California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced Tuesday that his office has secured over $200 billion in federal funding and defended key civil rights through 82 lawsuits filed against the Trump administration.
Bonta stated that since President Trump's inauguration, California has faced numerous challenges, prompting his office to initiate legal action approximately once a week. Beyond the 82 lawsuits, California's legal team filed 122 amicus briefs supporting other legal challenges and submitted 112 comment letters on federal actions.
The estimated $207.1 billion in savings includes $168 billion that was at risk when the Trump administration attempted to freeze federal funding to states. Significant threatened cuts to transportation, emergency preparedness, education, and family assistance programs were also averted. Additionally, the legal actions protected birthright citizenship for U.S.-born children of immigrants, prevented the deployment of National Guard troops in California cities against local leaders' wishes, lifted tariffs impacting consumers, and blocked federal interference in state elections.
In response, a White House spokesperson criticized Bonta's lawsuits as "frivolous" and suggested the Attorney General should instead address issues within California. The White House has previously asserted that President Trump's policies aim to "restore American Greatness" and would benefit Californians.
Bonta's office is mandated to report annually to the state Legislature on its litigation efforts against the Trump administration, a requirement stemming from a measure that allocated an additional $25 million for such legal actions. The report, released Tuesday, indicated that $19.2 million of this funding had been received by July 30, contributing to but not fully covering the litigation costs. The office has also received regular appropriations for this work in the past two fiscal years.
During a press conference, Bonta highlighted that his office has spent nearly $30 million on "federal accountability work" since Trump took office, arguing that the investment has yielded substantial returns. Senate President Pro Tempore Monique Limón and Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas echoed this sentiment, expressing pride in the collaborative efforts to counter federal actions and calling the funding for Bonta's office a potentially "smartest investment" by the legislature.
Of the 82 lawsuits filed, 66 remain active. Bonta's office has secured 45 preliminary relief orders and 21 final judgments in its favor, with the administration reportedly backing down in eight cases before trial. While acknowledging some losses, particularly concerning transgender rights and executive power, Bonta asserted an 83% success rate in court orders for cases initiated by the state, commending his team's dedication.
