News: POLITICO California Playbook: JULIE SU confirmed — GOP RECALL STRATEGY: More candidates the better — MASK Moment: Confusion and backtrack?

Wednesday, July 14, 2021

POLITICO California Playbook: JULIE SU confirmed — GOP RECALL STRATEGY: More candidates the better — MASK Moment: Confusion and backtrack? — NEWSOM’s budget rally

Jul 14, 2021

By Carla Marinucci, Jeremy B. White and Camryn Dadey

THE BUZZ — RECALL RALLY MEETS BUDGET DEAL: It was billed as an official gubernatorial event, but let's get real — Tuesday's budget signing starring Gov. Gavin Newsom was an all-out campaign rally.

The big gathering in Los Angeles Tuesday had all the signs — a cheering crowd, a run-up of nearly a half hour of laudatory speeches from labor and elected leaders, including lavish praise from elected officials like former Senate President Pro Tem and LA City Council member Kevin de León and LA Mayor Eric Garcetti. All before the pen came out.

Newsom feigned surprise at the party-like atmosphere when he took the podium ("This is one hell of a budget-signing. … Where'd you all come from?"). But he clearly came prepared in his speech to deliver the crux of his argument to fight the recall. He touted California's "$100 billion Comeback Plan." He boasted about the record surplus and the state's ability to offer residents the "biggest tax rebate in American history,'' regardless of immigration status — along with a $4.1 billion small business grant program. "For those who have counted California out, eat your heart out," he said. "We have no peers."

Interesting: the governor's office put out the press notice of the big budget deal at 11:23 p.m. on Tuesday, prompting some dead-of-night stories about the final details, like this from SacBee's Sophia Bollag. The neat trick then allowed the governor's office to corral maximum live coverage yesterday. Here's Jeremy's report on the events.

BOTTOM LINE: With the Sept. 14 recall exactly two months away, the event dramatized how Team Newsom will continue to marshall a potent advantage. The goal from here on out will be to highlight Newsom's accomplishments — and California's economic rebound — while also lighting a fire under Democratic voters as the recall approaches. As Democratic strategist Garry South notes, "It is a political fact that Democrats engage late in campaigns, they always do. And that Republicans are more reliable voters, that's a fact.''

So every event Newsom does, from here to Sept. 14, is about Job One: pump up and energize his base regarding what's at stake, and beat back the recall decisively.

BUT REPUBLICANS HAVE A STRATEGY TOO — Carla reports: "California recall backers are embracing an unorthodox strategy to oust Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom: the more Republican candidates, the better.

"Republicans face long odds given a severe registration disadvantage and a brand still associated with former President Donald Trump, who remains deeply unpopular in this blue state. If they stand any chance, they need as many disgruntled voters as possible to remove Newsom.

"To drive turnout, recall backers are encouraging any and all GOP entrants to join the race — especially those who can bring large followings. During an internal strategy session this week, recall proponents suggested that the high-profile candidates like reality TV show star Caitlyn Jenner and national talk show host Larry Elder could draw hundreds of thousands, perhaps even a million voters each, according to a person on the call who spoke on condition of anonymity." Read Carla's take here.

A MEMO FROM PUBLIC OPINION STRATEGIES, obtained by POLITICO , outlines the GOP's key takeaways from their latest internal polling. Their assertion: "The recall election is a statistical tie. YES on recall is at 46 percent and NO on recall is at 50% with 4% undecided. Support for the recall is bipartisan with a plurality of Independents (48%) and nearly a quarter (24%) of Democrats saying they will vote YES to recall Governor Newsom." And: "The governor receives his worst grades when it comes to homelessness, gas prices and the high cost of living."

Democrats aren't buying any of it. The response from Nathan Click, Newsom's campaign spokesman: "Democrats and independents see this recall for what it is -- a Republican attempt to force an election and grab power. No number of Trump-aligned Republicans will change the fact that California voters don't want to hand over power to the Party of Trump."

