Democrat questions Newsom’s budget + Canceling Newsom’s pandemic powers + Pelosi sparks online firestorm
Good morning and happy Wednesday. As always, thank you for reading.
ONCE IN A QUARTER CENTURY KINDA THING
Via Hannah Wiley...
Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, D-Lakewood, announced Tuesday that his house will convene as a whole group on May 26 to discuss the state of California’s dire budget.
The process, called a “Committee of the Whole,” hasn’t been used since 1995, Rendon’s office said, when Orange County faced bankruptcy.
The parliamentary process allows lawmakers to discuss an issue without having to take a vote. Those Assembly members who attend will have to physically distance by spacing out in the chamber’s gallery and the speaker’s conference room.
Although most Assembly Republicans in recent hearings have not worn masks, the speaker’s office said face coverings will be required for the session.
Members will not be able to participate remotely, though the Legislative Analyst’s Office will provide testimony via video conference.
“The coronavirus crisis has put us in a double-bind when it comes to passing the state budget by its constitutional deadline,” Rendon said. “The health crisis has limited our ability to meet, while the impact of the pandemic has created unprecedented changes in our revenue resources and spending needs. This process will allow all members of the Assembly the opportunity to perform our duties efficiently, based on a common understanding of the problem and potential resolutions before us.”
DEMOCRATIC PUSHBACK ON THE BUDGET
Via Sophia Bollag...
A top-ranking Democratic lawmaker is pushing back against part of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s revised budget proposal, arguing it would curtail the Legislature’s power over COVID-19 spending decisions.
Sen. Holly Mitchell, D-Los Angeles, raised concerns during a Monday budget hearing about nearly $3 billion that Newsom is proposing to spend on COVID-19 response, including on protective equipment like masks, critical medical supplies and hospital surge preparations.
Lawmakers should be involved in the decisions to spend that money, but the governor’s proposal doesn’t give them enough of a say, said Mitchell, who chairs the Senate Budget Committee.
Vivek Viswanathan of the governor’s Department of Finance told Mitchell that the proposal is written to allow the administration “flexibility” to respond quickly in the event of a surge or second wave of COVID-19 cases, or another emergency.
“We do think that it is important,” he said. “This is a once in a century emergency, and nobody knows how it’s going to go.”
Mitchell responded that the Legislature is also capable of responding quickly and should be included in those spending decisions.
“We fully appreciate the need for the administration to be nimble and be empowered to respond in a timely manner,” she said. “But I think it’s very important that the administration find a way to balance your ability to respond timely with acknowledging the role the Legislature must play.”
CANCELING NEWSOM’S PANDEMIC POWERS?
Should the Legislature step in and revoke Gov. Newsom’s emergency pandemic authority?
Two Republican lawmakers have introduced a longshot Assembly Concurrent Resolution to do just that.
“This resolution is meant to restore a proper balance between the legislative and executive branches,” said Assemblyman Kevin Kiley, R-Rocklin, in a statement. “To the extent the governor retains extraordinary powers, they should be limited in scope in coordination with the Legislature, which has authority to terminate those powers altogether.”
Assemblyman James Gallagher, R-Yuba City, is a joint author of the resolution.
“The governor has clearly overstepped his authority, from arbitrarily changing state laws, to using state agencies to threaten small business outside of their legal jursdiction, to spending money outside the scope of legislative authorization. It is incumbent upon the Legislature to restore the balance of power,” Gallagher said in a statement.
NANCY PELOSI GETS SLAMMED FOR COMMENT
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi got the fact-check treatment after her remarks to Anderson Cooper about President Donald Trump taking hydroxychloroquine on Monday evening went viral. So what did Pelosi say?
“As far as the president is concerned, he’s our president and I would rather he not be taking something that has not been approved by the scientists, especially in his age group and in his, shall we say, weight group. Morbidly obese, they say,” she said
CNN responded with a fact check that while the president is considered obese, for his height and weight, he is not in the morbidly obese range. Politifact also did a fact check, rating the House Speaker’s claim as “False.”
Pelosi’s remarks weren’t just inaccurate, they were also fat-shaming, argued many people online. After she said it, hashtags mocking Trump’s weight began appearing on Twitter.
“Much in the same way that homophobic jokes about the president demean LGBTQ+ people more than they harm Trump, fatphobic jokes rely on the idea that fatness is something to be ashamed of, or a personal and moral failing. It isn’t. We’ve come a long way in terms of fat acceptance, but there’s still a lot of work to be done,” wrote Jessica Castillo of Teen Vogue.
Trump, for his part, responded to Pelosi’s remarks on Tuesday by saying, “Pelosi is a sick woman. She’s got a lot of problems, a lot of mental problems.”
Best of the Bee:
After two months of shutdown because of the coronavirus pandemic, two of greater Sacramento’s Indian casinos announced reopening dates Tuesday in spite of pleas from Gov. Gavin Newsom to hold off, via Dale Kasler.
Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to accelerate his plans to reduce incarceration in California by closing two state prisons in the next few years, via Wes Venteicher.
Parents who had to stop working or trim their hours so they could take care of children due to closed schools have been eligible for special federal unemployment benefits — as long as the school year lasted. Now the school year is about to end, and federal guidelines are somewhat vague as to whether the benefits can continue, via David Lightman.