| | | | | |  | | By Jeremy B. White, Graph Massara and Richard Tzul | THE BUZZ — So much for this being the year for a fracking ban. Environmentalists have agitated for years to ban the controversial oil extraction process in California, arguing that continued fracking operations bely the state's green vision and undercut its climate agenda. And session after sessions, bills died in Sacramento. The formidable energy industry mobilized in opposition — often with an assist from labor allies — in a perennial reminder that, despite California's national reputation as a place where enviros run the show, the oil industry is a major economic engine and political force here. Gov. Gavin Newsom offered the possibility of a different outcome this time. Back in September, the Democratic governor burnished his environmental bona fides with an executive order phasing out gas-powered car sales by 2035. Newsom also called for a fracking ban, but he decided not to flex his executive muscle on that one. Instead he deferred to the Legislature, asserting he lacked the authority to prohibit the practice unilaterally. That stance generated plenty of skepticism, given the proposal's difficult political terrain. | 
This June 12, 2017 photo shows pumpjacks operating in the western edge of California's Central Valley northwest of Bakersfield. | AP Photo/Brian Melley | On Tuesday, the skeptics were vindicated. A highly anticipated bill to phase out fracking and other extraction techniques while mandating buffers between oil wells and schools or homes died in its first committee, a victim of not just Republican opposition but insufficient Democratic support. State Sen. Susan Eggman voted no and Sens. Ben Hueso and Bob Hertzberg both held off on voting, and the bill fell a vote short of advancing. Sen. Scott Wiener said his measure would "jumpstart the conversation of how and when California will phase out oil extraction in this state." It sounds like the "when" is "not quite yet." The failure was an object lesson in Sacramento's power dynamics — in particular, how labor's clout will complicate efforts to decarbonize the economy. Union after union lined up in opposition, arguing the measure would vaporize good-paying union jobs and offer a pittance in return while depriving oil-producing areas like Kern County of critical tax revenue. There's no doubt California environmentalists are in a stronger position than their peers in many other states. But that's still not enough to overcome the energy-union alliance that similarly torpedoed a well buffer zone bill last year. And that situation raises some serious long-term questions about the political viability of California's attempts to get to, in Newsom's words , "a future free of fossil fuels and fracking." NEWSOM'S ROLE: It will be interesting to see how this outcome affects the governor, whose administration did not expend effort to move a bill Newsom himself sought. Newsom has already faced rising discontent and legal challenges from environmentalists, and this measure's swift demise could bolster the critique that Newsom set it up to fail by punting to the Legislature. Food and Water Watch said "Newsom got exactly what he wanted" with yesterday's vote, knowing "the oil lobby would easily kill it." But the bill also posed a real political conundrum for Newsom . A recall effort is likely to go to the ballot, which would require him to draw on some of the same union allies that opposed this measure. So much of being a governor is deciding who to piss off on a given day. On Tuesday, environmentalists were rueing another loss as unions celebrated. BUENOS DÍAS, good Wednesday morning. Ramadan Mubarak to our readers who began observing this week! And mark your calendar for April 28, which is when Speaker Nancy Pelosi invited President Joe Biden to address both chambers of Congress. QUOTE OF THE DAY: "This one really does go to shut down the oil industry in California. … We are not getting away from oil or gas in California in the next ten years. … The just transition of jobs is very, very, very slim and not real." Eggman on why she couldn't support the bill. TWEET OF THE DAY: LA Times reporter @MattDPearce on California's move to stop distributing the Johnson & Johnson vaccine amid reports of rare but dangerous blood clots: "looks like my J&J antibodies are now a rare collectors' item" WHERE'S GAVIN? Nothing official announced. | | | | SUBSCRIBE TO "THE RECAST" TO JOIN AN IMPORTANT CONVERSATION: Power is changing, in Washington and across the country. More people are demanding a seat at the table, insisting that all politics is personal and not all policy is equitable. Our twice-weekly newsletter "The Recast" breaks down how race and identity are shaping politics and policy in America and we are recasting how we report on it. Get fresh insights, scoops and dispatches on this crucial intersection from across the country and hear from important new voices that challenge business as usual. Don't miss out, SUBSCRIBE . Thank you to our sponsor, Intel. | | | | | |  | TOP TALKERS | | — "Paul Flores and his father arrested in Kristin Smart case," by the Sac Bee's Matt Fountain, Kaytlyn Leslie and Lindsey Holden: "Over the years, the case has run mostly lukewarm, never officially going cold. That is, until Chris Lambert launched his "Your Own Backyard" podcast examining the case and sparking new attention." FROM OSCAR TO