Michael Gates, the previous Huntington Seaside metropolis legal professional who spent his tenure as a staunch antagonist to California’s liberal politics, is operating for state legal professional basic as a part of a slate with Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton.
Gates, 50, introduced the launch of his marketing campaign for the state’s prime regulation enforcement job throughout an occasion on the Huntington Seaside Pier on Wednesday flanked by Hilton, former state Senate Majority Chief Gloria Romero, who’s operating alongside Hilton for lieutenant governor, and a trove of supporters.
“California has the best price of dwelling and the best taxes, that are crushing households, and Sacramento elites hold scheming for tactics to lift our taxes whereas leaving our streets unsafe for our households and our companies,” Gates mentioned. “Sacramento has confirmed that it’s fully out of contact with on a regular basis Californians.”
Gates’ speech launching his marketing campaign struck the same tone to the messaging he employed in his function as Huntington Seaside metropolis legal professional, the place he positioned himself in direct opposition to the state’s Democratic leaders, together with Gov. Gavin Newsom and present Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta.
Bonta this week introduced he was operating for reelection, opting to not run for California governor. As legal professional basic, Bonta has sued the Trump administration greater than 50 occasions, calling the president’s insurance policies “vicious, inhumane, illegal” and, in lots of instances, unconstitutional.
Gates, a lifelong Republican, was first elected as Huntington Seaside metropolis legal professional in 2014 and was reelected twice. He held the function till final 12 months, when he was appointed as a deputy assistant legal professional basic within the Division of Justice’s Civil Rights Division. After a 10-month stint with the federal authorities, Gates introduced he had resigned the publish so he might spend extra time along with his household. He was rehired to work as an assistant metropolis legal professional in Huntington Seaside.
Throughout his tenure with the town, Gates engaged in authorized tussles with the state over voter identification, housing mandates, immigration and different points with blended outcomes.
Lately, the town efficiently sued the state to recoup tens of millions of {dollars} in redevelopment company mortgage cash from a waterfront growth and an reasonably priced senior housing challenge.
However authorized fights over voter identification and housing have been much less fruitful. Final 12 months, the 4th District Courtroom of Attraction struck down Huntington Seaside’s regulation that might require residents to point out an ID to forged their poll in native elections.
The town’s authorized battle over housing necessities was additionally delivered a blow final 12 months when the state Supreme Courtroom refused to evaluation an appellate court docket ruling within the state’s favor compelling the town to stick to state mandates for reasonably priced housing. Huntington Seaside had argued its designation as a constitution metropolis exempted them from the state’s directives.
“This man, Michael Gates, he’s the fighter we want for California,” Hilton mentioned on Wednesday, drawing cheers from the gang. “You recognize higher than anybody as a result of he led that revolution proper right here in Huntington Seaside.”
