In the wake of 2.1 million Californians signing a petition to see incompetent Governor Gavin Newsom recalled, an action that is likely to qualify to a ballot, Democrats are feeling the heat and changing the rules.
State Senator Josh Newman, a Newsom ally and rare California politician who has been ousted by a recall, authored Senate Bill 663, which went before the Senate Elections committee today in Sacramento. If passed, the person subject to a recall will gain access to the names and contact information of all signers in future recalls, while extending the window for petitioners to withdraw their signatures from 30 to 45 days.
The impact of this bill becoming law would change the foundation of the secret recall petition, as it now exists. Those who sign a petition would have their privacy violated and could be subject to unsolicited outreach by the very official and official’s representatives who they wish to remove, as they attempt to get signers to withdraw their signatures.
Imagine the Democrat outrage if a Republican ever proposed such an invasion of personal privacy. Their desperation, arrogance and hypocrisy know no limits. Editorial Boards across California should be publicly denouncing such an overtly political maneuver, particularly considering the risk it poses to law-abiding citizens who are exercising their constitutional rights.
That a campaign would use this voter information to try and pressure signers to remove their signature is not far-fetched. As Newsom inches closer to seeing his recall make the ballot, former state senator Don Perata is orchestrating an organized effort that “aims to convince people who signed the petition to change their minds and rescind their signatures.” Since he does not currently have a list of who to target, he hopes “Newman amends the bill so it could take effect sooner” than 2022.
Gavin Newsom is the worst governor in California history. As a result, 2.1 million Californians – Republicans, Democrats and Independents – have signed a petition to see him recalled. And instead of fixing the broken leadership and policies that drove California to this point, Sacramento Democrats have a better idea: just change the rules to serve their interests.
Photo via CollinDemocrats