DAUNTE — "Before Daunte Wright's death, a gun-Taser mix-up was blamed for another police killing: Oscar Grant at Fruitvale Station," by WaPo's Teo Armus: "Since pistol-grip Tasers were introduced in 1999, police have blamed more than 10 other incidents on such a mix-up … The incident that resonated most widely across the country was Grant's — one of the first such killings to be filmed and posted on social media." — "Trump is gone, but California is still fighting the anti-transgender hate he fed," by the LA Times' Michael Hiltzik: "California law, passed in 2016 as AB 1887, is now before the U.S. Supreme Court, thanks to a claim by Texas that it infringes on that state's right to practice as much gender discrimination as it pleases." | | ROAD TO RECALL | | DIRTY POLITICS — Former porn star Mary Carey announces California recall bid — again, by POLITICO's Jeremy B. White: The star of such films as "Dirty Angels: Welcome to Lust Angeles" and "The Big Bust Theory" — and a candidate in the 2003 gubernatorial recall — announced that she would join the field of candidates vying to replace Newsom in the likely event a recall effort goes before voters in the fall. RED REVOLT — "Newsom recall is a revolt of red-state California" by the LA Times' Mark Z. Barabak: "Newsom beat [Republican John] Cox by landslide margins in the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles County, where most voters reside. It's impossible to see how the recall passes with just the support of discontented rural Californians, even if every single would-be citizen of Jefferson were allowed to vote twice." AHOY! — "A 'Superhero Pirate' Radio Host Is Gavin Newsom's Strangest — and Most Dangerous — Threat," by Mother Jones' Lil Kalish. | | CORONAVIRUS UPDATES | | — "4 California counties reopen further, rest of state holds steady amid low COVID-19 rates," by the Sac Bee's Michael McGough: "Inyo County advanced out of the strict purple tier and into the red tier; Kern and Lake counties moved from red to orange; and Lassen joined Alpine and Sierra counties as the only three in the least-restrictive yellow tier." — "Can you get that second COVID vaccine shot a little closer to home this time?" by the Mercury News' Maggie Angst: "Most Bay Area counties, health care providers and pharmacies are allowing people to book second-dose appointments even if they received their first shots elsewhere." — " Orange County to close two large COVID-19 testing sites April 30," by the OC Register's Erika I. Ritchie and Heather McRea. — "J&J COVID vaccine: I got it, should I worry? The problem, explained." by the Mercury News' Lisa M. Krieger. — "Offices are still dangerous places, Bay Area residents say in COVID poll," by the Mercury News' Ethan Baron. | | THE 46TH | | — HUD moves to restore fair housing rules weakened under Trump by POLITICO's Katy O'Donnell: The agency will restore "key parts" of the original version of a 2015 rule requiring cities to address residential segregation in order to access federal funds, a senior HUD official said, and reinstate a 2013 rule cracking down on unintended discrimination. | | MADAM VP | | QUITE THE YARN — "Vice President Harris is making her mark on the Washington-area crochet scene," by the WaPo's Jura Koncius. | | GAVINLAND | | — "Despite second dry year, Newsom resists declaring a drought emergency," by the SF Chronicle's Dustin Gardiner: "If Newsom signed an emergency declaration, state agencies could more easily require water conservation and transfer water to support agriculture and other priority users." | | CAMPAIGN MODE | | GARCIA GOLD — Republican Rep. Mike Garcia announced raising $656,000 in Q1 as he seeks to defend an LA-area swing seat that he won by a few hundred votes last year.
| | CALIFORNIA AND THE CAPITOL CORRIDOR | | — "California targets urgent projects as wildfire season looms," by the AP's Adam Beam and Don Thompson: "Fire conditions have worsened so much in recent years that once rare fire tornadoes have become more common as megafires create their own weather. Last year's record-setting wildfire season scorched more than 4% of the state while killing 33 people and destroying nearly 10,500 buildings." LABOR POWER — "LAUSD's slow, cautious reopening shows the influence of the teachers union, but it has critics," by the LA Times' Howard Blume: "These decisions have defenders, including many parents who live in neighborhoods devastated by COVID-19 and who are still undecided about whether it is safe enough to send their children back to school. But the choices of Beutner and the school board have come with tradeoffs." — "What Constitutes A Hate Crime in California? What Doesn't? Here Are The Basics," by LAist's James Chow. — "California raised fuel taxes 4 years ago, and it's still short on money for road repairs," by the Sac Bee's David Lightman: "The higher taxes were part of a 2017 transportation plan, referred to as Senate Bill 1, aimed at improving the state's roads and bridges for years to come. increases that were aimed at raising about $5.4 billion annually for highways, bridges, transit and local roads. While the program was designed to expedite repairs, it was never meant as a quick fix for all the state's road problems." SKID ROW SHOWDOWN — "Legal motion demands that L.A. provide housing for skid row's most vulnerable," by the LA Times' Benjamin Oreskes: "Their brief describes how homeless people are