Latest news with #PaulMitchell
Politico
2 days ago
- Politics
- Politico
SCOOPS: McCarthy, House maps and the man behind them
FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: MCCARTHY REEMERGES — Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has been working behind the scenes to rally his Republican troops against California Democrats' gerrymandering ballot measure, three people familiar with the campaign's planning tell Playbook. McCarthy recently told his former home-state congressional delegation that he's aiming to raise $100 million, according to two of the people, who were granted anonymity to discuss internal planning. Close McCarthy ally Jessica Millan Patterson, former California Republican Party chair, is slated to become chair of the Republican-focused campaign committee, longtime political operative Tom Ross said. Ross, who helped campaign for California's independent redistricting commission, is helming the nascent campaign against the measure targeting center-left voters — with funding from independent redistricting commission champion Charles Munger Jr. Munger is said to be considering putting upward of $30 million toward the cause, bringing the total war chest from conservative forces against Gov. Gavin Newsom and leading Democrats to something approaching $130 million. FIRST IN POLITICO: WHO'S UP AND DOWN — Legislative Democrats were briefed again Thursday evening on the proposed new district boundaries. Paul Mitchell presented lawmakers with slides of new maps, which were described as not final but largely settled among members of the state's Democratic congressional delegation, according to a person familiar with the call granted anonymity to describe internal conversations. Also on the call was Rep. Zoe Lofgren, the delegation chair, and Rep. Dave Min, as well as a brief cameo from Democratic House Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar. Lofgren emphasized that the maps were the product of hard work with the legislative leadership and spoke about how some members of Congress were giving up areas they had represented for years for the larger cause. Some Democratic legislators on the call expressed a desire for more data about the proposed changes to the district, the person said. The call took place hours after Melanie and Jeremy B. White scooped a chart breaking down the redrawn congressional map that is set to be released today. State lawmakers had been briefed on the expected partisan tilt of all 52 congressional districts, providing the clearest view yet of which Republican districts they are targeting. The sweeping changes, designed to help Democrats counter President Donald Trump and Texas Republicans' power play, were confirmed by multiple lawmakers and their staffers. Read more of POLITICO's industry-leading reporting. FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: THE WIZARD OF ODD DISTRICTS — Over thirty years ago, the aforementioned Paul Mitchell was an energetic community-college student who smelled of patchouli oil and wore hair so long he could 'tuck it into his back pocket.' Last week, he became the most powerful person in California politics, our Will McCarthy writes in an illuminating profile out this morning. A student government campaign innovator turned legislative staffer turned political data nerd, Mitchell was tapped this summer by the state's Democratic leaders to engineer Newsom's audacious attempt to match Texas's mid-decade partisan gerrymander of its U.S. House map with one that gives Democrats offsetting gains in California. Mitchell is one of the rare few with the skills to execute what is now a lost art — using technology to carve California's natural and human geography into politically useful units. But his maps will likely raise outrage from the left and the right, serving as the progenitors of a hundred-million-dollar political proxy battle between Newsom and Trump. Beneath a high-minded debate about principle and hypocrisy will sit Mitchell's handiwork, the bizarre and distorted lines that could determine control of Congress. Read the rest of Will's piece on Mitchell. GOOD MORNING. Happy Mapday. Thanks for waking up with an especially scoopy Playbook this Friday. Like what you're reading? Sign up to get California Playbook in your inbox, and forward it to a friend. You can also text us at 916-562-0685 — save it as 'CA Playbook' in your contacts. Or drop us a line at dgardiner@ and bjones@ or on X — @DustinGardiner and @jonesblakej. WHERE'S GAVIN? Nothing official announced. BIG NEWS: On Wednesday, Aug. 27, POLITICO is hosting its inaugural California policy summit. At The California Agenda, some of the state's most prominent political figures including Sen. Alex Padilla, Katie Porter and Xavier Becerra will share the stage with influential voices in tech, energy, housing and other areas to chart the path forward for a state at the forefront of critical policy debates. The live and streamed event is free, but advanced registration is