News: POLITICO California Playbook: JENNER under pressure, heads to ‘HANNITY’ — WALSH on GIG workers — MAJOR DROUGHT fears grow — FAMILY FEUD: Who gets the credit for NEWSOM recall?

Friday, April 30, 2021

POLITICO California Playbook: JENNER under pressure, heads to ‘HANNITY’ — WALSH on GIG workers — MAJOR DROUGHT fears grow — FAMILY FEUD: Who gets the credit for NEWSOM recall?

Apr 30, 2021

By Carla Marinucci, Jeremy B. White and Richard Tzul

Presented by American Property Casualty Insurance Association

THE BUZZ — 'UNDER CONSTRUCTION': That may as well describe Republican Caitlyn Jenner's much heralded gubernatorial campaign these days. It's a bit ironic: the reality TV star showcased and broadcast every intimate aspect of her daily existence on "Keeping Up With the Kardashians."

But Jenner has gone into radio silence since she sent America into a tizzy a week ago with her announcement that "I'm in" and would join the Republicans running again Gov. Gavin Newsom. While East Coast media like the CBS This Morning team gushed that Jenner will be Newsom's biggest concern in the coming recall election, a lot of California veteran insiders say so far, Jenner's move has been met a big yawn. (Campaign strategist Mike Madrid calls the Jenner reveal "a dud.")

WHY? So far, there's been nothing — as in zilch, nada — with California media in terms of appearances, statements or policy positions regarding why she wants to head the world's fifth largest economy.

JENNER ANNOUNCED HER FIRST BIG MEDIA GIG yesterday — surprise, Fox News' "Hannity" show on May 5. Sources familiar with Jenner's campaign say she's been making the rounds on the political front in small meetings, and they say not to worry — she'll be doing some "major" events next week that will grab attention — and give voters more of a formal reveal on her campaign.

But here's what we're hearing now:

— EVEN CONSERVATIVE MEDIA is a little agog at just how much Jenner has dropped the ball — and squandered her spotlight — since she jumped in on April 23. All-American Radio host Jennifer Kerns , the former CAGOP spokesperson, hits it on the head: "When you're launching a campaign, you need to be feeding the media and feeding the public,'' while satisfying that hungry 24/7 news media cycle, she told POLITICO. "And that is going to be a huge challenge .... All of the recall candidates have to hold peoples' attention spans, now through October. Content is king."

— NOT READY FOR PRIMETIME? Jenner's team may have been taken aback by the reaction to out-of-the-gate developments, including POLITICO's report that she has voted only infrequently, and what appeared to be her Twitter gaffe regarding her apparent misconceptions about how district attorneys are elected in California. (She later insisted she understood the process.)

TIME IS RUNNING OUT: GOP strategist Rob Stutzman, the former spokesman for Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 2003 recall, says Jenner's campaign expiration date is fast approaching — and she'll have to deliver more substance to voters and the media soon. "If she doesn't come out and say something within the next several days, I think everyone moves on, and says this is just some type of crank candidacy,'' he says.

A source familiar with the Jenner campaign told POLITICO: "Stay tuned next week for exciting announcements about Caitlyn's campaign to defeat Gavin Newsom and end his disastrous time as governor." Read Carla's full analysis here.
And stay tuned.

BUENOS DÍAS, good Friday morning. California's Democratic Party heads into its second day of a four day convention. Saturday's general sessions will features speeches by Gov. Gavin Newsom, VP Kamala Harris, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and more.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "This disease has humbled all of us. It certainly has humbled me." Gov. Gavin Newsom speaking Thursday about the effects of the pandemic and California's "dominant recovery.'' He added: "We are confident we will glide into June 15 and we will remove all the restrictions."

BONUS QOTD: "I don't know what the recall's all about because this guy's been trying to save our lives since this shit — this pandemic's started." Actor Danny Trejo, at the same event, expressing his opposition to the Newsom recall.

TWEET OF THE DAY: Republican 2024 hopeful @NikkiHaley meets with California Republican Party leadership and boosts the recall: "Wonderful meeting with @CAGOP Chairwoman @millanpatterson! We have a huge opportunity to #RecallGavinNewsom and grow our party with fantastic leaders like Jessica!"

BONUS TOTD: Comedian @ConanOBrien with some political wisdom: "I'd like to reassure my fellow celebrities that you don't *have* to run for governor."

