California’s Gavin Newsom knows his chances aren’t looking good for the upcoming recall election. This is why the Democrat-led California legislature passed a bill, SB 152, that will allow them to move up the recall election of the Democrat governor in hopes it will ensure the recall effort fizzles.
The Daily Wire reports:
Republican Assemblyman Kevin Kiley stated, “The conclusion is inescapable that Gavin Newsom is cheating in the recall and this Legislature is his willing accomplice.” GOP Assemblyman Vince Fong echoed, “It is an attempt to put a thumb on the scale, to try to obtain a partisan outcome for one side.”
University of California, Berkeley, political science professor Jack Citrin added, “They’re trying to create a situation that is most favorable for the partisan outcome that they favor,” KESQ noted.
The Democrats’ move would permit the recall election to take “at least 30 days earlier than under existing state law. Democrats hope to take advantage of what they view as favorable conditions for Newsom as the state moves on from the worst days of the pandemic and related restrictions,” the Associated Press (AP) reported, adding, “Recall organizers collected 1.7 million signatures in support of recalling Newsom, and he’ll face an election later this year. Without the recall, he’d next face voters in 2022 for a regularly scheduled reelection”.
The bill allows Democrats to circumvent the legislative review process if legislators target funds for counties to pay for the cost of the election. “The state Department of Finance already sought a cost estimate from counties and lawmakers plan to approve $215 million to cover the local expense,” AP noted.