Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

US Consumer Spending Falls as Trump Tariff’s Muddle Economy

23 hours ago

US Supreme Court Lets Parents Take Kids Out of Classes With LGBT Storybooks

1 day ago

In Win for Trump, US Supreme Court Limits Judges’ Power to Block Birthright Citizenship Order

1 day ago

California’s Newsom Sues Fox News for $787 Million for Defamation Over Trump Call

1 day ago

Motorcycle Collides With Tractor in Fatal Fresno County Collision

1 day ago

Fourth of July Celebrations Begin Saturday. Here’s Your Fresno Area Guide

1 day ago

Bill Moyers, Broadcaster and LBJ’s White House Press Secretary, Dies at 91

2 days ago

State Department Approves $30 Million for Gaza Humanitarian Foundation

2 days ago

Cargo Ship That Caught Fire Carrying Electric Vehicles Sinks in the Pacific

2 days ago

4 Million Acres of California Forests Could Lose Protection. What Trump’s ‘Roadless Rule’ Repeal Could Do

3 days ago
Walters: Democrats Overreach on Recall, Miss Valid Point
dan_walters
By Dan Walters, CalMatters Commentary
Published 4 years ago on
January 17, 2021

Share

Last week, the California Democratic Party attempted to link the Republican-backed drive to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom to the riotous invasion of the U.S. Capitol building by supporters of soon-to-be ex-President Donald Trump.

“This recall effort, which really ought to be called ‘the California coup,’ is being led by right-wing conspiracy theorists, white nationalists, anti-vaxxers and groups who encourage violence on our democratic institutions,” state Democratic chairman Rusty Hicks said.

Dan Walters

Opinion

It was an overreach, as media accounts quickly pointed out, to compare the clearly illegal and violent incident at the Capitol to the constitutionally protected recall process, and Hicks grudgingly conceded the recall’s legality.

If anything, the effort signaled Democratic worries that the campaign to collect enough signatures to place Newsom’s fate before voters may succeed. Organizers say they’ve collected about two-thirds of the 1.5 million signatures needed to qualify the recall.

However, had they done their homework and not overreached, Hicks, et al, could have made the very valid point that while right-wing extremists are not leading the recall drive, they are certainly trying to make it happen with outright lies.

And What Are These Horrendous New Laws?

Rightist propaganda outlets are flooding YouTube with videos that profess to be giving viewers factual information about Newsom and the state he governs, but are plainly attempting to stir up support for the recall with misinformation.

For instance, a youngish man who calls himself “John Williams” and describes himself as a financial advisor, has posted numerous videos excoriating Newsom and backing the recall.

“Newsom wants essentially to destroy California and turn it into a communist state where he is the ruler, the dictator and god over 40 million people,” Williams declares in one.

In another, posted on Dec. 30, he tells viewers that Newsom has signed five new laws that would take effect on Jan. 1.

“Freedom, liberty and justice died – all thanks to these new laws,” the video claims. “California as we once knew it is gone forever and it’s all thanks to these new laws signed into effect by Gavin Newsom and they become official next week. This is absolutely insane!!”

And what are these horrendous new laws? In fact, Newsom signed only one of the five cited, Assembly Bill 3121, which creates a commission to study reparations for California’s role in the enslavement of Black people.

All Four Can Be Legitimately Criticized

The other four cited are not new laws, but merely recently introduced bills that would declare racism to be a health crisis, extend a moratorium on renter evictions, push social media platforms to police their content, and make voting-by-mail permanent.

All four can be legitimately criticized, but they haven’t even had legislative hearings, much less been passed by the Legislature and signed by Newsom — and saying otherwise is a bald-faced lie.

Another YouTube misinformation site is called “California Insider,” a subsidiary of Epoch Times, a right-wing propaganda outlet founded by members of the Falun Gong religious movement and one of Trump’s most ardent cheerleaders.

California Insider generates a steady stream of seemingly straightforward interviews focused on California’s shortcomings due to poor governance by Democratic officeholders. It often features well-known Republican political figures.

Whether Newsom deserves to be recalled is debatable. But he certainly doesn’t deserve to be slandered by misinformation, lies, and guilt-by-association. Hicks could have made that legitimate point instead of engaging in overheated character assassination himself.

CalMatters is a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how California’s state Capitol works and why it matters. For more columns by Dan Walters, go to calmatters.org/commentary.

