California politicians react to the ‘brutal and grotesque’ Hamas invasion of Israel

Good morning and welcome to the A.M. Alert!

CALIFORNIA POLS RESPOND TO HAMAS’ ATTACK ON ISRAEL

Californians joined others around the world this past weekend in watching the shocking and horrifying events unfold in Israel, where the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched an all-out, coordinated attack that has led to a death toll currently in the hundreds. It is the worst violence to occur in the region in five decades.

The California Legislative Jewish Caucus released a statement Saturday that members were “heartbroken and horrified by the devastating terrorist attacks against Israel.”

The caucus said that members have visited Israeli communities ravaged by indiscriminate killings and kidnapping and have friends and family in the country huddling in bomb shelters.

“Nothing can justify this brutal and grotesque violence,” the caucus said in the statement, adding that “Israel has the right and responsibility to defend its civilians.”

Meanwhile, Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Burbank, joined other Jewish members of the House of Representatives in extending condolences to the families of those killed by Hamas.

“We are united in standing with and supporting our ally Israel as it responds to terrorist attacks from Gaza. Hamas has declared war on Israel and her people. Our alliance with Israel is unbreakable; our commitment to Israel’s security is ironclad,” they said in a statement.

The issue brought a rare bipartisan consensus, as California Republicans joined in condemnation of Hamas’ actions.

“Not since the Holocaust has this large a number of Jews been killed in a single day. There is no justification for this appalling violence. Our hearts go out to those under fire, harmed, kidnapped, and murdered by terrorists. We are praying for peace and security,” the Senate Republican Caucus said in a statement sent to The Bee.

“Israel has every right to defend itself and must secure the region by all means necessary. Hamas must be defeated and pay for their war crimes,” the statement said.

POET LAUREATE LAUNCHES ‘OUR CALIFORNIA’ CAMPAIGN

Sacramento, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways...

OK, so maybe we should stick to our day job. But if you’re feeling inspired by your community, now’s your chance to get in touch with your artistic side. California Poet Laureate Lee Herrick has launched a new statewide project, in partnership with the California Arts Council, seeking peoples’ poems about their city or state, “exploring what they love about it, what joy they find in it, what they would change about it, or what they hope for.”

The project, titled “Our California,” is inspired by one of Herrick’s poems,“My California.” All Californians are invited to participate, regardless of their age, origin, gender or background.

According to the website, the goals of the project are threefold:

• To encourage Californians to write poetry, to think about their communities, and to realize that their voice is important.

• To inspire Californians to write poetry that uplifts all people through awareness of social justice or civic engagement.

• To elevate poetry writing as a way to explore one’s creativity and relationship to place.

“I hope you will consider joining the chorus of Californians writing about our state. Our California is open to all Californians: all ages, all poetry experience levels, documented or not, free or not. We want to hear your unique voice,” Herrick said in a letter promoting the project.

The poem can be in any form, up to 50 lines, and can be submitted here.

AD CAMPAIGN TARGETS VULNERABLE CALIFORNIA REPUBLICANS

California Reps. John Duarte, Mike Garcia, Young Kim, Michelle Steel and David Valadao are among the 18 Republican congressmembers targeted by a seven-figure, months-long digital ad campaign against members whose districts President Joe Biden won in 2020.

The ad, from the Congressional Integrity Project, lambastes the GOP lawmakers for focusing on the impeachment effort against Biden instead of their constituents’

““Even after the disastrous first impeachment inquiry hearing, nine months of investigation resulting in absolutely no evidence of wrongdoing whatsoever, and multiple nationwide polls demonstrating impeachment is not a priority of most Americans, the MAGA House will not give up on this charade,” said Executive Director Kyle Herrig in a statement.

The ad cites constitutional scholars who were called as Republican witnesses in the Biden impeachment effort, including Jonathan Turley and Bruce Dubinksy.

You can watch the ads here.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“The worst person in California right now is whoever it is whispering in Gavin Newsom’s ear that he has a legitimate chance to be President.”

- Tulane University Professor Stan Oklobdzija, in response to Newsom’s veto of a bill that would have made free condoms available to all public high school students, via Bluesky.

Best of The Bee:

• California will create a new statewide alert system said to be the first in the nation specific to help find missing Black children and young Black women, via Darrell Smith.

• Starting next year, California businesses will be prohibited from using hidden fees to attract customers with seemingly low prices, via Brianna Taylor.

• For some, it might look like an adolescent’s drawing of a car brought to life or an alien spaceship disguised as a car. But to others, it’s a stainless steel gem gracing their hometown streets. One of Tesla’s latest models, the Cybertruck, has been spotted throughout California, including on Sacramento-area streets, via Hanh Truong.

• The city of Sacramento has temporarily shut down a large cannabis manufacturing facility, swiftly prompting an explosive council meeting and a lawsuit, via Theresa Clift and Randy Diamond.

• Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed legislation late Sunday night that would have made undocumented seniors eligible for California’s cash assistance program, via Mathew Miranda.

• Before March 2020 remote work in California government was a rare luxury reserved for a small segment of the workforce, via Maya Miller and Phillip Reese.

• Oil companies will have a harder time passing off old California oil and gas wells to smaller firms that can’t afford to clean them up, under a measure Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law Saturday, via Ari Plachta.