To do that, he turned to long-time ally and California Secretary of State Alex Padilla.

The appointment got a thumbs-up from Harris whotweeted, “Congratulations to my dear friend, @AlexPadilla4CA!

His father was a short-order cook and his mother was a housekeeper.

Alex Padilla holding a mic

“I knew right then and there I had to do something to change it.”

He got his start in politics by working for U.S.

He was also behind California’s first smoke-free housing law.

Alex Padilla speaking at the podium

But this success had a controversial consequence that haunts the new Senator from California to this day.

They did just that by running a statewide advertising campaign.

The outstanding fees add up to $35 million (viaThe Sacramento Bee).

A man checking ballots in a polling station

The problem looks like it’s that Padilla didn’t have the authority to spend the money.

California voting stickers