Bo Tefu | California Black Media
Three Black Women Among Gov. Newsom’s Recent Judicial Appointments
Gov. Gavin Newsom has nominated three Black women — Justice Rashida Adams and Judges Denise Hippach and Juliet Macaulay — to serve on California Courts of Appeal.
They are among eight appellate court nominees recently announced by Newsom. The governor also appointed nine Superior Court judges across five counties.
Adams, of Los Angeles County, was nominated as presiding justice of the Second District Court of Appeal, Division Three. She has served as an associate justice on the court since 2023 and previously served as a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge from 2017 to 2023.
Adams, who earned her law degree from Yale Law School, would succeed retired Justice Lee Edmon. Her term would begin Jan. 4, 2027, subject to voter confirmation in the Nov. 3 general election.
Hippach, of San Luis Obispo County, was nominated as an associate justice of the Second District Court of Appeal, Division Six. She has served on the Santa Barbara County Superior Court since 2022 and previously worked in county counsel, attorney general, district attorney and appellate counsel offices. She earned her law degree from the University of Southern California Gould School of Law.
Macaulay, of Orange County, was nominated as an associate justice of the Fourth District Court of Appeal, Division Three. She has served on the Orange County Superior Court since 2022. Previously, she was chief administrative law judge at the California Department of Social Services and held several positions with the California Board of Parole Hearings. She earned her law degree from the University of Ibadan.
Newsom’s other appellate nominees are David Sapp and Judge Lauri Damrell for the Third District; Judges Marsha Amin and Lisa Rodriguez for the Fourth District, Division One; and Judge Frederick Chung for the Sixth District.
The governor also appointed Justin Ford, Erin Murphy, Wilson Park and Maricela Segura to the Los Angeles County Superior Court; Timothy Mulhere in Riverside County; and Crystal Salumbides and Brigid Campo in San Diego County. David Kim received an interim appointment in Sonoma County, and Phoebe Maffei received an interim appointment in San Francisco County.
The appellate nominations require confirmation by the Commission on Judicial Appointments. Each appellate position pays $280,052 annually, while the Superior Court positions pay $244,727.
A Free Press Is Essential to Free Society”: Gov. Newsom Blasts Trump Admin Decision to Remove Limits on U.S. TV Station Ownership
Gov. Gavin Newsom is sharply criticizing the Federal Communications Commission’s decision to eliminate a decades-old limit on television station ownership, warning the move could increase media consolidation and weaken independent local journalism.
The FCC voted 2-1 on Aug. 6 to end the national ownership cap that barred a single television station group from reaching more than 39% of U.S. households. The commission also voted to allow companies to own more than two television stations in a single market, arguing the changes will help traditional broadcasters compete with streaming services and other digital media platforms.
Newsom said the decision threatens the diversity and independence of the nation’s media, accusing the Trump administration of dismantling safeguards intended to prevent excessive concentration of media ownership.
“The Trump administration continues to chip away at the foundations of our democracy — one decision at a time — to pave the way for a propaganda machine for his MAGA agenda,” Newsom said. He added that removing the ownership limits would make it easier for Trump “to control what Americans see, hear, and read,” calling the decision “an attack on independent, local news.”
The ownership cap was first established in the 1980s to prevent a small number of companies from controlling too many local television stations. Under the new policy, the FCC will review ownership proposals exceeding the former cap on a case-by-case basis to determine whether they serve the public interest.
Supporters of the rule change say that the restrictions no longer reflect today’s media landscape, where broadcasters compete with streaming platforms such as Netflix and YouTube for viewers and advertising revenue. They argue that larger station groups will have more resources to invest in local news.
Critics, however, contend that the policy could accelerate corporate consolidation, reduce the number of independent news outlets and diminish local voices. Some also question whether the FCC has the authority to eliminate a limit established by Congress without legislative approval.
Newsom said preserving an independent press is essential to protecting democratic institutions.
“A free press is essential to a free society,” he said. “Democracies depend on a diverse media landscape that isn’t polluted by political loyalty or ideological conformity.”
The FCC’s decision is expected to face legal and political scrutiny as critics question whether the agency has the authority to eliminate a television ownership limit established by Congress. Supporters, meanwhile, say that the changes are necessary to help broadcasters compete in an increasingly digital media marketplace.
