Bonta fights anti-abortion laws + NARAL endorses in California + Fighting hate crimes
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BONTA, JAMES LEAD COALITIONS AGAINST TEXAS, IDAHO ABORTION LAWS
California Attorney General Rob Bonta and New York Attorney General Letitia James on Tuesday led a coalition of 21 attorneys general in opposition to restrictive abortion laws in Texas and Idaho.
The group signed on to the federal government’s defense of the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, which Texas is challenging in court, seeking to remove provisions covering abortion.
“Emergency medical care saves lives: No one should fear being denied the care They need to survive,” Bonta said in a statement. “Texas’ attempt to eliminate abortion care from emergency rooms puts at risk the lives of pregnant people across our country.
In the case of Idaho, the coalition has signed on to the federal government’s move for a preliminary injunction barring enforcement of that state’s near total ban on abortions.
“Let’s be clear: Whether in an outpatient setting or in an emergency room, abortion care is healthcare. Idaho’s radical ban on abortion, even in cases of medical emergency, unconscionably endangers the lives and health of pregnant people in Idaho and beyond,” Bonta said.
NARAL ENDORSES IN FOUR CALIFORNIA CONGRESSIONAL RACES
NARAL, the abortion rights group, has made endorsements in four closely watched California congressional races.
It issued a statement of support for Dr. Kermit Jones, the Democrat running against Republican Assemblyman Kevin Kiley in CA-03; former Assemblywoman Christy Smith, a Democrat in a rematch against Republican Rep. Mike Garcia in CA-27; Will Rollins, a Democrat challenging Republican Rep. Ken Calvert in CA-41; and Lt. Cmdr. Jay Chen, a Democrat facing off against Republican Rep. Michelle Steel in CA-45.
“California has been at the forefront of the fight to proactively expand access to abortion care—and electing these four candidates is an opportunity to bring that same spirit to Congress. As MAGA extremists pull out all the stops to ban abortion outright, we’ll be working alongside our 300,000 members across the Golden State to turn out in these critical Red-to-Blue districts,” said NARAL Pro-Choice America President Mini Timmaraju in a statement.
ANTI-HATE CRIME EFFORT TO LAUNCH WEDNESDAY
The Act Against Hate Alliance is hosting its inaugural event Wednesday morning on the south Capitol lawn, with speakers including State Treasurer Fiona Ma, a Democrat, and Senate Republican Leader Scott Wilk.
You can watch a livestream of the event, which starts at 9:30 a.m., by visiting here.
The Act Against Hate Alliance was co-founded by former Senate Republican Leader Bob Huff and Me Mei Ho Huff, with funding from the California State Library’s “STOP THE HATE” initiative.
“Information compiled by the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program finds that the number of hate crimes committed in California has risen substantially during the three-year period of 2018-2021. These are crimes defined by race, religion, sexual orientation, gender, and gender identity,” according to a statement from the campaign.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“45 years ago, my family & I immigrated to the U.S. in search of greater opportunities. Today, I am reminded of the moment that paved my family’s future & inspired my passion for service. I am grateful to represent communities in CA & look forward to the work we will achieve!”
- Assemblywoman Blanca Rubio, D-Baldwin Park, via Twitter.
Best of the Bee:
Twice a year, a legislative instrument called the suspense file leaves many lawmakers, lobbyists and members of the public seething. Appropriations committees in the Senate and Assembly use it to kill or quietly amend bills before they can reach the floor, via Andrew Sheeler, Lindsey Holden and Stephen Hobbs.
Former Congressman TJ Cox of Fresno surrendered to the FBI and was arrested Tuesday on federal charges of “multiple fraud schemes” in his financial dealings, via Tim Sheehan.
More details about former Congressman Devin Nunes’ assumption of Truth Social could be revealed as part of a lawsuit that he filed against a magazine company, via Gillian Brassil.
With drought conditions in the West nearing a crisis point, the Biden administration was poised to bring the hammer down Tuesday on California, six neighboring states and Mexico, imposing draconian cutbacks in water supplies from the Colorado River. Instead, the feds decided to give the states more time to figure out how to share the misery, via Dale Kasler.
The word got out and the environmental lobby was quick to pounce: After years of silence on the issue, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration was reviving a controversial plan to burrow a tunnel beneath the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, the fragile hub of California’s water-delivery system, via Ryan Sabalow and Dale Kasler.