Newsom announces ‘Liberation Day' event in gerrymandering fight
'Donald Trump is about to have a very bad day,' Newsom wrote in a Wednesday post on X.
The president previously told reporters that Republicans were 'entitled' to additional seats and said the FBI 'may have to' go after Democratic lawmakers who fled the Lone Star State to ensure a vote approving the measure didn't pass.
Newsom, Gov. JB Pritzker (D-Ill.) and Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-N.Y.) have been working alongside state legislatures to develop a plan to add additional guaranteed Democratic seats in the House through redistricting.
The process requires states to change their constitutions or bylaws to allow for redistricting outside of a census year, when congressional maps are typically redrawn.
'DEMOCRATS WILL DESTROY [Texas Gov.] GREG ABBOTT'S 'TOTALLY RIGGED MAPS.' TREMENDOUS WORK IS BEING DONE. DONALD TRUMP (THE CRIMINAL PRESIDENT) GET READY FOR THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PAYBACK YOU'VE EVER SEEN!!!' Newsom's official press office account wrote on X.
'COULD BE THE WORST DAY OF YOUR LIFE AS YOUR PRESIDENCY ENDS (DEMS RETAKE CONGRESS!). AMERICA WILL BE LIBERATED — 'LIBERATION DAY' MANY ARE CALLING IT!!! THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER!' the statement added.
The conference is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. on Thursday and will include members of the California legislature.
Newsom penned a letter to Trump on Monday pressing the president to have Texas and other red states stop their mid-decade redistricting efforts, saying 'you are playing with fire, risking the destabilization of our democracy, while knowing that California can neutralize any gains you hope to make.'
'If you will not stand down, I will be forced to lead an effort to redraw the maps in California to offset the rigging of maps in red states,' he added. 'But if the other states call off their redistricting efforts, we will happily do the same.'
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Yahoo
2 minutes ago
- Yahoo
As partisan redistricting battles flare, Maine constitutional officers weigh in
Voters cast their ballots at the Quimby School gymnasium in Bingham, Maine on Tuesday, November 5, 2024. (Photo by Michael G. Seamans/ Maine Morning Star) Since President Donald Trump asked Texas to redraw its congressional maps to find five more Republican seats ahead of next year's elections, some Democratic states are considering redistricting to counter the effort. Maine is not, at least according to Gov. Janet Mills, though an anonymous group tried to encourage the Pine Tree State to intervene earlier this month by flying planes over Augusta with banners that read 'Mess with Texas.' The state's constitutional officers, Attorney General Aaron Frey and Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, both Democrats, condemned Texas' move, and Trump instigating it, as a blatant abuse of power. But, they said Democratic states exploring the avenues legally available to them to redistrict outside the regular schedule is understandable. Bellows refrained from any judgement of those counter efforts, while Frey was more critical, particularly due to what he sees as a likely snowball effect. 'I am lamenting what this might mean for how our politics will continue, in terms of people trying to do the one-upsmanship,' Frey said in a sit-down with Maine Morning Star. 'As much as it probably sounds like it's a critique, it really is more of a concern about this being the evolution of where the politics is going.' The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, the official party committee dedicated to electing Democrats to statehouses, called on Democrats on Aug. 4 to pursue redistricting opportunities to respond to possible changes to Texas' congressional map. Last week, California was the first state to release a proposal to that aim. Such ideas have also been floated by officials in New York, Maryland, and Illinois — whose governor has already waded into the redistricting battle by welcoming Texas Democrats who fled the state to block a vote on the Republican proposal. They've since returned. But, Republicans control more state legislatures than Democrats and Vice President JD Vance is touring those states to encourage more gerrymandering. Several, including Missouri, Florida and Indiana, are now considering redrawing their maps to counter the Democrats' countering. 'It should be a concern for all of us about what this means for the next time that the next majority is in power,' Frey said. 'I am hoping that I would have just as much concern if California would have been the first state to say that they were going to do this as I have about Texas saying that they're going to do this, even though it may be perfectly appropriate legally.' Redistricting procedures vary state by state but largely happen every ten years following new census data. Under the Maine Constitution, the state Legislature must establish a bipartisan advisory commission to draw its congressional and legislative districts every ten years. These maps are then sent to the Legislature for approval, though lawmakers aren't bound to those recommendations. Approval requires a two-thirds vote, and because neither party has held a supermajority in the last decade, this has typically required bipartisan support. The map is then subject to the governor's approval. Maine last went through this process in 2021. Mills did not respond to multiple requests for comment about whether she supports the actions other Democratic states are considering to redraw their maps in response to Texas Republicans' attempts. A spokesperson told the Portland Press Herald in early August that she was not considering any actions related to redistricting in Maine. If the Legislature is unable to reach the two-thirds threshold, the Maine Supreme Court would draw the maps instead. 'It's understandable that other states are seeking to fight fire with fire,' Bellows said, echoing California Gov. Gavin Newsom, 'but none of what's happening outside of Maine would change unless the Legislature and the people of Maine decided to pursue a constitutional amendment.' A constitutional amendment in Maine requires a two-thirds vote, plus approval by the voters, so such a change, especially before the 2026 midterms, is not likely. When asked if Maine should get involved in the nationwide redistricting fight, Frey said, 'No, not at this point.' As the officer representing the state on legal matters, Frey said he doesn't see an opportunity for legal recourse given that other states drawing congressional districts is a state-level process pertaining to their residents and it doesn't have a direct harm to Maine. However, how these maps ultimately shape Congress will inevitably impact Maine, he said, looking at a list on his desk of lawsuits Maine has filed or joined against the Trump administration. Particularly if Trump gets his way in Texas, Frey said it could result in a continuation of a Congress that doesn't serve as an adequate check to the executive branch. Some politicians are seeking to choose their voters instead of their voters choosing them. – Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows Like other Democrats across the country, Frey and Bellows walked a line to frame their party's use of redistricting differently than Republicans'. 