California Attorney General Rob Bonta among speakers for University of the Pacific speaker series
AND FORMER STATE CONTROLLER BETTY YEE. IN A DIVIDED NATION, AN UPCOMING LECTURE BY THE UNIVERSITY OF THE PACIFIC, MCGEORGE SCHOOL OF LAW IS TAKING A CLOSER LOOK AT THE PUSH AND PULL BETWEEN STATES AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. AND JOINING US LIVE TO TALK ABOUT THIS ISSUE THIS MORNING IN THE LECTURE SERIES. WILL IT CONSIST OF IS UOP PROFESSOR AND DIRECTOR OF CAPITAL CENTER FOR LAW AND POLICY, ERIN O’NEIL. SUCH AN EXCITING OPPORTUNITY. AND YOU’RE TELLING ME THIS EVENT IS FREE FOR THE PUBLIC? IT IS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME HERE TODAY. IT’S ALWAYS GREAT TO JOIN YOU ALL AND TALK ABOUT THE EVENTS THAT WE HAVE GOING ON AT MCGEORGE HERE IN TOWN. OUR EVENT THIS YEAR IS CAPITAL CENTER LECTURE SERIES AND THE FOCUS IS ON, AS YOU MENTIONED, THE BALANCE OF POWER BETWEEN STATES AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. THE EVENT WILL TAKE PLACE ON WEDNESDAY FROM 530 TO 7 AT THE CITIZEN HOTEL HERE IN DOWNTOWN SACRAMENTO. AND WE GOT THIS IDEA I WAS THINKING ABOUT. WE TRIED TO DO A TIMELY TOPIC EVERY YEAR WITH A WIDE VARIETY OF PERSPECTIVES ON A HOT POLICY ISSUE THAT IS FACING OUR STATE IN THE COUNTRY. AND THIS CAME TO MIND WHEN, AFTER THE FIRES IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, WE SAW FOR THE FIRST TIME AN INTERACTION WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, PUTTING SOME CONDITIONS ON EMERGENCY FUNDING. AND SO WE STARTED THINKING ABOUT THIS SHIFT BETWEEN STATES AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND HOW THEY INTERACT IN THE TYPICAL WAY THAT WE’VE BEEN USED TO, AND WANTING TO FOCUS ON THAT. ABSOLUTELY. AND TELL ME HOW YOU WANT YOUNG PEOPLE TO BE INVESTED IN THIS PROCESS AND TO GET INVOLVED. SURE, ABSOLUTELY. SO AT GEORGE, WE VIEW OURSELVES AS AN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION FOR THE COMMUNITY. SO WE ARE OBVIOUSLY A LAW SCHOOL. WE’RE AFFILIATED WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF PACIFIC, WHERE WE HAVE A PROGRAM THAT’S A PRE-LAW PROGRAM FOR UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS, AND WE ALSO HAVE A SUMMER HIGH SCHOOL INSTITUTE FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN FINDING OUT MORE ABOUT THE LAW, ABOUT THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENTAL INSTITUTIONS. AND SO WE WELCOME PARTICIPATION BY THE PUBLIC, THIS OPPORTUNITY TO INTERACT. WE HAVE A FANTASTIC PANEL OF SPEAKERS. WE’VE GOT ATTORNEY GENERAL ROB BONTA WILL BE JOINING US. CATHERINE LEHMANN, WHO IS THE PROFESSOR AT BERKELEY LAW AND THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER FOR LAW AND DEMOCRACY. ZACH PRICE, WHO IS A CONSTITUTIONAL LAW AND ADMINISTRATIVE LAW PROFESSOR AT UC LAW SAN FRANCISCO. MELANIE MASON, WHO IS THE CALIFORNIA BUREAU CHIEF FOR POLITICO CALIFORNIA. AND THEN ALSO WENDY WEISER, WHO IS THE VICE PRESIDENT OF DEMOCRACY AT THE BRENNAN CENTER FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AT NYU LAW SCHOOL. SO FANTASTIC PANEL. WHAT WOULD YOU SAY FOR THE COMMUNITY? A LOT OF PEOPLE FEELING HELPLESS, LIKE, WHAT CAN WE DO? HOW CAN WE MAKE A DIFFERENCE? CERTAINLY, I THINK THERE’S A LOT GOING ON. A LOT OF THINGS HAVE HAPPENED THAT WE COULD NOT HAVE ANTICIPATED, AND GETTING INVOLVED AND GETTING EDUCATED, FINDING OUT MORE ABOUT THE ISSUES, AND HOPEFULLY WE WILL HAVE SOME CONSTRUCTIVE STEPS THAT FOLKS CAN TAKE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN USE AS A POPULIST TO THINK ABOUT HOW TO RESPOND IN THESE TIMES AND NOT LOSE HOPE, AS YOU SAY. ABSOLUTELY. AND TELL ME THE DETAILS FOR THE LECTURE FOR TOMORROW. ABSOLUTELY. IT WILL BE AT THE CITIZEN HOTEL IN DOWNTOWN SACRAMENTO IN THE METROPOLITAN TERRACE ROOM, FROM 530 TO 7. AND THERE ARE NO TICKETS. YOU CAN JUST RSVP IF YOU ACCESS THE WEBSITE AND LET US KNOW THAT YOU’RE COMING, AND WE WILL HAVE A MODERATED CONVERSATION AND A RECEPTION. AND WHAT’S SO GREAT ABOUT THIS IS YOU’RE NOT JUST ASKING PEOPLE TO LISTEN, BUT THEY CAN ALSO ASK QUESTIONS AND GET INVOLVED. YES. VERY INTERACTIVE, MODERATED CO
California Attorney General Rob Bonta among speakers for University of the Pacific speaker series
