Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

Neptune to Launch a Creator-First, Customizable Algorithm Social Platform to Rival TikTok

19 hours ago

Kamala Harris Will Not Run for Governor of California in 2026

20 hours ago

Trump Pushes for Release of Epstein, Maxwell Grand Jury Testimony

22 hours ago

Trump Says US to Hit India With 25% Tariff Starting Friday

22 hours ago

Tariff Revenues Hit Record $150 Billion Amid Trump’s Trade Talks, Fox Business Reports

1 day ago

Israeli Minister Hints at Annexing Parts of Gaza

1 day ago

Fed Likely to Hold Rates Steady Despite Trump’s Push for Big Cuts

1 day ago

What’s Behind California’s Frozen Housing Market?

2 days ago

Marjorie Taylor Greene Is First Republican Lawmaker to Call Gaza Crisis a ‘Genocide’

2 days ago
Newsom Reveals His Weaknesses When He Needs Political Hardball to Get His Way
dan_walters
By Dan Walters, CalMatters Commentary
Published 3 months ago on
May 14, 2025

Gov. Gavin Newsom often uses aggressive tactics to get his way, but his reliance on political hardball may reveal underlying weaknesses. (CalMatters/Miguel Gutierrez Jr.)

Share

This commentary was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters.

One of Gavin Newsom’s political ploys is to depict political rivals as bullies and himself as someone who stands up to them.

Author's Profile Picture

By Dan Walters

CalMatters

Opinion

Last September, for example, he devoted an entire segment of his podcast, “Politickin’,” to denouncing Donald Trump, saying he is “a bully. But here’s the thing about bullies — they’re weak.”

That was before Trump was elected and before Newsom had to play nice in hopes of securing billions of dollars in federal relief aid for fire-damaged Los Angeles County. After initially saying he would provide such aid during a visit to L.A., Trump began hinting on imposing conditions on California, such as tightening up voting requirements and loosening up on water deliveries to farmers.

Newsom then reverted to his previous role as a leader of resistance to Trump.

Using Aggressive Tactics

Yes, Trump does use bullying tactics to get his way. He uses aggressive policies — such as tariffs on imports — as a negotiating tactic. So does Newsom.

One example is the campaign his office is waging among the media to discredit USC Professor Michael Mische, who projected that as California loses in-state refinery capacity, gasoline prices could soar to more than $8 a gallon.

If Newsom believes that Mische is wrong, an effective response would be some research that proves it. But rather than refute Mische’s analysis, the administration has been planting suggestions that Mische is employed by Saudi Arabia, even though his advice to that nation ended years ago.

Newsom is never shy about forcing local governments to obey his demands, whether it’s making more land available for housing or being more aggressive about clearing encampments of homeless people. Newsom periodically threatens to withhold funds from or take legal action against cities and counties he deems to be negligent, emulating Trump’s tactics against states that won’t bend to his will.

It happened again this week when Newsom released $3.3 billion in bond money for housing and treatment of the mentally ill and homeless populations.

“It is time to take back the streets,” Newsom said during a virtual press conference. “It’s time to take back the sidewalks. It’s time to take these encampments and provide alternatives and the state is giving you more resources than ever, and it’s time, I think, to just end the excuses.”

Newsom unveiled a model anti-camping ordinance he wants local officials to adopt and hinted that there would be consequences for those who balked.

“I’m not interested anymore, period full stop, in funding failure,” he said. “I want to see real results, and you’ll see in my budget on Wednesday that we’re going to hold that line.”

Local Officials Push Back

After receiving Newsom’s latest admonishment, local officials issued their latest defense.

Jeff Griffiths, Inyo County supervisor and president of the California State Association of Counties: “No, the state has not done everything it can to address homelessness in California. Without clear responsibilities for every level of government and reliable funding for cities and counties, successful local efforts will wither on the vine.”

League of California Cities executive director Carolyn Coleman: “When it comes to addressing homelessness, the question is not how many cities have encampment ordinances. It is whether cities have the ongoing funding from the state to match the scale of the crisis. Cal Cities stands strongly behind its position that now is the time for the state to invest in ongoing funding for all cities, big and small, to address homelessness.”

Bullying or political hardball? It’s difficult to discern the differences between Trump’s demands on states and Newsom’s on cities and counties. And if Trump’s bullying stems from weakness, what about Newsom’s?

This article was originally published on CalMatters and was republished under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives license.

Make Your Voice Heard

GV Wire encourages vigorous debate from people and organizations on local, state, and national issues. Submit your op-ed to bmcewen@gvwire.com for consideration.

RELATED TOPICS:

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

Judges Question Whether Trump Tariffs Are Authorized by Emergency Powers

DON'T MISS

US Treasury Chief Says He Expects Fed Chair Announcement by Year’s End

DON'T MISS

Fresno Illustrator Debuts as Author With Gamer’s ‘100 First Words’ Children’s Book

DON'T MISS

The Trump Presidency Takes a Better Turn

DON'T MISS

Fresno Man Killed in Hit-and-Run, Suspect Vehicle Located

DON'T MISS

Wall Street Jumps as Microsoft Enters $4 Trillion Club After Results

DON'T MISS

Community and Saint Agnes Named Among Best Regional Hospitals

DON'T MISS

Jet Crashes in Fresno County Field, Pilot Aided by EMS

DON'T MISS

Madera Man Sentenced to 34 Years to Life in Fresno Murder Case

DON'T MISS

High Noon Recalls Mislabeled Vodka Seltzers Shipped in Celsius Cans, NBC Reports

UP NEXT

US Treasury Chief Says He Expects Fed Chair Announcement by Year’s End

UP NEXT

The Trump Presidency Takes a Better Turn

UP NEXT

Fresno Man Killed in Hit-and-Run, Suspect Vehicle Located

UP NEXT

Wall Street Jumps as Microsoft Enters $4 Trillion Club After Results

UP NEXT

Community and Saint Agnes Named Among Best Regional Hospitals

UP NEXT

Jet Crashes in Fresno County Field, Pilot Aided by EMS

UP NEXT

Madera Man Sentenced to 34 Years to Life in Fresno Murder Case

UP NEXT

High Noon Recalls Mislabeled Vodka Seltzers Shipped in Celsius Cans, NBC Reports

UP NEXT

Wired Wednesday: New Fresno Ordinance Targets Vacant Blighted Properties

UP NEXT

Fresno Unified Trustee Susan Wittrup Responds to $162,000 Payout

The Trump Presidency Takes a Better Turn

28 minutes ago

Fresno Man Killed in Hit-and-Run, Suspect Vehicle Located

34 minutes ago

Wall Street Jumps as Microsoft Enters $4 Trillion Club After Results

41 minutes ago

Community and Saint Agnes Named Among Best Regional Hospitals

1 hour ago

Jet Crashes in Fresno County Field, Pilot Aided by EMS

13 hours ago

Madera Man Sentenced to 34 Years to Life in Fresno Murder Case

15 hours ago

High Noon Recalls Mislabeled Vodka Seltzers Shipped in Celsius Cans, NBC Reports

16 hours ago

Wired Wednesday: New Fresno Ordinance Targets Vacant Blighted Properties

17 hours ago

Fresno Unified Trustee Susan Wittrup Responds to $162,000 Payout

17 hours ago

Visalia Suspect in Fatal Assault and Serial Sexual Battery Cases Arrested in Alaska

17 hours ago

Judges Question Whether Trump Tariffs Are Authorized by Emergency Powers

U.S. appeals court judges sharply questioned on Thursday whether President Donald Trump’s tariffs were justified by the president̵...

33 seconds ago

President Donald Trump speaks after signing the VA Home Loan Program Reform Act at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 30, 2025. (Reuters/Evelyn Hockstein)
33 seconds ago

Judges Question Whether Trump Tariffs Are Authorized by Emergency Powers

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent attends a press conference at government quarters Rosenbad after the trade talks between the U.S. and China concluded, in Stockholm, Sweden, July 29, 2025. (Reuters File)
8 minutes ago

US Treasury Chief Says He Expects Fed Chair Announcement by Year’s End

18 minutes ago

Fresno Illustrator Debuts as Author With Gamer’s ‘100 First Words’ Children’s Book

28 minutes ago

The Trump Presidency Takes a Better Turn

34 minutes ago

Fresno Man Killed in Hit-and-Run, Suspect Vehicle Located

41 minutes ago

Wall Street Jumps as Microsoft Enters $4 Trillion Club After Results

1 hour ago

Community and Saint Agnes Named Among Best Regional Hospitals

13 hours ago

Jet Crashes in Fresno County Field, Pilot Aided by EMS

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

Search

Send this to a friend