Gavin Newsom’s MAGA Drift Is Here
Mother Jones, INAE OH: "As Donald Trump wages an all-out war on just about every corner of American life, Democrats have appeared nothing short of comatose. Their struggle to respond, which has since seen pink attire and auctioneer-styled signs, has instead revealed a party relying on the last dregs of Resistance Era politics to pull us through this unending series of crises.
But one Democrat is taking a radically different approach to such fecklessness: California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who on Thursday, debuted a new podcast, This Is Gavin Newsom. The result seems to be an open invitation for the right to embrace a new man. In fact, Newsom, in his first episode, appears eager to abandon his record of supporting LGBTQ rights, cozy up to the likes of Charlie Kirk, and criticize so-called cancel culture as well as Black Lives Matter. This comes against a larger pivot, as Newsom ditches his identity as a resistance leader to become the first Democrat to hang out with Trump in the Oval Office this term. But perhaps the most striking feature of Newsom’s first podcast was a full-throated willingness to side with Kirk on the issue of trans athletes."
Experts Expound: Gavin’s podcast debut
Capitol Weekly, STAFF: "Governor Newsom’s initial podcast was…very interesting to say the least. And so with that for inspiration, we asked our panel of experts for their reaction to the governor’s podcast. NOTE: All opinions expressed here are solely those of our expert panelists.
Question: What is your reaction to Gov. Newsom’s episode of his new podcast “This is Gavin Newsom” in which he broke hard from his party to express his belief that participation of transgender athletes in women’s sports was “deeply unfair.”"
Newsom’s remarks about trans athletes has some Democrats ‘sickened and frustrated’
LAT, RYAN FONSECA: "In the first episode of “This is Gavin Newsom,” the governor hosted conservative commentator and MAGA activist Charlie Kirk. During their conversation, Newsom called transgender women’s participation in women’s sports “deeply unfair” and said Democrats were getting “crushed” on the issue.
“Newsom, who shared his own critiques of his party, spent more time agreeing with the right-wing figure and offering his appreciation for his perspective than debating their opposing views,” my colleagues Taryn Luna and Phil Willon reported. “The approach aligns with the governor’s recent retreat from his role during the election as a fighter for Democratic values and a top GOP critic as he seeks to maintain a respectful relationship with Trump.”"
READ MORE -- Gavin Newsom draws liberal backlash over trans athlete remarks in podcast with MAGA celebrity -- The Chronicle, SOPHIA BOLLAG; Gavin Newsom shocks LGBTQ allies with criticism of transgender athletes -- CALMatters, ALEXEI KOSEFF
California state worker unions fight ‘inexplicable and unnecessary’ return-to-office order
Sac Bee, STEPHEN HOBBS/WILLIAM MELHADO: "Monday’s sudden order from Gov. Gavin Newsom, directing workers back into offices four days a week, has provoked a legal response from labor unions: They have filed “unfair practice” charges with the California Public Employment Relations Board over the new mandate.
That could trigger a complaint by the board and eventually force a formal hearing on the matter in front of an administrative law judge."
Trump’s 1% policy wars: Transgender people, USAID funding and now Canadian fentanyl?
LAT, KEVIN RECTOR: "When Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called President Trump this week to discuss the imposition of stiff U.S. tariffs, Trump linked the decision to deadly fentanyl and undocumented migrants crossing into the U.S. along its northern border.
Trump said he blamed Trudeau for “weak border policies” allowing “tremendous amounts” of fentanyl and migrants to “pour into” the U.S."
‘It’s just chaos’: How California scientists are facing attacks on science by Trump and DOGE
The Chronicle, JACK LEE: "The Trump administration has held up federal funds, cut university resources and erased efforts related to diversity, equity and inclusion that jeopardize existing grants. Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency has also spearheaded firings in science agencies, saying the cuts will reduce fiscal bloat.
These sweeping measures have thrown California labs and research institutions into disarray."
The California rulemaking process, Part I
Capitol Weekly, CHRIS MICHELI: "We’ve all heard the expression “The rules are the rules.” But when it comes to making rules in the state of California, the process has its own labyrinth of, well, rules to guide the process. This is Part I. Part II will follow next Friday.
Which executive branch entity oversees the California rulemaking process to ensure state agencies and departments follow the Administrative Procedure Act (APA)? The Office of Administrative Law (OLA), which is housed in the Government Operations Agency."
An audit found California was unprepared to help vulnerable people in a fire. Five years later, lawmakers finally talk about it
CALMatters, SAMEEA KAMAL: "Five years ago, as COVID-19 hit the state, legislators cancelled a hearing to discuss a state audit that found the state’s office of emergency services and at least three California counties weren’t prepared to help vulnerable people during natural disasters.
