Newsom takes on fentanyl in S.F + Larry Elder is back + California to host GOP debate

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

GOV. NEWSOM ANNOUNCES PLAN TO TACKLE FENTANYL TRAFFICKING IN SAN FRANCISCO

Gov. Newsom’s office announced Friday that he will partner with the City of San Francisco, California Highway Patrol, the California National Guard, the San Francisco Police Department, and the San Francisco District Attorney’s office in an effort to combat the city’s fentanyl crisis.

“We’re taking action,” Newsom said. “Through this new collaborative partnership, we are providing more law enforcement resources and personnel to crack down on crime linked to the fentanyl crisis, holding the poison peddlers accountable, and increasing law enforcement presence to improve public safety and public confidence in San Francisco.”

Newsom’s office emphasized that the partnership is not about criminalizing drug users and those suffering from addiction; the targets are suppliers and traffickers.

San Francisco Mayor London Breed thanked Newsom for the “critical support.”

“Our Police Department and District Attorney have been partnering to tackle this issue and increase enforcement, but our local agencies can use more support,” she said.

“

Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), whose controversial safe-consumption site was vetoed by Newsom last fall, said he “welcomes any effort” to make the city safer.

“While disrupting open-air drug markets is essential to restore quality of life and safety for residents of the Tenderloin,” he said in a statement Friday. “The tragedy of addiction and overdose deaths is a public health crisis and requires a multipronged set of solutions unrelated to the criminal justice system.

NEWSOM’S RECALL OPPONENT, LARRY ELDER, RUNS FOR PREZ

Former GOP gubernatorial candidate and conservative talk radio host Larry Elder announced on Tucker Carlson Tonight last Thursday that he’s running for president.

“I feel I have a moral, religious and a patriotic duty to give back to a country that’s been so good to my family and me,” he said.

Elder ran for Governor in the 2021 effort to recall Gov. Newsom, receiving the most votes among fellow Republicans, including then-Assemblyman Kevin Kiley and former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer.

GOP DEBATE COMING TO CALIFORNIA

The second Republican presidential debate will take place at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, date tbd, RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel announced on Thursday.

“I firmly believe that our next president will be on that stage,” she said.

President Joe Biden is expected to announce his bid for reelection next week, but Republicans have been busy campaigning already, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis who has yet to formally announce, but who is already trailing former President Donald Trump in early polls. DeSantis visited the Reagan Library last month to promote his book, “The Courage to be Free: Florida’s Blueprint for America’s Revival.”

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“I want to introduce a bill mandating the Governor of California give at least 50% of his/her attention to California.”

- Assemblyman Joe Patterson, R-Rocklin, via Twitter.

Best of The Bee:

• Motorists purchased 1.5 million zero-emission vehicles since 2011, according to state data released Friday. The sales milestone comes two years ahead of the goal set by former Gov. Jerry Brown, via Ari Plachta.

• A boutique hotel and a combination viewing deck and pedestrian bridge overlooking the Sacramento River are part of separate state and city plans to help boost visitors to Old Sacramento, via Randy Diamond.

• The Sacramento Kings are perhaps the most exciting team in the NBA right now, and I, along with thousands of Kings fans long denied this moment, have been watching avidly and discussing their playoff series against the Golden State Warriors. Unfortunately, on NBA basketball, I generally don’t know what I’m talking about, via Jack Ohman.

• Gov. Gavin Newsom will be allowed to establish a system of mental health courts after a lawsuit brought by disability rights advocates failed to block it from moving forward, via Lindsey Holden.