California is ready to take on the Justice Department.
That’s according to San Francisco District Attorney George Gascón, who was responding to a lawsuit against the state brought by Attorney General Jeff Sessions over immigration laws.
“I find it very disingenuous that you have people that for generations talk about state rights and all of a sudden their talking about federal supremacy,” he said in a Cheddar interview Wednesday.
The Justice Department and immigration agencies this week sued California over its “sanctuary” laws, which prohibit local and state authorities, as well as private employers, from cooperating with federal immigration officers.
Sessions, who filed the suit Wednesday, said California’s policy threatens national safety.
Gascón, though, said the state doesn’t prevent immigration officials from going into California and doing their jobs. It’s simply not actively cooperating. He argued that immigrants are important to California’s social fabric and provide a “major economic engine.”
“I think that this is an administration that is failing on so many fronts, and what they’re trying to do is create another diversion,” he told Cheddar. “All of this is really a political stunt that is driven by very racist attitude and has nothing to do with public safety.”
For the full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/inside-the-sanctuary-city-legal-battle).
Attorney General William Barr, one of President Donald Trump’s staunchest allies, is resigning amid lingering tension with the president over the president’s baseless claims of election fraud and the investigation into President-elect Joe Biden’s son.
Presidential electors have given Joe Biden a majority of their votes, formalizing his victory in last month’s election. California’s 55 votes put Biden over the top Monday.
A bipartisan group of lawmakers is unveiling a proposal for COVID-19 relief as Congress searches for a final agreement.
Federal Reserve policymakers face an unusual conundrum as they meet this week: A short-term economic outlook that is worsening while the longer-term picture is brightening thanks to the emergence of coronavirus vaccines.
Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif. 13th District) talked to Cheddar about her hopes that the American people will join in the push toward an equitable cannabis industry.
As members of the Electoral College meet to cast their votes for the 2020 presidential election, Cheddar explores how the body works and whether it's the best option.
The Supreme Court on Friday rejected a lawsuit backed by President Donald Trump to overturn Joe Biden’s election victory, ending a desperate attempt to get legal issues rejected by state and federal judges before the nation’s highest court and subvert the will of voters.
Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.) joined Cheddar to discuss the need for the federal government to provide more help to states in order to effectively distribute the COVID vaccines.
From Wall Street to Silicon Valley, these are the top stories that moved markets and had investors, business leaders, and entrepreneurs talking this week on Cheddar.
Sen. Mike Lee of Utah objected to the creation of the two proposed Smithsonian museums.