That hearing finally took place Wednesday."
As LA County sues Edison over deadly fire, is the state’s wildfire fund in jeopardy?
CALMatters, ALEJANDRO LAZO/SERGIO OLMOS: "A potential finding that Southern California Edison’s equipment ignited the deadly Eaton Fire could upend California’s effort to shield utilities from mounting wildfire losses as climate change drives more destructive blazes.
The January blaze, which killed 17 people and destroyed 9,414 structures, remains under investigation, but residents already have filed several lawsuits blaming Edison for sparking the conflagration."
What to know about Trump’s plans for a ‘Strategic Bitcoin Reserve’
LAT, QUEENIE WONG: "President Trump on Thursday signed an executive order to establish a “Strategic Bitcoin Reserve” and a stockpile of U.S. digital assets.
The move came after Trump’s proposal for a crypto reserve sparked unexpected blowback from tech leaders because he initially said over the weekend that digital assets other than bitcoin would also be part of the reserve. Trump’s administration then made a distinction between the reserve and a separate stockpile."
California sues Trump administration for cutting teacher training over ‘illegal DEI’
LAT, JAWEED KALEEM: "California joined seven Democrat-led states that sued the Trump administration Thursday, seeking to halt hundreds of millions of dollars in cuts to teacher training programs designed to increase instructors in direly needed STEM fields as well as educate students who have disabilities or are learning English.
The suit, filed in federal district court in Massachusetts, zeroes in on two Obama-era grants Congress created to address teacher shortages in rural and urban areas and encourage college students studying STEM subjects — science, technology, engineering and math — to take on teaching jobs in K-12 education."
Embattled Silicon Valley school district faces questions about lavish teacher housing
The Chronicle, JILL TUCKER: "A Silicon Valley school district under fire for problematic spending has continued to draw ire over its handling of a lavish, over-budget teacher housing project, including the recent purchase of a $2,500 swivel chair and other pricey furnishings.
Like many districts across California and the country, Mountain View Whisman School District decided to build affordable housing to help recruit and retain teachers and other staff who were finding it increasingly difficult to afford the high-priced rents and mortgages in the neighborhoods where they work."
US employers add a solid 151,000 jobs last month though unemployment up to 4.1%
AP, PAUL WISEMAN: "U.S. employers added solid 151,000 jobs last month, but the outlook is cloudy as President Donald threatens a trade war, purges the federal workforce and promises to deport millions of immigrants.
The Labor Department reported Friday that hiring was up from a revised 125,000 in January. Economists had expected 160,000 new jobs last month."
Bird flu infected California cows. Why didn’t milk prices spike like egg costs did?
Sac Bee, ANNIKA MERRILEES: "Bird flu outbreaks sent egg prices soaring in recent months, in some cases north of $9 per dozen. While the virus also spread to dairy cattle, the outbreaks didn’t seem to boost California milk prices.
A group of UC Davis economists recently wrote that though California produces more than 15% of U.S. milk, bird flu has had “little or no impact on milk prices.”"
This wealthy California city just flirted with bankruptcy to avoid new housing (OP-ED)
LAT, EMILY HOEVEN: "A new Rorschach test for NIMBY California cities and counties has been unlocked: How big of a hole are you willing to blow in your budget to block new housing?
This question confronted La Cañada Flintridge last week when a judge issued the wealthy Los Angeles County community a stark ultimatum: It could stop fighting a proposal for an 80-unit mixed-income development with hotel and office space, or it could post a $14 million bond and continue its yearslong legal battle."
Court-ordered audit finds major flaws in L.A.’s homeless services
LAT, DOUG SMITH: "Homeless services provided by the city of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority are disjointed and lack adequate data systems and financial controls to monitor contracts for compliance and performance, leaving the system vulnerable to waste and fraud, an audit ordered by a federal judge has concluded.
The audit by the global consulting firm Alvarez & Marsal found that the city was unable to track exactly how much it spent on homeless programs and did not rigorously reconcile spending with services provided, making it impossible to judge how well the services worked or whether they were even provided."
Ex-officer for L.A. firefighters union faces internal inquiry over charity finances
LAT, PAUL PRINGLE, ALENE TCHEKMEDYIAN: "A former top officer of the Los Angeles Fire Department’s labor union has been removed from his post and faces an internal investigation over allegations that he engaged in financial improprieties involving the union’s charity for injured firefighters, including using $5,000 for personal expenses.
The International Assn. of Fire Fighters late last year suspended Adam Walker from the influential office of secretary of the United Firefighters of Los Angeles City and accused him of improperly depositing more than $75,000 of the charity’s funds into his personal accounts from December 2022 to January 2024, internal IAFF records reviewed by The Times show."
