A group working to recall California Governor Gavin Newsom announced that it had gathered 1.4 million signatures in a “record week of petition gathering to oust the controversial California Governor.”

Orrin Heatlie, the Chairman of The California Patriot Coalition, Recall Gavin 2020 Committee, made the announcement, saying “This past week more than 100,000 registered voters in California have signed Gavin Newsom’s Pink Slip.” Recall organizers have until March 17 to collect 1,495,709 valid signatures.

The Petition for Recall gives these reasons for the campaign:

The grounds for this recall are as Follows: Governor Newsom has implemented laws which are detrimental to the citizens of this state and our way of life. Laws he endorsed favor foreign nationals, in our country illegally, over that of our own citizens. People in this state suffer the highest taxes in the nation, the highest homelessness rates, and the lowest quality of life as a result. He has imposed sanctuary state status and fails to enforce immigration laws. He unilaterally over-ruled the will of the people regarding the death penalty. He seeks to impose additional burdens on our state by the following; removing the protections of Proposition 13, rationing our water use, increasing taxes and restricting parental rights. Having no other recourse, we the people have come together to take this action, remedy these misdeeds and prevent further injustices.

Newsom has refused to address the recall, except for an initial response to the filing in August 2020, where he defended his record (emphasis his):

GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM’S ANSWER TO RECALL STATEMENT: WARNING: THIS UNWARRANTED RECALL EFFORT WILL COST CALIFORNIA TAXPAYERS 81 MILLION DOLLARS! IT IS BEING PUSHED BY POLITICAL EXTREMISTS SUPPORTING PRESIDENT TRUMP’S HATEFUL ATTACKS ON CALIFORNIA. In 2018 California voters elected Governor Gavin Newsom by historic margins. As Governor, Newsom is working to 1) increase funding for public education, 2) protect and secure Californians’ health and health care, 3) improve water, roads, and bridges, 4) address the challenges of housing affordability and homelessness, and 5) prepare for the threats of wildfires. Our budget is balanced. Our fiscal reserves are unprecedented. Our economy and employment are historically strong. Yet a handful of partisan activists supporting President Trump and his dangerous agenda to divide America are trying to overturn the definitive will of California voters and bring Washington’s broken government to California with this recall effort. The last thing California needs is another wasteful special election, supported by those who demonize California’s people and attack California’s values.

Rescue California is another group involved in the movement, having mailed out millions of petitions to state residents. The group says it’s responsible for the successful recall of California’s former Governor Gray Davis, in 2003. Arnold Schwarzenegger was chosen to replace Davis. 

The organization lists “10 Reasons to Recall Gavin Newsom.” These include: shutting down “most of the state’s economy without scientific evidence that it helped stop the spread”; keeping “favored businesses open including his own winery tasting room and Hollywood production companies”; failing “to get kids back in school”; signing AB 5 into law, “attacking the livelihood of tens of thousands of independent entrepreneurs and gig workers”; and ordering “the release of almost 20,000 dangerous inmates from state prison.”

If recall organizers collect enough valid signatures by March 17, counties have until April 29 to verify them, CalMatters explained. A special election would take place later this year, with those campaigning for Newsom’s removal saying it would be in August or September, while the group California Targetbook says it would be in November or December.

CalMatters reported, “Voters would be asked two questions: Do they want to recall Newsom, yes or no? And, if more than 50% of voters say ‘yes,’ who should replace him?” The news outlet added, “There’s no limit on the number of candidates who can run to replace an official on a recall ballot. And whoever gets the most votes wins – even without a majority.” 

There have been six previous unsuccessful efforts to recall Newsom, beginning in 2019.  

Photo from POOL/REUTERS