required. Request an invite here. CAMPAIGN YEAR(S) FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: DRAFT A GOVERNOR — With Kamala Harris out of the picture, the once-sleepy California gubernatorial race is suddenly buzzing. For now, former Democratic Rep. Katie Porter is the early leader in polls, but the race is still wide open. With politics-watchers from Sacramento to Washington reeling from the uncertainty, we decided to indulge in a little game of fantasy football — or fantasy California governor, if you will. We asked journalists, academics, political operatives and other experts from inside and outside our newsroom who would be their ideal candidate, even if they never would — or even legally could — make a bid in real life. Don't miss today's Friday read from POLITICO Magazine. Among the hypothetical dark horse names tossed out by our expert panel: Hollywood stars Denzel Washington and Pedro Pascal; Attorney General Rob Bonta; former Gov. Jerry Brown; former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown; OpenAI CEO Sam Altman; and the politics-loving head coach of your Golden State Warriors (let's be honest, there's really only one NBA team in this state that matters). FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: HEALTH CARE WARRIOR — Real-life gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra, the former Biden Cabinet official, state AG and Congress member, is increasingly focusing on his health care policy resume as he jockeys for attention in the crowded field of actual candidates. Becerra later today will tout his role in negotiating Medicare's first agreement with pharmaceutical companies to lower the cost of certain prescription drugs when he was Health and Human Services secretary during the Biden administration. 'It's one of the most important steps we've taken as a country to lower the cost of health care,' Becerra said, marking the one-year anniversary of those negotiations. He added, 'Ten of the most expensive prescription drugs for seniors with cancer, diabetes, heart disease, blood clots and more will now cost them far less out of pocket.' HOUSING FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: LIKE A PRAYER — California's Department of Housing and Community Development is expected to unveil $144.5 million in federally funded grant awards today — money that will help build affordable housing and provide rental assistance to tenants. But the grant announcement comes with a warning — the state's news release emphasizes that the program is dependent on ongoing federal funding. 'The awards also highlight the importance of sustained federal funding to deliver much needed housing stability and important resources to those most at need,' Director Gustavo Velasquez said. In other words, he's praying the Trump administration keeps affordable housing funds flowing. While the feds haven't cut off funding for the program, state officials are anxious about the future. CLIMATE AND ENERGY BLUSTERY DAYS — California leaders have been pushing to streamline the state's notoriously byzantine permitting processes for years. But it's not easy to teach an old dog new tricks. Read last night's California Climate to learn why one of the state's hallmark initiatives to speed up renewable energy projects has instead made wind farm developers furious. Top Talkers HISTORY REPEATS — Continued immigration raids in the state have shone a spotlight on San Francisco's ICE office and its controversial, decadeslong history with immigrant detention practices, Mission Local reports. An unknown number of people are currently detained in the building, similar to 80 years ago. LEGACY LOYALTY — Stanford University, in an effort to continue legacy admissions, has declined Cal Grants just three weeks before the state's ban on giving admissions preference to students who are related to alumni or relatives who have given money to the school was set to take effect, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. AROUND THE STATE — School district officials in San Francisco told teachers, days before the start of classes, that they cannot express political opinions at work. (San Francisco Chronicle) — Tech giant Oracle America is set to cut more than 188 jobs in the Bay Area, the latest in a series of recent tech layoffs to hit the region. (The Mercury News) — The California Energy Commission will spend $55 million to expand the construction of fast chargers for electric vehicles across the state. (The San Diego Union-Tribune) Compiled by Juliann Ventura PLAYBOOKERS BIRTHDAYS — Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) … Melinda Gates (6-0) … Lex Fridman … actress Debra Messing … Rachel Sterne Haot … Benjamin Silverman … Matt Silverstein … Tyler Grimm … Matt Spence BELATED B-DAY WISHES — (was Thursday): Adam D'Angelo WANT A SHOUT-OUT FEATURED? — Send us a birthday, career move or another special occasion to include in POLITICO's California Playbook. You can now submit a shout-out using this Google form.
