ALEX PADILLA

Lawmakers who eagerly accepted piles of cash from Samuel Bankman-Fried now can’t move fast enough to offload contributions from the disgraced crypto mogul to anywhere but their own campaign coffers.

The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee says he plans to question the director of the federal Bureau of Prisons this week about why the agency continues to stand by a high-ranking official who beat Black inmates in the 1990s.

U.S. senators from both parties expressed skepticism Tuesday that a proposed merger between grocery giants Kroger and Albertsons would result in lower prices for consumers. Lee needled Kroger for approving a $1 billion stock buyback last year even as food prices were jumping for consumers. Kroger and Albertsons have said they will sell or spin off up to 375 Albertsons stores in markets where they currently compete. The intent is to divest stores,” Albertsons President and CEO Vivek Sankaran said. Federal lawmakers aren't the only ones scrutinizing the merger plan.

U.S. senators from both parties have expressed skepticism that a proposed merger between grocery giants Kroger and Albertsons will lower prices for consumers.

A string of California U.S. House races remains in play, and the outcome could make the difference in which party controls the chamber next year.

— (AP) — The Environmental Protection Agency said Wednesday it will consider adopting stricter rules on locomotive emissions in response to concerns raised by California regulators. The EPA said it recognizes that even though those 2008 rules set stringent standards for new locomotives, the railroad workhorses continue to be a significant source of particulate matter and nitrous oxide emissions because older locomotives often remain in use for decades. Those emissions are associated with increased cancer risks and other health problems — particularly in neighborhoods around railyards. The EPA announced the new effort in response to petitions that several California-based agencies that regulate pollution submitted in 2016 and 2017. U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla of California said he’s grateful the EPA is taking a closer look at locomotive emissions.

California and Vermont both enshrined the right to have an abortion into their state constitutions with large support from voters.

Democrat Sen. Alex Padilla is running for a first full term in office in California. While he is expected to win, he has used his position to gather support for his fellow Democrats.

California's midterm elections are coming to a close with a burst of house-to-house campaigning and nonstop TV advertising.

President Joe Biden is making his second trip to California in less than three weeks in hopes of bolstering Democratic House members in unexpectedly tight races.

The only TD of the day for the Hawkeyes came via the defense in the first quarter on sack and fumble return. Padilla promptly fumbled his first snap of the game and Ohio State (7-0) recovered. The Buckeyes punted on that possession and Padilla threw an interception two plays later on a pass that bounced off Sam LaPorta’s outstretched hand. Iowa entered Saturday’s game with seven offensive touchdowns in six games and leaves with seven offensive TDs in seven games. Ohio State also put up the most points by an Iowa opponent in nearly 30 years.

Cross-cultural coalitions have ruled Los Angeles politics for decades, helping elect both Black and Latino politicians to top leadership roles in the huge racially and ethnically diverse city.

Former Los Angeles City Council President Nury Martinez has announced that she is resigning her council seat amid a scandal over racist remarks that came to light in a leaked recording.

California has a first-in-the nation law and a $30 million training program both aimed at trying to help former inmate firefighters turn pro after they are released from prison.

(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File) (Marcio Jose Sanchez)LOS ANGELES — (AP) — California is a Democratic fortress, but Tuesday’s primary election may have revealed some cracks. But the ouster of San Francisco's top prosecutor in a recall election could foreshadow problems for the progressive district attorney in Los Angeles. But in the statewide primary Tuesday, progressive state Attorney General Rob Bonta easily advanced to a November runoff. Boudin's loss is most likely to reverberate in Los Angeles, where a campaign is underway to recall progressive District Attorney George Gascón. GOP SEES RARE COMEBACK CHANCE AFTER YEARS OF DEFEATRepublicans haven’t won a statewide race in heavily Democratic California since 2006.

California is a Democratic fortress, but Tuesday’s primary election may have revealed some cracks.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom will face a little-known Republican state senator in the November general election.

Sen. Alex Padilla advances to the general election, twice. Rep. Mike Garcia and Christy Smith will face off a third time in northern L.A. County.

If Democrats lose ground in California, it's extremely unlikely to be in the races for governor and U.S. Senate.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has cruised to an easy primary victory.

Primary elections in seven states Tuesday will set the stage for U.S. House and Senate battles this fall that will play into control of Congress.

