Katie Porter’s mea culpa

Your afternoon must-read briefing on politics and government in the Golden State

Mar 19, 2024 View in browser   By Jeremy B. White Rep. Katie Porter said she regrets using the word "rig" while discussing her third place finish in California's Senate primary. | Francis Chung/POLITICO HER BAD: Rep. Katie Porter built her political reputation on her skill at grilling witnesses — but now she’s eating her words. Well, one word in particular: “rig,” which an aggrieved Porter accused special interests of trying to do after she finished third in California’s Senate primary. She faced Democratic rebukes for using that term, with its connotations of illegitimate voting and conjuring of the baseless rhetoric of former President Donald Trump. She regrets it. “Obviously, I wish I had chosen a different word,” Porter told the hosts of Pod Save America in a podcast released today. Porter said the resulting furor deflected attention from two points: California’s elections are free and fair (“a model for a lot of the country.”) And big money really does corrupt democracy (“outcomes are manipulated and distorted.”) That second point is the foundation of Porter’s politics. She pitched herself to voters as a counterweight to the wealthy players that control Washington. But it wasn't enough. Millions of dollars in outside spending later, she’s out of the Senate race and will soon be out of a job in the House. Her reaction to losing — and the way it was received across the political spectrum — could shape what comes next. IT’S TUESDAY AFTERNOON. This is California Playbook PM, a POLITICO newsletter that serves as an afternoon temperature check on California politics and a look at what our policy reporters are watching. Got tips or suggestions? Shoot an email to jwhite@politico.com or send a shout on X. DMs are open.   SUBSCRIBE TO GLOBAL PLAYBOOK: Don’t miss out on POLITICO’s Global Playbook, the newsletter taking you inside pivotal discussions at the most influential gatherings in the world, including WEF in Davos, Milken Global in Beverly Hills, to UNGA in NYC and many more. Suzanne Lynch delivers the world's elite and influential moments directly to you. Stay in the global loop. SUBSCRIBE NOW.     WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY POLITICO speaks with (from right) Robin Feldman, Anthony Wright, Caitlin Berry and state Sen. Scott Wiener at today's POLITICO Live event. | Allison Stahl for POLITICO CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE: Key California health care players are divided over whether the state should impose new regulations on pharmaceutical middlemen to bring down spiraling drug prices in the largest market in the nation. Those middlemen, the pharmacy benefit managers, came under the microscope today at “Corrective Action: How to address prescription drug costs,” a POLITICO Live event. It was somewhat hostile territory for the industry, featuring its chief antagonist in Sacramento: state Sen. Scott Wiener. Wiener has authored legislation, Senate Bill 966, that would impose new rules on PBMs, represented on the panel by industry advocate Caitlin Berry. Anthony Wright, executive director of Health Access California, a consumer advocacy organization, supported the goal of the legislation though not its specifics while a third panelist, UC Law San Francisco professor Robin Feldman argued that California can in fact act more boldly to bring down drug prices in the state. One key point: Wiener did not go as far as others nationally who seek to abolish the middlemen who negotiate with manufacturers over drug prices. “I’m not here to say we need to eliminate PBMs,” he said. “But shouldn’t we be actually regulating those practices as a matter of reducing costs to the system and supporting patients?” ON THE BEATS State Sen. Brian Dahle of Bieber showed his lassoing chops at the California Agriculture Day festival in front of the Capitol in Sacramento on Tuesday. | Alex Bello/Senate Republican Caucus LET'S MAKE A DEAL: California struck a deal today with auto giant Stellantis to support the state’s vehicle emissions standards, a move to protect its strictest-in-the-nation electric vehicle sales rules from a potential Trump administration. Stellantis — the fourth-largest automaker in the world with brands like Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge — will sign onto the same framework negotiated by five major automakers in 2019 during Trump’s tenure. The company committed to following California requirements to sell increasing numbers of electric vehicles through 2030, even if the state “is unable to enforce its standards as a result of judicial or federal action.” That language comes amid fears that Trump will again revoke California’s waiver to set stricter air quality rules if he wins a second term. A group of Republican-governed