BBC News
3 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
'Stressful summer' - but Howe 'excited' for season
Eddie Howe could not help but laugh."I was going to give the stock answer," the Newcastle United head coach said, when asked how his summer had been. "But it has been stressful..."That is an went into the transfer window with no CEO and no sporting director, which Howe said was "not ideal".CEO Darren Eales handed in his notice last autumn because of a serious health problem and is yet to be replaced, while Paul Mitchell announced in May he was leaving his role as sporting the transfer window, Newcastle have missed out on several targets, including strikers Benjamin Sesko, Hugo Ekitike and Joao Pedro, and goalkeeper James is also dealing with the fact striker Alexander Isak remains determined to join Liverpool after the champions had a £110m bid rejected earlier this wonder he feels it has been a stressful time. Isak situation 'not healthy' for Newcastle Isak continues to train away from the rest of his team-mates - and his absence has been only has the Swede been Newcastle's talisman, he was also popular in the dressing room."I don't think it's been healthy for us," Howe said. "I don't deny that's been a big challenge."Alex, for me, is one of the best strikers in the world - if not the best. To miss him from your squad leaves a huge gap."The situation remains "ongoing", and Howe recognises Newcastle will "have to find a way without him" for their opening Premier League game against Aston acknowledged there had been a "negativity around us" during the transfer window which they had to "try to repel and not absorb".And with things unsettled behind the scenes, he has made it clear to his players they have to be "more together than ever"."I think morale was certainly affected early on during pre-season," he said. "There was nothing I could do to affect that - it was always going to be there."When you have a player that good who is not part of your group, it's difficult for the players to fully understand it and to know what's going on and how to react."But, as time has gone on, there has been an acceptance this is the squad and we have got to make the best of the situation. That's always been my train of thought."Whatever situation you're in, you have got to find a way and you can only control what you can control. We have moved forward and I've got to say the atmosphere of the group has been very good in the last couple of weeks." 'Our appetites are whetted' Prior to this week, Anthony Elanga and Aaron Ramsdale had been Newcastle's only senior additions this it feels like progress has been made in recent days, with Newcastle in advanced negotiations with Aston Villa to sign midfielder Jacob Ramsey having already signed defender Malick Thiaw from AC Milan."I'm really excited by Malick," Howe said. "I think he is a great age. He's full of potential and the best of his career is yet to come."He's an imposing character. He's 6ft 4in, quick, athletic, good on the ball. Those types of players are very rare to find. He's a good character as well so I'm very excited by what he can bring."I like all our signings. Anthony will bring his unique mix of pace, speed and creativity. Aaron is a real character. We have known him for a long time, but he's a very good goalkeeper."I'm still hoping for more. I think we need more. We have got some big gaps within the squad still."Callum Wilson left the club when his contract expired in the summer, and Howe acknowledged "centre-forward is an issue"."We have been looking to replace Callum for some time," he said. "He was such a good servant for us and, of course, we have had issues with Alex's situation this year so that position is definitely a cause for concern."Understandably so. Newcastle remain interested in Brentford striker Yoane Wissa, and Anthony Gordon looks set to lead the line against Aston the season with a winger up front was never part of the plan, but Howe's determination is palpable as Newcastle look to build on qualifying for the Champions League and ending their 70-year wait for a major domestic trophy."When you experience that and you have the feeling of winning, you think it's going to be great but, let me tell you, the experience is even better than I thought it would be," he said. "It does make you hungrier for more."It does make you appreciate the role you're doing, the job you're doing, and the ability to affect the people around Newcastle in the way we did."Our appetites are whetted. We're desperate for more success but we know how difficult it is and we know the challenge that awaits us with every team in the Premier League getting better and stronger. We're going to have to do the same." Howe driven by mum's memory A few months have passed since Newcastle's Carabao Cup final victory over the game, a tearful Howe reflected on "the people that aren't with you" - including his late mum Anne. She was a single parent who raised Howe and his siblings while holding down several jobs, and encouraged Howe to follow his dreams."She's still with me every day," he said. "It's a difficult one because you're not consciously thinking about her on a minute-by-minute basis or even a day-by-day basis to a degree."But I know that her spirit, her courage and her determination is with me in so many different ways in how I act and behave. I know she's willing me on from somewhere, and very proud. I just hope to do her justice in the way that I work."I feel I have a duty to protect her legacy by how I conduct myself in what I do. I'm very driven for more success. I'm very determined to do my best, which is all I can do, and hopefully that will be good enough."Howe is also intent on making those closest to him proud after they followed him up from the south wife Vicki and sons Harry, Rocky and Theo have certainly bought into life on said: "I asked my youngest to do something yesterday and his answer was: 'Howay dad!' I always have a little second glance and check their language."It's brilliant that they're fully immersed in the Newcastle way of life, the language, the way of thinking. It's such a great area with such positive, driven and motivated people. I'm very proud that they are going to be adopted Geordies."Howe acknowledged his family are one of a small group of people who see the "down days" and said they were "very supportive"."They know when to leave dad alone just for a few minutes and let him digest what has just happened," he said. "Sometimes they can be brutal with a joke that actually lifts the atmosphere. You take it in a light-hearted way because it's coming from such a good place."They are absolutely vital in enabling me to work and enjoy my life. They're part of it and I'm very proud of them."Howe, undoubtedly, has had a challenging summer but remains determined to make this season another one to remember."If you can't be excited by what we have to come - the Champions League, all the competitions we are going to be in - there is something wrong," he said. "If I wasn't excited, I'd be the wrong person in this chair."