U.S. Senate passes legislation to turn a formerly segregated, “Mexican” school in west Texas into a historic site.

The court said the law, which forced boards to have up to three women directors, was discriminatory.

In the three years it has been on the books, the law has been credited with improving the standing of women in corporate boardrooms.

California Women on Boards FILE - Betsy Berkhemer-Credaire, CEO of 50/50 Women on Boards, is seen in the Tom Bradley Conference Room at City Club LA in downtown Los Angeles on Sept. 3, 2021. A Los Angeles judge has ruled that California's landmark law mandating women be placed on corporate boards is unconstitutional. Judge Maureen Duffy-Lewis issued her ruling Friday, May 13, 2022, in Los Angeles Superior Court. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times via AP, File) (Genaro Molina)LOS ANGELES — (AP) — A Los Angeles judge has ruled that California’s landmark law requiring women on corporate boards is unconstitutional. By January 2022, boards with five directors were required to have two women and boards with six or more members were required to have three women.

A Los Angeles judge has ruled that California’s landmark law requiring women on corporate boards is unconstitutional. Superior Court Judge Maureen Duffy-Lewis said the law that would have required boards have up to three female directors by this year violated the right to equal treatment. The conservative legal group Judicial Watch had challenged the law, claiming it was illegal to use taxpayer funds to enforce a law that violates the equal protection clause of the California Constitution by mandating a gender-based quota.

The Senate Judiciary Committee panel charged with deciding if the nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court of Ketanji Brown Jackson should advance is expected to deadlock when the vote comes late Monday or on Tuesday. A tie vote does not mean that Jackson will not get a vote from the Senate on the nomination. A Senate procedure allows Jackson’s nomination to sidestep the tie vote and be recommended to the full Senate for consideration. Here is how that will happen:After the vote, the committee chairman Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Illinois, notifies the Senate of the tie. After the debate ends, a vote to move Jackson’s nomination to the full Senate will be taken.

After more than 30 hours of hearings, the Senate is on track to confirm Ketanji Brown Jackson as the first Black woman on the Supreme Court.

While Democrats proudly took turns reflecting on the historic example Jackson sets, some Republicans suggested she was soft on crime and questioned whether critical race theory influenced her thinking as a judge.

Supreme Court Nomination Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson wipes away tears as she is questioned by Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., during her confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, March 23, 2022. “You can bang it as long as you want,” Cruz snapped, shouting that he just wanted Jackson to answer his question. In another round of tense questioning, South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham interrogated Jackson on the punishment she believes appropriate for people convicted of child pornography. “Roe and Casey are the settled law of the Supreme Court concerning the right to terminate a woman’s pregnancy. Near the end of Tuesday's long hearing, Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., asked Jackson when life begins.

Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey drew tears from Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson at her confirmation hearing with the words, “You are worthy,” and others like them.

Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson faced down a barrage of Republican questioning about her sentencing of criminal defendants on Wednesday, as her history-making bid to join the Supreme Court veered from lofty constitutional questions to attacks on her motivations as a judge.

California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom is in an enviable position as he heads into a reelection campaign.

To attend tonight's speech, guests — even those who are fully vaccinated — are required to produce a negative test. Attendees will not be required to wear masks tonight.

Some of the lawmakers gathered for President Joe Biden’s first State of the Union address wore blue and yellow outfits and lapel ribbons in support of Ukraine.

U.S. lawmakers decried the attack on Ukraine and generally urged the Biden administration to impose tougher sanctions on Russia in response to its invasion.

The leaders of the Senate Judiciary Committee are demanding Attorney General Merrick Garland take immediate action to reform the beleaguered federal Bureau of Prisons.

There's a shifting narrative on COVID-19 restrictions across the country among Democratic officials and candidates. The ad reflects a shifting narrative on COVID-19 restrictions across the country: Democrats are now increasingly supportive of easing mandates as they struggle to address voter frustration with the lingering pandemic. But their appeals for a return to normalcy, both in symbols and practice, are putting new pressure on President Joe Biden. Democratic Governors Association spokesman David Turner said the party's shifting approach has been motivated by the evolving virus and not politics. “We are telling parents what to do,” said one of the trio, centrist Democratic state Sen. Joe Morrissey.

There's a shifting narrative on COVID-19 restrictions across the country among Democratic officials and candidates.

