| | | | |  | | By Melanie Mason | | | |  Joanna Weiss, Democratic candidate for California's 47th Congressional District, is photographed in Los Angeles on Oct. 9, 2023. | Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call via AP | EARLY MONEY: Joanna Weiss, one of the Democratic hopefuls running in a key swing Orange County district, is getting a $1 million dollar assist in her bid to succeed Rep. Katie Porter. The seven-figure buy from EMILYs List, the liberal group backing female candidates, is by far the biggest independent expenditure so far this cycle when it comes to California House races. Why so much interest in this race? EMILYs List interim president Jessica Mackler portrayed it as a must-win seat to flip the House, saying in a statement “the path to electing a pro-choice majority to Congress runs straight through keeping California’s 47th Congressional District blue.” “Orange County will be best served by Joanna Weiss, a mom, lawyer, and founder of a grassroots organization responsible for progress in her community,” Mackler said. “EMILYs List knows she will build upon her phenomenal work putting service above all, and we are thrilled to help send her to Congress.” | 
State Sen. Dave Min (D-Irvine) listens as lawmakers discuss a bill before the Senate at the Capitol in Sacramento on July 10, 2023. | Rich Pedroncelli/AP Photo | | Even with EMILYs List’s national focus, Weiss stands out as one of the group’s top priorities. Its Super PAC, Women Vote, which funds the buy, brought in $2.7 million as of the end of last year and had just under $1 million on hand, underscoring how big an investment the Weiss buy is for the organization. Given the group’s focus on electing women candidates who support abortion rights, the “Full Steam Ahead” ad is right in its wheelhouse: a mix of a warning about Republicans’ goal of a national abortion plan and a positive biographical introduction of Weiss. The lack of a negative message against fellow Democrat Dave Min is notable. Weiss has anchored most of her candidacy on an electability argument that her opponent is a risky choice because of his DUI last spring. She broached the topic herself in an attack ad she released last week, which hits Min for his arrest as well as accepting corporate PAC money. EMILYs List hasn’t ruled out more ads as part of its $1 million buy, including the possibility of going negative. Min, for his part, has kept his advertising positive, emphasizing his support from Democratic heavy hitters like Porter and the state party. Min’s campaign has also tried to turn the electability question back on Weiss. It argues Weiss is vulnerable to Republican attacks, pointing to a Daily Beast article that traced the connections between Weiss self-financing her campaign and her husband’s income as an attorney, including his work defending the Catholic Diocese of Orange County in multiple sex abuse lawsuits. “Joanna Weiss who is personally funding her campaign, with a fortune made by defending the Catholic Church against accusations of pedophilia and sexual assault, and is accused of violating federal campaign law for illegal coordination with the Super PAC she founded, is now benefiting from unprecedented outside spending against the Democratic Party’s endorsed candidate,” said Orrin Evans, spokesperson for the Min campaign. “Voters are rightfully disgusted.” IT’S TUESDAY AFTERNOON. This is California Playbook PM, a POLITICO newsletter that serves as an afternoon temperature check of California politics and a look at what our policy reporters are watching. Got tips or suggestions? Shoot an email to mmason@politico.com or send a shout on X. DMs are open. | | | | A message from The American Fintech Council: Cost of living is skyrocketing and millions of Californians are being priced out of their homes… and their lives. Earned Wage Access provides a lifeline – giving hard-working Californians access to their wages as they earn them, NOT when their employers choose to pay. Governor Newsom’s DFPI shouldn’t limit these offerings by misclassifying early access to wages as a loan. Governor Newsom: Protect people’s financial options. Learn more here. | | | |  | WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY | | |  Manager Sean de Guzman, right, examines the aluminum snow depth survey pole during the second survey of the season on Tuesday at Phillips Station, Calif. The water content of California's mountain snowpack is just over half of normal. (Xavier Mascareñas/California Department of Water Resources via AP) | AP |
HALFWAY THERE: California’s snowpack is still below average as what is expected to be the largest storm of the year is about to hit the state.
