News: In DeSantis’ Florida, California meets its match

Monday, May 2, 2022

In DeSantis’ Florida, California meets its match

May 02, 2022

By Lara Korte, Chris Ramirez and Juhi Doshi

Presented by The Nature Conservancy

THE BUZZ — GUNS, ABORTION AND DISNEY: Red states are ratcheting up tension over social issues, and California is eager to enter the fray.

As leaders of the wealthiest and most populous state in the country, California Democrats have a tendency to position themselves as national defenders of liberal values. And this year, with the party facing tough midterms and red-state officials cracking down on LGBTQ rights, abortion access and discussions of race and inequality in the classroom, the Golden State is not pulling any punches.

Gov. Gavin Newsom has already vowed to counter Texas' abortion ban with a law that would similarly allow private citizens to go after gun manufacturers. He's also been vocal about his disgust for anti-abortion rhetoric coming out of Ohio and Oklahoma , and has said he wants to make the state a "sanctuary" for those seeking abortions. And as was the case through the first years of the Covid pandemic, Florida continues to be California Democrats' favorite punching bag.

While smaller, the Sunshine State has proven to be an apt foil. Both states rely heavily on a tourism economy and have been known to produce politicians powerful in their respective majority parties. Yet their leaders promote vastly different cultural values. The latest skirmish over teaching about LGBTQ topics in schools, however, has created a nearly perfect one-to-one comparison between these dueling states — and a chance for each side's leaders to flex their political prowess to a national audience.

A new billboard welcoming visitors to

A new billboard welcoming visitors to "Florida: The Sunshine 'Don't Say Gay or Trans' State. is displayed April 21, 2022, in Orlando, Fla. | AP Photo/John Raoux

Take the Disney debacle. After Disney released a statement criticizing Florida's "Don't Say Gay" bill, the Republican-controlled legislature stripped Disney World of a its ability to self-govern, a status that has been in place for nearly 50 years and allowed it to act like a municipal government. On the other side of the country, where the Walt Disney Company is headquartered, Newsom bashed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, saying such a move was similar to that of an "authoritarian regime."

The conflict has heightened DeSantis' national profile among conservatives — and raised questions about a potential bid for the White House, as former President Donald Trump's 2024 plans remain unclear. If DeSantis' star continues to rise, it could only mean more vitriol from Californians. State leaders here were some of Trump's most vocal and litigious opponents, suing his administration more than 100 times over immigration and climate change policies.

But we should remind readers: Elections are not won solely on cultural stances. California voters' top concerns are rising costs, public safety and homelessness. They're probably less likely to care about Disney's right to free speech than the cost of driving down to Anaheim, where gas is more than $5.70 a gallon.

BUENOS DÍAS, good Monday morning. It's May 2, which means it's crunch time for the governor, who will present his revised budget plan in less than two weeks. We hope all you budget staffers are staying hydrated.

Got a tip or story idea for California Playbook? Hit us up jwhite@politico.com and lkorte@politico.com or follow us on Twitter @JeremyBWhite and @Lara_Korte .

QUOTE OF THE DAY — "There's nothing I can say about the GOP that Kevin McCarthy hasn't already put on tape." President Joe Biden taking jabs at the minority leader during the White House Correspondents' Dinner.

TWEET OF THE DAY — Assemblymember Kevin Kiley @KevinKileyCA joins the chorus of frustrated Republicans (and Democrats): "A $68 billion 'surplus' and still no suspension of the gas tax."

BONUS TOTD — The California Budget and Policy Center's Scott Graves @SHGraves29 comes in with the nuance: "Punctuation matters: Note how Mr. Kiley puts 'surplus' in quotation marks. I fully agree with that choice. The word 'surplus' implies that these are mere leftover dollars that aren't needed to support vital public systems and services. Nothing could be further from the truth."

WHERE'S GAVIN? Nothing official announced.

A message from The Nature Conservancy:

GOVERNOR & LEGISLATORS: Fund Nature or Lose It.

Last year California made a historic commitment to protect 30% of its natural lands by 2030, but we must dedicate resources now in order to deliver on that commitment. Unless the Governor and Legislature build on last year's commitments to nature, we will fall short of protecting our state's biodiversity. A meaningful 30x30 conservation budget means $1B for programs that actually protect nature.

