Inland Empire Latino renaissance + New ad from Hochman + Bonta issues abortion guidance

Good morning and welcome to the A.M. Alert!

LATINO EMPOWERMENT FUND LAUNCHES IN THE INLAND EMPIRE

Via Mathew Miranda...

There’s a “Latino political renaissance” under way in the Inland Empire, according to Jesse Melgar, a former communications director for Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Two prime examples are Rep. Raul Ruiz, D-Coachella, chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and Assemblywoman Sabrina Cervantes, D-Riverside, chair-elect of the California Latino Legislative Caucus. Cervantes will be the first Inland Empire lawmaker to head up the caucus.

And with political power shifting, there is a new effort to pay it forward. Melgar and more than a dozen of the region’s Latino leaders are launching the new Cultivating Inland Empire Latino Opportunity Fund, or CIELO Fund, at the Inland Empire Community Foundation. Cielo means “sky” or “heaven” in Spanish.

The goal is to support Latino-led and-serving organizations throughout a region that often does not receive proportional attention or investment. Currently, there is no Inland Empire-based foundation with a strategy that specifically lifts up the Latino community, Melgar said. That’s despite Latinos now making up 51.5% of the Inland Empire population.

“The Latino community is critical to the Inland Empire’s success today and will continue to be in the future,” said Cervantes. “We are the backbone of our economy. We are workers, doctors, teachers, and students driving our region forward everyday.”

The CIELO fund also plans to study issues impacting Latino communities to identify where funding might carry the most impact. In a partnership with UC Riverside, the group recently released its first report: “Aqui Estamos: A Data Profile of Latinos in the Inland Empire.”

The report used 2020 census data to evaluate where Latinos are excelling and outlines several disparities including health outcomes, education and poverty rates.

“As our community grows so should support for the organizations providing the critical, educational, and immigration services on the ground,”said Sen. Alex Padilla. “That’s why the CIELO Fund is such an important step forward. From Coachella to Riverside to San Bernardino, it’s inspiring to see leaders from across the region come together to launch this effort.”

HOCHMAN RELEASES STATEWIDE CAMPAIGN AD

Republican California Attorney General candidate Nathan Hochman has launched his first statewide digital ad buy, a 33-second spot featuring a woman who was mowed down along with her 8-month-old child by a juvenile driver in Los Angeles.

The woman, Rachel, says in the ad that she is a Democrat but that she is voting for Hochman because Attorney General Rob Bonta, a Democrat appointed by Newsom who is running for his first full term, refuses to take over her case from embattled Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón.

“This kid tried to murder me and my child and the state couldn’t have cared less and they proved that by only giving him five months of probation. CA Attorney General Rob Bonta has the ability to step in and take over from district attorneys like George Gascón but Bonta choses not to. It’s about voting for the right candidate and the right candidate is Nathan Hochman,” Rachel says in the ad.

In a statement, Hochman said that Rachel’s experience is “an unfortunate reminder” that Bonta and Gascón place the interests of criminals above victims.

“Appointed Attorney General Rob Bonta and his ally Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon need to be held responsible by the voters for their role in the spiral of lawlessness in California,” Hochman said.

BONTA INSTRUCTS STATE LAW ENFORCEMENT NOT TO COOPERATE WITH ABORTION PROBES

The California Attorney General on Friday issued legal guidance to the state’s district attorneys, police chiefs, sheriffs and state law enforcement agencies, instructing them that California will not cooperate with out-of-state criminal investigations related to reproductive care.

The guidance follows Gov. Newsom’s executive order prohibiting the extradition or removal of people providing or using abortion services in the state.

“Abortion is safe and legal in California — if you come to California in search of reproductive care or if you’re a Californian helping someone to access reproductive care including abortion, we will protect you. Our law enforcement will not cooperate with efforts to remove you or investigate your actions,” Bonta said in a statement.

Bonta’s guidance outlined the following steps that law enforcement should take in the event that they are asked to surrender non-fugitive individuals who either seek or provide reproductive health services in the state.

• “Under California law, law enforcement has no obligation to make an arrest based on an out-of-state warrant;
• Law enforcement should closely examine any out-of-state warrant before taking an individual into custody;
• Before bringing forward any charges, prosecutors should closely review an out-of-state warrant and verify access to reproductive care is not misconstrued under other California criminal laws such as child neglect, child abuse, drug use, or murder; and
• Law enforcement agencies should immediately contact the California Attorney General’s Office if they have any questions regarding an out-of-state warrant or the Governor’s Executive Order.”

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“In 1994, the GOP had not controlled the House in 40 years, so they had a blank slate on which to write the Contract with America. Today they are pinning their agenda to a wall covered with Trump graffiti.”

- Claremont McKenna College Professor Jack Pitney, via Twitter.

Best of The Bee:

• Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday unraveled a decades-old statewide requirement that every new home, office and business come with a specified number of parking spots — a policy that environmentalists and housing advocates say has fueled California’s car dependency and hindered its climate progress, via Maggie Angst.

• Recreational adult-use marijuana has been legal in California for years now, but many employers have continued to test for employee usage of the drug as a condition of employment. That will change soon, via Andrew Sheeler.

• Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday vetoed a bill that would have removed California tax-exempt status from nonprofits that have engaged in anti-government activities, including treason and insurrection, via Lindsey Holden.

• When will California’s health care workers receive their promised retention bonuses from the state? It looks like the funds — roughly $1.1 billion — will arrive just in time to help pay off holiday shopping bills, via Cathie Anderson.

• After months of living in an inflation-ridden economy, relief for some Californians is just around the corner. Residents who filed their 2020 taxes may receive a one-time payment of up to $1,050 as soon as Oct. 7. Payments will extend through early next year, via Brianna Taylor.

This story was originally published September 26, 2022 at 5:00 AM.