Stay tuned.

BUENOS DÍAS, good Wednesday morning. With the issue of rising crime on the front burner, San Francisco Mayor London Breed, District Attorney Chesa Boudin and Board of Supervisors President Shamann Walton will join members of Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice at a press conference today to discuss "local responses to violence."

Got a tip or story idea for California Playbook? Hit cmarinucci@politico.com or jwhite@politico.com or follow us on Twitter @cmarinucci and @jeremybwhite.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "After Jan. 6, it's hard to feel safe in Washington right now. .. and now it's hard to feel safe in Irvine." Rep. Katie Porter speaks to MSNBC about the melee at her town hall over the weekend.

TWEET OF THE DAY: NYTimes California reporter @ShawnHubler on California Labor Secretary Julie Su becoming the latest Californian to join the Biden administration: "First they came for our senator. Then they came for our AG. Then they came for the superintendent of our 2nd-largest school district. Then they came for the mayor of our biggest city. Now they've come for our labor secretary and it's clear: Joe Biden is to blame for the Cal-exit."

WHERE'S GAVIN? In Los Angeles County, meeting with Californians who are recipients of the California Comeback Plan, which helps low-income residents by covering 100 percent of their back rent for some months in the future.

STEP INSIDE THE WEST WING: What's really happening in West Wing offices? Find out who's up, who's down, and who really has the president's ear in our West Wing Playbook newsletter, the insider's guide to the Biden White House and Cabinet. For buzzy nuggets and details that you won't find anywhere else, subscribe today.

TOP TALKERS

COVID ALARM BELLS — "COVID-19 cases surge in L.A. County, fueled by 'enormously selfish' unvaccinated," by the LATimes' Luke Money: "Health officials say the upward trajectory is almost entirely driven by transmission among those who have yet to be vaccinated for COVID-19, as well as increased circulation of the easily spread Delta variant of the virus."

HORROR STORY — "Charlie went to the groomer for a bath and a trim. Within hours, he was dead," by LATimes' Maria L. La Ganga: "Twenty-six minutes near the end of the fluffy white dog's life were captured on video that the California chain allegedly uses to make sure its employees work quickly enough."

— "Why Facebook really, really doesn't want to discourage extremism," by WaPo's Steve Rathje, Jay Van Bavel and Sander van der Linden: "We analyzed nearly 3 million U.S.-based tweets and Facebook posts to examine what social media posts that go 'viral' have in common. We specifically looked at political posts, including those by members of Congress or left- and right-leaning media outlets. The results were stark."

CAUGHT IN THE ACT — "How Sacramento sheriff used inmate welfare fund for cameras, fencing — and a Tahoe resort," by SacBee's Jason Pohl and Michael Finch II: "But hundreds of pages of financial ledgers The Bee received in response to a Public Records Act request detail how the sheriff's office over six years has increasingly leaned on the inmate fund to backfill its budgets and buy expensive new equipment. Millions of dollars from the fund have been spent on employee salaries and even facility fencing."

'COMING THROUGH!' — "A British Soldier Smashed Through a Roof in California in a Botched Training Jump," by Military.com's Steve Beynon.

CAMPAIGN MODE

TAKING ON ISSA: Saying he was inspired by the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection, former Marine prosecutor Joseph Rocha, 35, has jumped into the race to challenge incumbent Rep. Darrell Issa in the heavily Republican, San Diego-area CA-50 district.

HORROR OR HEAVEN? — "Attack ads in Newsom recall race invoke dystopian California in decline,'' by SFChronicle's Dustin Gardiner: "When voters turn on their TVs or scroll social media over the next nine weeks, they will be deluged with ads telling the story of two vastly different Californias: One is 'roaring back' from the pandemic under Gov. Gavin Newsom; the other is a borderline dystopia where issues like homelessness and wildfires have never been worse."

MONEYBALL: CA-48 Rep. Michelle Steel announced raising $810,000 in Q2, with over $1 million cash on hand.

