Government
May 12, 2017
Holder contract with state Legislature extended for a month
The state Legislature has decided to extend its contract with former U.S. Attorney General Eric H. Holder and his firm, Covington & Burling LLP, for one additional month, according to a spokesman for Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, D-Lakewood.
SACRAMENTO — Thestate Legislature decided to extend its contract with former U.S. Attorney General Eric H. Holderand his firm, Covington & Burling LLP, for an additional month, according to a spokesman for Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, D-Lakewood.
Spokesman Kevin Liaosaid the deal would operate under the same terms — a $25,000 monthly retainer — and expire at the end of May.
The deal was announced on Jan. 4 by Rendon and Senate Pro Tem Kevin de León, D-Los Angeles. It called for the Legislature to receive up to 40 hours per month from Holder or other top partners at the firm to advise on "three areas of immediate concern"— immigration, health careand environmental policy.
The move was a direct response to the election of President Donald Trump. The new administration has been especially active in these areas, issuing several executive orders and pushing a bill through the U.S. House of Representatives that significantly pares back the Affordable Care Act.
On Thursday, Rendon and de León issued news releases criticizing the House's passage of the "Obamacare" repeal. Known as the American HealthCare Act, or AHCA,Rendon said the bill's passage was "an ugly day for America."
The Legislature's original deal with Covington ran from February through April. It was announced on Jan. 4,about three weeks before CaliforniaAttorney GeneralXavier Becerrawas sworn into office.
At a news conference last week marking his first100 days in office, Becerra was noncommittal when asked whether the Legislature's hiring of Holder was "necessary."
On Thursday, Becerra testified before a Senate budget subcommittee seeking more funding beyond the $858 million budget by Gov. Jerry Brown.His office has spent thousands of hours working on cases and amicus briefs relating to the Trumpadministration, Becerra said.
"It's certainly is a poke in the eye, I think, for Mr. Becerra," said Republican National Committee member Shawn Steel,about the possibility of an extension of Holder's contract.
"It's a shame Democrats can't find better uses for the money, like schools or more police protection in the inner cities," said Steel, a personal injury attorney with the Shawn Steel Law Firm in Seal Beach.
A spokesman for Covington could not be reached for comment.
Malcolm Maclachlan
malcolm_maclachlan@dailyjournal.com
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