORIAM | | — "Jessica Walter, 'Arrested Development' and 'Archer' Actress, Dies at 80," by the Hollywood Reporter's Chris Koseluk. — " Oakland native, college basketball star killed in fiery crash near Lodi," by KCBS' Eric Brooks. | | BIRTHDAYS | | Nancy Pelosi is 81 … Twitter's Lexi Neaman ... Michael Waxman, CEO of Waxman Strategies … Matt Lira … Larry Page is 48 | | | | Did you know that POLITICO Pro has coverage and tools at the state level? All the state legislative and regulatory tracking, budget documents, state agency contact information, and everything else you need to stay ahead of state policy movement integrate into our smart and customizable platform. Learn more and become a Pro today. | | | | | 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.
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