News: Dems tussle under party’s giant tent

Monday, March 7, 2022

Dems tussle under party’s giant tent

Mar 07, 2022

By Jeremy B. White, Chris Ramirez, Juhi Doshi and Graph Massara

THE BUZZ — WELCOME TO THE PARTY: Democracy was a prime topic at this weekend's California Democratic Party convention — both its fragility and its fractiousness.

Party luminaries framed midterm elections as a contest for the global small-d democratic order, more than a few of them linking Russia's invasion of Ukraine to what they described as Republican backsliding on voting rights and elections. Preserving Democrats' House majority by defending purple-district Democrats like Katie Porter and Mike Levin or unseating GOP House members like Young Kim and Michelle Steel, in this framing, was about building a bulwark against authoritarianism. "Democracy is under attack here at home and abroad," state party chair Rusty Hicks told delegates. Sen. Alex Padilla warned "it's all on the line" when "Russia is on the march in Europe and there's a systematic attack on our right to vote here at home."

But democracy's quest for consensus typically necessitates conflict — and we saw plenty of that, as people gathered virtually under the state Democratic party's titanic tent. Incumbent Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara beat out his challenger, Assemblymember Marc Levine, for the party's endorsement in an increasingly caustic fight. Board of Equalization member Malia Cohen secured the state controller nod in a multi-Democrat race for an open statewide position. The party did not pick a Garcia; Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia fell just short of beating out Assemblymember Cristina Garcia for an open House seat endorsement. You can see the full list of endorsements (and non-endorsements) here.

— TRADES TENSIONS: Organized labor frustrations registered clearly, both from and against the influential Building and Construction Trades umbrella. Outgoing longtime California Labor Federation Executive Secretary-Treasurer Art Pulaski lamented the now-commonplace tactic of corporate interests cultivating friendly Democrats in lieu of the sidelined state GOP. "They don't just count on Republicans to carry their water anymore. They turn to Democrats to do their dirty work," Pulaski said. "I'm so sick and tired of that bulls---." More strife surrounded party platform language embracing some charter schools.

Environmentalist-labor discord from a tense platform meeting also spilled over into floor speeches. New Trades head Andrew Meredith, who took over from the formidable Robbie Hunter, spoke of "open hostility" toward labor and of members who felt their "livelihoods are under attack" from a party that risked becoming a "mouthpiece for unrealistic policy goals that hurt the working class." He emphasized the Trades are "not the enemy" of the housing and environmental advocateswith whom they have clashed — but he cautioned Democrats that "we aren't a charity, and our support is never a given." The Trades later warned that a divided platform vote "doesn't bode well for dems."

— KEEP IT TOGETHER: Beyond platform disputes, temperatures ran high over thwarted progressive pushes to deny incumbents endorsements and an ongoing effort to cut off money from law enforcement groups, health plans and utilities. And all of that was shadowed by the fallout from the collapse of single-payer health care legislation earlier this year.

"Too often we allow ourselves to be distracted by the petty disagreements that divide us," Hicks told his troops. Secretary Melahat Rafiei pleaded for a party that can accommodate different factions. "We must build this party up instead of tearing it apart," she said. "We can do better."

BUENOS DÍAS, good Monday morning. It's the final week for candidates to file if they want to be on primary ballots in June. We're still tracking a few prospective contenders — indeed, one is launching today, with just days to spare. Read on!

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

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "California can make or break our efforts to keep the gavel in Speaker Pelosi's hands and leave it out of reach of an amoral human being like Kevin McCarthy. Make no mistake — should he ever become speaker, he will do whatever Trump demands, including overturning the next presidential election." Rep. Adam Schiff outlines the midterm stakes to Democrats.

TWEET OF THE DAY: Tesla CEO @ElonMusk embraces a pivot from clean energy: "Hate to say it, but we need to increase oil & gas output immediately. Extraordinary times demand extraordinary measures."

WHERE'S GAVIN? Preparing for Tuesday's big State of the State address.

