Special session response + Hochman brings in more $ + Valladares denies endorsing Elder
Good morning and welcome to the A.M. Alert!
CALIFORNIA LAWMAKERS RESPOND TO NEWS OF A SPECIAL SESSION
Mark your calendars, California Gov. Gavin Newsom is calling a special session.
His Friday announcement came after weeks of speculation, as the state seeks solutions for its high gas prices. It also comes as rebate checks are hitting residents’ bank accounts.
When the Legislature convenes for a special session Dec. 5, after the midterm elections, lawmakers will consider whether to levy a windfall tax on oil company profits.
The news was greeted with optimism by Democrats and disgust by Republicans.
“As stated last week, a solution that takes excessive profits out of the hands of oil corporations and puts money back into the hands of consumers deserves strong consideration by the Legislature. We look forward to examining the governor’s detailed proposal when we receive it,” said Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, D-Lakewood, and Senate President pro Tem Toni Atkins, D-San Diego, in a joint statement.
Other Democratic state lawmakers were largely silent on the subject Friday afternoon, but U.S. Rep. Norma Torres, D-Chino, expressed her gratitude to Newsom on Twitter.
“Earlier this week, I wrote to the governor asking him to take this step — and I appreciate his quick action on this issue! I (look) forward to continuing to work together to address gas prices in our state,” Torres wrote in a tweet.
Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher, R-Yuba City, and Assemblyman Vince Fong, R-Bakersfield, who vice-chairs the Assembly Budget Committee, wrote to Newsom urging him not to call a special session for the purpose of raising taxes.
“Californians are hit hard by soaring gas prices. The only reason to call a special legislative session would be to suspend the gas tax, reduce the fees and regulations that make California gas so much more expensive, and allow permits to increase production to lower gas prices,” Fong and Gallagher wrote.
In a tweet, Fong added that Newsom is ignoring the real world consequences of his energy policies, “and the hypocrisy is deafening.”
Assemblyman Kevin Kiley, R-Rocklin, a frequent critic of Newsom’s who ran against the governor in the 2021 recall, coming in sixth, wrote in a tweet that “parody and reality have become indistinguishable.”
Finally, the Republican National Committee weighed in on Newsom’s decision, calling it “the epitome of what’s wrong with California Democrats.”
“Newsom and his supermajority are trying to distract voters from the fact that their policies made gas prices so high, but creating a new tax that will inevitably be handed down to taxpayers in the midst historic inflation is a failing strategy,” said RNC spokeswoman Hallie Balch in a statement
HOCHMAN OUTRAISES BONTA
California Attorney General Rob Bonta, a Democrat appointed by Newsom, may enjoy the incumbency advantage this November, but that apparently isn’t turning into financial support. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan Hochman, the Republican running against Bonta, reported raising more money than his opponent between July 1 and Sept. 24.
While Bonta’s campaign clocked $679,162, Hochman’s campaign reported $721,650 in that same period. However, Bonta has raised more money ($2.5 million) since Jan. 1 than has Hochman ($1.9 million).
In a statement, Hochman said that Californians are “demonstratively unhappy and frustrated” with Bonta’s policies.
“When donors, 40% of which are Democrats and Independents, objectively look at our race, they see Nathan Hochman with 30 years of experience and Rob Bonta with none. They see Rob Bonta as one of the fathers of our state’s spiral of lawlessness and Nathan Hochman as the solution. They see an increase in murders, gun crimes, property crimes, and homelessness. Californians are desperate for a solution and our campaign is offering that,” Hochman said in a statement.
Bonta’s campaign did not respond to The Bee’s request for comment by deadline.
ASSEMBLYWOMAN VALLADARES CAMPAIGNED FOR LARRY ELDER, BUT SAYS SHE DIDN’T ENDORSE HIM
Assemblywoman Suzette Valladares, R-Santa Clarita, has taken pains to campaign as a moderate. But those efforts have hit a stumbling block, after video emerged on Twitter showing her speaking at a Larry Elder rally last year.
Elder, a right-wing talk show host, would go on to receive more votes than any other candidate in the 2021 election to recall Newsom but still fall well short of removing the governor from office.
“At a neighborhood meeting tonight, I asked Asm (Valladares) why did she support the Newsom recall & endorsed right-wing extremist Larry Elder. She said that was a lie & that she never endorsed him. Well. Here is a video of her campaigning for Larry Elder,” tweeted Carlos Amador, a social worker, activist and co-founder of the West Valley People’s Alliance with Pilar Schiavo, a Democrat who is running against Valladares in Assembly District 40.
Amador did not respond to a request for comment by deadline.
Tim Rosales, speaking on behalf of the Valladares campaign, reiterated that the assemblywoman did not endorse Elder, though she did speak at one of his rallies.
“She did the very same thing for (former San Diego Mayor and Republican gubernatorial candidate) Kevin Faulconer,” Rosales said.
In an Aug. 28, 2021 tweet, Faulconer thanked Valladares and Senate Republican Leader Scott Wilk for speaking at one of his campaign events.
Rosales said that Valladares was a supporter of the recall, but not of any specific candidate.
“If that’s the implication that they’re making, I think it would have to apply to Faulconer as well,” he said. “But she never endorsed any of them.”
Rosales pointed out that Valladares has voted with Democrats on several high-profile occasions, including supporting a resolution against the Jan. 6 insurrection and voting yes to put Proposition 1 on the ballot.
“They’re trying to paint Suzette into a corner that she’s not,” Rosales said.
But is Larry Elder a right-wing extremist?
“That’s about as relevant as a 2021 calendar,” Rosales said.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“We should ask OPEC+ to reconsider their Saudi-led decision to raise global oil prices and give them five days. If they don’t reverse course, we should suspend weapons sales and other military support that we provide to the Saudis.”
- Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Silicon Valley, via Twitter.
Best of The Bee:
A week after proposing to levy a new tax on oil companies, California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday called for state legislators to convene in Sacramento for a special session in December to hammer out the plan, via Maggie Angst and Lindsey Holden.
California released new details on how inflation relief dollars will be distributed to eligible taxpayers expecting debit cards, offering more specifics based on last names and previous stimulus payments, via Brianna Taylor.
A Central Valley lawmaker says she’s committed to supporting farmworkers who risk losing income during the drought – but state and labor groups are at odds on the best approach, via Melissa Montalvo.
Who is Hispanic, Latino or Latinx? It depends on whom you ask, via Jacqueline Pinedo.
California Republicans are heading into the midterm elections with messages for voters on everything from inflation to crime and education to homelessness. But you’re less likely to hear anything about abortion, via Lindsey Holden.