Today, California Governor Gavin Newsom nominated State Assemblyman Rob Bonta to replace outgoing Attorney General Xavier Becerra. Bonta will be the state’s first Filipino attorney general. Becerra was confirmed last week as the new Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services for the Biden Administration.
Bonta’s nomination comes on the heels of growing calls for Governor Newsom to nominate an Asian American attorney general in the aftermath of rising white supremacist violence against the Asian American community, particularly last week’s shooting in Atlanta.
Please see the statement below from Corporate Accountability U.S. Climate Campaign Director Sriram Madhusoodanan:
“Rob Bonta is taking the helm of one of the most powerful state government positions in the country at a critical time. The state of California, much like the United States itself, is at a crossroads: Will our leaders continue to let us hurdle toward climate disaster or heed the calls to finally take decisive action to justly address the climate crisis? As the new AG of California, State Assemblyman Bonta can play a vital role in determining which path we take by using his power to hold Big Polluters like the fossil fuel industry liable and by supporting climate reparations for impacted communities across the state.
People in California — from Richmond to Imperial Beach — have been demanding their leaders take action to phase out the state’s unnecessary dependence on the fossil fuel industry and hold polluters liable for their abuses. Whether it’s the devastating health impacts of oil and gas extraction and refineries in people’s backyards or the decades of misinformation and denial these industries use to delay climate action, Big Polluters like the fossil fuel industry must be held accountable for their deadly impact on the lives of Californians. We urge State Assemblyman Bonta to use every power available to him as attorney general to finally make Big Polluters pay and ensure a just and equitable transition.”