WHERE'S GAVIN? Nothing official announced

A message from American Property Casualty Insurance Association:

Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara is proposing costly regulations that would eliminate group car insurance discounts and harm communities across California. These new regulations threaten discounts that millions of Californians rely on to save money on car insurance, and would cost hard-working families and individuals hundreds of dollars more each year. Take Action

TOP TALKERS

MILITANT MOM — "This mom protested vaccines, then started a 'militia.' How California extremism is changing," by the Sac Bee's Hannah Wiley, Ryan Sabalow and Jason Pohl: "Denise Aguilar, has formed her own splinter group — which she's calling a 'Mamalitia' of 'community squad leaders' — with the goal to train women in firearms, self-defense and natural medicine."

— "The Climate Solution Actually Adding Millions of Tons of CO2 Into the Atmosphere," by ProPublica's Lisa Song and MIT Technology Review's James Temple: "New research shows that California's climate policy created up to 39 million carbon credits that aren't achieving real carbon savings. But companies can buy these forest offsets to justify polluting more anyway."

— "Anti-mask politician compares herself to civil rights icon Rosa Parks, sparking anger and support," by the LATimes' Colleen Shalby.

DEEP DIVE — "FBI investigating Sacramento prison plagued by inmate slayings, hazing," by the Sac Bee's Sam Stanton and Wes Venteicher: "Two sources said the investigation appeared to escalate on Friday, when federal agents appeared on prison grounds and at the home of at least one officer to interview employees about a murder in the prison's B Facility."

OFF BASE — " Inside the search for answers about Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs' overdose death," by the LATimes' Nathan Fenno: "The overdose turned Skaggs' wife into a widow, robbed professional baseball of a rising star, brought the sport face to face with the country's opioid epidemic, and sparked a wide-ranging investigation by local police and the Drug Enforcement Administration."

LEADERBOARD — " California just hit 95% renewable energy. Will other states come along for the ride?" by the LATimes' Sammy Roth.

JOIN TUESDAY FOR A CONVERSATION ON SMALL BUSINESSES POST-COVID-19: About one in six small businesses closed their doors since the pandemic began. The small businesses that remained open are getting by with fewer employees after laying off workers or a hiring freeze. What is ahead for small businesses in 2021 as they try to weather the ongoing economic uncertainty? And how does President Biden's $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package intend to support small-business owners? Join POLITICO for a virtual conversation on what small businesses need to survive and thrive beyond the Covid economic crisis. REGISTER HERE.

ROAD TO RECALL

OSE INTERVIEW, via WaPo's Dave Weigel's in the Trailer: In which Republican former Congressman and recall candidate Doug Ose assails Democratic "malarkey" and embraces former President Donald Trump.

NORTHERN REBELLION — "Who wants to recall Gov. Newsom? Signatures point to Trump's California," by the LATimes' Swetha Kannan and Sandhya Kambhampati.

FAMILY FEUD? — "Whose recall is it, anyway? Gavin Newsom's California critics spar over money, credit ," by the Sac Bee's Lara Korte: "'Forgive my profanity, but that mother------ had nothing to do with stopping that bill or voicing opposition here in Sacramento,' Heatlie said" of Reform California head Carl DeMaio.

— "Newsom recall: Jenner isn't another Schwarzenegger. She's a stalking horse for Trump," Kurt Bardella opines in USA Today: "Jenner's first moves already suggest she'll be running a national campaign, relying on national media and Trump cult-of-personality platforms like Sean Hannity and Newsmax. That might help her raise money from Trump voters, but the problem in California is there aren't that many of them."

STANDING WITH NEWSOM: Progressive organizations announced their "unified opposition" to the recall, including Courage California , Bay Rising Action, Black Women for Wellness Action Project, California Environmental Justice Alliance, California League of Conservation Voters, CHIRLA Action Fund; NARAL Pro-Choice California, Smart Justice California; UDW AFSCME Local 3930 and Voices for Progress

CORONAVIRUS UPDATES

AHOY! — "Cruises get a path to resume in U.S. 'as soon as possible' based on vaccinations," by Bloomberg's Jonathan Levin And Christopher Palmeri: "The companies have recently ramped up lobbying efforts to win approval for a return, arguing in part that the industry was unfairly singled out for the strictest treatment even as other tourism businesses have returned in some fashion."

J&J IS BACK — "Johnson & Johnson vaccine shipments to California resume as COVID cases keep falling," by the LATimes' Luke Money And Rong-Gong Lin II.

ARE WE THERE YET? — "Is it finally safe to get back to normal, pre-COVID-19 life? Here's what experts say," by the LATimes' Rong-Gong Lin II and Luke Money.

VACCINE ACCESS — "Some Californians, including the elderly, can't get vaccine despite surge in supply," by the AP's Janie Har: "The group includes people unable to leave their homes or who can't miss work; for some, a vaccination may not be a priority, or they may have questions that can't be answered when making a vaccination appointment online."