Top Talkers

LABOR POWER — "Controversial union leader and supporters occupy Sacramento headquarters building during protest," by the Sac Bee's Wes Venteicher: "The events were the latest escalation in a messy power struggle between [SEIU Local 1000 president Richard Louis] Brown — who was elected nine months ago to a three-year term leading the union representing 100,000 state employees — and a group of board members who have accused him of harming the union's reputation and preventing them from fulfilling their roles as board members."

PRICE JUMP—" Average California gas prices now over $5 a gallon," by the LATimes' Ruben Vives: "The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in California is now a whopping $5.28, compared with $3.73 at the same time a year ago, according to the latest data from the American Automobile Assn."

BOOM AND DOOM — " From a fireworks tip to 'catastrophic failure' in 12 hours: How the LAPD blew up a neighborhood," by the LA Times' Brittny Mejia and Kevin Rector.

FUELING DISCONTENT — " California's average gas price tops $5 a gallon for a new record," via KCRA.

— "California's 'Gone Girl': Behind the kidnapping of Sherri Papini — which the FBI says she faked, " by the SF Chronicle's Demian Bulwa: "Authorities asserted that Papini's injuries were self-inflicted, her work with a sketch artist a time-wasting sham. She faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted."

BERKELEY BATTLES — "UC Berkeley declines group's offer to admit 1K more students, " via the AP: "In the statement released Saturday, Save Berkeley's Neighborhoods offered to allow the university to enroll 1,000 more students provided 90% of them are California residents and if the University of California ends its effort to get out from under the cap through the courts and state Legislature."

HAPPENING TUESDAY, INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY, AN IMPORTANT CONVERSATION ON THE WOMEN IN AFGHANISTAN: Join Women Rule editor Elizabeth Ralph for a panel discussion on the future for Afghan women. Guests include Hawa Haidari, a member of the Female Tactical Platoon; Cindy McCain, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture; Roya Rahmani, Afghanistan's first female ambassador to the U.S.; and Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.). Learn how female Afghan veterans are planning their futures, what the women still in Afghanistan face, and what the U.S. can do to help. REGISTER HERE.

CAMPAIGN MODE

FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — GLAZER'S GAZE: That state controller race is getting more crowded: State Sen. Steve Glazer will be the fourth Democrat to vie for the spot, bringing his moderate reputation and a roughly $2.2 million warchest to the race. Glazer isn't up for reelection until 2024 so he has a free ride, meaning he can run for controller without giving up his Senate seat. "I have a record of being fiercely independent of special interests and party bosses and fighting for fiscal responsibility in all the laws that we pass," Glazer said in a statement announcing his run.

ALSO FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — BIG BASS BOOST: Speaker Nancy Pelosi is throwing her weight behind Rep. Karen Bass' Los Angeles mayoral run, demonstrating some of the value of incumbency as Pelosi elevated a member of her caucus. Pelosi lauded Bass in a statement as a "highly respected voice in the Congress, adding, "As her colleague and friend, I have seen Karen fight for social and economic justice for the people." You can watch the speaker's endorsement spot here.

BALLOT BUCKS: On the initiative campaign front, Lyft sunk another $5 million into a proposal to fund clean cars and wildfire prevention via a tax hike on top earners. And a business committee launched to overhaul plastics packaging and recycling, with the California Business Roundtable dropping in a $100,000 starter investment.

NOT A GREAT LOOK — "Buscaino spends donor funds on family trips to Hawaii and Italy," by the LA Times' Benjamin Oreskes and Maloy Moore: "The spending, which is allowed under city ethics rules, far exceeds the amount spent by other elected city officials on travel for family members during this period."

JILL'S JAUNT — "At Pac Heights fundraiser, first lady says president works day and night on Ukraine crisis," by the SF Chronicle's Danielle Echeverria: "California lieutenant governor [Eleni] Kounalakis, the former ambassador to the Republic of Hungary, spoke up after Biden's remarks to reiterate the first lady's trust in Biden's ability to navigate the Ukraine crisis."

