Black History

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Cynical Bypass of Barbara Lee to Fill Dianne Feinstein’s Senate Seat

A friend of mine who writes for the New York Times recently called me “cynical, but insightful.” I took it as a compliment, though I’d rather be known as trusting, loving, caring, and giving, of course. But cynicism is probably the best lens in which to view the announcement of the new U.S. Senator representing California. And maybe even all of national politics these days.

Published

2 years ago

October 12, 2023

Oakland Post

Senator Laphonza Butler

By Emil Guillermo

But cynicism is probably the best lens in which to view the announcement of the new U.S. Senator representing California. And maybe even all of national politics these days.

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s appointment of Laphonza Butler to replace the great California Sen. Dianne Feinstein who passed away last week, was the best choice for him.

Just not for Californians and certainly not for the nation.

No knock against Butler, the president of Emily’s List, and an experienced political operative. But Newsom used her to bail him out of a bind of his own making.

After he filled the vacated Senate seat of Kamala Harris in 2021 with a Latinx male, Alex Padilla, he vowed his next appointee would be a Black female.

All good. But earlier this year, when Feinstein announced she would not run again, no less than three Democrats jumped in the ring.

Rep. Adam Schiff, of impeachment fame, was the implied favorite of Feinstein. Then there was Rep. Katie Porter, a darling of the left. The only Black female to announce her candidacy was the revered former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, Rep. Barbara Lee, also known for being the only member of Congress to refuse to authorize military action in Afghanistan in 2001. She’s a progressive to be reckoned with.

And, of course, of the three announced candidates, Lee was the only one who could fulfill Newsom’s promise. She’s a formidable Black legislator who knows how Congress works from the inside out. Lee would have been a senator who would hit the ground running.

Oakland’s Barbara Lee was the best choice for California and the nation.

She just wasn’t, as I said, the best choice for Gavin Newsom.

The best choice for Gavin Newsom was…. Laphonza Butler.

Butler is like an H.R. choice that avoids any possible pushback. Who’s going to argue about an African American lesbian who is also a former union leader for nurses and caretakers?

Butler is a political godsend for Newsom.

Instead of being forced to choose between the three announced Democratic candidates for the Feinstein seat, Newsom simply had to find the best Black woman to fulfill his promise.

He didn’t even need the best person for the job.

Butler hasn’t been an elected official. She hasn’t passed legislation. She is political, yes. She’s also served as a member of the University of California Board of Regents, despite having no experience in higher education. But she learned on the job, and that’s what she’ll do in the Senate.

Reports say Butler’s appointment was not a “caretaker” position. She’s not just filling out Feinstein’s time and then stepping back down. Butler will be senator and can run again in 2024– as an incumbent.

And that was Newsom’s formidable gift to Butler. She would be a sitting senator, appointed by the governor.

Picking Butler also garners loyalty and fealty to Newsom for as long as necessary. It is Newsom’s enduring benefit to have birthed a lifelong ally personally placed in the Senate.

Genius move by Newsom? Certainly, the Butler pick served Newsom much more than the people of California.

Instead of making a choice that would show leadership as well as integrity by choosing Barbara Lee, Newsom did what was best for him.

It’s disappointing. I’ve known Newsom since his days as a San Francisco supervisor. As he terms out as governor, his star is rising the last few months as a Biden surrogate. But Newsom always seems to try too hard to get it right. Like his hair. Like choosing Butler.

A little too calculated, political, … and cynical.

Of course, Newsom’s filling of the Feinstein vacancy isn’t even the most newsworthy one this week.

In an historic vote, the Republican Party, led by just eight MAGA extremists ousted its own House Speaker Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield.

Now the Republicans are leaderless in the House, while the head of the party, the former president Donald Trump, is on trial in New York for fraud. The Republicans are in chaos.

And the Democrats? At least, they look orderly with Newsom’s cynical pick of Laphonza Butler.

FEINSTEIN’S PASSING

Regular readers know I have been a vocal proponent against what I perceived as an ageist reaction to Feinstein remaining her Senate seat. I simply thought she earned the right to leave politics on her own terms.

