COUNTER SUIT: State Sen. Marie Alvarado-Gil’s counter-complaint against the former staffer who sued her in September contains a bombshell allegation that he was involved in the unsolved disappearance and murder of Chandra Levy, our Dustin Gardiner reports. Alvarado-Gil filed the suit against Chad Condit, who accused the state lawmaker of forcing him to perform sex acts and creating a hostile work environment. Condit is the son of former California Rep. Gary Condit, who had an affair with Levy — a Washington, D.C., intern — before she went missing in 2001 and was later found dead. In an explosive accusation, Alvarado-Gil said Chad Condit told her he was “personally responsible for the unsolved disappearance and murder” of Levy. Following those alleged comments, Alvarado-Gil "began to fear for her life and for her family's safety," according to her filing. The younger Condit’s attorneys did not immediately respond to multiple requests for comment today. THIRST TRAP: Speaking of California leaders vying for Trump’s attention, Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher today released a letter he sent the president-elect to “extend my congratulations on your recent victory and to ask for your partnership in addressing the significant challenges facing California.” He said the state needs help dealing with wildfires, housing, crime and energy and gas prices. “While Governor Gavin Newsom wants to ‘Trump-proof’ California; Legislative Republicans want to partner with you to pursue real solutions,” Gallagher wrote. “We have been fighting tirelessly to fix California, but we need your support. Californians deserve real progress, not political showdowns that ultimately cost taxpayers and distract from the urgent needs of our state and nation.” The tone of Gallagher’s letter suggests Republicans might be concerned their state could get caught in the crosshairs of a Trump vs. Newsom battle. If that’s the case, Gallagher could stand to benefit as California’s Trump-whisperer. FOGGY FUTURE: San Francisco Rep. Nancy Pelosi ’s campaign filed paperwork for her to run for another term in 2026. But it’s unclear what the former speaker actually intends to do. Today, she brushed aside a question about her future from our colleague Nicholas Wu on Capitol Hill, responding, “And who are you?” Pelosi’s future has long been a source of intrigue in her hometown. Her daughter, Christine Pelosi , an attorney and party organizer, is widely expected to run for the seat when her mother eventually retires. That would set the stage for a bruising and expensive intraparty fight with state Sen. Scott Wiener, who’s mounted a years-long shadow campaign to succeed the elder Pelosi. But with Trump, Pelosi’s arch nemesis, returning to power, she might feel a duty to help Democrats resist the Republicans’ trifecta in Washington. When asked if he thought she would run again in 2026, Democratic Rep. Mike Thompson said, “I hope so.” Even if Pelosi does retire sooner rather than later, there’s a tactical advantage to keeping a 2026 committee open: She can continue to raise money — and keep the Scott Wieners of the world guessing about her plans. — Dustin Gardiner TOOTH-HURTY: As POLITICO reported earlier today, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is shaping up to be the next secretary of Health and Human Services. Among his many controversial plans, he’s said he wants to remove fluoride from Americans’ drinking water. Fluoride fun fact: Forty percent of Californians already drink non-fluoridated water, mostly from wells. Though that’s a significant decrease from the 1990s, when 83 percent of Californians were drinking water without fluoride, the state ranks 37th in getting it to all residents. The California Dental Association has been sounding the alarm about fluoride and California’s high rates of tooth decay in children for years. Maybe we were just ahead of the trend. — Rachel Bluth
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