California lawmakers convened Thursday for a special legislative session to focus on “Trump-proofing” the state.
The session builds on Governor Gavin Newsom’s (D) November proclamation to “safeguard California values and fundamental rights in the face of an incoming Trump administration,” his office said at the time, and is intended to provide the California Department of Justice with $25 million to establish a legal fund to combat Trump’s policies.
Newsom said of a December 2 special session that “California is a tent pole of the country – from the economy to innovation to protecting and investing in rights and freedoms for all people. We will work with the incoming administration and we want President Trump to succeed in serving all Americans. But when there is overreach, when lives are threatened, when rights and freedoms are targeted, we will take action. And that is exactly what this special session is about – setting this state up for success, regardless of who is in the White House.”
State Sen. Brian Jones (R) told KCRA 3 that the special session is “tone deaf.”
“Focusing on suing the administration that hasn’t even done anything yet in the midst of a catastrophic wildfire in LA. We shouldn’t be Trump-proofing California,” Jones stated. “We should be focusing on fireproofing California.”
Assemblyman Bill Essayli (R) recently sent a letter to Newsom, urging him to call a special session to address the state’s catastrophic fires.
“Now is not the time for political posturing of spending millions to ‘Trump-proof’ California,” the letter said. “Instead, it’s time to take significant action to fireproof our state.”
