LOS ANGELES (AP) – California Republicans launched a Democratic attack Wednesday to associate Governor Gavin Newsom’s proposed withdrawal with the U.S. Capitol insurgency, which portrayed it as a dangerous act of Democrat despair and new evidence that the governor must go.
Criticism came as the Orange County Republican Party launched a new round of appeals for the withdrawal of funds, saying Democrats were trying to inflame political tensions at a time of national conflict.
“There is nothing more democratic than an election,” the party said in a statement, defending the withdrawal proposal that could take place later this year.
A day earlier, Democratic Party State President Rusty Hicks and a formation of Democratic elected officials claimed that the withdrawal effort was a “coup” to eliminate Newsom, led by far-right extremists. including white supremacists and neo-Nazis. However, they did not provide evidence to support the allegations.
The spread of claims and inflammatory language even attracted criticism from fellow Democrats.
In the twilight of President Donald Trump’s administration, and after his unfounded claims of widespread election fraud, “We all have a responsibility to get back to the truth and the facts,” said Roy Behr, a Democratic strategist who has worked for California politicians, including former U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer.
“While the other side has clearly shown that facts and reality are irrelevant to their arguments, I think our side can be effective without having to resort to that,” Behr said. “There are so many good reasons to oppose the withdrawal, that they don’t need to resort to that particular line of argument.”
Samantha Corbin, a Democrat and influential state government lobbyist, wrote on Twitter that she was “extremely disappointed and upset” to see the party use this language, especially in a time of national crisis and threats of violence, including at the Sacramento Capitol. .
“Linking a legally and constitutionally appropriate attempt (California) to withdraw the violent insurgency at the U.S. Capitol and the ongoing coup attempt is worse than a bad public relations call. It’s irresponsible, it will generate division and it will perpetuate ignorance, ”he wrote.
Democrats appeared to be trying to attract national attention in Washington, but the event also indicated that the party recognized the withdrawal as a legitimate (perhaps even inevitable) threat to the governor.
Withdrawal organizers say they have collected more than 1.1 million of the nearly 1.5 million petition signatures needed to place the withdrawal on the ballot and have until mid-March to reach the required threshold.
Newsom was elected by a landslide in the highly democratic state in 2018, but has seen its fortunes worsened as many residents tire of the long-running coronavirus restrictions that have closed schools and businesses, while fight the consequences of a massive fraud scandal on unemployment benefits.
He became the focus of public outrage after being caught eating with friends in an opulent restaurant (sitting very close together and without masks), after telling state residents to turn down social gatherings and stay home for avoid the risk of spreading the virus.
Unlike a coup, usually a violent and illegal attempt to seize power, by-elections are allowed under state law. Then-Democratic Gov. Gray Davis was ousted in a 2003 by-election and replaced by Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Claremont McKenna College political scientist Jack Pitney said Democrats were trying to put an extremist label on the withdrawal at a time when the movement remains unknown to nearly 40 million people in the state. He noted that President Richard Nixon once wrote that the best way to ignite your supporters is to rally them against a visible opponent. He said a loyal supporter will fight hard for you, but “he will fight twice against your enemies.”
Democrats were “trying to identify this enemy,” Pitney said.
But it can be forgotten, with the nation’s attention centered on Washington and Trump’s second ouster. “As far as people were paying attention, he fell behind,” he said.
Randy Economy, senior adviser on the withdrawal effort, expressed dismay at the allegations. He said traffic to the group’s website hit a record on Tuesday, which he attributed to the Democratic event.
“Are they going?” he asked, referring to the allegations. “That’s how bad the Democratic Party is in California.”
The event also made it clear that Democrats are worried about a possible candidacy by former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, a moderate Republican with a discreet, avuncular style who came to power in 2013 after a harassment scandal. sexual that ended the term of his predecessor, Democrat Bob Filner. Faulconer was chosen to be criticized by Democrats.
Among the possible Republican Party candidates, Faulconer has set up a committee to start raising money. Republican businessman John Cox, Newsom’s rival in 2018, has indicated that he intends to run if the withdrawal meets the requirements. Another name circulating in Republican circles is Trump’s former acting national intelligence director, Richard Grenell, who lives in California. Grenell did not respond to any email search messages.