— "Appointments for first dose of COVID-19 vaccine drop by half in L.A. County, alarming public health officials," by the LATimes' Colleen Shalby, Luke Money.

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.

THE 46TH

'RED, FRESH AND BLUE' — "They're coming in hot: The best quotes from our interviews with Congress' most diverse freshman class,'' via POLITICO's Brook Minters, Eugene Daniels, Krystal Campos and Michael Cadenhead: We spoke with five of Congress' newest members from across the aisle on what it's like to work in a post-insurrection Washington.

AND THE SPOTLIGHT ON ALEX PADILLA: "Alex Padilla replaced Kamala Harris in the Senate. Now, he's pushing for an immigration overhaul." How the first Latino to represent California in the Senate is ready to ditch the filibuster in pursuit of progress.

VIA POLITICO'S MORNING SHIFT — WALSH, INTERRUPTED: Labor Secretary Marty Walsh made waves Thursday when Reuters reported he had said that "most gig workers" should be classified as employees. Reuters had to update its story to show Walsh actually said "in a lot of cases, gig workers should be classified as employees," but the damage was done: Shares of Uber fell as much as 8 percent while Lyft dived as much as 12 percent. But Walsh's comments still signal the direction the department may well take when it comes to policing employee misclassification, which a spokesman called "a pervasive issue that impacts both the economy and workers."

BANNED — Court tells EPA to limit or ban pesticide that Trump administration kept on market, by SF Chronicle's Bob Egelko: A federal appeals court ordered the government Thursday to severely limit or ban chlorpyrifos, a widely used pesticide that was kept on the market by the Trump administration despite evidence that it can cause brain damage in children.

MADAM VP

FOCUS, FOCUS, FOCUS — The misunderstood first 100 days of Kamala Harris by POLITICO's Eugene Daniels and Christopher Cadelago: Rather than the cautious and overly ambitious pol she's portrayed to be, interviews with more than a dozen current and former aides and others in Harris' orbit paint a picture of a veep who remains intensely focused on earning the trust of Joe Biden, so much so that outside allies believe she's partially motivated by a fear of losing it.

CAMPAIGN MODE

— "A congressional seat disappears, setting the stage for fights," by Capitol Weekly's Chuck McFadden: "There is a real probability that two congressional incumbents – maybe more — will have to face off in a newly drawn district. And since the census-driven map-drawing also affects the boundaries of legislative and local districts, there is the potential for multiple bloodlettings up and down the political ladder."

CALIFORNIA AND THE CAPITOL CORRIDOR

GONE IN 60 SECONDS — Lee's corporate donor ban dies in first committee by POLITICO's Jeremy B. White: Private companies can still contribute to California candidate campaigns as an Assembly committee on Thursday blocked a bill that would have prohibited such donations … Assemblymember Marc Berman (D-Palo Alto) laced into Lee for a bill that "deceives the public and your supporters" by overstating its impact.

— "Gavin Newsom signs tax break on pandemic loans for many California businesses," by the Sac Bee's Sophia Bollag: "Under the program, businesses can have their loans forgiven, meaning they don't have to pay the money back, if they use the money on qualifying expenses like employee wages, rent and utilities."

CLIMATE CRACK DOWN — "Corporate secrecy over climate change targeted by Washington and California," by the LATimes' Evan Halper: "Unlocking the black box of corporate secrecy is a central pillar of federal and state plans for confronting warming, which are increasingly focused on requiring a wide range of businesses, including financial firms, food suppliers and tech giants, to be painstakingly — perhaps uncomfortably — specific with investors and the public."

HERE COMES THE SUN — "California looks to ease permitting process for rooftop solar panels ," by the SF Chronicle's J.D. Morris

DROUGHT DETOUR — "California rivers dry, so baby salmon will be trucked to the Pacific," by the SF Chronicle's Kurtis Alexander: "The ambitious trucking program, a response to the state's escalating drought, is intended to maximize survival of the hatchery fish that prop up California's fall-run of chinook — the mainstay of the state's commercial and recreational salmon industries."

DREADFUL DROUGHT — "Stunning drone photos over Lake Oroville show drought emergency in Northern California," by the LATimes' Robert St. John and Getty Images' Justin Sullivan.

DROUGHT ACTION — " With the drought, Gov. Newsom must work faster to help San Joaquin Valley water systems," opines the Fresno Bee's Editorial Board.

— "Most of the Bay Area is now in an 'extreme' drought. Here's what you need to know," by the SF Chronicle's Jessica Flores.

A message from American Property Casualty Insurance Association:

HOUSING THE UNHOUSED — "Fresno may spend $22 million on more motels for homeless next year. But there's a catch," by the Fresno Bee's Thaddeus Miller: "Leaders say it's the most reasonably priced and quickest way to get people off the street, but it needs an infusion of permanent housing on the back end to be successful."