WAR ON WILDFIRES — "Faulconer calls for 'war footing' to fight California's fires ," via AP's Kathleen Ronayne: "Faulconer's brief plan is light on details but highlights four areas of focus: spending $1 billion annually on wildfire prevention, declaring a state of emergency to streamline environmental rules around clearing dead vegetation, creating a new state department, and providing tax credits for homeowners who make their properties more fire resistant."

BIDEN, HARRIS AND THE HILL

SU IN: California Labor Secretary Julie Su is officially joining the Biden administration after the Senate party-line confirmed Su yesterday to be second in command at the U.S. Department of Labor. While she drew enthusiastic support from organized labor, and Newsom praised her as someone who "tirelessly fights for equity, inclusiveness and social justice," Su faced some pushback over California's continuing unemployment insurance crisis and for her role in enforcing AB 5, California's contentious employment law.

THE CRITICS — " Julie Su's nomination is a blow to the nation's freelancers," Open Competition Center Executive Director Tom Hebert opines in the Hill: "If confirmed, Su will wage war on the livelihoods of the 59 million Americans that engage in freelance work."

SAM AND JOE — " What happened during Mayor Sam Liccardo's meeting with President Biden on gun violence?" by the Mercury News's Maggie Angst: "This president is genuinely interested in what is happening in local communities and what new ideas they're trying," Liccardo said in an interview after the meeting. "Because while there might be significant roadblocks to get new laws passed by Congress, there is a lot that can be done through executive order and reallocating resources to local communities."

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CALIFORNIA AND THE CAPITOL CORRIDOR

FIRE SEASON — "California fires are burning faster, hotter, more intensely — and getting harder to fight," by L.A. Times' Hayley Smith and Alex Wigglesworth: "In 2020 … fires scorched twice as much land statewide as they did in 2018."

— "COVID Schools: California Changes Course On Schools Enforcing Mask Mandate," by CBS San Francisco: "While California says fully vaccinated people don't have to wear masks in most public places, the state has different rules for schools. Last week, officials said students and staff at schools must continue to wear masks indoors at all times, even if they are fully vaccinated."

— " Why is California still requiring masks at school? Here's what parents and experts say," by SFChronicle's Kellie Hwang: "The state's public health department said its approach takes into account "current unknowns" associated with the emergence of the highly contagious delta variant, as well as the difficulties of tracking vaccination status."

— " Half of people released from jail in S.F. before trial allegedly reoffended. Why it's complicated," by SFChronicle's Mallory Moench: "More than 1 in 6 defendants allegedly committed a new violent offense, according to the findings from May 2016 to December 2019 published by the California Policy Lab, based at UC Berkeley and UCLA."

— " How much could the cost of living go up in California? Keep an eye on housing and oil prices," by SacBee's David Lightman: "Californians pay the highest gasoline prices in the nation. Housing prices in the state are soaring. Nationally, the cost of living has been rising at its steepest levels in 13 years. And it could get worse."

— " COVID Recovery: Sounds Clanging Cable Car Bells Returns To San Francisco," by CBS San Francisco: "After spending more than a year parked in a Muni yard, the city's iconic cable cars returned to the streets of San Francisco Monday for test runs and free rides as the transit line prepared for a return to full service in September."

— " Latest 'menstrual equity' bill would require California's public colleges to provide period products," by CalMatters' Emily Forschen: "Students pushing for the bill say they are trying to break through taboos surrounding a matter of basic hygiene, and that many low-income students suffer from "period poverty," in which they are unable to afford the pads and tampons they need."

DOC DOCKET — " One effort to address shortage of Central Valley doctors: program pays for medical school," by Modesto Bee's Andrea Briseño.

— "COVID outbreaks at California workplaces have increased since reopening,'' via SFChronicle's Chase DiFeliciantonio: "COVID-19 outbreaks at workplaces declined rapidly at the beginning of this year, from more than 2,400 in January to just over 200 in May, according to state health department data provided to the California Occupational Safety and Health — or Cal/OSHA — Standards Board."

