After managing to fend off a recall effort in the fall of 2021, California Governor Gavin Newsom is back to battling against his recall, with a new attempt to recall him building and garnering support. Particularly, his opponents point to the state’s massive budgetary issues, particularly the looming deficit, and other alleged mismanagement from his office that has led to state-wide problems for Golden State residents.
The group attempting his recall, Rescue California, said that it plans to serve Newsom with recall papers on Monday, March 4. That will be the first step in what will likely be a lengthy and highly expensive process. The group justified its recall effort by pointing to the massive issue of homelessness in the state, the incredibly expensive cost of living, the illegal immigration crisis, and out-of-control crime. Politico, commenting on the problems Rescue California points to, noted:
Dunsmore and organizers said they were motivated by several policy decisions in California, including the state granting health benefits to undocumented immigrants; laws designed to change the criminal justice system that she said have contributed to crime and the rise of smash-and-grab robberies; high taxes; spending billions of dollars on homelessness and social services that have done little to solve the problem; and prolonged school closures during Covid that led to learning loss.
Further, Rescue California contends that Newsom is so busy on the national stage that he has “abandoned” California, particularly when it comes to the state’s massive budget shortfall. For context, the Legislative Analyst’s Office, a non-partisan group, estimated that California will see a $73 billion budget deficit this year, which is double what Newsom’s office estimated.
In a statement on the recall effort, Anne Dunsmore, the recall effort’s director, said, “California needs a full-time governor who is fully focused on the serious problems the state and its citizens are facing.” She continued, “This may be our last opportunity to rescue and restore our state, while we highlight for the rest of the country the destruction Newsom has left in his wake.”
Dunsmore also accused Newsom of having abandoned California as he tries to make a national political career for himself, with his state suffering the consequences of his negligence. She said, “Gavin Newsom has abandoned the state to advance his presidential ambitions, leaving behind a $73 billion budget deficit and a public safety, immigration and education crisis.”
Further, Dunmore told Politico that the effort would, even if it fails, force Newsom to focus on better policies for Californians, as the state’s focus will be on him and he will have to respond to that focus with policies that help the state. She said, “Stay home and deal with this issue: Now you’re gonna have a microscope put on you. Because he’s actually not so bad when he thinks people are watching … But he thinks he’s got like this free ride.”
Newsom attacked the recall effort on X, blasting it as being launched by “Trump Republicans” and as being wasteful. He said, “Trump Republicans are launching another wasteful recall campaign to distract us from the existential fight for democracy and reproductive freedom. We will defeat them.“
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