California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) has chosen Assemblymember Rob Bonta to be the state's next attorney general, Asian Journal's Christina Oriel reports.
If confirmed by the state Legislature, Bonta would become the first Filipino American to serve as California's attorney general and the second person of Asian and Pacific Islander descent to be elevated to the role, which has historically served as a launching pad for higher office. Vice President Kamala Harris was elected to the U.S. Senate after holding the position from 2011 through 2017.
The California API Legislative Caucus and Filipino American advocacy groups have been pushing Newsom to pick Bonta to lead the state's Department of Justice for months. Their efforts intensified in the wake of the shootings in Atlanta, Georgia, which left six Asian women dead, and came amid a surge in harassment and violence against Asian Americans in the Bay Area.
"In this moment of sickening attacks on AAPI Californians there's no one better to defend [California] values," Newsom said in a tweet on Wednesday.
Bonta, 48, made history in 2012 as the first Filipino American elected to the California Assembly and previously worked at the San Francisco City Attorney's Office.
Newsom reportedly considered or vetted other Asian Americans for the attorney general role, including Rep. Ted Lieu (D) and California Supreme Court Justice Goodwin Liu.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