dying on the streets of Los Angeles every day and how, on April 7, a man in a wheelchair burned to death in a tent on skid row and his charred corpse 'remained on the sidewalk for hours, a testament to decades of intentional actions and deliberate indifference by the city and county.'" — "Northern California prison to close, cutting 1,000 jobs from rural community," by the Sac Bee's Andrew Sheeler: "The announcement follows a long decline in the number of inmates in state custody that accelerated when the coronavirus pandemic hit, compelling the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to quickly draw down its population." — "Sheriff Villanueva ready to call National Guard in case of civil unrest over Minnesota events," by the LA Times' Alene Tchekmedyian and Kevin Rector. — "Want to waste California taxpayer money? Quit on high-speed rail before it's done," by the Fresno Bee editorial board: "Biden has proposed a massive $2.3 trillion program to rebuild the nation's roads, highways, bridges and rail lines. While Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says the $80 billion devoted to rail improvements does not target any one area, he indicated that California's high-speed rail could 'potentially' be funded." | | SILICON VALLEYLAND | | FACEBOOK'S ROLE — "'I Felt Hate More Than Anything': How an Active Duty Airman Tried to Start a Civil War," by Berkeley Journalism's Investigative Reporting Program Gisela Pérez de Acha, Kathryn Hurd and Ellie Lightfoot: "The news organizations identified 15 active-duty members of the Air Force who, like [Steven] Carrillo, openly promoted Boogaloo memes and messages on Facebook. … Prosecutors allege he bought a $15 device that converts AR-15 semiautomatic rifles into fully automatic machine guns, making the purchase through a website that advertised to Boogaloo Facebook groups." — "'Master,' 'Slave' and the Fight Over Offensive Terms in Computing," by the NY Times' Kate Conger: "While the fight over terminology reflects the intractability of racial issues in society, it is also indicative of a peculiar organizational culture that relies on informal consensus to get things done." — "Critics Lambast Substack Over 'Pro' Program for Big-Name Writers," by KQED's Rachael Myrow: "Substack pays some particularly desirable writers substantial fees up front: mainly name-brand journalists, pundits and personalities, some of whom have abandoned mainstream media outlets to focus on Substack. That strategy differentiates Substack from other newsletter platforms – but it has also incited a backlash." HEALTH CARE PUSH— "Microsoft's Nuance Gambit Shows Healthcare Is Next Tech Battleground," by WSJ's Rolfe Winkler and Aaron Tilley: "The pandemic helped showcase healthcare's potential as a growth area for tech companies, such as the boom in telehealth services." — "Investor Pushes Alphabet for Whistleblowing Review," by WSJ's Mengqi Sun : "The Boston-based firm's proposal, which was submitted in December and could be voted on during Alphabet's shareholder meeting this year, cited several examples of alleged retaliation against workers, saying the incidents were red flags about potential internal problems related to culture, ethics and human rights." — "Hundreds of Companies Unite to Oppose Voting Limits, but Others Abstain," by the NY Times' David Gelles and Andrew Ross Sorkin: "Amazon, BlackRock, Google, Warren Buffett and hundreds of other companies and executives signed on to a new statement released on Wednesday opposing 'any discriminatory legislation' that would make it harder for people to vote." — "How Payment Processor Stripe Became Silicon Valley's Hottest Startup," by the WSJ's Peter Rudegeair. — "Months after racist ad fallout, Silicon Valley's chamber of commerce names new leader," by the Mercury News' Maggie Angst. | | HOLLYWOODLAND | | — "Despite appearances, 12% fewer homeless people were on Hollywood streets this year," by the LA Times' Doug Smith. — " Disneyland and California's other theme parks are reopening. Here's what you need to know," by the LA Times' Hugo Martín. A LANDMARK'S FATE — "Could a developer demolish the Cinerama Dome? Yes, but here's what would have to happen first," by the LA Times' Jessica Gelt. | | MIXTAPE | | — "'We Can Come Together': LA Events Recognizing Black Maternal Health," by LAist's Mariana Dale. NOOOOOO — " Boba shortage: Bay Area and the rest of the U.S. may soon have no bubbles for tea," by the SF Chronicle's Janelle Bitker. — "California dreamin': an MLB October first for Dodgers, Angels and Padres?" by the LA Times' Bill Shaikin. — " Fresno father, mother arrested on suspicion of child neglect," by the Fresno Bee's Jim Guy. GOOD DOGS — "Tiny terriers chase bear out of a Pasadena kitchen in viral video," by the LA Daily News' Bradley Bermont. — " Cooler temperatures and light drizzle on tap in L.A., but things heat up this weekend," by the LA Times' Faith E. Pinho. — "S.F. supervisors want to make Muni fare-free this summer," by the SF Chronicle's Ricardo Cano. | | TRANSITIONS | | Tony Hoang will take over as executive director of LGBTQ rights organization Equality California, succeeding outgoing leader and AD-50 candidate Rick Chavez Zbur. | | BIRTHDAYS | | Rep. David Valadao (R-Calif.) … Sasha Issenberg … Megan Swiatkowski | | | | 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.
| | | | 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