HOUSING CHALLENGES — "S.F. celebrated turning hotel into permanent homeless housing. But transition has been 'bumpy,'" by the SF Chronicle's Mallory Moench: "Hotels have long been part of the city's strategy to house the homeless, but with an influx of local, state and federal dollars, the city might expand the strategy, which can come with challenges."

HALTING HOUSING — "LA councilmember renews effort to stop Chatsworth homeless housing project," by the LA Daily News' Elizabeth Chou.

— "Will California spend $20 billion on homelessness?" by the Mercury News' Marisa Kendall: Major cities' mayors' "proposal would dedicate $4 billion every year for five years to continue the historic efforts California has made to house and shelter people during the pandemic."

— "Where are Asian American communities growing the fastest? Not California," by the LATimes' Jaweed Kaleem: "A recent report from the Pew Research Center based on U.S. Census Bureau data found that the Asian American population in North Dakota has shot up by 241% since the turn of the century. In second place at 202%: South Dakota."

SILICON VALLEYLAND

— "Tesla's Latest Solar Stumble: Big Price Increases," by the NYTimes' Ivan Penn

— " Facebook Revenue Soars to $26.1 Billion, Tops 2.85 Billion Monthly Active Users," by the Hollywood Reporter's Etan Vlessing.

— "Google, nonprofits, to expand training for previously incarcerated people in Bay Area," by the SF Chronicle's Chase DiFeliciantonio.

REBEL WITH A PORTFOLIO — "Josh Hawley rails at big tech firms but records show he has invested in them," by the Guardian's Dominic Rushe and Daniel Strauss

HOLLYWOODLAND

— "Lady Gaga's alleged dognappers and woman who 'found' them arrested," by NYPost's Jorge Fitz-Gibbon.

— "The new version of Disneyland debuts ," by Orange County Register's Robert Niles.

— "It's not just the paycheck. Disneyland workers say why they're eager to return," by the LATimes' Hugo Martín.

GOOD HOLLYWOOD TALE — "' The Last Gunslinger': Inside Ari Emanuel's Bid for Redemption With a Second Endeavor IPO," by the Wrap's Tim Baysinger and Diane Haithman.

CANNABIS COUNTRY

YOUR DREAM JOB? — "CBD Oracle is Hiring a Part-Time Cannabis Reviewer for $30K a Year," via CBD Oracle press release.

MIXTAPE

IN MEMORIAM — "After 86-year old legendary Bay Area bicyclist dies in car crash, cyclists crusade for safety," by the SF Chronicle's Tom Stienstra.

— " Man found dead along border wall near Otay Mesa," by the SD Union Tribune's David Hernandez.

— "Bay Area man accused of starting a deadly 2020 wildfire to cover up a murder," by the Vanessa Arredondo.

GIRL GRUNT — " First female west coast Marines graduate at Camp Pendleton – in pictures," by the Reuters' Mike Blake.

— "SF Giants' newest outfielder has Jimmy Garoppolo connection, club sends young reliever back to minors," by the Mercury News' Kerry Crowley.

— "Guilty plea in international sweepstakes scam targeting Northern California victims," by the Sac Bee's Sam Stanton.

— "Clovis teacher sexually groped teen with other students in classroom, lawsuit says," by the Fresno Bee's Ashleigh Panoo.

— "Invasive algae found in Newport Harbor needs to be quickly contained, removed," by the OC Register's Erika I. Ritchie.

— "A $2-billion mega-project could reshape the Arts District," by the LATimes' Roger Vincent.

TRANSITIONS

Camille Stewart has been named global head of product security strategy at Google.

BIRTHDAYS

Airbnb's Eric Feldman … Virgin Galactic's Taylor (Weeks) Armentrout … Cheryl Saban

A message from American Property Casualty Insurance Association:

Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara is pushing costly proposals that put group car insurance discounts in jeopardy. While his proposal is well-intentioned, it would eliminate discounts for healthcare workers, teachers, firefighters, seniors, and millions of others who rely on group discounts to save money.

Millions of Californians currently save money by purchasing car insurance through unions, clubs, retailers, alumni associations, and other groups. These popular "affinity group" discounts were approved by California voters on the ballot many years ago.

If these discount programs are eliminated, insurance costs would increase for many by hundreds of dollars per year, driving up costs for millions at the worst possible time. Rev. Norman D. Copeland knows all too well the effects this would have on his local community, and he is part of the coalition urging the CA Department of Insurance to keep group car insurance discounts.

Urge Commissioner Lara to protect auto insurance discounts.

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