PARTY ROCKERS — "Is it too hard to get a new political party on the ballot in California?" by the OC Register's Brooke Staggs: "In California it's not easy for a new party to qualify for the ballot, as evidenced by the fact that only 19 parties have been on the ballot in the 112 years since the state started the party nomination process."

FOOD FOR THOUGHT — "People are reading too much into the California recalls, " by Joshua Spivak for SFGATE: "Nearly all recalls are local events and most localities are dominated by one political party. The result is that, pre-COVID-19 at least, recalls are not about major inter-party fights, which may help fuel their success. The new officials are not likely to be that radically different on political fronts."

—" Congressional race in Little Saigon is focused on China," by the OC Register's Brooke Staggs: "GOP Rep. Michelle Steel is Korean American. Democrat Jay Chen is Taiwanese American. Both are trying to woo voters in the new CA-45, a House district now centered around the largest Vietnamese American community in the United States."

CALIFORNIA AND THE CAPITOL CORRIDOR

PARTING WAYS — California state lawmakers introduce Russian divestment bil, by POLITICO's Chris Ramirez and Juhi Doshi: CalPERS and CalSTRS are the largest public pension funds in the nation and have recently held more than $1.5 billion in such assets, according to a recent estimate from the Newsom administration, which has pushed the funds to restrict the flow of capital to Russia from the world's fifth-largest economy.

BERKELEY'S BACKDOOR — " UC Berkeley enrollment capped, but few students turned away by state Supreme Court decision," by CalMatters' Mikhael Zinshteyn: "By asking roughly 1,000 new students to take all their classes online in the fall and another 650 to begin their UC Berkeley educations in spring of 2023, the university won't have to leave any students behind in the 2022-23 academic year."

TAKE IT BACK NOW, Y'ALL — " San Francisco School District Reverses Course on Mask Rules for Students, Staff," by the SF Standard's Ida Mojadad: "Staff and students at middle schools and high schools will no longer be required to wear masks starting March 12, and that will expand to all schools on April 2. The change is part of an agreement with the school district's unions."

— "Housing advocates seek funding to repeal California law," by the AP's Adam Beam: "Most everyone in the Capitol agrees the provision should be repealed, both for its racist roots and because it makes it much harder to build affordable housing. … But the latest repeal attempt has hit a snag — not because of organized opposition, but for lack of financial support."

DIVIDED WE FALL — "California spends billions to tackle homelessness but has little to show for it," by NBC's Alicia Victoria Lozano: "Without a centralized statewide effort to address the public health crisis, each city and county must fend for itself to secure funding from a hodgepodge of local, state and federal sources, and then try to approve programs that everyone — providers, politicians and county officials — can agree on."

— "Recall Camp Candidates Support Merit-Based Admissions at Lowell, " by the SF Standard's Ida Mojadad and Sarah Wright: "Of the 21 candidates to put themselves forward as replacements for recalled school board members, 15 declared in a questionnaire that they are in favor of an admissions system based on academics or outright against placing Lowell in the regular lottery system."

PATIENT PROBLEMS — " L.A. County health plan hit with huge fines for delays in treating poor patients," by the LA Times' Jack Dolan and Brittny Mejia: "While health plans are required to offer their patients specialist appointments within 15 days, The Times found the average wait at L.A. County Department of Health Services facilities was 89 days following a referral from a primary care provider."

ALL OR NOTHING — " Counties say they're 'all in' on Newsom's mental health plan — if it comes with enough money," by the SF Chronicle's Sarah Ravani and Dustin Gardiner: "The CARE Court effort is Newsom's long-awaited plan to expand nonvoluntary treatment for homeless people and others with chronic mental-health conditions who refuse medical intervention."

DATA WATCH — "Chesa Boudin's office just released new data on the S.F. district attorney's charging rates and case outcomes. Here's what it shows," by the SF Chronicle's Susie Nielson.

WATER WOES — " L.A. has $556 million and a plan to capture more storm water. But will they ever do it?" by the LA Times' Ralph Vartabedian: "Hardly an exception, Measure W is emblematic of how U.S. infrastructure projects typically are slow to deliver public benefits even when money is available."

