Gov. Gavin Newsom tapped Democratic East Bay Assemblyman Rob Bonta Wednesday to be California’s next attorney general, a position vacated by Xavier Becerra, who was recently confirmed as secretary of Health and Human Services for the Biden administration.
Bonta, a 48-year-old Filipino American, will take the job amid escalating violence against Asian Americans, an issue that has gained growing national prominence.
Newsom made the announcement at the International Hotel in San Francisco’s Chinatown.
Newsom praised Bonta as having the history and experience to lead the powerful office in this moment.
“Rob represents what makes California great â our desire to take on righteous fights and reverse systematic injustices,” he said in a written statement. “Growing up with parents steeped in social justice movements, Rob has become a national leader in the fight to repair our justice system and defend the rights of every Californian. And most importantly, at this moment when so many communities are under attack for who they are and who they love, Rob has fought to strengthen hate crime laws and protect our communities from the forces of hate.”
Bonta has represented the 18th Assembly District â which includes areas of Oakland, Alameda and San Leandro â since 2012.
If confirmed by the state Legislature, as is widely expected, Bonta will serve out the remainder of Becerra’s four-year term, which ends in 2022. As such, he would presumably run next year for a full term.
Bonta has authored several criminal justice reform bills, including ones that ban the use of private prisons, mandate independent reviews by the state Department of Justice of officer-involved shootings and eliminate cash bail. All three of those were signed into law, but SB 10 â the bail measure â never took effect and was overturned by voters last year.
Bonta has also earned broad support from leaders in California’s criminal justice community, including Black Lives Matter co-founder Alicia Garza and Lenore Anderson, president of Alliance for Safety and Justice.
“Rob has been a champion in the Legislature for safety and justice reform, and he has been a steadfast and forward-thinking partner for the reform movement,” Anderson said in a statement before Bonta was named.
Civil rights advocate Tim Silard, president of the Rosenberg Foundation, called Bonta a leader in the fight to reform California’s criminal justice system.
“I’ve worked closely with him and have seen up close his resolve and determination to create a more just world,” Silard said.
Bonta was born in Quezon City, Philippines in 1972 and came to California with his parents when he was just two months old, after Filipino President Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law. In California, his mother worked for the United Farm Workers union, helping to organize Filipino farmworkers.
Bonta graduated Yale Law School in 1998, and served as San Francisco deputy city attorney from 2003 until 2012, until he was elected to the Assembly.
In a statement announcing the appointment, Bonta said he became a lawyer because he saw it “as the best way to make a positive difference for the most people.” He pledged to “work tirelessly every day to ensure that every Californian who has been wronged can find justice and that every person is treated fairly under the law.”
Even though he has won his recent elections overwhelmingly, Bonta is known as a prolific fundraiser, finishing 2020 with $2.4 million in the bank, money that can now be used for his 2022 campaign for attorney general.
California’s attorney general is sometimes referred to as “the state’s top cop,” managing the Department of Justice, with broad jurisdiction and power.
The office includes 4,500 attorneys, investigators and other employees who oversee a vast portfolio of legal issues, including public safety, hate crimes, consumer protection, environmental justice, elections, civil rights and narcotics enforcement. The office also handles civil rights issues related to police practices, including the review of allegations of misconduct by local law enforcement agencies and their officers.
Additionally, the DOJ represents “the people of California” in all civil and criminal matters before trial and appellate courts as well as the state Supreme Court. It also provides legal counsel to state government boards, commissions and agencies.
With a possible recall of Newsom on the electoral horizon, it’s notable that the attorney general’s office also writes ballot titles and summaries for statewide ballot measures and can offer legal opinions on election-related issues. While the office is supposed to be nonpartisan, its actions often reflect the political party of its chief.
But as the state’s top law enforcement official, the attorney general generally maintains good working relationships with county district attorneys, sheriffs and police departments. This can lead to friction, criticism or disappointment from criminal justice advocates when the the AG does not go as far as they would like in pushing for reform on hot-button such as police misconduct.
Becerra was roundly criticized by media organizations, including KQED, for withholding thousands of records on police misconduct and shootings made public by a landmark transparency law, SB 1421. Beccera claimed the law was not retroactive, a position rejected by the courts.
The former attorney general also earned the wrath of Republicans for the more than 100 lawsuits his office filed against the Trump administration.
The attorney general post is considered an important springboard to higher office, In fact, there’s an old joke that “AG” stands for “aspiring governor.” In California, the last three AG’s â Jerry Brown, Kamala Harris and Xavier Becerra â went on to become governor, U.S. vice president and secretary for Health and Human Services, respectively.
Other Democrats that Newsom reportedly considered for the job include Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg, U.S. Congressman Adam Schiff and Rick Chavez Zbur, executive director of Equality California, an LGBT rights organization.
The last Republican attorney general elected in California was Dan Lungren, who served two terms from 1991-99.
The position pays about $182,000 a year.
Copyright 2021 KQED