[activecampaign form=19]

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Trump Sends in DOGE to Slash Federal Gun Regulations by July 4

DON'T MISS

Tensions Flare at Announcement of Major Fresno County Gang Takedown

DON'T MISS

Measure C ‘Blackmailed’ As Fresno Enviro Coalition Gets Huge Say on Transportation Tax

DON'T MISS

Despite $49M Deficit, Fresno Unified Gives Top Brass 5% Raise, 3% One-Time Bonus

DON'T MISS

US Consumer Spending Falls as Trump Tariff’s Muddle Economy

DON'T MISS

US Supreme Court Preserves Key Element of Obamacare

DON'T MISS

US Supreme Court Lets Parents Take Kids Out of Classes With LGBT Storybooks

DON'T MISS

Fresno Unified Trustees Will Get Automatic Raises on Tuesday

DON'T MISS

Alleged ‘Fake’ ICE Agents Charged. Fresno Court Date Set

DON'T MISS

In Win for Trump, US Supreme Court Limits Judges’ Power to Block Birthright Citizenship Order

UP NEXT

Things Netanyahu Might Say if Injected With Truth Serum

UP NEXT

California Politicians Ignore Ag’s Troubles, but Boost Movie Business

UP NEXT

Trump’s Courageous and Correct Decision to Bomb Iran

UP NEXT

How the Attacks on Iran Are Part of a Much Bigger Global Struggle

UP NEXT

Groceries Are Now a Luxury. So Is Breathing.

UP NEXT

California Politicians Agree on School Money, but Poor Test Scores Need Attention

UP NEXT

Sen. Alex Padilla: This Is How an Administration Acts When It’s Afraid

UP NEXT

Bay Area Transit Systems Want More Money. But Their Payrolls Soared as Ridership Declined

UP NEXT

History Suggests the GOP Will Pay a Political Price for Its Immigration Tactics in California

UP NEXT

Only Nonviolence Will Beat Trump

Mamdani’s NYC Primary Win Sparks Surge in Anti-Muslim Posts, Advocates Say

5 hours ago

Trump Sends in DOGE to Slash Federal Gun Regulations by July 4

19 hours ago

Tensions Flare at Announcement of Major Fresno County Gang Takedown

20 hours ago

Measure C ‘Blackmailed’ As Fresno Enviro Coalition Gets Huge Say on Transportation Tax

21 hours ago

Despite $49M Deficit, Fresno Unified Gives Top Brass 5% Raise, 3% One-Time Bonus

21 hours ago

US Consumer Spending Falls as Trump Tariff’s Muddle Economy

23 hours ago

US Supreme Court Preserves Key Element of Obamacare

24 hours ago

US Supreme Court Lets Parents Take Kids Out of Classes With LGBT Storybooks

1 day ago

Fresno Unified Trustees Will Get Automatic Raises on Tuesday

1 day ago

Alleged ‘Fake’ ICE Agents Charged. Fresno Court Date Set

1 day ago

I Detest Netanyahu, but on Some Things He’s Actually Right

Like a lot of people of center-right/center-left political leanings, I’ve spent the past few decades detesting Prime Minister Benjamin Netan...

3 hours ago

2022 Election Rally for Netanyahu
3 hours ago

I Detest Netanyahu, but on Some Things He’s Actually Right

University of Virginia President James Ryan Resigns
3 hours ago

University of Virginia President Resigns Under Pressure From Trump Administration

4 hours ago

How Did the Supreme Court Rule? Here’s a Look at the Big Cases

Zohran Mamdani Speaks to Supporters
5 hours ago

Mamdani’s NYC Primary Win Sparks Surge in Anti-Muslim Posts, Advocates Say

American Flag Revolver
19 hours ago

Trump Sends in DOGE to Slash Federal Gun Regulations by July 4

Rob_Bonta_Speaking_At_Press_Conference_1280x720
20 hours ago

Tensions Flare at Announcement of Major Fresno County Gang Takedown

Garry_Bredefeld_Sandra_Celedon_Mesure_C_1280x720
21 hours ago

Measure C ‘Blackmailed’ As Fresno Enviro Coalition Gets Huge Say on Transportation Tax

Fresno_Unified_Raises_1280x720
21 hours ago

Despite $49M Deficit, Fresno Unified Gives Top Brass 5% Raise, 3% One-Time Bonus

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend