California Legislature Hires Former Attorney General Eric Holder For Legal Counsel

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — The California legislature has hired former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to fight tough battles it expects to face under President-elect Donald Trump.

Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon says the move to bring in Holder for $25,000 a month isn't an overreaction, but a response to what Trump said during the election season and the president-elect's cabinet choices. California lawmakers believe defense is the best offense.

"We're living in extraordinary times, and I think it requires extraordinary action," said State Sen President pro tem Kevin de Leon.

The legislature leaders reached an agreement with Holder's law firm Covington and Burling for counsel on potential challenges coming from a Trump administration. The issues range from climate change to health care to civil rights and immigration.

"A lot of what he says seems as though it's going to try and strip a lot of the progress that we've made as a state away," Rendon said.

The senate president had a stiffer response.

"We're not subservient to the federal government, nor are we subservient to Washington, D.C. This is not a monarchy," de Leon said.

Former congressman and Trump supporter Doug Ose disagrees with the move, saying there's too much bad blood between Holder and Washington Republicans to get anything done.

"For Republicans in Washington, Holder is a lightning rod," he said. "The state of California leadership would be far better served figuring out how to get along wih the new setup in Washington."

The $25,000 a month will be for at least three months, and de Leon says the money will come from existing operating expenses.

"It will be minimal in comparison to what's at stake," he said. "We're talking about tens of billions, if not hundreds of billions of dollars."