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Gov. Jerry Brown’s California Dream

USC Gould School of Law • December 10, 2018

Contact: Gilien Silsby at (213) 740-9690 or (213) 500-8673

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GOV. JERRY BROWN'S CALIFORNIA DREAM

Jerry Brown served as governor of California from 1975 to 1983 and again from 2011 to the present — the only California governor to be elected four times. He is known for championing the state’s cap-and-trade program to combat climate change, his support of education and arts funding, his opposition to the death penalty and his fiscal prudency. As the sun sets on his fourth term as governor in January, USC experts reflect on a journey that saw one of California’s youngest governors (famously dubbed “Moonbeam”) become a globally recognized 80-year-old elder statesman.
Prof. Brian Peck
BRIAN PECK is an adjunct assistant professor at the USC Gould School of Law. He was the top international trade and investment official for Gov. Brown from 2013-2016. Peck may be reached at mobile (213) 740-2563 or [email protected] Peck's quote on expanding trade and investment at the subnational level: “Gov. Brown was a pioneer in establishing trade and investment agreements at the subnational level, rather than waiting for the federal government to move forward on trade opportunities. He saw both opportunity and flexibility with key trading partners for California, signing trade and investment MOUs with Mexico and China. “With regard to climate change, he was a founder of the Under 2 MOU, which brought together states, cities, and provinces in making a commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 in line with the Paris Accord Agreement. His global perspective was quite ahead of his time in terms of how other states operate.”
Prof. Heidi Rummel
HEIDI RUMMEL co-directs the Post-Conviction Justice Project at the USC Gould School of Law. Peck may be reached at mobile (213) 740-2563 or [email protected] Rummel's quote on putting justice back into the legal system: “Governor Brown has shifted the criminal justice conversation from pure retribution to accountability and rehabilitation, replacing cruel and costly incarceration with incentives and opportunities for redemption. His policies have put a measure of justice back into the legal system, allowing many to move beyond past wrongs and make meaningful contributions to our communities. “During Brown’s recent terms, California has led the nation in passing laws that recognize even youth who commit serious crimes are still youth.”
 

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