Updated: 1:22 PM PDT Mar 24, 2026
A nationally recognized speaker series is returning to Sacramento on Wednesday, bringing together top legal and political experts to discuss the evolving balance of power between state and federal governments.The University of the Pacific’s McGeorge School of Law will host the annual Michael Belote Capital Center Lecture Series on Wednesday evening at the Citizen Hotel in downtown Sacramento.This year’s program is titled “Combat, Cooperation & Contradiction: The Balance of Power Between State & Federal Government in an Era of Transactional Federalism.” Organizers say the discussion will focus on how relationships between state and federal leaders are shifting in today’s political climate.Professor Erin O’Neal, director of the Capital Center for Law & Policy, will serve as moderator for the event. She said it’s important for people to get involved and ask questions so they can make a difference and not feel helpless when unprecedented things happen within government.The panel features several high-profile speakers, including California Attorney General Rob Bonta, UC Berkeley law professor Catherine E. Lhamon, Politico California Bureau Chief Melanie Mason, Brennan Center Vice President Wendy Weiser, and UC Law San Francisco professor Zachary S. Price.The event will include a moderated discussion followed by a question-and-answer session with the audience. A hosted reception will take place after the program.Organizers say the goal is to give the public a better understanding of how legal and political decisions at different levels of government impact everyday life.The lecture series is free and open to the public.Event details:What: Michael Belote Capital Center Lecture SeriesWhen: Wednesday, March 25, 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.Where: Citizen Hotel, 926 J Street, SacramentoCost: FreeMore information is available on the University of the Pacific’s website.Watch the video above to listen to the full interview with the moderator.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
A nationally recognized speaker series is returning to Sacramento on Wednesday, bringing together top legal and political experts to discuss the evolving balance of power between state and federal governments.
The University of the Pacific’s McGeorge School of Law will host the annual Michael Belote Capital Center Lecture Series on Wednesday evening at the Citizen Hotel in downtown Sacramento.
This year’s program is titled “Combat, Cooperation & Contradiction: The Balance of Power Between State & Federal Government in an Era of Transactional Federalism.” Organizers say the discussion will focus on how relationships between state and federal leaders are shifting in today’s political climate.
Professor Erin O’Neal, director of the Capital Center for Law & Policy, will serve as moderator for the event. She said it’s important for people to get involved and ask questions so they can make a difference and not feel helpless when unprecedented things happen within government.
The panel features several high-profile speakers, including California Attorney General Rob Bonta, UC Berkeley law professor Catherine E. Lhamon, Politico California Bureau Chief Melanie Mason, Brennan Center Vice President Wendy Weiser, and UC Law San Francisco professor Zachary S. Price.
The event will include a moderated discussion followed by a question-and-answer session with the audience. A hosted reception will take place after the program.
Organizers say the goal is to give the public a better understanding of how legal and political decisions at different levels of government impact everyday life.
The lecture series is free and open to the public.
Event details:
What: Michael Belote Capital Center Lecture SeriesWhen: Wednesday, March 25, 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.Where: Citizen Hotel, 926 J Street, SacramentoCost: Free
More information is available on the University of the Pacific’s website.
Watch the video above to listen to the full interview with the moderator.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel