Latest news with #LateefahSimon
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Hundreds gather at Lake Merritt to protest Texas congressional gerrymandering
The Brief Hundreds gathered at Lake Merritt on Saturday to protest the proposed redrawing of Texas' congressional districts. Texas lawmakers are attempting to gerrymander their state, to send more Republicans to Washington ahead of the 2026 election. Gov. Gavin Newsom has proposed similarly redistricting California to offset the additional Texas Republicans. OAKLAND, Calif. - Hundreds of Bay Area residents gathered in Oakland on Saturday to push back against President Trump's attempt to gerrymander Texas. Multiple elected officials, including Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee, Congresswoman Lateefah Simon assembled at the Lake Merritt Amphitheater, and Alameda County Supervisor Nikki Fortunato Bas, spoke to the crowd of nearly 400 people. "Trump and his Republican allies are trying to steal the 2026 election by redrawing districts in their favor and attacking our voting rights," Bas said at the event. "This attack on our democracy may have started in Texas, but without immediate action, it can sweep dangerously across our country." The event featured a 15-foot-tall inflatable chicken with orange hair, meant to represent President Trump, as well as several large, cardboard rotten eggs with the names of Texas politicians — including Senator Ted Cruz and Governor Greg Abbott — involved in the push to redraw the state's maps. "This unparalleled attack on democracy would not be possible without the Texas Republicans who are answering not to the people, but to one man: Donald Trump," Keith Brown of the Alameda Labor Council said. "California will not sit back and watch the erosion of our democracy." Indeed, California has responded to the Lone Star State's redrawn congressional map. Governor Gavin Newsom on Saturday released a map that showed the proposed redistricting of California's congressional districts. If approved, the map would add more democratic congressional seats to balance those that would be eliminated by the redrawn Texas map. Pushing back The backstory Texas' lawmakers are considering a new map that would help them send five more Republicans to Washington, but Democrats have so far halted that effort by leaving the state to prevent their GOP colleagues from meeting Trump's demands. "We can't stand back and watch this democracy disappear district by district, all across this country," Newsom said at a Los Angeles press conference on Thursday. "Not just in Texas, but in Missouri, where J.D. Vance went just a week ago, in Indiana, in places like Ohio and places like Florida. We need to stand up, not just in California. Other blue states need to stand up." There are 435 seats in the U.S. House. Of those, Republicans currently hold a 219-212 majority, with four vacancies. New maps are typically drawn once a decade, after the census is conducted. Proposed changes By the numbers Many states give legislators the power to draw maps but some, including California, rely on an independent, non-partisan commission. The redrawn map is consistent with the criteria laid out by the California's Citizen Redistricting Commission, and keeps district more compact than the current map, which helps to keep more communities and neighborhoods in the same district. The new map splits fewer cities than the current map — 57 in the submitted map versus 60 in the current map. The proposed redistricting would leave eight districts untouched and would, in 20 districts, impact fewer than 10% of residents. The new map will be put forth to voters in a special election, with the California legislature set to take up the issue next week, to call for a vote on Nov. 4.
