Lenny Mendonca, photo by Tim Foster, Capitol WeeklyLenny Mendonca carries quite a load: He’s Gov. Newsom’s newly appointed director of the Office of Business and Economic Development, the governor’s Chief Economic and Business Adviser and, last but not least, the new chair of California’s High Speed Rail Commission.
California state Sen. Tom Umberg. a former federal prosecutor, is one of the most prominent Democrats to break with Gov. Gavin Newsom on the governor’s decision this week to put the death penalty on hold in the Golden State.
Sacramento lobbyist John Latimer. (Photo: Capitol Advocacy)Capitol Advocacy, a prominent Sacramento lobbying firm, celebrates 20 years in the business this month. Founder John Latimer sat down to chat with Capitol Weekly’s John Howard and Tim Foster about the nuts and bolts of the of lobbying, the impact — or not — of term limits and what’s changed since he launched the firm two decades ago.
With the new administration, the capitol has seen an influx of fresh staffers, many of whom are new to the Sacramento area. Where, they ask, does one go to eat, drink and be merry in this burg? If this describes you – no worries, Becky Grunewald has you covered.
State Sen. Bob Wieckowski, D-Fremont, who represents the 10th Senate District.(Senate photo) State Sen. Bob Wieckowski, D-Fremont, is more than just the senator representing California’s 10th Senate District. He’s also a bankruptcy lawyer, giving him an unusual insight into Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s recent bankruptcy declaration.
PG&E trucks on the job. (Photo: PG&E, via Facebook)Pacific Gas and Electric Company, the largest utility in California, filed for bankruptcy protection on Jan. 29, citing billions of dollars in potential liabilities from the utility giant’s potential role in sparking a series of devastating California wildfires. That means reporter J.D. Morris, who has been covering the issue for the San Francisco Chronicle, is a busy man, indeed.
Paul Mason of the Pacific Forest Trust. (Photo: Tim Foster)Longtime California environmentalist Paul Mason sits down with Capitol Weekly’s John Howard and Tim Foster for a wide-ranging discussion covering wildfires, the status of California’s forests, Julia Butterfly Hill, John’s 1980 Volkswagen Scirocco and the shifting focus of California’s environmental movement in the face of the global climate change crisis.
Journalist Dan Walters. (Photo: Scott Duncan, Capitol Weekly)As the 80-year-old Brown prepares to end an unprecedented, historic fourth term in what is likely his final elected office, Walters sat down with Capitol Weekly’s John Howard and Tim Foster to chat about Brown’s legacy — and a few other things as well.
Image: "I Voted in California" stickers, from instocklabels.comHere it is, Dec. 11, and the final count of ballots cast in California’s Nov. 6 general election was certified less than a week ago. And, as Jim Brulte and Kevin McCarthy have sadly noted, many GOP Election Night “wins” fell to Democrats as the final votes were tallied.
Close-up of a vintage California Republican Party buttonIn the wake of declining registration numbers and a devastating election in November, California Republicans are searching for a path back to relevance. Many Latino Republicans have voiced strong opposition to the GOP’s current direction, decrying the nationalist-leaning “Trump Wing” of the Party that has embraced loaded racial rhetoric and calls for a wall between California and Mexico.