The Independent
5 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
The damage Newcastle's disastrous summer could do to their wider project
It was as early as the first days of June that Eddie Howe and his staff feared this summer was going to be 'a big problem' for Newcastle United. The reason then was not yet failed purchases, the departure of sporting director Paul Mitchell or even Alexander Isak. Or at least just Isak. Newcastle already knew about the Swede's ambitions to leave for months. Now, the same fears were growing about Tino Livramento and Anthony Gordon, with the added concern that any unrest could lead to more agitation in the dressing room. The mood was so foreboding that Howe's staff even asked others in football about potential solutions. It was a huge shift from the satisfaction felt mere weeks before, and the end of a season that was the club's best in decades. The Carabao Cup closed that long wait for a trophy, bringing a sense of release around the club. The final-day qualification for a second Champions League campaign in three seasons then seemed to take that further; to embolden everyone, and afford the club the financial assurance to really press on. There was no longer a PSR need to sell stars like Isak. There were instead a host of other latent problems. Almost everything has gone wrong, from start to finish and top to bottom, and especially in transfer negotiations. The noise around Newcastle on social media no longer sees human rights groups criticising the Saudi state owners to the same prominence. It is instead jokes, and memes, about how comically haphazard this summer has been. Newcastle can't seem to buy what they need as stars want to leave. Worse, transfer pursuits seem to end in absurd ways, a bad joke, with the same punchline. As one figure at a rival club enjoyed quipping when it became clear Benjamin Sesko was opting for Manchester United, 'you can have the most serious owners but you'll still be Newcastle, not Man United'. That was said with some mischief, but is also a touch unfair. This Newcastle's structure is not what a progressive club should look like. That was all too clear from the start of the window, and the departure of Mitchell, since they've been negotiating transfers without a sporting director. Mitchell had immediately caused friction with Howe on his arrival in 2024, but the recruitment guru's most pressing concern was the 'trading model'. He realised just how much needed to be changed to make Newcastle PSR-compliant, right up to the strategy on player profile. The club had to be more nimble. That may be a surprise given Newcastle's success in signings like Isak, Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaeres, but most of those came through paying big out of PSR headroom following Mike Ashley's departure, as much as any market insight. As it was, Mitchell didn't sign anyone at all. Some sources relay another frustration, which is the long time it takes to do anything. Insiders talk of how any major decision has had to go through multiple layers and meetings way above the football side, often back to Riyadh. If it concerned a transfer target, one source complains, Newcastle found that rival clubs had stolen ahead in the time it took for them to finally go all in. If such bureaucracy sounds at odds with the vacuum of this summer, there is actually a strange consistency to it all. PIF have naturally been actively concerned with concrete financial decisions, as befits their status as an infinitely wealthy fund. They've just not been immersed in the minutiae, as befits their remoteness. Even players have complained of a lack of visibility from the hierarchy, with no apparent overarching strategy. Former part-owner Amanda Staveley had many detractors in football but her personality formed a culture. This may eventually change with the arrivals of Ross Wilson as sporting director and David Hopkinson as chief executive, but the current situation has inevitably exacerbated the chaos. Club insiders have even joked about who actually said 'no' to Liverpool's first offer for Isak. Howe and his staff currently have much more power than managers are usually afforded by modern clubs, and are described as 'almost running everything'. Such concerns have been accentuated by questions about Howe's powers of persuasion outside the training pitch. A number of targets have found they haven't fully synced with the manager. That happens everywhere, but what is conspicuous this summer is how often it has been mentioned. It's all the more jarring since Howe has done the hard part of restoring the actual football team to Champions League level. This was supposed to be what Saudi Arabia always wanted, the biggest stages. There are instead new doubts about the club's very place in that state strategy. Much has been made of how PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan could be decisive in the Isak saga, given his geopolitical clout. And yet that comes amid increasing talk he has been superseded in Saudi sports strategy by Turki Alalshikh. The rumours about the boxing supremo buying a club - which includes speculation about Sheffield Wednesday - have not gone away. They now run hand in hand with assertions that the Saudis always just wanted one of the biggest names, in Liverpool or Manchester United. The frugality at Newcastle is certainly a contrast to the bombast around other Saudi projects, from boxing right up to the 2034 World Cup and the Saudi Pro