Illustration by Chris Shary for Capitol Weekly.9. Catherine Lhamon Catherine Lhamon is Newsom’s legal affairs secretary, but she also holds a major federal position – chair of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, to which former President Barack Obama appointed her in 2016 to a six-year-term. Legal affairs secretary is a key position in any administration, although the title –
Illustration by Chris Shary for Capitol Weekly.97. Bob Giroux
The lobbying firm of Lang, Hansen, Giroux & Kidane (formerly Lang, Hansen, O’Malley and Miller) is a Sacramento powerhouse (see No. 59). Bob Giroux’s name was added to the shingle a few years back, although he’s been with the firm since January of 2006. Giroux carries with him a deep knowledge
Illustration by Chris Shary for Capitol Weekly.45. Marty Jenkins The person who handles judicial appointments for Gov. Gavin Newsom is Marty Jenkins, who holds a position that is pivotal in any administration – governors come and go but judges tend to stick around long after an administration departs. Jenkins knows judges: He served 12 years as a state appeals court justice
Illustration by Chris Shary for Capitol Weekly.94. Laurel Rosenhall
Laurel Rosenhall first made this list in 2020 when she was covering the Capitol for CalMatters, but not since. That was a mistake, and so would be leaving her off this year’s list. Rosenhall has been one of the Capitol’s best reporters dating back to her start with the Sacramento Bee in
The DMV office in Los Gatos. (Photo: stellamc, via Shutterstock)Digging into it, we can see that California has been experiencing at least one area with a lull in registration. Looking at the voter file and codes from the secretary of state on registration methods, we can see hundreds of thousands fewer DMV registrations than would be expected since the lock down began.
Illustration by Chris Shary for Capitol Weekly.91. Mary Creasman Environmental advocate Mary Creasman has been at the head of the California League of Conservation Voters for almost exactly two years as we go to print. The CLCV was formed in 1972 and is probably best known for its annual Environmental Scorecard, described by the group as “the definitive barometer of environmental
A skateboarder in action. (Photo: Shawn Henry)Shelter-in-place has pushed consumers of varying ages to skateboarding in unprecedented numbers, creating a dramatic increase in participation and sales. Unfortunately, California’s COVID-19 regulations limiting public gatherings have also slowed the manufacturing and distribution of skateboard equipment, causing historic supply disruptions.
Photo illustration of a voter's reminder for the Nov. 3, 2020 general election. (Image: Prostock-studio, via Shutterstock)Qualifying a proposition for the ballot – much less convincing millions of voters to support it – is always a Herculean task. In the best of times, it requires a near limitless supply of money, talent and luck. Nobody right now thinks we are in the best of times. Many months now into the COVID-19 pandemic, a lot of people instead feel trapped inside a George Orwell novel.
A suspect in custody, handcuffed by police. (Photo: Boyfare, via Shutterstock)Police response to mental-health calls often ends – again and again – in chaotic, noisy hospital emergency rooms, where staff is stretched thin, and a heart attack is likely to take precedence over someone in the throes of a mental-health crisis. “Traditionally, people would be dropped off at the ER, and the only option was to transfer them to a psychiatric facility,” says Dr. Scott Zeller, a nationally known emergency psychiatrist and former president of the American Association for Emergency Psychiatry.
A dialysis machine at work. (Photo:Aleksandr Ivasenko, via Shutterstock)Kidney dialysis may sound like an odd topic for a California ballot proposition, but voters will tangle with the issue on Nov. 3 — for the second time.The basic fight over Proposition 23 is between organized labor, which favors the initiative, and the dialysis clinic industry, which is opposed. Surrounding the debate are questions of medical care quality, clinic staffing, access, and costs.