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SACRAMENTO — California lawmakers met Monday at the state Capitol to develop a plan to protect the state from President-elect Donald Trump’s conservative policies, including promises to repeal environmental protections and begin mass deportations. did.
The goal of the special session called by Gov. Gavin Newsom is to address 2,500 legal challenges to federal law enforcement that the governor said could “harm our state,” including on civil rights, abortion access, and immigration. The idea is to establish a $10,000 fund.
But with Trump’s return as president, it’s time to take stock of how the Democratic Party lost the White House and, despite Trump’s felony convictions, pattern of lies, and role in the presidential campaign, 2020. The politics of leading the resistance are becoming more difficult as Trump grapples with why support for Trump has increased in California since his election. the riot at the U.S. Capitol following President Biden’s loss;
Congressional leaders, who are under pressure to prove that the special session is not just political theater, as some Republicans have claimed, are concerned about Trump’s second term and the rising cost of living. He sought to balance state issues that were important to voters, such as:
Democrats, who maintain a supermajority, said the legal preparations were a necessary precaution as Congress welcomed 35 new members, including a record number of women. During President Trump’s first term, California filed more than 100 lawsuits against the federal government, winning protections for undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children and securing air pollution control rules.
“If Washington, D.C., refuses to address climate change over the next four years, I hope California will keep my word that it will continue to lead as it has always done,” said Senate Pro Tem Mike McGuire (D-H.E.). Berg) said on the Senate floor Monday. “Because here in the Golden State, we are fighting to lift up everyone, no matter their background, the color of their skin, who they are, who they love, or their identity.”
As lawmakers advance legislation that would strengthen abortion rights and further affirm California as the antithesis of President Trump, California leaders have muted their message and focused on bipartisan pockets. .
“Our voters don’t feel like California is working for them,” Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas (D-Hollister) said Monday after voters rejected progressive aid measures. he said, referring to last month’s election that repealed prison reform legislation.
Rivas called for lowering the limits on bills allowed to be introduced and for all proposals to focus on “affordability and prosperity.”
The Speaker vowed to continue protecting Californians from federal overreach that targets their rights.
“When LGBTQ people are attacked, when hard-working immigrants are targeted, when women’s reproductive freedom is threatened, we will fight back with all our might,” Rivas said.
California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta said that if Congress approves the legal fund, it will be used to pay lawyers and other staff ready to immediately take action in court if President Trump does something the state deems illegal. He said it would be done.
The proposed $25 million is “a start,” Bonta said.
“If there is no case that we can bring because the Trump administration is acting completely legally, we will not take advantage of any case because of what he has done in the past, what he said he was going to do. So we don’t expect that,” Bonta said at a press conference in Sacramento on Monday. “Under Trump 2.0, we think we need to leverage all of that.”
California has been here before. Eight years ago, as Democrats rushed to block Trump’s policies, Congress began with a similar motto and introduced legislation aimed at protecting immigrants from the threat of deportation similar to proposals being advanced by the current administration. did.
“Californians don’t need healing. We need to fight,” then-House Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Paramount) said in December 2016, calling then-President Trump’s appointments “in the White House.” “White supremacists and anti-Semites who don’t need to work.”
Republicans sought to block approval of the special session that opened Monday, painting it as an underhanded strategy and urging Democrats to avoid panic and resist lobbying the federal government.
“The people of California sent a clear message during this election cycle: The majority party’s failure to address the most important issues facing us is over, and common sense, solutions We’re ready to get back to governing with a focus on,” said Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones (R-Santee). “We’re excited to see Californians stand up to the Democratic Party machine and say ‘enough is enough.'”
Even Newsom, a perennial opponent of President Trump, changed his message after Republicans won the White House, Senate and House of Representatives in November’s elections. The governor said in a statement Monday that the special session is about “setting this state up for success” regardless of who is in the White House.
“We look forward to working with the incoming administration and wishing President Trump success in serving the American people,” Newsom said. “But when there are excesses, when lives are threatened, when rights and freedoms are targeted, we take action.”
Rep. Isaac Bryan (D-Los Angeles) introduced a bill Monday that would eliminate taxes on car seats and wipes, which he said should be supported by Republicans who are “on behalf of families.” . He said members of the party promised to lead Trump’s resistance needed to “slow down” and focus on policies that help people, not talking points.
“I think it’s different this time. No one is stepping up to attack Trump right now,” Bryan said. “You can do real policy work, not just do politics.”
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