A once-segregated Mexican American school in Texas may become a historic site.

Congress dives into legislation to address the practices of the Big Tech companies, dividing Democrats and testing the industry's lobbying power.

Vice President Kamala Harris returned to her home state during challenging times for the White House to highlight funding for federal wildfire programs.

She said voters will assess Democrats' agenda for "the impact it has on their communities, on their families. 3 House Democratic leader James Clyburn of South Carolina wants the package to keep its aid for affordable housing. “They're seeing things Biden put political capital behind fail," Sean McElwee, cofounder of the liberal research group Data for Progress, said of Democratic voters. “They need to see things Biden puts political capital behind succeed." The party holding the White House has lost House seats in 17 of the 19 midterm elections since World War II, averaging 28 losses per election.

Democrats know they may lose control of Congress in November's midterm elections.

Congress has taken a new step toward reining in the market dominance of Big Tech. Bipartisan legislation advanced by a Senate panel would bar the dominant online platforms from favoring their own goods and services over those of rivals on the platforms.

“There are so many things that we can agree on,” he said, though he held firm against voting to change the filibuster rules. Once reluctant himself to change Senate rules, Biden used the King holiday to press senators to do just that. Biden has been unable to persuade Sinema and Manchin to join other Democrats to change the rules to lower the 60-vote threshold. The political group Emily’s List said it won’t endorse Sinema if she cannot support a path forward for the voting bill. The voting bill was the Democrats' top priority this Congress, and the House swiftly approved H.R.

Hassan Haskins ran for two second-half touchdowns and broke a school record as No. 2 Michigan captured its first Big Ten title in 17 years and a probable playoff berth with a 42-3 rout over No. 15 Iowa.

A California official says the state’s landmark law mandating women be placed on corporate boards is toothless and there are no plans to fine companies for not complying.

A proposed oil pipeline in California that could allow ExxonMobil to resume production at three offshore platforms is expected to enter a critical phase of its government review next year.

Spencer Petras will be the starting quarterback when No. 15 Iowa plays second-ranked Michigan in the Big Ten championship game on Saturday night.

Spencer Petras plunged 2 yards for a touchdown with 2:58 left to give 17th-ranked Iowa its first lead, and the Hawkeyes came back from a 15-point deficit in the third quarter to beat Nebraska 28-21.

Iowa quarterback Alex Padilla is described by coach Kirk Ferentz as “even-keeled.” Padilla threw for two touchdowns and ran for another, and No. 19 Iowa withstood three fourth-quarter comeback attempts to beat Minnesota 27-22 and keep the bronze pig trophy for the seventh year in a row.

IOWA CITY, Iowa — (AP) — Alex Padilla got his first opportunity to play meaningful snaps for Iowa and did enough to impress coach Kirk Ferentz. Now he's days away from what probably will be his first start in place of the injured Spencer Petras. “Based on what I’ve seen the last two days, he’s handling it,” Ferentz said Tuesday. Padilla led the Hawkeyes to back-to-back touchdowns, then managed the game the rest of the way. Padilla said he knew his time to play was coming from listening to the discussion among offensive coaches over the headset.

Alex Padilla got his first opportunity to play meaningful snaps for Iowa and did enough to impress coach Kirk Ferentz.

Alex Padilla could feel the jitters when he got the call to go into the game. Padilla took over for the banged-up Spencer Petras and led three scoring drives, Tyler Goodson ran for 141 yards and a touchdown and No. 19 Iowa beat Northwestern 17-12 on Saturday night to stop a two-game losing streak. “Definitely some nerves,” Padilla said.

Tens of billions of dollars for U.S. environmental justice initiatives originally proposed by Democratic leaders in a $3.5 trillion domestic spending package now hang in the balance as they decide how to trim the bill to $2 trillion.

A major Hollywood strike could be on the horizon for some 60,000 behind-the-scenes workers in the entertainment industry.

Rep. Adam B. Schiff and Sens. Charles E. Schumer and Bernie Sanders wade into Hollywood's biggest labor fight, telling AMPTP to negotiate with IATSE crews.

The recall election against California Gov. Gavin Newsom stems from two key events on a single day last November.

Democrats are renewing their push to enact their marquee elections bill.

Top congressional Democrats huddled with President Joe Biden, looking to salvage their push to enact voting rights legislation.

