Latest news with #SaraSadhwani

Politico

Why a gerrymandering critic wants to toss out California's maps

RETHINKING REDISTRICTING — Sara Sadhwani is proud of her work on California's independent redistricting commission, but now she wants voters to tear up the maps she and her colleagues spent hundreds, if not thousands, of hours crafting. The Pomona political science professor grabbed political insiders' attention when she backed state Democrats' move to counter Texas Republicans' planned gerrymander with one of their own. Sadhwani, one of the commission's Democratic members in 2020, believes partisan gerrymandering should be outlawed nationwide. But she argued democratic institutions have been so weakened by President Donald Trump's administration that slanting California's maps toward Democrats is necessary to push back on a Republican power grab — which is why she's inviting voters to override her own work. 'These are extraordinary times,' she told Playbook. 'At this moment, I'm not so worried about California's democracy.' You got a lot of attention for calling for the maps to be redrawn. Can you talk me through your thinking? First of all, I'll say that I stand by the maps that the commission drew. They are fair, they are competitive, and those are the kinds of maps that we should have for congressional districts across the nation. We expanded opportunities for Latinos, in particular, to elect their candidates of choice in ways that the Legislature never bothered to do in California. I'm incredibly proud of the work that we did in the largest state in the nation. That being said, not all of the states are playing by the same set of rules. Certainly, we see the showdown happening in Texas. President Trump has talked about getting the FBI involved to get Democratic members back to the Texas Legislature. These are extraordinary times. At this moment, I'm not so worried about California's democracy. We have strong democratic institutions here in the state of California, but I'm also a political scientist, and at the national level, what we've seen over the last 10 or even 20 years is a backsliding and a decay of our institutions that should worry all of us. It's specifically Democratic House control that could check that decay? It should be that both parties would check that decay, and certainly that both parties should check excessive use of executive power. Unfortunately, we've arrived at a place where Republicans clearly are not doing that. If you think back to even Trump's first term, there was a healthy amount of tension between Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and President Trump. He wasn't getting down on his knees and handing the president anything that he wanted. They thought about the constituents of the United States above all. Now, we don't see that level of tension. In fact, what we have seen is Elon Musk going out and trying to intimidate candidates, telling them, if you don't line up behind the president, that they'll put millions of dollars behind your campaigns. We've seen courts that have capitulated in numerous ways to the president's hands, and we have gotten to this place where the Constitution is — some would say — in crisis mode. So, yes, these are extraordinary times, and extraordinary times often call for extraordinary measures. Just so we're clear: You wouldn't support California redrawing its maps if Texas doesn't? Correct. More importantly, as Californians, if we're going to move forward with this, there should also be a demand that Democrats — not just congressional Democrats from California, but congressional Democrats across the nation — push to enact legislation to ensure independent redistricting in all 50 states. That's the only way that we'll actually have fair drawing of lines. That seems really difficult to pass right now, considering the president is actively encouraging partisan line drawing. So where does this movement for independent redistricting go while Trump's still in office? Gosh, there's so many pieces to unpack there. I think Democrats generally lack a strategy nationally, so certainly I would love to see that change, but I'd also like to see Republicans stand up for good governance as well. Let's not forget that independent redistricting was actually a Republican-led initiative in the state of California. We should all support good governance, whether you're a Democrat or Republican. The likelihood of that happening under the current president doesn't seem very likely, but I think this ought to be an organizing time period for those who do stand for good governance. There are states across the country that want independent redistricting commissions, but because their state doesn't have the ballot initiative process. They have no means by which to do it if their state is already gerrymandered. So congressional legislation is the best alternative, and maybe that's a part of a 2028 presidential campaign kickoff around good governance for Democrats and Republicans, because, quite frankly, we should all be standing up for our nation's democratic institutions, because they are faltering under the weight of this current time period. In the meantime, other Democratic states are looking at redrawing their lines mid-decade. Should they? So much comes down to how Texas actually moves forward, and to what extent other states are moving forward. The governor has said California is only going to do this if Texas starts it. It's a question of who fires the first shot. You spoke about the gains the commission made in giving power to Latino voters. Do you have any concerns that the state redrawing the maps, while picking up more Democratic seats, could disenfranchise any of these voters? Line drawing is an art form. My greatest hope is that if they were to do a redraw, that they would maintain the electoral opportunities that ought to be afforded to communities under the Voting Rights Act, and in California, that predominantly means for the Latino community. GOOD MORNING. Happy Tuesday. Thanks for waking up with Playbook. 