Illustration by Chris Shary63: David Townsend
For more than 35 years, David Townsend has been a fixture on the Capitol scene, managing initiative campaigns and advising associations, candidates and corporations on the ins and outs of political decision-making. He founded Townsend Raimundo Besler & Usher, one of Sacramento’s best-known political consulting firms, and now he’s got a new gig
Illustration by Chris Shary42. Diane Griffiths
When Toni Atkins took over as Senate leader, she brought with her a number of staffers and she even wheedled at least one out of retirement – Diane Griffiths. Griffiths had retired in June 2017 after serving as chief of staff to Sen. Bob Hertzberg; earlier, she served as Hertzberg’s chief of staff
Illustration by Chris Shary48: Alastair Mactaggart
Alastair Mactaggart is the latest addition to a developing California political phenomenon — the idealistic multimillionaire. Tom Steyer and Charles Munger Jr. are earlier versions, with widely differing viewpoints on public policy. Mactaggart broke into the headlines earlier this year as the $3.5 million backer of a proposed state ballot initiative aimed at
Illustration by Chris Shary57. Andrew Antwih
Andrew Antwih is a partner at one of the state’s top lobbying firms, Shaw, Yoder, Antwih, Schmelzer and Lange, whose clients include Boeing, FedEx, the organizers of 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, both the city and county of Los Angeles and Tesla. Before joining the firm, he was Los Angeles Mayor
Illustration by Chris Shary23. Evan Westrup
Press Secretary Evan Westrup has handled Gov. Jerry Brown’s press chores for a decade, first in the state attorney general’s office, then in Brown’s last two campaigns for governor and now in the governor’s official office. He is one of a very few on the daily “morning call” with the governor when
Illustration by Chris Shary50: Adama Iwu
The topic of sexual harassment dominated the winter at the capitol following the Los Angeles Times’ publication of an open letter demanding an end to the persistent harassment endured by staffers, lobbyists and even elected officials. Assemblymen Raul Bocanegra and Matt Dababneh resigned, and Sen. Tony Mendoza lost his committee chairmanship in
Illustration by Chris Shary99. Amy O’Gorman Jenkins
Cannabis is big business in California, with the former black market industry generating close to $1 billion a year in state tax revenue. As big as it is, the ‘official’ cannabis market has never done the numbers projected prior to legalization in 2016. And, sales are down, dropping 7% the first
A fire truck, a first responder to emergencies, crosses a Los Angeles intersection. (Photo: Walter Cicchetti, via Shutterstock)The administration plans to modify an existing tax on phone calls to include a flat fee — estimated initially at 34 cents per line — on cellphones, landlines and other devices capable of contacting 911. More than $175 million is expected to generate from this in the first year, with the possibility of growing to $400 million in later years.
Illustration by Chris Shary for Capitol Weekly23. Nick Hardeman
Nick Hardeman is chief of staff to Senate Leader Toni Atkins, a San Diego Democrat who earlier served as Assembly speaker – and Hardeman was her top staffer there, too. As with many people on this list, Hardeman is virtually unknown to the general public although he’s been in the Capitol for
Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrest an undocumented immigrant in California. (Photo: ICE, 2017)Two California counties profit from a loophole in the “sanctuary state” law, while most others have canceled their ICE contracts under public pressure or let them expire. When California’s sanctuary state law, Senate Bill 54, was approved, the public assumed that local law enforcement would be prevented from cooperating with ICE agents except when dealing with people “convicted of a serious or violent felony,” such as murder, rape, child abuse or battery.