California Republicans are torching California Gov. Gavin Newsom for convening a special legislative session to ‘Trump-proof’ the state’s left-wing laws as wildfires continue to devastate parts of Los Angeles.
California lawmakers began a special legislative session Thursday to provide the state Department of Justice an additional $25 million to fund litigation against the incoming Trump administration. Republican lawmakers in Congress representing California and those in the state’s Democratic-run legislature have excoriated Newsom for convening a special session devoted to combatting President-elect Donald Trump instead of prioritizing first responders and wildfire victims.
“It shouldn’t surprise anyone that Newsom is indulging his ideological fetishes at the expense of the people of California – he always has,” Republican California Rep. Tom McClintock told the Daily Caller News Foundation. “The surprise is that so many people have been willing to put up with it – at least those who aren’t fleeing the state in record numbers. Perhaps he can bring his lyre to the special session and serenade the legislature as Los Angeles burns.”
The Los Angeles wildfires have destroyed more than 10,000 structures and are estimated to be one of the costliest wildfire disasters in American history.
Newsom’s response to the ongoing wildfires has been widely criticized by state residents and lawmakers. The governor asked President Joe Biden Friday to “deal with” people allegedly spreading “misinformation” about his handling of the crises.
Just days after President-elect Donald Trump defeated 2024 Democratic Presidential candidate Kamala Harris in November, Newsom called for a special legislative session to be convened to “Trump-proof” California’s state laws. The state sued the first Trump administration 123 times, averaging a new lawsuit roughly every 12 days, according to the California-based news outlet, CalMatters.
Additional congressional Republicans representing California tore into Newsom for pursuing the special session amid the ongoing wildfires and described the governor as “wildly out of touch” with state residents, according to statements that Republican California Reps. Vince Fong and Young Kim gave to the DCNF.
“While southern California is dealing with disastrous wildfires and residents are enduring unbelievable loss and devastation, it boggles the mind that Governor Newsom is continuing with his special session to focus on efforts to fight the Trump-Vance Administration,” Fong told the DCNF. “This tone-deaf behavior literally has everyone in California and across the nation questioning Governor Newsom’s priorities right now. Californians are rightfully demanding that its local and state government focus on the basics.”
“Prioritizing potential future political battles over supporting first responders battling raging wildfires in our state is unfortunately only the latest example of Sacramento’s mismatched priorities being wildly out of touch with the pressing crises facing Californians,” Kim told the DCNF. “I’ll continue to push back and fight for common sense.”
A spokesperson for Republican California State Senator Jim Jones, state Senate Republican leader, referred the DCNF to a floor speech during which Jones slammed Newsom for moving ahead with plans to allocate millions of taxpayer dollars to fund lawsuits against the incoming Trump administration at a time when many of the state’s taxpayers are reeling from the devastating wildfires.
“So we’re going to waste California taxpayer money suing federal taxpayers who are the same people,” Jones said during the floor speech. “This makes no sense to me.”
Another California state lawmaker leading the charge against Newsom’s special session told the DCNF that convening the legislature to fund litigation against the incoming Trump administration could be seen as the groundwork for a potential run for president in 2028.
“It’s appalling that Gavin Newsom is still pushing to spend tens of millions of dollars on lawsuits against President Trump, even as he’s cut California’s wildfire prevention budget by 80%,” Republican California state Rep. Jim Gallagher, GOP Leader of the State Assembly, told the DCNF. “It’s reckless, dangerous and wrong for Newsom to use state resources to lay the groundwork for his 2028 presidential campaign despite so many other basic services that need funding.”
Newsom’s response to the ongoing wildfires has been widely criticized by state residents and lawmakers. One observer of California state politics told the DCNF that Newsom’s apparent mismanagement of the wildfires so far could impair his ability to mount a successful bid for president in 2028.
California residents were already familiar with Newsom’s “cascade of failures” related to an influx of illegal migrants, crime and rising cost of living, but the governor has also failed to maintain the state’s infrastructure, according to Shawn Steel, Republican national committeeman for California.
“The concept of infrastructure for him as a politician is the most boring concept on Earth,” Steel told the DCNF. “I think he’d rather stare at the ceiling than actually deal with serious policy matters.”
“Having him mismanage California is entirely predictable,” Steel added.
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