State Readies Fight Over Rights, Resources

United States: California’s Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom said on Monday that he is likely to ask for up to $25M more in legal battles with the incoming administration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump.

Newsom Proposes Litigation Fund

The statement was made on the very first day of the extraordinary session of the Californian legislature intended to get the liberal state ready for the second term of the conservative Trump. Then, in the districts where there are court fights in areas such as reproductive rights, environmental protection, and immigration, the California Department of Justice and state agencies will receive the additional funds only if the legislature approves, as reported by Reuters.

The governor added in the proposal, “The new litigation fund will help safeguard critical funding for health care, disaster relief, and other vital services that millions of Californians depend on on a daily basis.” He said that the state intends to maintain human rights and reproductive health care and “defend against unlawful federal actions that could jeopardize not only tangible resources and the state’s economy.”

The fights could also compel the Federal Government to incur much-needed funding, Newsom said in a statement, based on some past legal tussles with the Federal Government during the first tenure of the Trump administration.

AG Bonta Ready for Swift Action

California Attorney General Rob Bonta, also a Democrat, added in a press conference that his agency would be staffed so that it could immediately respond to any actions by the Trump administration with petitions for temporary restraining orders and preliminary injunctions.

California paid $42 million for funding litigation in Trump’s first term between 2017-2022. That state has been more belligerent against the Trump Administration as it filed over 120 lawsuits.

Legislative Action on Reproductive Rights

The state assembly also has put forward bills aimed at preserving the right to access abortion medication and enforcing the Reproductive Privacy Act, Bonta stated, as reported by Reuters.

Newsom’s office says special budget legislation should be passed and ready before Trump’s inauguration to office on January 20th.