Gov. Gavin Newsom is preparing his Democrat-majority state legislature to establish a hefty litigation fund ahead of President-elect Donald Trump's second administration.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom and state lawmakers will return to the state Capitol on Monday to begin a special session to protect the state’s progressive policies ahead of another Trump presidency.

"There’s really no capacity for new commitments because we do estimate there to be these pretty significant operating deficits," a state budget expert said.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom appears to be trying to strike a delicate balance between the political brawler that his Democratic base admires and a more measured national leader capable of winning back disenfranchised voters across the country.

California Governor Gavin Newsom wants to allocate as much as $25 million to challenge President-elect Donald Trump’s most aggressive policies with a battalion of lawyers.

Drawing on lessons from Trump's first term, California is preparing to fight the new administration on immigration, the environment and other issues.

A special session​ called by California Gov. Gavin Newsom will begin Monday. Lawmakers have been tasked with weighing how to defend the state's progressive policies during President-elect Donald Trump's second term.