In special session, California lawmakers try to balance taking on Trump with problems like cost of living

Legislative leaders at the special session in Sacramento tried to balance their concerns about a second Trump term with issues such as the rising cost of living. “Because here in the Golden State, we fight to lift up every person, no matter your background, no matter your skin color, who you are, who you love and how you identify.” As lawmakers introduced bills that tighten up abortion rights and further affirm California as the Trump antithesis, California leaders were more tempered in their messaging and put their focus on bipartisan pocketbook issues. “Our constituents don’t feel that the state of California is working for them,” Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas said Monday, pointing to last month’s election, in which voters rejected progressive backed measures and revoked prison reform laws. We need to fight,” then-Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon said in December 2016, calling Trump’s appointments then “white nationalists and antisemites” who “have no business working in the White House.” Republicans tried to block the approval of the special session that kicked off Monday, painting it as an out-of-touch strategy and urging Democrats to avoid panic and resist egging on the federal government. In a statement on Monday, the governor said the special session is about “setting this state up for success” regardless of who is in the White House.