CBS News
14-06-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Watch live: "No Kings" protests underway in the Bay Area
Protests are underway in San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose as part of the nationwide "No Kings" movement on Saturday. The events are described as a "nationwide day of defiance" by organizers, and demonstrations are planned around the country. "From city blocks to small towns, from courthouse steps to community parks, we're taking action to reject authoritarianism—and show the world what democracy really looks like," a statement reads on the movement's website San Francisco The San Francisco rally is taking place at Dolores Park and Civic Center. People began gathering at Dolores Park around 11:30 a.m. and began marching at noon. Demonstrators will be marching about a mile and a half to Civic Center Plaza. Oakland The rally in Oakland will begin around 12:30 p.m. at Wilma Chan Park. Mayor Barbara Lee and council member Charlene Wang and Stewart Chen are expected to speak, according to the event's page. Demonstrators in Oakland will march to Oscar Grant/ Frank Ogawa Plaza at 1 p.m. There will be a rally at the plaza at 2 p.m. More speakers expected at the rally, such as Rep. Lateefah Simon and Assembly member Mia Bonta. San Jose The "No Kings" protest in San Jose began at noon at St. James Park. Demonstrators gathered at St. James Park in San Jose for the "No Kings" rally. CBS News Bay Area
New York Times
12-06-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
Live Updates: Court Will Consider Trump's Use of Troops as Immigration Protests Spread
California liberals welcomed Gov. Gavin Newsom's speech condemning President Trump, but some remained skeptical of the governor. Republicans, meanwhile, saw his address as opportunistic and blamed him for the state's turmoil. For months, Californians weren't sure what to make of Gov. Gavin Newsom. There was the new podcast on which he interviewed right-wing influencers and said he felt trans athletes shouldn't participate in women's sports. There was the meeting in February with President Trump in the White House. And there were occasional snipes at Republicans, but nothing like those Mr. Newsom had dished out in years past. Then came a blistering nine-minute speech on Tuesday in which Mr. Newsom warned Americans that Mr. Trump was destroying democracy and acting as an authoritarian who would eventually send the military to states across the country. Many liberals in California cheered Mr. Newsom, finally seeing in him the leader of the resistance that they had been missing. Those feeling confused and fearful since Mr. Trump started his second term were looking for someone to stick up for them and said they appreciated Mr. Newsom's forcefulness. 'In a time of rising fear and growing threats to democracy, he spoke not just as a governor, but as a moral leader,' said Representative Lateefah Simon, Democrat of California. 'He named the danger plainly.' But others, while supportive of his message, were not entirely convinced. They said testing the political climate ahead of a potential run for president. 'Even if you're late to the party, you know, welcome to the fight,' said Hugo Soto-Martinez, a progressive City Council member in Los Angeles, who appreciated what Mr. Newsom said but wished the governor had stood up to the president sooner. Adrian Tirtanadi, executive director of Open Door Legal, a nonprofit which provides free legal representation for immigrants and others, said he liked all of the words in Mr. Newsom's speech. But, he said, he wondered why the governor was not backing up the rhetoric with more financial support for immigration lawyers who could fight deportation. Big talk without much action, Mr. Tirtanadi said, is often the California way. Still, others appreciated that Mr. Newsom had demanded that Mr. Trump stop workplace raids and filed lawsuits seeking to block the deployment of National Guard troops and Marines in Southern California. That has given some hope to immigrants who have felt powerless. When David Campos was 14, he and his family traveled by foot and by bus, across deserts and over mountains, to California from their home in Guatemala. They scurried under a border fence and settled in South Central Los Angeles without legal papers. The family eventually obtained citizenship through his father's carpentry job. Mr. Campos went on to Stanford University and Harvard Law School, served on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and is now the vice chairman of the California Democratic Party. Mr. Campos said he was glad that Mr. Newsom, the former San Francisco mayor with whom he sometimes clashed, took a defiant stance toward Mr. Trump. 'I'm glad he's rising to this moment,' Mr. Campos, 54, said in an interview. 'The governor reminded us that if the president can do this in California, he can do it anywhere in this country. That's how a democracy can die.' Republicans in California, many of whom have aligned with President Trump, said they were decidedly unimpressed with the governor's speech. Senator Brian Jones, the State Senate minority leader, said that the governor seemed to have been filming an early campaign commercial with his speech, from the way the flags were set in his backdrop to the suit he was wearing. 'It doesn't do anything to lower tensions in L.A.,' Mr. Jones said. 'When he says we all need to stand up, is he encouraging more people to show up to the riots and participate?' James Gallagher, the Republican leader of the California State Assembly, called the governor's address 'self-righteous political posturing.' Mr. Gallagher said California's policy of preventing local law enforcement from working with federal immigration officials created the current tension. He said he found it funny that Mr. Newsom was accusing Mr. Trump of being authoritarian when the governor ordered Californians to close their businesses, stay home from church, attend school on Zoom, wear masks and get vaccinated during the Covid-19 pandemic. 'He was a total tyrant, and he has no business talking about authoritarianism because he is exhibit A,' Mr. Gallagher said. Mr. Newsom's speech, as well as his sharp-tongued retorts to Republicans on social media this week, won some plaudits from younger influencers. Dwayne Murphy, Jr., a 34-year-old content creator who lives in Downey, Calif., and said he votes Democrat, said he appreciated that the governor 'seems to be hyper-focused on standing up for this state at a time like this, and I feel like that's what people are very encouraged by.' Inkiad Kabir, 20, a pop culture content creator who lives in the Inland Empire region of California, said that Mr. Newsom was the rare Democrat willing to go on the attack, calling him 'basically liberal Trump, in a way.' Mr. Kabir created a popular TikTok video this week in which he called the governor 'Daddy Newsom' and likened the governor to a 'toxic ex that you promise you're not going to go back to, but you always go back to.' For now, it seems, Mr. Kabir has gone back.