The accumulated Sierra snow that stores the bulk of the state’s water stood at about 52 percent of average, according to a measurement taken today by the Department of Water Resources. It was just 25 percent at the start of the month. January’s storms had been particularly warm and the snow line stayed relatively low, said Sean de Guzman, the manager of DWR’s flood operations section. “It’s very possible we could see above average rainfall combined with below average snowpack, which is also referred to as a snow drought,” de Guzman told reporters at Phillips Station near Highway 50, where he measured a snow depth of 29 inches. At this point last year, there was seven feet of snow at Phillips Station. The next series of storms heading for the state could improve conditions starting Wednesday. The next snow survey is scheduled for Feb. 29. — Camille von Kaenel | | | | A message from The American Fintech Council:   | | | | | ON THE BEATS | | FPPC-YA — California’s campaign finance watchdog is getting a new top canine. California Fair Political Practices Chair Richard Miadich is departing to be a Sacramento Superior Court judge, courtesy of an appointment from Gov. Gavin Newsom. The governor will now pick a new FPPC chief after tabbing Miadich, a veteran campaign lawyer, to lead the panel back in 2019. Miadich presided over some banner years. The FPPC set records for total number of approved cases resulting in penalties (343 in 2019) and the overall sum of penalties ($1.9 million in 2020, headlined by fining the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors $1.35 million for its role pushing two ballot measures). The agency also pushed bills forcing more disclosure of spending by LLCs — as seen in the Newsom recall — and activity by online influencers, along with legislation cracking down on automatic recurring payments and candidates misusing campaign funds personally. It even signed off on crypto donations. It was all part of working to modernize and keep pace with new technologies and campaign tactics, Miadich said in an interview, although he acknowledged frustration at the slow pace of enforcement — as when alleged offenders exit office with cases open. That prompted some efforts to streamline. “Ideally,” Miadich said, “most of our cases are from complaint to resolution in two years going forward.” — Jeremy B. White |  A chinook salmon model is on display before a press conference with California Gov. Gavin Newsom in Marysville, Calif. | Getty Images |
SAVING SALMON: Gov. Gavin Newsom today outlined a series of steps to preserve the salmon fishery in California — some of which are already in process.
The measures include the ongoing removal of dams along the Klamath River, Eel River and Matilija Creek as well as the construction of fish ladders and restoration of floodplains and stream habitat. His office released the strategy document a day after he toured a creek restoration project near Eureka. With the action photos and the document, Newsom is making a concerted effort to repair his damaged relationship with environmentalists who fault him for water decisions they say prioritize irrigation over fish. — Camille von Kaenel | | | | A message from The American Fintech Council: Hundreds of thousands of working Californians use or have used Earned Wage Access to cover unexpected expenses or stay up-to-date on their bills without resorting to high-interest loans. Earned Wage Access has no impact on credit, no mandatory fees, and keeps people out of debt. In fact, Earned Wage Access helps diverse, everyday Californians maintain financial flexibility, reach financial stability, and build financial momentum for themselves and their families.
Governor Newsom’s DFPI is set to enact rules to make it harder for working Californians to use earned wage access products, pushing them towards risky, more expensive, and far less forgiving options. California can’t afford to go backwards.
Governor Newsom: Don’t leave Californians in the lurch. Protect people’s right to choose the financial options that work for them, on their own terms. Protect Earned Wage Access.
Learn more here. | | | | | WHAT WE'RE READING TODAY | | GOOGLE DISAPPOINTS: Shares in Google parent Alphabet dropped as the company reported fourth-quarter ad sales that fell short of Wall Street expectations, though still 11 percent higher than the same period last year. (The Wall Street Journal) LATTE TO GO: Students at UCLA and UC Riverside want to kick Starbucks off campus in protest of the coffee chain’s efforts to thwart unionization. (San Gabriel Valley Tribune) HAIL, CAESAR: It’s the centennial of the Caesar salad at Tijuana’s Hotel Caesar, where an Italian emigré is said to have invented the now ubiquitous dish in 1924. (Los Angeles Times)
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