MJP –
People despise politicians because of Assembly Bill 3206.
An exemption to a state rule that prohibits the serving of alcohol after 2 a.m. was created by the measure, which Governor Gavin Newsom signed over the weekend. The law is decades old.
But hold off on making a bet at your neighborhood watering hole for the time being: A private club inside Inglewood’s Intuit Dome is the only one that this affects; they can now serve cocktails all the way up until 4 in the morning.
The Hawthorne Democrat’s measure is a medallion-worthy carve-out, so Tina McKinnor must be a Thanksgiving turkey master.
In a time when individuals from all walks of life are railing against politicians who are in the pockets of the wealthy and powerful, a bill that solely benefits a venue owned by Steve Ballmer, the billionaire owner of the Clippers, is as blatant an example of favoritism as you can find in Sacramento—and that is saying something.
Opposition to the elites is fueled by Assembly Bill 3206.
Owners of restaurants and bars in California have been fighting for decades to relax the state’s last-call policy, claiming that an extra few hours of business will boost their profits and keep downtowns alive as the sector as a whole struggles. Police have resisted, claiming it is irresponsible to allow people to drink till the wee hours of the morning.
West Hollywood would have been one of several localities to test out bar closings at 4 a.m. under legislation proposed by San Francisco Democrat Scott Wiener. Unfortunately, a bill in 2018 was rejected by Gov. Jerry Brown, and another one was unsuccessful in the Assembly two years prior.
It appears that state legislators and Newsom are more than willing to comply with the requests of tech barons like Ballmer.
“Exemplifying the disproportionate influence of wealthy individuals and corporations on the legislative process” is what Sean McMorris, who specializes in transparency and ethics for the nonpartisan California Common Cause, told my colleague Mackenzie Mays when discussing McKinnor’s measure.
It seems the wealthy have their own unique drinking habits, and Sacramento is only adding to their woes, to quote F. Scott Fitzgerald.
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Gavin Newsom’s unpopularity stems from Assembly Bill 3206.
The governor was photographed dining unclothed at the ultra-luxurious French Laundry in 2020, during the peak of pandemic shutdowns. His friend, the powerful lobbyist Jason Kinney, was celebrating his birthday, and he was there to celebrate with him.
Despite Newsom’s apologies, the resulting outrage led to a recall effort that was eventually unsuccessful. Among those who gave money to Newsom’s campaign to remain governor? Steve Ballmer’s wife, Connie, who gave one million dollars.
Now let’s return to Kinney.. I would avoid homeboy at all costs if a friend were to place me in a position where my career was about to be wrecked. The 4 a.m. Intuit Dome alcohol bill, which Kinney’s business had pushed for, was instead approved by Newsom. During the legislative session, Ballmer’s company paid the firm $530,000, according to state documents.
Despite his lofty claims of defending all Californians, Newsom remains beholden to the gentry and insiders who have fueled his career.
I reached out to Izzy Gardon, a spokesperson for Newsom, and requested an interview with her boss. I asked the governor to tell me whether he has ever signed a bill that was so specifically suited to one company’s demands, and if so, what advice he has for other businesses who want to sell alcohol until 4 a.m.
According to Gardon, I was sent in the direction of a letter that Newsom had previously sent to the state Assembly, in which he had promised to have the California Highway Patrol collaborate with “local law enforcement agencies” to monitor DUIs near Intuit Dome. This collaboration ought to have been ongoing anyhow.
Gardon assured me he would inform me “if we have anything further to add” before concluding his email. They do not, at the moment.
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McKinnor has previously ridden for Ballmer, who personally funded the $2 billion Intuit Dome and has pledged $100 million to Inglewood initiatives, like as youth programming and affordable housing. In a move reminiscent of other California arenas’ carve-outs, McKinnor voted in favor of a measure last year that would have made it simpler for alcohol firms to sell ads at Intuit Dome.
According to a representative, McKinnor declined to be interviewed. After praising her bill as “another entertainment option” to go along with Ballmer’s investment, McKinnor said earlier that “Inglewood’s renaissance is well underway.”
At one o’clock on Tuesday morning, the lawmaker managed to share several images from her 60th birthday celebration at a resort in Tulum, Mexico, on social media. One of the photos showed her sipping a glass of red wine.
I also made contact with James Butts, the mayor of Inglewood, who has transformed the city into a sports and entertainment mecca and has openly voiced his support for the Intuit Dome drinking expansion, which is currently pending approval from the city council.
On a podcast, we got into an angry argument about whether or not the plan to transform Inglewood into a theme park would hurt locals. If only I could have pressed him one more time. Received no reaction.
Who can we trust politicians with our money when they won’t even tell us what they support in an interview?
At the January event that announced the Intuit Dome would host the 2026 NBA All-Star Game, Gillian Zucker, president of business operations for the Clippers; Steve Ballmer, owner of the Clippers; Adam Silver, commissioner of the NBA; James Butts, mayor of Inglewood; and Karen Bass, mayor of Los Angeles, were all in attendance. (Los Angeles Times/Irfan Khan)
Democrats’ Assembly Bill 3206 is a major reason why Sacramento is hated by the people.
The Legislature should have laughed McKinnor’s bill out of session because the state is plagued by so many problems. Serving the interests of a billionaire’s party room exemplifies the worst kind of out-of-touch liberalism in a state where a blue supermajority in the state Capitol has boasted about improving life for the most vulnerable inhabitants.
The one bright spot in this horrible situation was a text conversation I had with Anthony Rendon, the former speaker of the Lakewood Assembly who is terming out at the end of the year.
In response to my question about his support for McKinnor’s measure, Rendon stated that he has consistently voted in favor of bills that extend last calls, on the grounds that he believes such matters should be decided by local governments rather than the state.
When asked about Assembly Bill 3206, he characterized it as “pretty sleazy” if it was a carve-out. I informed him that’s precisely correct.
At one point, the dots that normally indicate a text message from an iPhone ceased to appear.
“Mea culpa,” he finally replied in writing. “Yeah, I messed up and didn’t pay enough attention.”
What a novel idea: a politician who freely acknowledged he made a huge mistake! It would be great if other people followed suit, including Newsom and McKinnor.
