An open letter sent to California Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff

By Chuck Brown, Spring Valley

March 13, 2025 (Washington, D.C.) - The House passed legislation to fund the government through Sept. 30 and thereby avert a shutdown at the end of this week.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo, left: Jamul tribal chairwoman Erica Pinto

January 8, 2025 (Jamul) – On December 23, President Joe Biden signed into law the bipartisan Jamul Indian Village Land Transfer Act, which places 172 acres of land in East County, San Diego into tribal trust for the Jamul Indian Village.

“Thank you to Senators Padilla and Butler, and Representatives Issa and Vargas for their leadership,” Biden said upon signing S. 3857 authored by California Senator Alex Padilla into law. The companion measure in the House was authored by Congressman Darrell Issa.

By Miriam Raftery

July 16, 2024 (Jamul)—The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs heard impassioned testimony on July 11 from  Jamul tribal chairwoman Erica Pinto, speaking in favor of S. 3857,the Jamul Indian Land Transfer Act authored by California Senator Alex Padilla. The measure would place in trust four land parcels totaling 172 acres into the Jamul Indian Village reservation, lands that the tribal chairwoman says are needed for tribal members' housing, reuniiting a scattered community, protecting cultural resources, and providing services for tribal members,such as healthcare and education.

The bill is identical to H.R. 6443, Rep. Darrell Issa’s bill which has already passed the House of Representatives.

But the measures have drawn opposition from the Jamul-Dulzura Community Planning Group, which was not consulted about the measures and was not allowed to present testimony at the July 11 hearing. THE JDCPG Chair sent a letter to the Committee on Indian Affairs Chairman and the authors of both bills outlining the planning group's concerns including whether commercial development could occur, as well as objections over the land transfer process bypassing local input.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Pro-choice demonstrators tonight at Waterfront Park in San Diego, by Josan Feathers

June 24, 2022 (Washington D.C.) – Ending a half century of women’s rights to end a pregnancy, the U.S. Supreme Court today issued a ruling overturning the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision. 

That means abortion becomes illegal in 26 states immediately due to trigger laws or older statutes on the books, many banning abortion even to save a mother’s life or prevent a rape or incest victim from being forced to give birth. More states are poised to consider banning or restricting abortion, while Republican leaders have pledged to seek a nationwide abortion ban if they regain control of Congress in November.

Today’s decision has sparked protests nationwide, including thousands protesting outside the Supreme Court and justices’ homes this evening, as well as a large crowd gathered in San Diego outside the County adminstration building at Waterfront Park.

By Miriam Raftery

December 22, 2020 (Sacramento) – Governor Gavin Newsom has appointed Secretary of State Alex Padilla to fill California’s U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris.

Padilla, who previously served as a Los Angeles City Councilman and State Senator, is a national leader in the fight to expand voting rights, will become the first Latino to represent California in the United States Senate and the first Southern Californian in nearly three decades.

“The son of Mexican immigrants —  a cook and house cleaner — Alex Padilla worked his way from humble beginnings to the halls of MIT, the Los Angeles City Council and the State Senate, and has become a national defender of voting rights as California’s Secretary of State.” said Governor Newsom. “Through his tenacity, integrity, smarts and grit, California is gaining a tested fighter in their corner who will be a fierce ally in D.C., lifting up our state’s values and making sure we secure the critical resources to emerge stronger from this pandemic. He will be a Senator for all Californians.”

The action also gave Newsom the ability to fill the Secretary of State seat via appointment. Late today, he announced that Assemblymember Shirley Weber (D-San Diego), whose district includes much of East County, will be the new Secretary of State, the first black woman to hold the post.  Newsom bypassed San Diego Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, who earlier had announced plans to run for the position in 2022.  Newsom will also be making an appointment to replace Attorney General Xavier Becerra, who was named by President-Elect Joe Biden to head up the federal Health and Human Services department, if the cabinet appointment is approved by the Senate.

East County News Service

March 28, 2016 (Sacramento) - The petition signatures of more than 15,000 voters have been delivered to California Secretary of State Alex Padilla in support of resolution ACR 145 asking his office to provide an additional, nonpartisan “public ballot” so that all voters ­ regardless of their political affiliation or non­affiliation ­ can cast a vote for the candidate of their choice in the June presidential primary election.