HARD TIMES — " 'Money, it just got tighter.' Many California parents struggle without child tax credit," by the Fresno Bee's Andrea Briseño: "As the date of what would've been 2022's third monthly check disbursement approaches, families are increasingly experiencing food insecurity and struggling to afford their basic needs, shows a survey conducted by ParentsTogether Action, a parent-led organization focused on issues affecting families."

— "After resigning, CSU chancellor will get $400,000 salary and housing allowance," by the LA Times' Colleen Shalby and Robert J. Lopez: "The salary, paid by the chancellor's office on behalf of the Board of Trustees, is the midpoint between Castro's final salary as chancellor and the maximum of the salary range for a full-time professor."

DON'T MISS POLITICO'S INAUGURAL HEALTH CARE SUMMIT ON 3/31: Join POLITICO for a discussion with health care providers, policymakers, federal regulators, patient representatives, and industry leaders to better understand the latest policy and industry solutions in place as we enter year three of the pandemic. Panelists will discuss the latest proposals to overcome long-standing health care challenges in the U.S., such as expanding access to care, affordability, and prescription drug prices. REGISTER HERE.

BIDEN, HARRIS AND THE HILL

FIRE FIGHTS — "When it comes to future wildfires, 2 California congressmen want them all suppressed — right away," by the SF Chronicle's Kurtis Alexander: "While few doubt that fires often need swift suppression, many experts say some should be allowed to burn to reduce the dangerous overgrowth and make wildlands more resilient."

SILICON VALLEYLAND

CLEAN CUT — How shunning Russia could offer the U.S. tech giants an easy win, by POLITICO's Emily Birnbaum: Apple, Google, Meta and Netflix combined would lose between 1 percent to 2 percent of their multibillion-dollar revenues if they were to remove all of their services from Russia, according to an analyst estimate.

NOT-SO-SOCIAL MEDIA — The Emptiness Inside Donald Trump's New Social Media Platform , by POLITICO's Ruby Cramer: Its stalled roll-out, led by Devin Nunes, the Trump supporter and former Republican congressman from California, has become a source of frustration and confusion in MAGA-world, according to my colleague Meridith McGraw.

— " Activision Blizzard sued for wrongful death by family of employee who killed herself," by the WaPo's Gus Garcia-Roberts and Shannon Liao: The family "blam[es] the woman's death on sexual harassment and claim[s] that a supervisor then lied to detectives about his relationship with her."

CANNABIS COUNTRY

NEW RULES — California cannabis regulators propose state rule changes supported by industry, by POLITICO's Alex Nieves: The department's proactive approach could circumvent recently introduced legislation that aimed to make similar changes, meaning the policies could go into effect within the next few months, instead of next year."

MIXTAPE

A STEAL? — "L.A.'s most extravagant mansion sells for less than half its list price," by the LA Times' Laurence Darmiento.

— "Vallejo mayor posts graphic details of woman's death to Facebook, saying coroner's report 'just doesn't make sense,'" by the SF Chronicle's Andres Picon.

— " Rock 'the size of semi' blasted away on Highway 50; roadway closed as cleanup continues," via the Sac Bee.

— " Bay Area police officer who killed a fleeing motorist sentenced to six years in prison," by the SF Chronicle's Joshua Sharpe.

— "California police chief put on leave in 2021 for racist post and anti-gay slurs, NAACP says, " by the Sac Bee's Michael McGough.

LUXE LEGUMES — "'People are frothing at the mouth.' Napa's Rancho Gordo opens its coveted bean club wait list," by the SF Chronicle's Elena Kadvany.

— "70,000 California wildfire victims lost everything. Now they're fighting an uphill battle for money to rebuild," by SF Chronicle's Julie Johnson.

BIRTHDAYS

Rep. Juan Vargas (D-Calif.) … James Gleeson … Michael Eisner (8-0) … Katie McCormick Lelyveld … Breanna Deutsch …

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