Photos GettyOne day in late June, President Joe Biden and a group of 10 senators from both parties emerged from the Oval Office and declared they’d reached an agreement on a bipartisan, multi-billion dollar infrastructure deal—the foundation of a signature win for a president obsessed with bipartisanship.Despite that group of senators working furiously to finalize a deal, four weeks later, no deal has materialized. There’s no bill, or even concrete details, for colleagues to consider. And those

Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders have forged an unlikely yet understandable partnership.

Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders have forged an unlikely yet understandable partnership.

GettyAttorney General Merrick Garland has been busy lately—and we don’t mean manning the grill at summer barbecues. On Wednesday, he announced the Biden Department of Justice is getting to the bottom of the leak investigations within the Trump administration that led to multiple subpoenas of lawmakers’ and journalists’ personal information, or as Molly Jong-Fast said on this episode of The New Abnormal, “Watergate on crack.”She and producer Jesse Cannon had FBI agent Peter Strzok on to explain w

The loans, which started going out this week, range from $5,000 to $100,000, depending on business need.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom is winning support from top Democrats including Vice President Kamala Harris as he prepares to face a recall election later this year.

Democratic lawmakers have unveiled legislation that would invest $25 billion to convert the nation’s fleet of gasoline- and diesel-powered school buses to electric vehicles.

President Joe Biden wants Congress to know he’s sincere about cutting a deal on infrastructure.

President Joe Biden has begun publicly courting Republicans to back his sweeping infrastructure plan, but his reach across the aisle is intended just as much to keep Democrats in line as it is a first step in an uphill climb to any bipartisan deal.

President Joe Biden wants Congress to know he’s sincere about cutting a deal on infrastructure.

Gavin Newsom says he'll appoint a Black woman to the U.S. Senate if Feinstein retires before her term ends in 2024. Gavin Newsom said Tuesday he expects and hopes Sen. Dianne Feinstein will serve her full term after suggesting the day before he's been thinking about her replacement. Newsom followed up Tuesday with extended and effusive praise for Feinstein, calling her a friend and mentor and praising her work in Washington. Feinstein and Newsom hail from San Francisco, a political power center where each served as mayor, though decades apart. Warschaw said she did not speak to Newsom but expects he heard from upset Feinstein supporters.

Gavin Newsom says he'll appoint a Black woman to the U.S. Senate if Feinstein retires before her term ends in 2024. Gavin Newsom said Monday he'd appoint a Black woman to replace U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein if she retires before her term is up in 2024. “We have multiple names in mind and the answer is yes," he said during a interview on MSNBC's “The ReidOut" when asked if he would name a Black woman to the seat if given the chance. Newsom recently held that power after then-California Sen. Kamala Harris was elected vice president. He faced competing pressure to name a Latino and a Black woman and eventually chose Alex Padilla, making him California's first Latino U.S. senator.

Former U.S. Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund appears before a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs & Senate Rules and Administration joint hearing on Capitol Hill, Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2021, to examine the January 6th attack on the Capitol. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, Pool)WASHINGTON – Security officials testifying at Congress' first hearing on the deadly siege of the Capitol cast blame and pointed fingers on Tuesday but also acknowledged they were woefully unprepared for the violence. The security officials lost their jobs, and Trump was impeached by the House on a charge of inciting the insurrection, the deadliest attack on Congress in 200 years. But then-Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund testified that he only learned about it the day before Tuesday's hearing. But in closing, Klobuchar restated the testimony: “There was clear agreement this was a planned insurrection.”ONE OFFICER'S PERSONAL STORYThe hearing opened with Capitol Police Capt.

Scott Applewhite, File)SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The public and private jockeying to be California's next attorney general is intensifying as Gov. It's a powerful nod of support for Schiff, who does not have much of a personal relationship with Newsom. AdThe job of attorney general is among the highest profile in California, second only to governor in terms of public recognition and overall power. Steinberg, the Sacramento mayor and former leader of the state Senate, is making private appeals to Newsom and his inner circle. Steinberg has a long and close relationship with Newsom, which could be an asset as Newsom faces a potential recall.

Democrats plan to move quickly on one of the first bills of the new Congress, which would set federal election standards. Advocates say the bill is the most consequential piece of voting legislation since the Voting Rights Act of 1965. House Democrats vowed two years ago to make the bill a priority, and they reintroduced it this month as H.R. That bill would restore a key provision of the Voting Rights Act that had triggered federal scrutiny of election changes in certain states and counties. In general, state election officials have been wary of federal voting requirements.