I was aware of all the stories about her mental fitness the last few years. But to the very end, she managed to fulfill her duties and serve the people of California well. Remember, the Senate is all about seniority. That is the open secret about the Senate. And now, with her passing, how many people can even name the state’s two senators without resorting to Google?

Because of seniority, Feinstein had more power in her pinky finger. And now all of that that is lost.

As a reporter covering Feinstein over the years, I will never forget the times she stepped out of our journalist/politician roles to simply acknowledge me as a person and human being. It was a kindness you don’t expect. But she knew I wasn’t just some badgering guy with a microphone.

And then there was the time we shared a stage at San Francisco’s Lowell High School commencement in the 1980s. I spoke before her as the graduate who became the local TV journalist who made good.

My speech was memorable and funny as I used a toilet plunger as a prop. At least, I thought it was funny. If I lost a segment of the audience, Feinstein knew how to win them all back.

She was like a cheerleader for democracy, full of life, and in minutes had the whole auditorium at her beck and call. To see a moment of Feinstein’s charismatic power, years before her ascent to the Senate was an honor to witness.

Emil Guillermo is a journalist and commentator. See his micro-talk show on YouTube@emilamok1, Facebook, and X, formerly twitter@emilamok

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Oakland Post: Week of December 31, 2025 – January 6, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – December 31, 2025 – January 6, 2026

Published

5 days ago

January 2, 2026

Oakland Post

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Big God Ministry Gives Away Toys in Marin City

Pastor Hall also gave a message of encouragement to the crowd, thanking Jesus for the “best year of their lives.” He asked each of the children what they wanted to be when they grow up.

Published

1 week ago

December 29, 2025

Oakland Post

From top left: Pastor David Hall asking the children what they want to be when they grow up. Worship team Jake Monaghan, Ruby Friedman, and Keri Carpenter. Children lining up to receive their presents. Photos by Godfrey Lee.

By Godfrey Lee

Big God Ministries, pastored by David Hall, gave toys to the children in Marin City on Monday, Dec. 15, on the lawn near the corner of Drake Avenue and Donahue Street.

Pastor Hall also gave a message of encouragement to the crowd, thanking Jesus for the “best year of their lives.” He asked each of the children what they wanted to be when they grew up.

Around 75 parents and children were there to receive the presents, which consisted mainly of Gideon Bibles, Cat in the Hat pillows, Barbie dolls, Tonka trucks, and Lego building sets.

A half dozen volunteers from the Big God Ministry, including Donnie Roary, helped to set up the tables for the toy giveaway. The worship music was sung by Ruby Friedman, Keri Carpenter, and Jake Monaghan, who also played the accordion.

Big God Ministries meets on Sundays at 10 a.m. at the Mill Valley Community Center, 180 Camino Alto, Mill Valley, CA Their phone number is (415) 797-2567.

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First 5 Alameda County Distributes Over $8 Million in First Wave of Critical Relief Funds for Historically Underpaid Caregivers

“Family, Friend, and Neighbor caregivers are lifelines for so many children and families in Alameda County,” said Kristin Spanos, CEO, First 5 Alameda County. “Yet, they often go unrecognized and undercompensated for their labor and ability to give individualized, culturally connected care. At First 5, we support the conditions that allow families to thrive, and getting this money into the hands of these caregivers and families at a time of heightened financial stress for parents is part of that commitment.”

Published

1 week ago

December 29, 2025

Oakland Post

Costco. Courtesy image.

Family, Friend, and Neighbor Caregivers Can Now Opt Into $4,000 Grants to Help Bolster Economic Stability and Strengthen Early Learning Experiences

By Post Staff

Today, First 5 Alameda County announced the distribution of $4,000 relief grants to more than 2,000 Family, Friend, and Neighbor (FFN) caregivers, totaling over $8 million in the first round of funding. Over the full course of the funding initiative, First 5 Alameda County anticipates supporting over 3,000 FFN caregivers, who collectively care for an estimated 5,200 children across Alameda County. These grants are only a portion of the estimated $190 million being invested into expanding our early childcare system through direct caregiver relief to upcoming facilities, shelter, and long-term sustainability investments for providers fromMeasure C in its first year. This investment builds on the early rollout of Measure C and reflects a comprehensive, system-wide strategy to strengthen Alameda County’s early childhood ecosystem so families can rely on sustainable, accessible care,

