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Faced with a looming recall threat, Gov. Gavin Newsom nominated Assemblymember Rob Bonta Wednesday as California鈥檚 next attorney general, handing one of the state鈥檚 most powerful offices to a trusted political ally who will make history as the first Filipino American to hold the position.

鈥淭his is an incredibly important office in the cause of, yes, racial justice, social justice, economic justice, environmental justice,鈥� Newsom said, adding that Bonta 鈥渉as been on the forefront鈥� of those causes.

Bonta, a Democrat from Alameda, developed a record as one of the Assembly鈥檚 during his eight years in the Legislature and had backing from prominent civil rights advocates as he sought the post often called the state鈥檚 鈥渢op cop.鈥� His selection, which requires confirmation by the Legislature, will likely play well with progressives who are hoping to see the attorney general take a more active role in holding police accountable for misconduct 鈥� something former Attorney General Xavier Becerra was to do.

Becerra was last week as President Joe Biden鈥檚 health and human services secretary, handing Newsom the opportunity to fill what鈥檚 normally an elected office with his own pick. It鈥檚 the third such opportunity Newsom has had in recent months, as political dominoes fall following the 2020 election 鈥� a rapid run of top-flight appointments a California governor hasn鈥檛 enjoyed since the 1950s.

In December, Alex Padilla to fill the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Vice President Kamala Harris, and Shirley Weber to fill Padilla鈥檚 prior role as secretary of state. With all three picks, Newsom diversified the highest ranks of California politics, choosing barrier-busting Democrats who make history as the first person of their ethnic group to hold the position. Padilla is the son of Mexican immigrants, Weber is the daughter of an Arkansas sharecropper and to California from the Philippines as a baby.

Newsom drew attention to Bonta鈥檚 heritage by holding the press conference announcing his choice at the in San Francisco, which was a residential hotel for Filipino and Chinese families and the site of a large protest amid evictions in the 1970s.

鈥淔orty-five years ago, my mother Cynthia was one of those great activists who stood outside the International Hotel, linked arms and formed a circle to protect those who were inside from being evicted,鈥� Bonta said, nearly choking back tears. 鈥淎nd now my mother, Cynthia, and my father, Warren鈥� will see a governor nominate their son to be the first Filipino American attorney general.鈥�

Newsom鈥檚 power to shape Democratic politics in the Golden State is an opportunity to build allies and unite Democrats as he works to beat back a later this year. He faced pressure from numerous ethnic advocacy groups to pick an Asian American attorney general, both in recognition of California鈥檚 growing Asian American population and to a recent rise in hate crimes.

Bonta spoke out against 鈥渢he sting of hate and discrimination鈥� and said that one of his top priorities will be protecting people from 鈥渢he forces of hate鈥� and holding perpetrators accountable. He blamed former President Donald Trump for attacks on Asian Americans because Trump described the coronavirus with terms such as 鈥淜ung flu鈥� and 鈥淐hinese virus鈥� 鈥� similar to rhetoric recently came under attack for using.

Bonta has been a loyal lieutenant in Newsom鈥檚 early fight against the recall. He recently organized a group of Asian American Democrats to blast the campaign to oust Newsom from office, one of several events Democrats have held as they .

Selecting Bonta helps Newsom shore up support from his liberal base heading into the recall. Prominent civil rights advocates, including Black Lives Matter co-founder and attorney/CNN personality , endorsed his candidacy. Several progressive interest groups 鈥� including powerful labor unions, plaintiffs attorneys and criminal justice reform advocates 鈥� immediately praised his selection.

But it could cause tensions in Newsom鈥檚 relationships with law enforcement. As a lawmaker, Bonta wrote bills friendly to the marijuana industry, gave more rights to immigrants in interactions with federal immigration agents and attempted to abolish cash bail. After Newsom called for an end to California鈥檚 in his 2019 inaugural speech, Bonta wrote it up as a bill that Newsom signed into law.

Under a signed last year, the new attorney general also will be tasked with investigating all deadly police shootings of unarmed civilians 鈥� one reason civil rights advocates pressured Newsom to appoint someone who will in rooting out misconduct.

Newsom said he had discussed the attorney general nomination with law enforcement leaders and that he believes Bonta will 鈥渒eep an open mind鈥� in working with them. Bonta said he respects police and will dialogue with their leaders, but also anticipated some 鈥渞espectful disagreements.鈥� He made clear he is committed to what he sees as urgent reforms.

鈥淭oo many Californians have faced unfairness in the many broken parts of our criminal justice system,鈥� Bonta said at today鈥檚 press conference. 鈥淎nd they deserve more compassion, more humanity and a second chance.鈥�

Police groups responded with polite statements that masked any sense of rejection they might feel from Newsom picking a top law enforcement officer who is a critic of their profession. Eric R. Nunez, president of the California Police Chiefs Association, said in a statement, 鈥淲e stand ready to collaborate and assist the new Attorney General and wish him shared success in safeguarding victims and keeping California safe.鈥�

The Peace Officers Research Association of California, a powerful lobbying group, said it looked forward to working with Bonta on 鈥渋mproved policies that will raise recruitment standards, increase transparency and place officers in the best possible position to serve Californians.鈥�

Bonta is a Yale-educated lawyer who previously worked as a deputy city attorney in San Francisco. His wife, Mialisa Bonta, serves on the Alameda school board and is the head of Oakland Promise, a group that helps children get into college. Ethics attorneys have questioned Bonta鈥檚 pattern of raising money for groups that employ his wife. A that he helped his wife鈥檚 nonprofits raise more than $560,000, largely by soliciting donations from companies that lobby the Legislature. He also asked interest groups to donate to a foundation he created, which in turn loaned $25,000 to his wife鈥檚 employer. The arrangement is legal but controversial.

Regulating charities is part of the attorney general鈥檚 portfolio of responsibilities, along with consumer protection, gambling and firearms regulation, internet privacy enforcement and criminal investigations. While California鈥檚 last attorney general made headlines for suing the Trump administration more than 100 times, Bonta is likely to keep the focus closer to home.

Attorney general is widely seen as the second-most powerful office in state government, and has historically been a launching pad for higher office. Harris went from attorney general to U.S senator to the nation鈥檚 first female vice president, and Jerry Brown went from attorney general to his second stint as governor, cementing his position as California鈥檚 longest-serving governor.

Bonta said that he plans to run for the office in 2022 鈥� the same year Newsom will be up for re-election, if he survives the recall 鈥� and that he will be 鈥渕oving from day one with the re-election in mind.鈥� He almost treated the nomination process like a campaign, hiring Newsom鈥檚 former press secretary to help build visibility for his support. Other Democrats who angled for the position included Rep. Adam Schiff of Los Angeles and Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg.

CalMatters reporter Ben Christopher contributed to this report.