Sacramento PR exec takes leave + What’s California done right? + Clean Air Coalition ad buy
Good morning and welcome to the A.M. Alert!
SACRAMENTO PUBLIC AFFAIRS EXECUTIVE ON LEAVE AMID FBI ANAHEIM INVESTIGATION
The head of a Sacramento public affairs firm — Core Strategic Group — has taken a leave of absence as the FBI continues to investigate the sprawling Anaheim corruption case.
Jeff Flint told the Los Angeles Times that he is taking a leave from his CEO post, but that “I have no hesitation in saying that I firmly believe I did nothing wrong or illegal.”
The Sacramento Business Journal spoke with Jerry Amante, senior vice president and general counsel for Core Strategic Group, who said, “We are doing everything we can to assess what the situation is.”
According to the bio on his company’s website, “Jeff is the CEO of Core Strategic Group and the Senior Partner in the firm. He oversees all aspects of the firm, including client services, project management, business development, and managing the business. Jeff has extensive experience in public relations and political campaigns.”
According to the Los Angeles Times, Flint has represented Anaheim Angels owner Arte Moreno as well as the Disneyland Resort.
WHAT DO CALIFORNIANS THINK THE STATE HAS DONE RIGHT?
With all the talk about what’s wrong with California — high gas prices, housing shortage, widespread homelessness — what about the things that the state has done right?
Surely it’s not all bad here in the Golden State?
Probolsky Research, in collaboration with PublicCEO, recently surveyed 900 registered California voters by phone and online to see what problems the state has managed to solve over the last 20 years.
No. 1 ? California’s air quality has improved, and smog has decreased, according to 19.7% of those surveyed. Another 15.5% said that the state has managed to do a good job on women’s issues and LGBTQ rights.
Other successes suggested by voters include economic opportunity (9.3%), legalizing marijuana (9%), health care access (7.9%), environmental protection (7.2%), a balanced budget (7.2%), education (6.6%), infrastructure investment (6.6%), eliminating the GOP (5.9%) and social services (5.1%).
CLEAR AIR COALITION SPENDS MILLIONS ON AD BUY
Clean Air California has launched a statewide advertising campaign in support of a November ballot initiative that would boost California’s transition to zero-emission vehicles and increase wildfire prevention.
“California is already witnessing the devastating effects of climate change with extreme heat, unhealthy air and catastrophic wildfires. We cannot afford to wait to reduce the emissions polluting our air and driving climate change,” said Mary Creasman, CEO of California Environmental Voters in a statement.
“Climate change has completely changed the risk that our state faces from wildfires,” said Tim Edwards, president of Cal Fire. “We effectively have a year-round fire season now, with more intense, more destructive and more frequent wildfires threatening our communities and polluting our air. This multimillion-dollar advertising campaign will introduce Californians across the state to a game-changing, equitable solution to this crisis.”
The ad campaign includes two 30-second television ads, which can be viewed here.
The Clean Cars and Clean Air Act would tax people making more than $2 million a year to fund prevention and fighting of forest fires, provide subsidies for purchase of zero-emission vehicles, and to build charging infrastructure for those vehicles.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“When it comes to getting critical race theory and ethnic studies out of the classroom there is no limit to how hard people will fight. But when it comes to keeping guns out of our classrooms, those same people… *crickets*”
- Assemblyman Isaac Bryan, D-Los Angeles, via Twitter.
Best of the Bee:
A candidate backed by the Service Employees International Union has won election to the CalPERS board, marking the third victory by an SEIU-backed candidate in less than a year, via Wes Venteicher.
California’s record-high fuel prices have frustrated gas-reliant motorists, who are curious if the switch to an electric vehicle would be worth it. But what if you can’t charge at home? The convenience of an electric car depends on your lifestyle, via Brianna Taylor.
Donald Trump is now officially a factor in the Kermit Jones-Kevin Kiley-Scott Jones race for Congress, via David Lightman.
Employees of the California State Legislature would get the right to unionize for the first time under a proposal introduced Monday, via Wes Venteicher.
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday berated Republicans in the wake of a mass shooting at a Texas school, saying they “won’t do a damn thing” to create nationwide gun safety measures, via Lindsey Holden.