Last week I wrote a letter to the Governor of California, asking the state to make a request for federal assistance to help victims of the ongoing storms. The letter was not addressed to Gavin Newsom.

Instead, I had to send it to Acting Governor Eleni Kounalakis. Newsom had temporarily stepped down for a “personal” trip south of the border in Baja. He didn’t warn anyone we were switching governors in the middle of a crisis nor say when he’d be back. (He’s back now.)

Our first responders, by contrast, have been working tirelessly. And I’m grateful the National Guard promptly answered my request for help after I spoke with the Adjutant General. I am continuing to monitor the situation as I return to DC tomorrow morning.

It will be another eventful week. Last week, in Judiciary, we passed a much-needed Oversight Plan for the Biden Administration – but not before the House Minority tried to gut it and shield Biden from scrutiny. I spoke out against this attempt at dereliction, and we defeated it.

In addition, Red State has a new profile about our battle to stop the promotion of Newsom’s Labor Secretary: “Congressman Kevin Kiley Leads the Fight Against Biden’s Labor Nominee Julie Su.” Defeating Su will be a major blow to Newsom’s “model for the nation” delusions.

I’m also grateful to be appointed to the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime. We held a hearing last week on the fentanyl crisis, and I advocated for dealers to be prosecuted as murderers – as the DA is doing in Placer County. 

Much more is coming this week. Stay tuned, and with extreme weather again in the forecast, stay safe.

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