League project shaping its build-up. The strategy now looks to be about bringing everything into the kingdom, rather than spreading money outside. Those with knowledge of PIF nevertheless insist they remain fully committed to Newcastle, and that some of this summer's issues - the bureaucracy, the wait for appointments - are just in-keeping with a thorough emphasis on sound governance. Club sources have meanwhile constantly pointed to PSR restricting investment. And yet that very stance only makes the lack of action elsewhere more inexplicable. Why have the ownership not moved on easy PSR - and PR - solutions like sponsoring the training ground, let alone big projects like the stadium? There are more delays on announcements there. Maybe most conspicuously, we're not seeing the same vaunted headlines about investment in the region, an aspect that had repeatedly been raised to justify the highly controversial takeover. There are of course still many reasons to oppose a state owning a football club, above all on human rights grounds. And yet now, unexpectedly in this case, there's another. There's clearly an inherent risk in a club's strategy being dependent on a state's economic policy, and the wider forces of geopolitics. It might even play into the Isak saga. In a normal situation, there would be strong logic for an upwardly mobile club to sell Isak. Newcastle could actually enhance the wider squad, in the way Liverpool did after Philippe Coutinho and Juventus used to make a habit of in the 1990s. They even sold Zinedine Zidane for that purpose. Except, on one side, it's possible the PIF leadership get too hung up on pride and status, and what a sale would 'say'. On the other, selling Isak only works if you have the structure in place to prepare for it. Newcastle, as their staff feared early on, evidently do not. This certainly isn't what it was supposed to be. And yet there's another irony. If you took this summer on its own basic terms, it wouldn't actually be that bad. A good side now has the additions of Anthony Elanga and Aaron Ramsdale, with the sale of Sean Longstaff for £15m, amid some promising other work incoming. And yet, as Howe and his staff intimidated early on, almost everything about it feels 'a big problem.
Yahoo
10-08-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Four reasons for Newcastle's summer of frustration
Boardroom upheaval for the second summer Sporting director Paul Mitchell left in May while chief executive Darren Eales handed in his notice last autumn because of a serious health problem. His replacement has not yet been announced. It has been far from ideal and left Eddie Howe at the coalface. Hamstrung by spending rules They were never the richest club in the world despite having the wealthiest owners. Newcastle may be backed by Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund - and the Reuben family, but the Magpies' income streams still pale in comparison to the established order. The Alexander Isak saga Never more have these restrictions been more apparent than in the Isak saga. This transfer situation has become a crossroads moment for the Newcastle project. The struggle to make signings As well as the issue of holding on to their best player, Newcastle have found it hard to sign others and strengthen their squad more generally. The club had a list of key targets for summer - and so far all of them, bar Benjamin Sesko have signed for another club. Read Ciaran's full piece over here
RTÉ News
07-08-2025
- Business
- RTÉ News
Potential to reach 50,000 home completions this year
New home completions could reach 35,000 this year, but there is potential to reach 50,000 according to Paul Mitchell, Director at Mitchell McDermott. Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland Mr Mitchell, who is also a founder of the independent firm of Construction Consultants, described this week's CSO figures on housing completions as "positive news" and on a "positive trajectory." "We did a study at the end of Q1 based on the commencements from last year, but toning them down because we had double the amount of commencements last year, and that shows that we might get between 32,000 and 35,000 this year," said Mr Mitchell. "As it's tracking at the moment for the half year we could actually get to 35,000, however, we have some issues in terms of funding for AHPs, and so on, that may impact those figures," he said. "Obviously connections to infrastructure, water and ESB are affecting completions as well, so it's all going to be down to Q4 this year," he added. , bringing the total number of notices issued so far this year to 6,325. Last year there was a number of deadlines in relation to receiving local authority and Irish water levy waivers if commencement notices were submitted before a specific date. "Basically there was double the amount, so everybody just emptied all of their schemes," said Mr Mitchell. "It's positive in that there are that many shovel ready schemes but they're not all going to start in our they all started and completed as planned, we would get to 50,000 this year," he stated. "It's positive that they're there but we need this other financial lever to make sure that they happen in the following year and the year after that," he said. "It's really about the completions at the moment, and then when we get into next year, we'll be looking at commencements again, because the schemes that actually physically didn't commence, will need to submit again," he added.