These important caregivers provide child care in Alameda County to their relatives, friends, and neighbors. While public benefits continue to decrease for families, and inflation and the cost of living continue to rise, these grants provide direct economic support for FFN caregivers, whose wages have historically been very low or nonexistent, and very few of whom receive benefits. As families continue to face growing financial pressures, especially during the winter and holiday season, these grants will help these caregivers with living expenses such as rent, utilities, supplies, and food.

The funding for these relief grants comes from Measure C, a local voter-approved sales tax in Alameda County that invests in young children, their families, communities, providers, and caregivers. Within the first year of First 5’s 5-Year Plan for Measure C, in addition to the relief grants to informal FFN caregivers, other significant investments will benefit licensed child care providers. These investments include over $40 million in Early Care and Education (ECE) Emergency Grants, which have already flowed to nearly 800 center-based and family child care providers. As part of First 5’s 5-Year Plan, preparations are also underway to distribute facilities grants early next year for child care providers who need to make urgent repairs or improvements, and to launch the Emergency Revolving Fund in Spring 2026 to support licensed child care providers in Alameda County who are at risk of closure.

The FFN Relief Grants recognize and support the essential work that an estimated 3,000 FFN caregivers provide to 5,200 children in Alameda County. There is still an opportunity to receive funds for FFN caregivers who have not yet received them.

In partnership with First 5 Alameda County, Child Care Payment Agencies play a critical role in identifying eligible caregivers and leading coordinated outreach efforts to ensure FFN caregivers are informed of and able to access these relief funds.FFN caregivers are eligible for the grant if they receive a child care payment from an Alameda County Child Care Payment Agency, 4Cs of Alameda County, BANANAS, Hively, and Davis Street, and are currently caring for a child 12 years old or younger in Alameda County. Additionally, FFN caregivers who provided care for a child 12 years or younger at any time since April 1, 2025, but are no longer doing so, are also eligible for the funds. Eligible caregivers are being contacted by their Child Care Payment Agency on a rolling basis, beginning with those who provided care between April and July 2025.

“This money is coming to me at a critical time of heightened economic strain,” said Jill Morton, a caregiver in Oakland, California. “Since I am a non-licensed childcare provider, I didn’t think I was eligible for this financial support. I was relieved that this money can help pay my rent, purchase learning materials for the children as well as enhance childcare, buy groceries and take care of grandchildren.”

Eligible FFN caregivers who provided care at any time between April 1, 2025 and July 31, 2025, who haven’t yet opted into the process, are encouraged to check their mail and email for an eligibility letter. Those who have cared for a child after this period should expect to receive communications from their child care payment agency in the coming months. FFN caregivers with questions may also contact the agency they work with to receive child care payments, or the First 5 Alameda help desk, Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. PST, at 510-227-6964. The help desk will be closed 12/25/25 – 1/1/26. Additional grant payments will be made on a rolling basis as opt-ins are received by the four child care payment agencies in Alameda County.

Beginning in the second year of Measure C implementation, FFN caregivers who care for a child from birth to age five and receive an Alameda County subsidized voucher will get an additional $500 per month. This amounts to an annual increase of about $6,000 per child receiving a subsidy. Together with more Measure C funding expected to flow back into the community as part of First 5’s 5-Year Plan, investments will continue to become available in the coming year for addressing the needs of childcare providers in Alameda County.

About First 5 Alameda County

First 5 Alameda County builds the local childhood systems and supports needed to ensure our county’s youngest children are safe, healthy, and ready to succeed in school and life.

Our Mission

In partnership with the community, we support a county-wide continuous prevention and early intervention system that promotes optimal health and development, narrows disparities, and improves the lives of children from birth to age five and their families.

Our Vision

Every child in Alameda County will have optimal health, development, and well-being to reach their greatest potential.

Learn more at www.first5alameda.org.