For once, California Governor Gavin Newsom’s cowardly self-interest has worked to the benefit of the people of California. As he races to Washington, DC to show his support for the unsuccessful President Joe Biden (and no doubt measure the curtains), Newsom decided to abandon his efforts to destroy the citizen-initiated ballot initiative in order to Revision of Proposal 47.
Governor Gavin Newsom has abandoned his last-minute push for lawmakers to put a second crime-fighting measure to voters in the fall, making a dramatic U-turn just hours before he heads to Washington to defend President Joe Biden.
Their bill would have increased penalties for repeat thieves and drug dealers who mix substances with fentanyl. It was an attempt to compete with another anti-crime bill backed by prosecutors and major retailers that will be on the ballot in November.
Newsom’s Skinny Initiative accomplished little. It was a delicate and watered-down attempt to confuse voters and destroy the coalition of citizens and law enforcement that came together to collect over 900,000 signatures to get the initiative approved for the November 2024 ballot. Senator Brian Jones published a side-by-side comparison of the goals of the Revise Prop 47 ballot initiative to Newsom’s Skinny Initiative.
The aim of the Democrats’ election interference is to confuse voters at the ballot box.
Their anti-democratic measure provides for significantly lower penalties for very sedate crimes.
Here’s a comparison of the People’s Homelessness, Drug Addiction & Retail Theft Act with the Democrats’… pic.twitter.com/aCrShJ64QS
— Brian W. Jones (@SenBrianJones) July 2, 2024
The Democrats’ election interference is aimed at confusing voters at the ballot box. Their anti-democratic measure provides significantly lesser penalties for very sedate crimes. Here’s a comparison of the People’s Homelessness, Drug Addiction & Retail Theft Act with the Democrats’ soft crime bill. The Democrats’ political games will not fool Californians. Stop playing politics with public safety! #FixCalifornia
Yes, Newsom had no interest in improving on his pet piece of legislation, which he co-authored with LA DA George Gascon. But the beauty of all his bickering was watching him get brought back down to earth. Newsom faced vocal opposition, even from certain members of the “in-house team,” at the San Francisco Chronicleand its democratic supermajority.
This cynical, callous change in electoral procedures to advance a political agenda undermines trust in government and the integrity of elections. And it delivers Newsom’s State of the State address last weekin which he held up California as a bastion of democracy and freedom in a dim and divided nation, ring hollow.
Manipulating elections for political gain does not advance democracy. It undermines it. And it certainly does not make California a model for the nation.
So he essentially took his toys and flew to Washington without even asking permission. That reflects what Newsom believed to be the true measure of urgency: his political future, not the state of the state he was elected to govern. King Gavin had his office issue a statement.
The announcement came just one day before the bill would have needed the votes of a majority of both houses to get on the ballot before parliamentarians go on their month-long summer recess.
The news was broken to House Democrats in a late-night caucus conference call Tuesday night. The bill had already faced opposition from moderate and progressive Democrats frustrated by what they saw as a hastily concocted plan to snub political opponents. A lawmaker who participated in Tuesday’s conference call and asked not to be identified to discuss private conversations said some lawmakers had issues with Newsom’s sudden plans to travel to Washington on Wednesday.
Californians for Safer Communities President Greg Totten commented on this turn of events.
Statement from Greg Totten, co-chair of Californians for Safer Communities:
We are pleased that the Governor and State (*47*) have dropped their countermeasures and welcome them to join our campaign to responsibly amend Prop 47 to address shoplifting, the fentanyl crisis, and…
— Californians for Safer Communities (@CASafeCommunity) July 3, 2024
Statement from Greg Totten, co-chair of Californians for Safer Communities: “We are pleased that the Governor and State Legislature have dropped their countermeasure and welcome them to join our campaign to responsibly amend Prop 47 to combat shoplifting, the fentanyl crisis, and homelessness.”
Republican Rep. Kevin Kiley rightly called Newsom’s maneuvers against the citizens he is supposed to represent what they are: a huge embarrassment.
It’s over. Newsom’s latest plan to sabotage the End Prop. 47 initiative just failed.
This is the most embarrassing episode for a governor in California’s current history. More importantly, it is a historic victory for Californians. We can set our state on a novel course in November.
— Kevin Kiley (@KevinKileyCA) July 3, 2024
Californians finally have the upper hand when it comes to putting their state on a better course. Let’s hope they can do it.