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) HE DRAWS THE LINES — A national redistricting war has thrust Sacramento into the spotlight. Behind the scenes, it has been Paul Mitchell's moment. A proposed new House map set to be released this week should be thoroughly smudged with Mitchell's fingerprints. The legislative staffer-turned-numbers guru has played an instrumental role as Democrats in Washington and Sacramento have raced, in a frenetic few weeks, to craft new lines that pick up seats while adhering to laws like the Voting Rights Act. Mitchell declined to comment, as did a representative for Rep. Zoe Lofgren. A representative for Speaker Robert Rivas said only that the Legislature had enlisted 'leading experts.' But several people involved in the gerrymandering gambit confirmed Mitchell has drawn up maps and participated in meetings with Democratic leaders. (The UCLA Voting Rights Project has also crafted potential lines in addition to circulating a legal analysis.) You'd be hard-pressed to find California politicos who are not familiar with Mitchell and his work. His firm Redistricting Partners has been deeply involved in California's previous line-drawing cycles. His other business, Political Data, Inc., has been a key supplier of campaign data, although as of 2021 it takes only Democratic or left-leaning clients. Redistricting experts with the technical acumen to craft politically viable and legally defensible lines are fairly scarce. Mitchell belongs to a small club of influential mapmakers, like Bruce Cain, Michael Berman and Carl D'Agostino, who have helped political leaders delineate the contours of power. Although the voters will get a say on this map, unlike in the BAD days, California Republicans have excoriated the swift redraw as an anti-democratic insiders' scheme. — Jeremy B. White JOINING THE AV CLUB — Former Sen. Barbara Boxer endorsed Antonio Villaraigosa in the governor's race Monday and will serve as his campaign co-chair. Villaraigosa said the two Democratic pols have worked together for over 30 years, collaborating especially closely on Fast Forward America — an expanded transit loan program for which they lobbied when Villaraigosa was mayor of Los Angeles. 'We go way back, but we're not just friends. We're colleagues that have mutual respect,' Villaraigosa told Playbook. DOWN BALLOT FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: UNWELCOME WAGON — Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis dropped her campaign for governor and pivoted to state treasurer less than a week ago. And her top opponent, state Sen. Anna Caballero, is already out with a scathing attack. Caballero, whose path is complicated by Kounalakis — and her money — entering the race, will assail Kounalakis over her inherited wealth and prior career as a real-estate developer, according to a statement she released to Playbook early. 'While millionaires who fund their own campaigns are trying to buy our democracy — deciding which elected office to run for like musical chairs,' it says, 'I am grounded in the cause for our working families.' Caballero said she will challenge Kounalakis, the daughter of a prominent Sacramento-area developer, to a series of debates across the state. She also calls on Kounalakis to pledge she'd serve a full term as treasurer, asserting that the role should not be a 'stepping stone to higher office.' Kounalakis' campaign responded by largely sidestepping Caballero's comments. 'It's sad that political stunts have already begun in this race,' spokesperson Elizabeth Power said in a text message. 'Eleni looks forward to earning the support of voters based on her strong track record and new ideas to continue improving the lives of Californians.' The exchange is likely the opening volley in a contest that could split major factions within the Democratic Party: Kounalakis is a longtime San Franciscan with deep connections to major donors and party leaders, including former Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Caballero, meanwhile, is a longtime power broker from the Central Coast and is well connected within the labor and farmworker movements. Kounalakis has already drawn a swath of endorsements from prominent Democrats. Exhibit A: former Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, who had previously been a candidate for treasurer, dropped out Friday to endorse Kounalakis. A RELATED SCOOP: TRADING PLACES — Today, Kounalakis will unveil another endorsement: outgoing Treasurer Fiona Ma, who's running to succeed her as lieutenant governor. Kounalakis will, in turn, endorse Ma's campaign for the state's No. 2 