New York Times
12-06-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
Live Updates: Police Clear Protesters in Seattle, Las Vegas and L.A.
California liberals welcomed Gov. Gavin Newsom's speech condemning President Trump, but some remained skeptical of the governor. Republicans, meanwhile, saw his address as opportunistic and blamed him for the state's turmoil. For months, Californians weren't sure what to make of Gov. Gavin Newsom. There was the new podcast on which he interviewed right-wing influencers and said he felt trans athletes shouldn't participate in women's sports. There was the meeting in February with President Trump in the White House. And there were occasional snipes at Republicans, but nothing like those Mr. Newsom had dished out in years past. Then came a blistering nine-minute speech on Tuesday in which Mr. Newsom warned Americans that Mr. Trump was destroying democracy and acting as an authoritarian who would eventually send the military to states across the country. Many liberals in California cheered Mr. Newsom, finally seeing in him the leader of the resistance that they had been missing. Those feeling confused and fearful since Mr. Trump started his second term were looking for someone to stick up for them and said they appreciated Mr. Newsom's forcefulness. 'In a time of rising fear and growing threats to democracy, he spoke not just as a governor, but as a moral leader,' said Representative Lateefah Simon, Democrat of California. 'He named the danger plainly.' But others, while supportive of his message, were not entirely convinced. They said testing the political climate ahead of a potential run for president. 'Even if you're late to the party, you know, welcome to the fight,' said Hugo Soto-Martinez, a progressive City Council member in Los Angeles, who appreciated what Mr. Newsom said but wished the governor had stood up to the president sooner. Adrian Tirtanadi, executive director of Open Door Legal, a nonprofit which provides free legal representation for immigrants and others, said he liked all of the words in Mr. Newsom's speech. But, he said, he wondered why the governor was not backing up the rhetoric with more financial support for immigration lawyers who could fight deportation. Big talk without much action, Mr. Tirtanadi said, is often the California way. Still, others appreciated that Mr. Newsom had demanded that Mr. Trump stop workplace raids and filed lawsuits seeking to block the deployment of National Guard troops and Marines in Southern California. That has given some hope to immigrants who have felt powerless. When David Campos was 14, he and his family traveled by foot and by bus, across deserts and over mountains, to California from their home in Guatemala. They scurried under a border fence and settled in South Central Los Angeles without legal papers. The family eventually obtained citizenship through his father's carpentry job. Mr. Campos went on to Stanford University and Harvard Law School, served on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and is now the vice chairman of the California Democratic Party. Mr. Campos said he was glad that Mr. Newsom, the former San Francisco mayor with whom he sometimes clashed, took a defiant stance toward Mr. Trump. 'I'm glad he's rising to this moment,' Mr. Campos, 54, said in an interview. 'The governor reminded us that if the president can do this in California, he can do it anywhere in this country. That's how a democracy can die.' Republicans in California, many of whom have aligned with President Trump, said they were decidedly unimpressed with the governor's speech. Senator Brian Jones, the State Senate minority leader, said that the governor seemed to have been filming an early campaign commercial with his speech, from the way the flags were set in his backdrop to the suit he was wearing. 'It doesn't do anything to lower tensions in L.A.,' Mr. Jones said. 