EMILY’s List, the left wing Super PAC which previously employed newly selected California Sen. Laphonza Butler, removed a section of her bio that stated she lived in Maryland.
Internet Archives reveal a now-removed section of her biography that said, “She lives in Maryland with her partner Neneki Lee and their daughter Nylah.”
Butler, who California Gov. Gavin Newsom selected to fill the seat vacated by Dianne Feinstein’s death, had listed her home address as Silver Springs, Maryland, as recently as August, according to FEC filings. She had also reportedly registered to vote in Maryland in 2022.
California’s newest Senator Laphonza Butler literally lives in Maryland and registered to vote here LAST YEAR https://t.co/0Ps00L3Nuq pic.twitter.com/YImmk48n5y
— Matthew Foldi (@MatthewFoldi) October 2, 2023
Newsom’s team told KCRA News’ Ashley Zavala that she moved to Maryland for EMILY’s list “but is a longtime CA resident and homeowner, and she will re-register in California before being sworn in,” Zavala reported.
Gov. Newsom’s office responds to Laphonza Butler living in Maryland:
Says she moved to DC area for EMILY’s list but is a longtime CA resident and homeowner, and she will re-register in California before being sworn in.
— Ashley Zavala (@ZavalaA) October 2, 2023
Newsom tapped Butler after promising to fill Feinstein’s seat with a black woman. Previously thought of as a placeholder for one of the three major contenders for the seat in the upcoming election, Butler may have a chance to keep the seat, as Newsom said her selection was not contingent upon a promise not to run in 2024, POLITICO reported.
If Butler chose to run she would likely face competition from Democratic California Representatives Adam Schiff, Katie Porter and Barbara Lee, another black woman who Newsom ruled out for the temporary gig “over worries about giving someone a leg up” in the 2024 election, according to POLITICO. (RELATED: ‘Protecting And Supporting’: Gavin Newsom Signs Several Bills Pushing Gender Ideology)
Newsom ultimately went with Phillips, whose fundraising prowess and close ties with Vice President Kamala Harris immediately make her a contender for re-election.
Before joining EMILY’s List Butler was the director for Public Policy and campaigns at Airbnb and served as a labor leader for the Service Employees International Union in California. She also served as a senior strategist on Kamala Harris’ 2020 presidential campaign and remains a “close confidante” to the Vice President, POLITICO reported.