Jesse Samuel Gabriel (born September 25, 1981) is an American constitutional rights attorney and politician. A member of the Democratic Party, Gabriel represents California's 46th State Assembly district, which includes much of the west San Fernando Valley, in the California State Assembly[1].
Jesse Gabriel | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the California Assembly | |
| Assumed office June 11, 2018 | |
| Preceded by | Matt Dababneh |
| Constituency | 45th district (2018–2022) 46th district (2022–present) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Jesse Samuel Gabriel September 25, 1981 Berkeley, California, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Rachel Rosner |
| Children | 3 |
| Residence(s) | Encino, Los Angeles, California |
| Education | University of California, Berkeley (BA) Harvard University (JD) |
| Occupation | Politician |
Gabriel currently serves as Chair of the powerful Assembly Budget Committee[2] as well as Chair of the California Legislative Jewish Caucus[3]. During his time in the legislature, he has authored more than 40 new laws and has been recognized as a “California Influencer” by The Sacramento Bee[4].
Early life and Education
editGabriel was born in Berkeley, California, and raised in Oak Park, California.[5] In 2004, he graduated summa cum laude from the University of California, Berkeley with a bachelor's degree in political science. At Berkeley, Gabriel served as student government president in the Associated Students of the University of California during the 2002–03 academic year.[6] He earned his Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School, where he graduated with honors and received the Dean's Award for Community Leadership from then Dean and now U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Elena Kagan.[7]
Career
editFrom 2008 to 2010, he served as counsel to Evan Bayh while Bayh was serving as a member of the United States Senate.
Before being elected to the California State Assembly, Gabriel worked as a constitutional rights and general litigation attorney for Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher in Los Angeles, where he was a part of the firm's litigation and public policy groups. Gabriel's most notable cases included representing victims of domestic abuse, Holocaust survivors, and groups facing hate-motivated violence. In 2017, he filed two lawsuits against the Trump Administration on behalf of young illegal immigrants, also known as Dreamers, who were protected by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.[8] He received the California Lawyer Attorney of the Year award from The Daily Journal in 2018.[9]
Prior to his election in 2018, Gabriel served as a board member of the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles and the League of Conservation Voters. He also was appointed by LA County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky to the Los Angeles County Commission on Local Governmental Services.[10]
California Assembly
editFollowing Matt Dababneh's resignation from the California State Assembly after numerous charges of sexual harassment, effective December 31, 2017, Gabriel announced his candidacy in a special election to replace him in California's 45th State Assembly district.[5] Gabriel won the special election on June 5, 2018, earning 65.7 percent of the vote. He was sworn into office on June 11. He won reelection to his first full term in the November 2018 General Election against Justin Clark, winning with 70.3 percent of the vote.
Shortly after assuming office, Gabriel was appointed to the State Assembly Leadership as Assistant Majority Whip under Majority Whip Todd Gloria. He also was elected by his colleagues as Vice Chair of the California Legislative Jewish Caucus under Chair Ben Allen. During his first full term in the State Assembly, Gabriel authored nine bills that were signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom, including legislation to expand legal services for low-income Californians in civil cases and to establish a Nonprofit Security Grant Program to improve the physical security of nonprofit organizations that are at high risk of violent attacks or hate crimes.[11][12]
Gabriel is a member of the California Legislative Progressive Caucus.[13]
Legislation
editGabriel co-founded a legislative working group in 2019 that hosted former Congresswoman and gun control advocate Gabrielle Giffords, the Brady Campaign, and Moms Demand Action with the purpose of discussing gun control in California and enacting more than a dozen new gun safety measures.[14]
Gabriel currently serves on the Appropriations Committee, as well as the Committees on Banking and Finance, Higher Education, Housing and Community Development, and Privacy and Consumer Protection. He is also the Chair of the Select Committee on Jobs and Innovation in the San Fernando Valley and a member of the Select Committee on Women's Reproductive Health as well the Select Committee on Police Reform.[15][16]