'When he says we all need to stand up, is he encouraging more people to show up to the riots and participate?' James Gallagher, the Republican leader of the California State Assembly, called the governor's address 'self-righteous political posturing.' Mr. Gallagher said California's policy of preventing local law enforcement from working with federal immigration officials created the current tension. He said he found it funny that Mr. Newsom was accusing Mr. Trump of being authoritarian when the governor ordered Californians to close their businesses, stay home from church, attend school on Zoom, wear masks and get vaccinated during the Covid-19 pandemic. 'He was a total tyrant, and he has no business talking about authoritarianism because he is exhibit A,' Mr. Gallagher said. Mr. Newsom's speech, as well as his sharp-tongued retorts to Republicans on social media this week, won some plaudits from younger influencers. Dwayne Murphy, Jr., a 34-year-old content creator who lives in Downey, Calif., and said he votes Democrat, said he appreciated that the governor 'seems to be hyper-focused on standing up for this state at a time like this, and I feel like that's what people are very encouraged by.' Inkiad Kabir, 20, a pop culture content creator who lives in the Inland Empire region of California, said that Mr. Newsom was the rare Democrat willing to go on the attack, calling him 'basically liberal Trump, in a way.' Mr. Kabir created a popular TikTok video this week in which he called the governor 'Daddy Newsom' and likened the governor to a 'toxic ex that you promise you're not going to go back to, but you always go back to.' For now, it seems, Mr. Kabir has gone back.
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Oakland congresswoman is on a mission to save BART, mass transit
The Brief Rep. Lateefah Simon met with BART officials as the transit agency faces a deficit and lingering low ridership A push is being made for more federal funding to get BART back on solid financial tracks, a push Simon leads OAKLAND, Calif. - Oakland Congresswoman Lateefah Simon met with BART officials at Oakland's 19th Street station on Wednesday to see BART stations and other developments for the critical transit agency facing massive deficits and still lingering low ridership. But, the freshman congresswoman may have both the strength and believability to get cash-starved BART back on solid financial tracks. If BART is to have a brighter future, assistance from the federal government will be a lifeline to help close as much as a $400 million deficit in the coming years. Simon will be a critical connection to Congress in that respect. "I couldn't think of a better person in Washington, D.C. to articulate the needs for public transit than Congresswoman Lateefah Simon. She came from the BART Board, she was the president, and I was the general manager when COVID hit," said Bob Powers, BART's General Manager. Simon can prove that the federal money received has and is being put to good use and that more money is needed and will be equally well spent. "We've been beating slashes in funding. We've had some wins. We've just got to keep up the pressure," Simon said. The group then took BART to Fruitvale Station where they met with various business owners and the Unity Council to discuss the future. Simon also toured Casa Suenos, a brand-new 191-unit low-income housing complex right next to Fruitvale BART. Developed and managed by BART's partner, the Unity Council aims to do the same at many other nearby BART stations. The importance of putting a lot of housing right near transit is the mere fact that when it is there, it also puts people in transit. The question always comes up: What about crime? "Violent crime is down now 23 percent, compared to the same period of time last year, even with increased ridership. We have more people out and about in the system, but we're seeing crimes reduced," said BART Police Chief Kevin Franklin. New tollgates have substantially cut gate jumpers and fare evasion. "The new gates are very successful, and I'm pleased that we're going to have them installed at all 50 stations by the end of the year," said Franklin. Simon knows with the Republicans in control of the White House and Congress, she has enormous work cut out for her. "I'm not disillusioned. It's going to be a hard four years, but my job is to work," she said. Local Fruitvale businesses owe much of their survival to two sources: local residents and BART passengers.
