Many of the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrectionists are free from criminal charges, courtesy of a mass pardon from Trump, but they are not free to serve in the California National Guard, a state lawmaker said in a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom last week. Sen. Tom Umberg, D-Santa Ana, a retired U.S. Army colonel, sent a letter to the governor reminding him that SB 901, which Newsom signed last September, gives Newsom the power to “to refuse entry of any of the convicted January 6th Insurrectionists from commission or enlisting in the California National and State Guards.” Umberg called Trump’s pardon “gravely concerning.” Trump has called the Capitol rioters “hostages” and has said that they were the victims of a politicized U.S. Department of Justice. Rioters injured more than 140 police officers in their attack on the Capitol, according to NBC News. “Those who would violate their oaths to the Constitution by violently attempting to overturn the results of a legitimate election by the people should not be allowed to defend it. Moreover, we should not use taxpayer money to train them in the use of lethal force,” Umberg wrote in the letter.
Democratic lawmakers were flanked by (adoptable!) puppies as they announced new legislation meant to block the flow of neglected dogs into the state. California prohibited retail stores from selling animals like dogs, cats, and rabbits in 2017. This was to help end the puppy mill industry, where dogs are bred en masse, leading them to be born and raised in filthy and neglected conditions.
Sen. Tom Umberg (D-Orange) and Assemblymembers Marc Berman (D- Menlo Park) and Steve Bennet (D-Ventura) came together on the west steps of the Capitol to introduce three bills targeting the underground pet market in California uncovered by the LA Times last fall. They were joined by animal advocates and two five-month-old puppies from Sacramento County Animal Services.
The San Diego Humane Society has joined with the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to sponsor three bills to end the practice of puppy mills. Puppy milling, also called puppy farming, is the practice of breeding dogs for profit while disregarding the health and well-being of the dogs being bred. The practice is already illegal in California, but legal ambiguities ensure the practice exists.
(Sacramento, CA) – Senator Thomas J. Umberg (D-Santa Ana) announced the introduction of his Senate Bill 38 which proposes to make drug and collaborative courts eligible for competitive grants administered by the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC).
(Sacramento, CA) – Senator Thomas J. Umberg (D-Santa Ana) announced today that his Young Senators Program for the 34th Senate District is now accepting applications. The goal of this program is to provide current High School Freshman, Sophomores, and Juniors with educational opportunities that foster skills in public service, empowering them as community leaders.
SACRAMENTO, CA — In response to a groundbreaking multi-part investigation into the puppy market in California by the Los Angeles Times this fall, Senator Tom Umberg and Assemblymembers Steve Bennett and Marc Berman jointly introduced legislation this morning in Sacramento to curb consumer fraud and abuse in California.
California has long been a leader in animal welfare, becoming the first state to prohibit the sale of puppy mill puppies in pet stores, but dishonest sellers continue to exploit consumers by posing as reputable local breeders. In reality, they import thousands of puppies from cruel, out-of-state breeding operations, deceiving buyers and perpetuating the horrific puppy mill pipeline.