Top Talkers

CARE COURT CLASH — "In the capital of Blue State America, a new ferment over homelessness," by WaPo's Scott Wilson: "One approach is being promoted by the state and local governments, which want to focus more resources on the mentally ill. … Another is being advocated by business leaders, neighborhood groups and angry voters, who have watched the expanding homeless population fill in the city's public spaces and now want local officials to force people to accept housing, getting them off the streets."

LA DEBATE— " After cops remove activists, L.A. mayor candidates take on homelessness — and one another," by the LATimes' Julia Wick, Jeong Park, David Zahnier: "Sunday's mayoral debate began with a leader of Black Lives Matter-Los Angeles being forcibly removed from the auditorium by multiple campus police officers just before cameras started rolling and ended with the candidates sharing their favorite locations to visit in the city."

REFLECTION — "The L.A. Riots Were 30 Years Ago. I'm Still Trying to Understand Them," by NYT Magazine's Héctor Tobar: " I wanted [readers] to see what I had seen as a reporter: that Los Angeles was a city of cruel inequalities whose relative wealth and comfort were built upon the labor and the lives of uprooted peoples — families with roots in the Jim Crow South, refugees from the bloody conflicts of the Cold War in Central America and East Asia. And that the city was run by a political class in denial about how truly dysfunctional the city had become."

MORE DAMN TOOLS — " Newsom: Desalination project should be approved — 'We need more damn tools in the toolkit,'" by the Mercury News' Paul Rogers: "On Monday the staff of the Coastal Commission recommended that the project be denied, citing its impact on marine life, energy use, its vulnerability to sea level rise and the potential to drive up water rates for low-income residents."

— "Boudin prosecutes disgraced cop for domestic violence after Sacramento DA failed," opines the SF Examiner's Gil Duran: "San Francisco's DA makes an easy political target for the longtime Republican, but the shtick is wearing thin."

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CAMPAIGN MODE

HEATING UP — "Charges of racism and red-baiting in race for congressional seat created to elevate Asian Americans," by the LA Times' Seema Mehta and Anh Do: "Though political disagreements have often focused on ideology, few could recall race-based attacks among Asian American candidates."

ENDORSEMENT — "Karen Bass for Los Angeles mayor," by the LA Times Editorial Board.

CALIFORNIA AND THE CAPITOL CORRIDOR

UPCOMING — Newsom expected to issue cryptocurrency order, by POLITICO's Susannah Luthi: California's move follows President Joe Biden's call for his own federal agencies to study digital money and blockchain technologies.

SMALLER SCOPE — "California lawmaker narrows bill requiring fertility treatment coverage," by POLITICO's Juhi Doshi: "Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland) agreed to amend CA AB 2029 (21) to limit the scope of oocyte retrievals to three, exempt small businesses from having to provide the coverage and place a $75,000 benefit limitation."

CHILD CRISIS — "California's youngest children need more mental health support, advocates say in request for funding, " by CalMatters' Elizabeth Aguilera: "Last year, California launched the $4.4 billion Children & Youth Behavioral Health Initiative to redesign behavioral support for kids. But the initiative doesn't directly address the needs of children younger than kindergarten age."

DIGGING DEEPER … " California joins other states probing unusual liver inflammation in children," by the SF Chronicle's Catherine Ho: "At least 169 cases have been reported in 12 countries, and the age of the children range from one month to 16 years old, according to the World Health Organization."

… AND DEEPER — " In novel move, California to investigate oil companies over plastic recycling claims," by the SF Chronicle's Dustin Gardiner: "As part of the investigation, Bonta issued a subpoena to ExxonMobil, demanding the company release documents related to its role in 'deceiving the public' about whether plastic can be recycled."

HUNGER HELP — " 'Essential' Immigrant Workers Are Going Hungry in California," by Capital & Main's Gabriel Thompson: "Among children under 18, the rate is even higher, at 64% — meaning that nearly two out of every three undocumented children are food insecure."

