Elections chief on redistricting delay + Elder gets heckled + Obama goes to bat for Newsom
Good morning and welcome to the A.M. Alert!
WEBER OPPOSES PUSHING REDISTRICTING DEADLINE
Via Kim Bojórquez...
California’s top elections officer is opposing the independent redistricting commission’s request to extend its deadline to submit the state’s final maps in a statement submitted to the California Supreme Court this week.
The opposition comes after the California Citizens Redistricting Commission in August filed an emergency motion to The California Supreme Court requesting to extend the final maps deadline from Dec. 15, 2021 to Jan. 2, 2022.
Lawyers representing Secretary of State Shirley Weber argued that an 18-day extension would “seriously jeopardize” election officials’ ability to prepare new maps in time for next year’s primary election on June 7.
“Such an outcome would actually undermine the intent of voters who assigned redistricting abilities to the Commission, because it would make it impossible for those redistricted maps to be used in the upcoming election,” according to a statement submitted to the California Supreme Court by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who represents Weber.
Bonta argued in his statement that the commission can still perform its duties “even with an 18-day delay.”
This is the second time the independent redistricting commission has asked for an extension.
Last year, the California Supreme Court extended the commission’s final maps deadline to Dec. 15 to adjust for the U.S. Census Bureau’s delay to release redistricting data brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The Commission is concerned that having this critical component of the redistricting process take place almost entirely during the holiday period would contravene its mandate to “conduct an open and transparent process enabling full public consideration and comment on the drawing of district lines,” according to an August motion signed by the commission’s attorneys.
The California Legislature also submitted a statement to the California Supreme Court in response to the commission’s request.
In its statement, the California Legislature took no position in the commission’s extension request, as long as a delay does not interfere or delay the primary election date.
ELDER MAKES QUICK EXIT IN VENICE
Via Lara Korte...
After voting for himself at a Los Angeles polling station Wednesday morning, top-polling Republican recall candidate Larry Elder headed over to Venice to survey some homeless encampments.
It did not go as planned.
According to reporters who were on the scene with Elder, some of the homeless people began shouting expletives at the candidate and telling him to leave. One LA Times reporter said Elder was set to tour the area with members of the Venice Neighborhood Council Public Health & Safety Committee. Instead, he left after 12 minutes.
Videos by ABC 7’s Josh Haskell show Elder surrounded by masked people who are shouting at him to leave and tussling with his security team. As Elder climbs into a white SUV, one man can be heard shouting “get that selfish piece of s--- out of here.”
Elder, apparently unperturbed, continued on the campaign trail later in the afternoon, including a much friendlier stop at a Northridge deli.
Meanwhile, up north in the Bay, Vice President Kamala Harris stumped for Gavin Newsom. Harris praised Newsom, contrasting his support for women’s rights with the recent abortion ban in Texas.
The VP also told the crowd of supporters that the recall could have national implications.
“They think if they can win in California they can do this anywhere,” she said.
OBAMA GOES TO BAT FOR NEWSOM
No. 44 has officially weighed in on California’s recall election. On Wednesday, Newsom’s camp released an ad cut by former President Barack Obama on Newsom’s behalf.
“Gov. Newsom has spent the past year-and-a-half protecting California communities. Now, Republicans are trying to recall him from office, and overturn common sense COVID safety measures for health care workers and school staff,” Obama says in the ad, after which he urges California voters to vote “no” on question No. 1 on the recall ballot.
Newsom shared the ad on his Twitter account on Wednesday, tweeting that “there’s too much on the line to sit this one out.”
Obama is the latest Democratic heavyweight to come out swinging for Newsom; California’s embattled governor has had ads cut by Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Cory Booker and Bernie Sanders, and of course there was Vice President Harris’ visit Wednesday and President Joe Biden’s planned visit for next week.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“We’ve seen 150 years of police policing themselves and it doesn’t work.”
- Sen. Steven Bradford, D-Gardena, on his Senate Bill 2, which sets up a process to decertify cops accused of misconduct.
Best of the Bee:
Fact check: Donald Trump falsely claims California recall election is ‘rigged’ for Gavin Newsom, via Lara Korte.
Vice President Kamala Harris contrasted Gov. Gavin Newsom with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott at a campaign appearance Wednesday in San Leandro, highlighting Newsom’s support of abortion rights and other progressive positions as he tries to fend off a recall challenge, via Sophia Bollag.
California Democrats sent Gov. Gavin Newsom a bill on Wednesday that would make it easier to strip cops with serious misconduct records of their badges in an effort to prevent violent officers from jumping to another department without facing repercussions, via Hannah Wiley.