states led by Ohio is also challenging California’s clean cars waiver, arguing that California’s unique authority to set air quality standards violates the Constitution, under a legal theory that all states need to be treated equally. The case was heard in September in the District of Columbia Circuit Court and is expected to go to the Supreme Court. — Alex Nieves COLLEGE HAZING: Assemblymember Chris Holden is bringing back a bill that would make institutions of higher education legally liable for harms caused by hazing in fraternities, sororities and other student groups, hoping to revive the effort after Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a similar measure last year. The bill, AB 2193, would place civil liability on a college or university that had direct involvement in the hazing practices at affiliated organizations, knew or should have known about the hazing and failed to take reasonable steps to stop it, or unreasonably failed to prevent or discover the hazing practices. The governor last year rejected the bill because he said it created “expansive financial exposure” for an institution, and encouraged Holden to more clearly define liability. Holden’s new bill makes modest changes to address those concerns. The bill passed out of the Assembly Judiciary Committee this morning despite opposition from the Association of Independent California Colleges & Universities, California State University and the Association of California Community College Administrators. It now heads to the committee on higher education. — Lara Korte RECALL PAINS: Kelly Lawler, the treasurer for the Gavin Newsom recall committee Rescue California, has resigned after she was allegedly pressured by California Republican leaders. Lawler was pressured into stepping down by GOP leaders who are privately skeptical of the recall, according to a Republican official briefed on the matter who was granted anonymity to discuss internal party issues. Asked about the decision, Lawler responded that “while I did receive calls asking me to step down, I am my own woman and it was my decision.” Anne Dunsmore, with Rescue California, told POLITICO in response to questions: “We appreciated her work and understand her dilemma. She has promised a smooth transition. It’s no big deal.” When asked about support for the recall, California Republican Party Chair Jessica Millan Patterson said the group is focused elsewhere. “While Gavin Newsom has undoubtedly been a disaster as governor, from building a record $73 billion budget deficit to worsening a homeless crisis and championing pro-criminal policies, the CAGOP is squarely focused on retaining the GOP House majority and electing California Republicans up and down the ticket,” she said in a statement. — Christopher Cadelago and Lara Korte   In celebration of Earth Month, the USC Wrigley Institute for Environment and Sustainability and the USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future, in collaboration with POLITICO, host “Climate Forward 2024: Climate at the Crossroads” on April 4, 2024 at USC. Top experts from politics, government, media, and academia will discuss climate change issues with a focus on finding practical policy and business solutions as well identifying ways to remove political obstacles to implementing those changes. Register to attend in person or virtually.     WHAT WE'RE READING TODAY WHOLESALE THEFT: A CHP task force is trying to unravel the highly organized networks behind the surge in retail theft in Southern California. (The New Yorker) ADDED SCRUTINY: A Republican-led House committee is looking into UC Berkeley’s response to antisemitism on campus amid protests over the war in Gaza. (San Francisco Chronicle) GOING OUT SWINGING: Peter Navarro, the aspiring California politician turned Trump adviser, headed off to federal prison in Miami today with some angry words for the Justice Department and courts. (POLITICO) PARSING THE VOTE: An analysis finds that progressive Sacramento mayoral candidate Flojaune Cofer, who has called for cutting $70 million from the city’s police budget, is drawing most of her support in the still-undecided race from the lowest-income neighborhoods while more moderate candidates draw more support from higher-income areas. (Sacramento Bee) TEED OFF: Los Angeles golfers are furious and demanding action about the black market sale of tee times on public courses. (Los Angeles Times)   Follow us on Twitter POLITICO California @politicoca   Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook  |  Playbook PM  |  California Playbook  |  Florida Playbook  |  Illinois Playbook  |  Massachusetts Playbook  |  New Jersey Playbook  |  New York Playbook  |  Ottawa Playbook  |  Brussels Playbook  |  London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters Follow us

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