A MARTÍNEZ, HOST:
The last time Donald Trump was president, the attorney general here in California filed more than 120 lawsuits against the Trump administration on policies ranging from climate to immigration. Now California is gearing up to challenge him again. Governor Gavin Newsom has called for lawmakers to convene a special session to fund new lawsuits. CapRadio's Megan Myscofski reports from Sacramento.
MEGAN MYSCOFSKI, BYLINE: In his press release announcing the call, Governor Gavin Newsom said the freedoms Californians hold dear are, quote, "under attack," unquote. His office said they're preparing to go to court over expected policies on civil and reproductive rights, climate action and immigration.
JESSE GABRIEL: In these situations, speed matters. Being prepared matters.
MYSCOFSKI: Democratic assembly member Jesse Gabriel was a constitutional attorney and assisted with two lawsuits against Trump's first administration. He's supportive of Newsom calling for lawmakers to work on this ahead of the regular legislative session in January.
GABRIEL: We don't know for sure what's going to happen. I think it's important to recognize that. But reading Project 2025, listening to some of the things that the president-elect has talked about on the campaign trail, understanding his record from his first term, we know that we might be engaged in some very significant and very serious litigation.
MYSCOFSKI: California's legislature has a Democratic supermajority. But it isn't clear at this point what, if anything, will be passed in the special session. Meanwhile, many Republican legislators say the move is a stunt by the governor, including Senator Brian Dahle.
BRIAN DAHLE: He's the happiest guy around that Kamala lost because this gives him an opportunity to run for president in four years.
MYSCOFSKI: Dahle says he wants the money Newsom is proposing for litigation to be directed towards other things.
DAHLE: We don't have these kind of resources to be thrown around. We have crime. We have cost of living we need to deal with in California.
MYSCOFSKI: The special session will start on Dec. 2.
For NPR News, I'm Megan Myscofski in Sacramento. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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