— " Debate Heats Up Over Effort to Pilot Safe Injection Sites in California," by KQED's Lesley McClurg: "Lawmakers in California are debating whether to open sites where people can inject or snort illegal drugs under the watchful gaze of a health care worker. These facilities are an effort to save lives, as overdoses skyrocket across California."

A message from The Nature Conservancy:

BIDEN, HARRIS AND THE HILL

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS — "Pelosi reaffirms U.S. military, economic and humanitarian support for Ukraine," by the LA Times' Laura King and Kurtis Lee: "[Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelensky placed his hand on his heart as he greeted the speaker, who was accompanied by a congressional delegation that included Rep. Adam B. Schiff (D-Burbank)."

— "The border wall Trump called unclimbable is taking a grim toll," by the WaPo's Nick Miroff: "Since 2019, when the barrier's height was raised to 30 feet along much of the border in California, the number of patients arriving at the UC San Diego Medical Center's trauma ward after falling off the structure has jumped fivefold, to 375."

PICK A LANE — "Pelosi blasts McCarthy over 'inconsistencies' on lawmakers' safety, " by the WaPo's Felicia Sonmez: "Pelosi on Friday juxtaposed McCarthy's comments with his previous statements condemning the fines levied on GOP lawmakers for attempting to bypass the metal detectors that were installed outside the House chamber after Jan. 6."

SILICON VALLEYLAND

— "How a billionaires boys' club came to dominate the public square," by WaPo's Michael Scherer and Sarah Ellison: " Partisans find themselves celebrating the autonomy of the rich men who they see as serving their interests, while simultaneously objecting to the unchecked power of those who don't."

PAYPAL MAFIA — "The Shadow Crew Who Encouraged Elon Musk's Twitter Takeover ," by WSJ's Rob Copeland, Georgia Wells, Rebecca Elliott and Liz Hoffman: "[Musk] was egged on behind the scenes by a mix of voices — from fellow billionaires to internet trolls — with their own beefs with the social-media platform."

BIG QUESTION — "Can Elon Musk Make Twitter's Numbers Work? " by NYT's Anupreeta Das and Lauren Hirsch: "If the deal closes, it would become the country's second-largest buyout on record."

— Twitter loses bid to toss Alex Berenson lawsuit , by POLITICO's Susannah Luthi.

— "Salesforce says NDAs will no longer prevent employees from speaking out about harassment or discrimination," by the SF Chronicle's Chase DiFeliciantonio.

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MIXTAPE

— "Free diaper program means one less worry for low-income parents," by the SF Examiner's Sydney Johnson.

— "Which Southern California cities face water cutbacks on June 1? What we know," by the LA Times' Hayley Smith.

— " Video shows LAPD officer shooting 45-year-old man holding cell phone on Martin Luther King Blvd," by LATACO's Lexis-Olivier Ray.

— "USC education school omitted key data for U.S. News & World Report rankings, report says, " by the LA Times' Paloma Esquivel.

— "California's giant sequoias are being destroyed by our wildfires. Scientists are resorting to extraordinary methods to save them," by the SF Chronicle's Kurtis Alexander.

IN MEMORIAM

— "Kathy Boudin, formerly imprisoned radical leftist and mother of San Francisco D.A. Chesa Boudin, dies," by SF Chronicle's Megan Cassidy: "Kathy Boudin, a former member of the radical Weather Underground who took part in a robbery that killed three people, an act that sent her to prison for 22 years and left behind a young son who would become the district attorney of San Francisco, died Sunday at 78."

A message from The Nature Conservancy:

GOVERNOR AND LEGISLATORS: Is California really committed to protecting our biodiversity?

Biodiversity isn't just a list of California's species; it's the web of life that sustains us and makes California such an incredible place. But our web is falling apart, and nature needs our help NOW!

There is a clear path to achieving California's goal to conserve 30% of our wildlife habitat by 2030. That path requires $1 billion a year for the next five years to close the nature funding gap.

The choice is clear. Either we meet this moment and protect California's amazing biodiversity and unique landscapes – or we fail our children and future generations. Funding nature means investing in programs and partnerships at the Wildlife Conservation Board and the State's regional conservancies that will do this work with urgency.

$1B FOR BIODIVERSITY: TNC urges the Governor and Legislature to increase funding for biodiversity to save California.

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