In a first vote, the Senate confirmed Biden's nominee for director of national intelligence, Avril Haines. The new Senate majority leader, Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., urged colleagues to turn the spirit of the new president’s call for unity into action. The three Democrats complete a Senate narrowly split 50-50 between the parties, but giving Democrats the majority with Harris able to cast the tie-breaking vote. Speaker Nancy Pelosi is expected to soon transmit to the Senate the House-passed article of impeachment against Trump, charged with incitement of insurrection, a step that will launch the Senate impeachment trial. Progressive and liberal Democrats are eager to do away with the filibuster to more quickly advance Biden’s priorities, but not all rank-and-file Senate Democrats are on board.

In a first vote, the Senate confirmed Biden's nominee for director of national intelligence, Avril Haines late Wednesday, overcoming Republican opposition to approve his first Cabinet member. They are a diverse group bringing several firsts to the Senate, along with Schumer's rise as the first Jewish majority leader of the Senate. They join a Senate narrowly split 50-50 between the parties, but giving Democrats the majority with Harris able to cast the tie-breaking vote. Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., is expected to soon transmit to the Senate the House-passed article of impeachment against Trump, charged with incitement of insurrection, a step that will launch the Senate impeachment trial. Progressive and liberal Democrats are eager to do away with the filibuster to more quickly advance Biden’s priorities, but not all rank-and-file Senate Democrats are on board.

With Ossoff, Padilla and Warnock seated, Democrats hold the narrowest possible majority in the Senate. New Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said in remarks on the Senate floor on Wednesday that lawmakers would get to work on implementing the "lengthy agenda" set by President Biden, such as addressing the coronavirus pandemic. Schumer said that the Senate would work differently under a Democratic majority, implicitly drawing a contrast with Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who as majority leader blocked several bills passed in the House from moving forward in the Senate. However, in his first speech as minority leader, McConnell indicated that he did not believe Democrats had a mandate, given their narrow majority in the Senate. Democrats will have such a narrow majority in the Senate that it could be difficult for Congress to pass some of Mr. Biden's legislative priorities.

Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff of Georgia and Alex Padilla of California took office, bringing the Senate party split to 50-50. Democrats took control of the Senate on Wednesday when three new members of the party were sworn in, giving a boost to President Joe Biden 's ambitions in the White House. Though Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Democrats will decide what the Senate pursues, they face a challenge in finding Republican support to pass most legislation. This will be an exceptionally busy and consequential period for the United States Senate," Schumer said in his first speech as majority leader. Some Democrats have called to get rid of the tool to allow bills to pass with a simple majority vote.

In this Jan. 6, 2021, photo, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., walks from the Senate floor to his office on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)WASHINGTON – Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell on Tuesday explicitly blamed President Donald Trump for the deadly riot at the Capitol, saying the mob was “fed lies” and the president and others “provoked” those intent on overturning Democrat Joe Biden’s election. Ahead of Trump's historic second impeachment trial, McConnell's remarks were his most severe and public rebuke of the outgoing president. The GOP leader is setting a tone as Republicans weigh whether to convict Trump on the impeachment charge that will soon be sent over from the House: “incitement of insurrection.”“The mob was fed lies," McConnell said. Some Republicans want to halt the impeachment trial.

Choice of Alex Padilla for Kamala Harris' Senate seat shakes up California politics As Vice President-elect Kamala Harris resigns from the Senate, California Governor Gavin Newsom has named the state's attorney general, Alex Padilla, to fill the seat. Sophia Bollag, a politics reporter covering the Newsom administration at the Sacramento Bee, joins CBSN to discuss the impact as well as GOP efforts to recall the governor.

Iconic artists Lin-Manuel Miranda, Jon Bon Jovi and Bruce Springsteen are among the stars who will highlight a primetime virtual celebration televised Wednesday night following President-elect Joe Bidens inauguration. Biden’s inaugural committee announced the lineup Sunday for “Celebrating America,” a multinetwork broadcast that the committee bills as a mix of stars and everyday citizens. Musicians John Legend, Demi Lovato and Justin Timberlake, among others, will join Springsteen and Bon Jovi. The safeguards will remain in place leading up to President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration on Wednesday. Fencing, boarded-up windows and lines of police and National Guard troops have transformed statehouse grounds ahead of expected demonstrations leading up to President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration on Wednesday.

