Written by Will Hekman
Governor Gavin Newsom lost his bid to fix an error made by his team that lost Newsom’s party affiliation next to his name on the ballot, a massive loss for the governor. Newsom’s lawyer admitted to a filing error when filling out the governor’s party designation label.
Judge James Arguelles ruled against Newsom, citing Imagistics Internat., Inc. v. Department of General Services, a 2008 case that dealt with a similar issue of late filing. Arguelles said,“This case shows why every lawyer in California should have a sign posted in his or her office which says ‘Never do anything on the last day or at the last moment.’”
This is the second major case that Arguelles has ruled against Newsom. Arguelles ruled back in May an extension to recall petitioners which granted them an extra four months to gather signatures for the recall, which all but guaranteed a recall election would take place. Arguelles was appointed in 2010 by Arnold Schwarzenegger, who won the governorship back in 2003 via recall.
Some have questioned why Newsom has been fighting something which seems minute on the surface but Loyola law professor Jessica Levinson says, “A critical mass of people do not encounter their candidates until they get their ballot,”. With Newsom signing a law making it harder to recall officials and pressuring his appointed Secretary of State Shirley Weber, it has made the already embattled governor look even worse.
The deadline to file for the governor’s race is on Friday, and three new people have entered the ring: Republican Assemblymember Kevin Kiley, radio host Larry Elder, and former State Senator and current member of the California State Board of Equalization Ted Gaines.
