San Francisco losing tolerance with drug deaths

Presented by California Resources Corporation: Inside the Golden State political arena

Oct 30, 2023 View in browser   By Lara Korte and Dustin Gardiner Presented by California Resources Corporation California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks to union workers and volunteers in San Francisco. | Justin Sullivan/Getty Images THE BUZZ: After months of staying largely silent on efforts to raise penalties for fentanyl dealers, Gov. Gavin Newsom is now paving the way to treat them like murderers. Newsom on Friday announced a new task force of state and San Francisco city officials to treat opioid-linked deaths similar to homicides. The governor has already devoted a good deal of attention (and state resources) to the problem this year, but the announcement of the task force marks a shift from progressive efforts to roll back some of the drug sentencing policies adopted across the U.S. in recent decades. The task force will gather evidence and process intelligence with the goal of disrupting the opioid distribution networks behind the overdose epidemic in the city. “The opioid crisis has claimed too many, and fentanyl traffickers must be held accountable including, as appropriate, for murder,” the governor said in a statement. It is precisely the kind of thing that progressive lawmakers in Sacramento didn’t want to do this year — much to the frustration of victims’ families, Republicans and some moderate Democrats. The legislature twice rejected a bill, SB 44, known as Alexandra’s Law, which would have required courts to notify convicted dealers that they could face murder charges if their actions led to someone’s death in the future. Bill opponents, including Bay Area Sens. Scott Wiener and Nancy Skinner, questioned whether the measure would reduce overdose deaths and worried it could result in unintended consequences. Newsom avoided weighing in on the bill when it was moving through the legislature. He's now embracing the call for tougher treatment of fentanyl dealers. Other Democratic officials, including San Francisco Mayor London Breed, share this view. “We must treat the trafficking and sale of fentanyl more severely and people must be put on notice that pushing this drug could lead to homicide charges,” Breed said in a statement. Prosecuting fentanyl dealers for murder is not a novel concept. In Placer County, authorities this year convicted a 21-year-old of second-degree murder in the fentanyl death of a 15-year-old girl — the first conviction of its kind. Newsom’s office said efforts similar to the one in SF have proven successful in other cities, including San Diego and Fresno. San Francisco city leaders have taken a tougher tack on crime in recent months as retail theft and drug use continue to take a toll. Breed last month also raised eyebrows among liberal allies for proposing drug tests for those receiving public assistance. Mano Raju, San Francisco’s public defender, blasted Newsom and city leaders for their new approach to fentanyl overdoses, calling it “another step in the wrong direction toward the continued revival of the failed War on Drugs in SF.” GOOD MORNING. Happy Monday. Thanks for waking up with Playbook.   GROWING IN THE GOLDEN STATE: POLITICO California is growing, reinforcing our role as the indispensable insider source for reporting on politics, policy and power. From the corridors of power in Sacramento and Los Angeles to the players and innovation hubs in Silicon Valley, we're your go-to for navigating the political landscape across the state. Exclusive scoops, essential daily newsletters, unmatched policy reporting and insights — POLITICO California is your key to unlocking Golden State politics. LEARN MORE.     PLAYBOOK TIP LINE — What’s going to be the big fight of the next legislative session? Give us a ring or drop us a line. Now you can text us at ‪916-562-0685‬‪ — save it as “CA Playbook” in your contacts now. Or drop us a line at lkorte@politico.com and dgardiner@politico.com, or on Twitter —@DustinGardiner and @Lara_Korte    A message from California Resources Corporation: California Resources Corporation (CRC) is committed to the energy transition and advancing our Net Zero future. To help meet California’s ambitious emissions reduction goals, CRC’s Carbon TerraVault provides real solutions that will enable the capture, transport and permanent storage of carbon dioxide deep underground. These services aim to help mitigate climate change by offering both immediate decarbonization benefits and a long-term solution to reach and maintain carbon neutrality. CRC's CarbonTerraVault.   WHERE’S GAVIN? Back in California after his week abroad. FRESH INK Guests line up to place bets for the NCAA Men's College Basketball Tournament in Las Vegas in 2018. | Getty Images PLACE YOUR BETS — A new push to let California’s Native American tribes conduct sports wagering has launched without a crucial player California’s Native American tribes. There was never any doubt who was behind two failed rival betting initiatives last year. The ballot brawl set DraftKings and allies (Proposition 27) against tribes determined to protect their turf (Proposition 26). Not so with a mysterious pair of ballot initiatives that popped up on Friday. Tribal veterans of last cycle’s fight said they weren’t responsible for the new effort. So who is? Official filings list a Reeve Collins, which is also the name of a cryptocurrency and blockchain entrepreneur who co-founded a betting platform formerly owned by the Pala Band of Mission Indians. Collins didn’t answer requests for comment. But an email sent to tribal leaders shed some light: The head of a recently launched LLC solicited their help and vowed not to move ahead without Native support. Qualifying a ballot initiative at this relatively late hour will carry a hefty price tag. The supporters are also banking on winning over tribes that have deep pockets, powerful friends, and an aversion to interlopers. It’s a big bet.  — Jeremy B. White   Enter the “room where it happens”, where global power players shape policy and politics, with Power Play. POLITICO’s brand-new podcast will host conversations with the leaders and power players shaping the biggest ideas and driving the global conversations, moderated by award-winning journalist Anne McElvoy. Sign up today to be notified of new episodes – click here.     FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: INTO THE UNKNOWN — With just four months left until the March primaries, no candidate for California Senate has emerged as a clear favorite among Latinos, according to a new poll from the Latino Community Foundation and BSP Research, first shared with POLITICO. The statewide survey of Latino registered voters showed little recognition of the leading Democrats, with support for Rep. Adam Schiff at 12 percent, followed by Rep. Katie Porter at 10 percent and Rep. Barbara Lee at 7 percent. Sen. Laphonza Butler, who has since announced she will not seek a full term, saw support from 9 percent of respondents. Most Latino voters have yet to choose a favorite, however — with 40 percent saying they are undecided in California’s Senate race. “With early voting starting in mid-February and a busy holiday season approaching, the candidates need to step up their game and invest significantly in outreach efforts into the Latino community if they expect to gain support,” said Matt Barreto, president of BSP Research, and the lead pollster on the survey. Sixty-six percent of respondents said they intend to vote in the March primaries, with voters marking the cost of living (46 percent) as the most important issue they think elected officials need to address, followed by housing costs and affordability (30 percent) and homelessness (29 percent). “Any candidate seeking this office must speak directly to the chief concerns facing our communities,” said Christian Arana, vice president of policy at the Latino Community Foundation. “The stakes have never been higher.” WHAT WE'RE READING TODAY DO AS I SAY, NOT AS I DO: Newsom recently vetoed a bill that would have required him to collect diversity data about his gubernatorial appointments — at the same time he signed a bill requiring venture capital firms to collect similar data on company founders. (CalMatters) NOBODY’S LAUGHING: An aide to L.A. Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martínez has resigned after he was criticized for posting Holocaust jokes about stand-up comedian Amy Schumer. The comments were widely seen as antisemitic and misogynistic. (Los Angeles Times)   A message from California Resources Corporation:   PLAYBOOKERS BIRTHDAYS —  Monday: Mitch Glazier of the Recording Industry Association of America … Nu Wexler of Four Corners Public Affairs (5-0) ... Tony Fresch … (was Sunday): POLITICO’s Steve Heuser …  (was Saturday): Bill Gates … Steve Hartell of Amazon … Bob Melvin ... Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan …  (was Friday): Andrea Schlesinger   A message from California Resources Corporation: California Resources Corporation (CRC) is committed to our Net Zero future and helping California meet its emissions reduction goals under the Paris Climate Accord. CRC’s 2045 Full-Scope Net Zero Goal for Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions places us among a select few industry peers to include scope 3 emissions in their Net Zero goal. CRC’s Carbon TerraVault offers real solutions for helping reach and maintain carbon neutrality through services that include the capture, transport and permanent storage of carbon dioxide deep underground - supporting California in its efforts to combat climate change. CRC is dedicated to developing innovative solutions like Carbon TerraVault to advance the energy transition and help decarbonize our local economies in alignment with the state’s ambitious climate goals. Get The Facts on CRC's Carbon TerraVault.   CALIFORNIA POLICY IS ALWAYS CHANGING: Know your next move. From Sacramento to Silicon Valley, POLITICO California Pro provides policy professionals with the in-depth reporting and tools they need to get ahead of policy trends and political developments shaping the Golden State. To learn more about the exclusive insight and analysis this subscriber-only service offers, click here. Want to make an impact? POLITICO California has a variety of solutions available for partners looking to reach and activate the most influential people in the Golden State. Have a petition you want signed? A cause you’re promoting? Seeking to increase brand awareness amongst this key audience? Share your message with our influential readers to foster engagement and drive action. Contact Jesse Shapiro to find out how: jshapiro@politico.com.   Follow us on Twitter Dustin Gardiner @dustingardiner Lara Korte @lara_korte 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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