California Gov. Gavin Newsom recently lost his cool while talking to reporters about everything from the state’s crime rates, surging wildfires and, of course, the latest Republican-led effort to boot him from the governorship.
The tense moments came during an August 5 interview held by the Sacramento Bee that involved a handful of local journalists with inquiries about the state’s handling of wildfire controls, water management and the ongoing recall effort, among other headlining topics.
At the top of the discussion, Newsom was asked to weigh in on the looming recall election, which is scheduled to take place on September 14, and offer his take on how the initiative may affect future terms should he be forced out of office.
The governor underscored that the recall push may likely prompt the effective “weaponization of the recall process” in any instance that the head of a state issues legislation that is opposed by a select group of residents.
“[The process] will have profound consequences nationwide, and go to not just politics but to policy and policymaking. ... its repercussions would be felt next year in the governor's race for election and beyond,” he added.
However as the roughly hourlong interview continued, Newsom was visibly becoming more passionate about the issues being discussed, repeatedly slamming his hand on a desk. Local outlet California Globe counted 9 instances in which the embattled governor used the term “damn” during his impassioned remarks.
It wasn’t until the very end of the interview, when San Luis Obispo Tribune reporter Stephanie Finucane asked Newsom on realities of the lacking California dream for working-class families, that he went off the deep end and spoke plainly but sternly about the current situation.
A supporter of the California recall of Gov. Gavin Newsom holds a sign outside of a debate by Republican gubernatorial candidates at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2021, in Yorba Linda, Calif. Newsom faces a Sept. 14 recall election that could remove him from office.
© AP Photo / Marcio Jose Sanchez
“Guys, forgive me, I know I am a little pointed today but I've been taking a lot from you folks for a lot of months. I should be able to express myself, too, but I do it with deep pride in this state, as a Californian,” he told reporters on the video call. “I'm a future ex-governor. It could happen in a few weeks, it could happen in a few years. I love this damn state.”
Taking a quick dig at Texas and Florida by saying that California tops both in jobs creations, Newsom stressed that his administration has seen working-class Americans in Texas “pay more in taxes than those living in California.”
“I don't know why that doesn’t get more damn attention cause I care about working folks,” he said matter-of-factly before highlighting that tax-paying, middle-class Americans are taking home more money at the end of the day as the state has “tripled its earned income tax credit.”
“I’m proud of the fact that three-quarters of tax filers are getting a tax rebate - the largest in American history: $12 billion,” he continued. “I’m proud of the fact that small businesses are getting $4 billion in grants, not loans. I’m proud of the fact that we paid 100% of back rent… No one comes close.”
The heated remarks saw Newsom go on to blast the likes of US Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA) and fellow GOP members within the state, saying that “it’d be damn nice if our homegrown team started focusing on what’s right.”
From left, Republican candidates for California Governor John Cox, Kevin Faulconer, Kevin Kiley and Doug Ose participate in a debate at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2021, in Yorba Linda, Calif. California Gov. Gavin Newsom faces a Sept. 14 recall election that could remove him from office.
© AP Photo / Marcio Jose Sanchez
“Everybody outside the state is b****ing about this state because of our success, and I'm proud of it…. There’s a lot to be proud of,” he concluded.
With a little more than a month before the recall election is due to be held, the pool of opposing candidates is continuing to grow. At present, those contending against Newsom include reality TV star and former Olympian Caitlyn Jenner, conservative radio host Larry Elder and former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, among dozens of other contenders.
Prior to the latest recall initiative against Newsom, there were five other such attempts that were raised by three different sets of critics who voiced complaints about the governor’s progressive stances from policies on the death penalty, immigration, taxes and gun control.
The sixth attempt, which caught on in 2020, gained steam within the state over backlash from Newsom’s COVID-19 mandates, his maskless dinner at an exclusive restaurant during the pandemic and the multibillion-dollar fraud scandal at the state unemployment department. Newsom has maintained that the recall effort is wholly driven by a conservative attack on the state’s liberal policies.