office. The endorsement swap comes as little surprise: Ma and Kounalakis are longtime political allies from San Francisco, and they run in the same circles of prominent Bay Area donors and party activists. Ma on Kounalakis: 'As a former housing developer, Eleni has the knowledge and experience to effectively manage our affordable housing programs.' Kounalakis on Ma: 'The most important qualification for serving as lieutenant governor is to be ready to step in, if necessary, to serve as Governor. There is no one running for this office who is more qualified for the job.' STATE CAPITOL STOP THAT… MAP — Assemblymember Carl DeMaio is angling to thwart Democrats' redistricting effort before it comes up for a vote in the Legislature. The Republican lawmaker is expected to release a letter today, calling for the Office of Legislative Counsel to evaluate the legality of redrawing the congressional map mid-decade and bypassing the state's Redistricting Commission. 'By concocting their partisan redistricting scheme, Gavin Newsom and state politicians are clearly guilty of violating the oath they took to uphold the state constitution – and they are in open violation of the law,' DeMaio argues in a statement. Meanwhile, Trump and top Republicans across the country are pushing for Texas and other GOP-dominated legislatures to do the opposite and draw partisan, mid-decade maps. CA vs. TRUMP GUARD LITIGATION — A longtime military leader who commanded federalized National Guard troops in Los Angeles testified that he expressed early resistance when federal immigration authorities wanted military support for a planned immigration operation in June in Los Angeles. But when Maj. Gen. Scott Sherman voiced his opposition, a senior Customs and Border Patrol official rebuked him and questioned his 'loyalty' to the nation, Sherman recalled in court Monday. The revealing exchange came on the first day of a three-day trial in California's lawsuit against the Trump administration over its takeover of California's Guard. ICYMI … An appeals court previously allowed the troops to stay after a short-lived win for the Newsom administration. But the judge presiding over the case is yet to rule on whether the Trump administration violated the 1878 law known as the Posse Comitatus Act — which was intended to prevent the president from turning the military on civilians without express approval from Congress. The case could have implications for whether Trump is able to make similar military deployments in other cities, our Kyle Cheney reports. Read his full report here. TRUMP STRATEGIZING — The University of California Regents held an emergency meeting yesterday to discuss how to respond to the Trump administration's request that UCLA hand over $1 billion and make sweeping changes to settle a civil rights case. The governing board didn't take any action at the private meeting, our Eric He reported for POLITICO Pro. CLIMATE AND ENERGY COMING UP CLIMATE — It wouldn't be the end of a legislative session without Newsom stepping in with energy demands. This year, he's asking for even more than usual, with cap-and-trade, refineries, wildfire liability, grid regionalization and the Delta tunnel on the table. Read last night's California Climate for a status update on negotiations ahead of the Legislature's upcoming return. Top Talkers CONFLICT OF INTEREST — Former state Senate leader Toni Atkins could have a potential conflict of interest if she's elected governor next year, as she would oversee a state contract with a consulting firm owned by Atkins' spouse, CalMatters reports. The contract has been worth tens of thousands of dollars to Atkins under California's community property law, financial disclosures show. TOUGH CROWD — Republican Rep. Doug LaMalfa faced a raucous crowd during a town hall in Chico on Monday, where hundreds booed him for supporting Trump's bill that cut spending on Medicaid and food stamps, reports The Sacramento Bee. BOTTOM OF THE BARREL — California's millionaires may not get as much of a benefit from Trump's Big Beautiful Bill's tax provisions as their counterparts in most other states, The Sacramento Bee reports, since a new analysis shows that residents in the state with the top 1 percent of incomes rank No. 48 in tax cuts nationwide. AROUND THE STATE — The Bay Area is falling short on its housing goals as San Francisco, San Jose and Oakland have each permitted less than 10 percent of their respective targets. (San Francisco Chronicle) — The Port of San Francisco must find a way to conjure up more than $1.5 million that it was supposed to receive from the since-imploded Parks Alliance to fund construction of a new park. (Mission Local) — The Otay Water District notified customers that it will implement a rate hike starting next year, affecting nearly 240,000 residents in parts of southeastern San Diego County. (inewsource) Compiled by Juliann Ventura PLAYBOOKERS PEOPLE MOVES — Jason Hill has been promoted to associate vice president, chief government and community affairs officer at Stanford Health Care. He was previously associate vice president, government affairs. BIRTHDAYS — Rep. Maxine Waters … philanthropist Melinda Gates … journalist Deb Wandell … Juliet Linderman at the Associated Press BELATED B-DAY WISHES — Robert Boykin at TechNet 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.