DAVID BLACKMON: Trump Ends Newsom’s Terrible Week By Killing His EV Mandate
The week just passed was a rough one for California Governor Gavin Newsom. Early in the week, Newsom’s complete lack of leadership in his home state combined with a similar dereliction of duty by Los Angeles Mayor Karen…
The week just passed was a rough one for California Governor Gavin Newsom. Early in the week, Newsom’s complete lack of leadership in his home state combined with a similar dereliction of duty by Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass to justify President Donald Trump’s move to activate both the National Guard and 700 U.S. Marines to move into downtown Los Angeles to control escalating riots there.
As if that weren’t humiliating enough, President Trump held a White House ceremony Thursday during which he signed a series of three resolutions passed under the Congressional Review Act (CRA) designed to kill California’s electric vehicle (EV) mandate which has been a centerpiece of Newsom’s regulatory policies.
“Under the previous administration, the federal government gave left-wing radicals in California dictatorial powers to control the future of the entire car industry all over the country,” Trump said in remarks preceding the signing. “It’s been a disaster for this country.”
In response, Newsom said in a statement, “The weaponization of the Congressional Review Act to attack California’s waivers is just another part of the continuous, partisan campaign against California’s efforts to protect the public and the planet from harmful pollution.” It’s pretty weak sauce, but it’s all he has at this point.
Well, except for another round of lawfare, that is. Within minutes of Trump’s affixing his signature (no autopen involved) to the resolutions, California Attorney General Rob Bonta had filed a lawsuit challenging the resolutions in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. Bonta was joined by Democrat attorneys general from 10 other states.
KCRA Channel 3 TV in Sacramento pointed out that this suit is the 26th time Bonta has sued the Trump administration since January. Bonta admitted during his press conference that his office has already spent $5 million in pursuing its Trump-focused lawfare agenda, but no worries: The state assembly recently authorized a $25 million boost to Bonta’s budget to continue his Quixotic strategy.