In February 2023, Gabriel introduced legislation to prohibit the manufacture, sale, and distribution of any foods containing the additives red dye no. 3, titanium dioxide, potassium bromate, brominated vegetable oil, and propylparaben.[17][18] If passed, Assembly Bill 418 would make California the first state to ban toxic chemicals from food.[19]
He has also introduced nationally watched legislation to tax firearms, making them more expensive to citizens.[20]
2018 Election
edit| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Jesse Gabriel | 31,068 | 43.7 | |
| Republican | Justin M. Clark | 22,709 | 31.9 | |
| Democratic | Tricia Robbins Kasson | 5,277 | 7.4 | |
| Democratic | Ankur Patel | 4,534 | 6.4 | |
| Democratic | Jeff Bornstein | 4,039 | 5.7 | |
| Democratic | Daniel Brin | 2,432 | 3.4 | |
| Democratic | Ray Bishop | 1,088 | 1.5 | |
| Total votes | 71,147 | 100.0 | ||
| General election | ||||
| Democratic | Jesse Gabriel (incumbent) | 107,757 | 70.3 | |
| Republican | Justin M. Clark | 45,619 | 29.7 | |
| Total votes | 153,376 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
2020 Election
edit| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Jesse Gabriel (incumbent) | 53,344 | 100% | |
| Total votes | ||||
| Democratic hold | ||||
2022 Election
edit| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Jesse Gabriel (incumbent) | 52,362 | 67.3 | |
| Republican | Dana Caruso | 25,437 | 32.7 | |
| Total votes | 77,799 | 100% | ||
| General election | ||||
| Democratic | Jesse Gabriel (incumbent) | 78,726 | 65.4 | |
| Republican | Dana Caruso | 41,619 | 34.6 | |
| Total votes | 120,345 | 100% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
Personal life
editGabriel lives in Encino with his wife Rachel Rosner, an affordable housing attorney, and their three sons.[7]
References
edit- ^ "Biography". Assembly District 46. 2024 California State Assembly Democratic Caucus.
- ^ "Welcome to Assembly Committee on Budget". California State Assembly Committee on Budget. 2024 State of California.
- ^ "Latest Caucus News". The California Legislative Jewish Caucus. California Legislative Jewish Caucus.
- ^ "Who are our 2019 California Influencers?". sacbee.com. August 22, 2019. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
- ^ a b "Attorney Jesse Gabriel running for Dababneh's Assembly seat". Daily News. January 3, 2018. Retrieved January 29, 2020.
- ^ Eskenazi, Joe (September 1, 2006). "Jewish brothers make U.C. student presidency a family tradition". J. Retrieved January 29, 2020.
- ^ a b "Jesse Gabriel – 20XX – June 2018 | LALCV". lalcv.org. Retrieved January 29, 2020.
- ^ "Several LA-area DACA immigrants among those suing Trump administration". Daily News. September 18, 2017. Retrieved January 29, 2020.
- ^ "Gibson Dunn | Gibson Dunn Team Named Among California Lawyers of the Year". Gibson Dunn. April 5, 2018. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
- ^ "Jesse Gabriel – 20XX – June 2018 | LALCV". lalcv.org. Retrieved November 16, 2020.
- ^ "Bill Text - AB-1548 California State Nonprofit Security Grant Program". leginfo.legislature.ca.gov. Retrieved November 16, 2020.
- ^ "Bill Text - AB-330 Appointed legal counsel in civil cases". leginfo.legislature.ca.gov. Retrieved November 16, 2020.
- ^ "Legislative Progressive Caucus". assembly.ca.gov. California State Assembly. Retrieved April 11, 2024.
- ^ "Governor Newsom Signs Package of New Gun Laws from Legislature's Gun Violence Prevention Working Group". Official Website - Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel Representing the 45th California Assembly District. October 14, 2019. Retrieved November 16, 2020.
- ^ "Committees". Official Website - Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel Representing the 45th California Assembly District. June 11, 2018. Retrieved January 29, 2020.
- ^ "Select Committee on Police Reform | Assembly Internet". www.assembly.ca.gov. Retrieved November 16, 2020.
- ^ Sabrina Medora (April 14, 2023). "California Lawmaker Proposes Ban on Skittles". Food & Wine.
- ^ "Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel Introduces First in the Nation Legislation to Ban the Sale of Processed Foods Containing Dangerous Chemicals". California State Assembly Democratic Caucus. February 22, 2023.
- ^ Dan Flynn (April 12, 2023). "Food chemicals ban moves forward in California Assembly". Food Safety News.
- ^ "California Democrats have long failed to tax guns, ammunition. Could this year be different?". sacbee.com. August 24, 2023. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
- ^ "Primary Election - Statement of the Vote, June 7, 2022" (PDF). California Secretary of State. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
- ^ "General Election - Statement of the Vote, November 8, 2022 - State Assembly" (PDF). California Secretary of State. Retrieved June 20, 2024.