RELIEF? — Californians with student loan debt now have more rights,'' by SacBee's Jeong Park: " Four million Californians owe nearly $150 billion in student loans, according to LendingTree. Those borrowers now have more rights under a law that went into effect this year and gained teeth this month with a new ombudsman's office empowered to review complaints about student loan providers. The law caps excessive late fees, and loan providers will be required to process payments in the best interest of borrowers under the law."

CHA-CHING! — " Thousands of CalPERS members could get $30,000 or more in long-term care lawsuit settlement,'' by SacBee's West Venteicher: "CalPERS has agreed to pay up to $2.7 billion to settle a lawsuit over big price hikes the retirement system imposed on long-term care policyholders eight years ago, according to a Tuesday announcement."

— " Charity and politics: California elected officials would have to disclose their connections under proposed rule," by CalMatters' Laurel Rosenhall: "After a year-long wait, the state's campaign finance watchdog has a proposal to require elected officials to provide more information on special interest donations to their nonprofits."

SILICON VALLEYLAND

— "Google Slapped With $593 Million Fine by French Competition Authority," by the Wrap's Lindsey Ellefson: "The fine — which was handed down in Euros and totals €500m in that currency — came after the authority said Google breached a 2020 ruling that commanded the tech giant to negotiate "in good faith" licensing deals with other companies for reuse of their copyrighted content."

EMPLOYEES' MARKET — "Employers bow down to tech workers in hottest job market seen since the dot-com era," by San Diego Union-Tribune's Brittany Meiling: "There's an air of desperation among tech employers this summer. Software talent, it seems, is in such high demand that companies are morphing how they hire. And workers are the ones with the power."

— "Column: Let's guilt Branson, Bezos and space tourists into making charitable donations before they leave Earth." by Chicago Tribune's Rex Huppke.

CANNABIS COUNTRY

— "Northern California Broiler Fire sparked by employee of cannabis company mowing dry grass," by Mercury News' Justine Frederiksen: "'The information we have to date indicates that the July 7, 2021, Redwood Valley fire originated on our property, after the blades of a mower, operated by our employee, struck rock, causing a spark,' the statement attributed to Jarom Fawson, president of Flow Cannabis Co., reads."

HOLLYWOODLAND

END OF AN ERA – "Disney's Brand Protector and Power Behind the Power Is Stepping Down,'' by NYTimes' Brooks Barnes: "For almost two decades, Zenia B. Mucha has been responsible for protecting the vaunted Disney brand and has held influence far beyond her official duties."

— "Emmys 2021: The Crown and The Mandalorian lead nominations,'' via The Guardian.

MIXTAPE

— "MLB commissioner Rob Manfred says process of whether Athletics stay in Oakland 'at the end'," by ESPN's Alden Gonzalez.

— " Stockton Men Arrested On Human Trafficking Charges In San Jose," by CBS San Francisco.

— "California lacks timely data on who goes to college. This might fix that." by CalMatters' Mikhail Zinshteyn and Charlotte West.

— " University of California will consider raising tuition for the first time since 2017," by SFChronicle's Nanette Asimov and Omar Shaikh Rashad.

— "General Motors set to move into Pasadena. Here's why,'' via LADaily News.

— " It's another day of searching for missing runner in Pleasanton regional park," by Mercury News' Rick Hurd.

TRANSITIONS

— Tim Bergreen is now a partner in Hogan Lovells' government relations and public affairs practice. He previously was staff director for the House Intelligence Committee and chief of staff to Chair Adam Schiff.

BIRTHDAYS

Microsoft's Kate Frischmann … Aneesh Chopra … Jill Pike of Finsbury Glover Hering … Mike Hais … Zaina Javaid ... Facebook's Nkechi Nneji … LinkedIn's Dan Horowitz … Google's Brian Gregory

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