Washington — California Governor Gavin Newsom will name Secretary of State Alex Padilla to replace Vice President-elect Kamala Harris in the Senate, Newsom announced on Tuesday. Padilla will be the first Latino senator to represent California, the nation's most populous state, which also has the largest Latino population in the country. I can think of no one better to represent the state of California as our next United States Senator," Newsom wrote on Twitter, tagging Padilla. I can think of no one better to represent the state of California as our next United States Senator. Alex and I have long served the people of California together, and I know he will continue fighting for our state as California's first Latino senator," Harris said.

Alex Padilla to replace Kamala Harris in Senate, becoming California's first Latino senator Governor Gavin Newsom tapped California Secretary of State Alex Padilla to fill the U.S. Senate seat that's soon to be vacated by Vice President-elect Kamala Harris. Padilla will become the first Latino to represent California in the Senate. Sacramento Bee political reporter Sophia Bollag joins CBSN's "Red & Blue" with more on the pressure Newsom faced in making his decision.

Washington — California Governor Gavin Newsom will name Secretary of State Alex Padilla to replace Vice President-elect Kamala Harris in the Senate, Newsom announced on Tuesday. Padilla will be the first Latino senator to represent California, the nation's most populous state, which also has the largest Latino population in the country. I can think of no one better to represent the state of California as our next United States Senator," Newsom wrote on Twitter, tagging Padilla. I can think of no one better to represent the state of California as our next United States Senator. Alex and I have long served the people of California together, and I know he will continue fighting for our state as California's first Latino senator," Harris said.

Alex Padilla to replace Kamala Harris in Senate, making history as California's first Latino senator California Governor Gavin Newsom will name Secretary of State Alex Padilla to replace Vice President-elect Kamala Harris in the U.S. Senate. Padilla will be the first Latino senator to represent California, the nation's most populous state, which also has the largest Latino population in the country. CBS Los Angeles has more.

In this Nov. 2, 2018, file photo, California Secretary of State Alex Padilla speaks in San Francisco. Gavin Newsom appointed Secretary of State Alex Padilla on Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2020, as the state's next U.S. senator to fill the seat being vacated by Vice President-elect Kamala Harris. California Secretary of State Alex Padilla will replace Vice President-elect Kamala Harris in the U.S. Senate, Gov. Previously, he was in the California state Senate and on the Los Angeles City Council. Padilla will finish Harris' term through 2022, when he will be up for reelection if he chooses to run.

She is one of Californias two elected members of the Republican National Committee, and shes a co-chair of Women for Trump that is part of the presidents reelection campaign. She chaired the city's Republican Party before winning election as vice chair of the state GOP in 2013. The governor's policies and the policies of counties are falling more heavily on Democrats than Republicans because there are more Democrats than Republicans in the state, Dhillon said. Dhillon represented the California Republican Party in a successful challenge last year to a law aimed at requiring Trump to release his tax returns to be on the California ballot. In fact its reinforcing the bad image of the Republican Party," he said of Dhillon's recent lawsuits.

California Governor Gavin Newsom on Friday signed an executive order to ensure every registered voter in the state is automatically mailed a ballot for the November presidential election. The executive order does not replace in-person voting, Newsom said during a press conference. Newsom said if those plans are not in by May 30, a second executive order might be needed to resolve issues. Another 28 states and Washington D.C. offer "no-excuse" absentee or mail voting, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. This executive order, Padilla said, will make it so that voters automatically get a ballot without have to put in an official request.

President Trump and his campaign have filed a lawsuit against top California officials over a law that would require him to release his tax returns or not be listed on the state's presidential primary ballot in 2020. Gavin Newsom last month, requires all candidates for president to disclose the previous five years of tax returns in order to appear on the primary ballot. Mr. Trump, who said he'd release his tax returns on the campaign trail, has declined to do so since taking office, claiming his returns are still under audit. Jay Sekulow, the president's private counsel, said the president's legal team believes that the American people have already weighed in on the matter of the president's tax returns, and the California law will fail in court. "The effort to deny California voters the opportunity to cast a ballot for President Trump in 2020 will clearly fail.