'The Trump administration is trampling all over the norms in our democracy, and it is really important that people stand strong for our values in this moment,' Bellows said. 'What's concerning about what Texas is trying to do is they are basically trying to cheat their way into electoral success in 2026 and 2028, so it's understandable that some of the larger states that are blue states are thinking about how they might respond.' Of those clear political aims, Frey similarly said, 'There's no mask to it,' arguing it would be different if Texas had come to a conclusion that redistricting mid-cycle was needed because its districts were no longer representative due to population shifts or another clear reason. 'Let's say this was Joe Biden who in 2023 was like, 'California, Gavin Newsom, you like us, California does a lot of stuff that supports the administration, I need you to go redistrict and get me five more seats in Congress,'' Frey said. 'What would people say?' But while Frey said Democratic states may be legally within their right to explore counter measures, he doesn't see it as a productive way to resolve political discord nor address the priority issues of everyday Americans, such as the cost of living. 'If anything, it's creating a system that is going to be more unable to meet what it is that, I think, Mainers and the American people are asking for,' Frey said. As Trump eyes election changes, Secretary Bellows warns of fallout Earlier this month Bellows officially responded to the U.S. Department of Justice's request for sweeping voter data, questioning the federal agency's intentions and asking that the request be withdrawn. She sees a throughline with that effort, Trump's executive orders and his push for Texas Republicans to redistrict. 'Some politicians are seeking to choose their voters instead of their voters choosing them,' Bellows said. 'Many of these initiatives seem designed to shrink the population of people who are participating in elections, to spread fear and deter people from participating, or to create artificial barriers to participation.' Frey also sees connections. The day before speaking with Maine Morning Star, Frey had returned from a trip to Washington, D.C., where he saw National Guard troops and FBI agents gathered on the mall. 'They are pushing boundaries to see how far they can get,' Frey said of the administration. Pulling up the president's post on Truth Social ordering the U.S. Commerce Department to start working on a new U.S. Census that does not count people in the country illegally, Frey asked, 'What's the end?' He sees all of these moves as a test of the democratic foundation of the country, the U.S. Constitution. 'If enough citizens out there who are protected by this contract decide that they are unwilling to hold the president to the limitations that the constitution places on government action, I mean, at a certain point that contract by both parties is just going to dissolve,' Frey said. The book 'The Storm Before the Calm' sat on his desk as he added a hopeful nod, explaining the current moment could provide an opportunity to be reminded of the importance of those protections. The book, by geopolitical forecaster George Friedman, views American history through cycles, enduring upheaval and conflict but, ultimately, increasing in strength and stability. With 2026 on the horizon — when Maine's governorship, U.S. Senate seat, two U.S. House seats and Legislature are all up for reelection — Frey said, 'Maybe there will be an opportunity for renewal.' Time will tell how redistricting may play a part in that. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Los Angeles Times
4 minutes ago
- Los Angeles Times
California Republicans push Democrats on transparency, timeline for redistricting
SACRAMENTO — California's push to redraw the state's congressional districts to favor Democrats faced early opposition Tuesday during legislative hearings, a preview of the obstacles ahead for Gov. Gavin Newsom and his allies as they try to convince voters to back the effort. California Democrats entered the redistricting fray after Republicans in Texas moved to reconfigure their political districts to increase by five the number of GOP members of Congress after the 2026 midterm elections, a move that could sway the outcome of the 2026 midterm elections. The proposed map of new districts in California that could go before voters in November could cost as many as five Golden State Republicans their seats in Congress. In Sacramento, Republicans criticized Democrats for trying to scrap the independent redistricting process approved by voters in 2010, a change designed to remove self-serving politics and partisan game-playing. GOP lawmakers argued that the public and legislators had little time to review the maps of the proposed congressional districts and questioned who crafted the new districts and bankrolled the effort. In an attempt to slow down the push by Democrats, California Republicans filed an emergency petition at the California Supreme Court, arguing that Democrats violated the state Constitution by rushing the bills through the legislature. The state Constitution requires lawmakers to introduce non-budget bills 30 days before they are voted on, unless the Legislature waives that rule by a three-fourths majority vote. The bills were introduced Monday through a common process known as 'gut and amend,' where lawmakers strip out the language from an older pending bill and replace it with a new proposal. The lawsuit said that without the Supreme Court's intervention, the state could enact 'significant new legislation that the public has only seen for, at most, a few days,' according to the lawsuit filed by GOP state Sens. Tony Strickland of Huntington Beach and Suzette Martinez Valladares of Acton and Assemblymembers Tri Ta of Westminster and Kathryn Sanchez of Trabuco Canyon. Democrats bristled at the questions about their actions, including grilling by reporters and Republicans about who had drawn the proposed congressional districts that the party wants to put before voters. 'When I go to a restaurant, I don't need to meet the chef,' said Assembly Elections Committee chair Gail Pellerin (D-Santa Cruz). Democrats unveiled their campaign to suspend the independent redistricting commission's work Thursday, proposed maps of the redrawn districts were submitted to state legislative leaders Friday, and the three bills were introduced in the legislature Monday. If passed by a two-thirds vote in both bodies of the legislature and signed by Newsom this week, as expected, the measure will be on the ballot on Nov. 4. On Tuesday, lawmakers listened to hours of testimony and debate, frequently engaging in testy exchanges. After heated arguing and interrupting during an Assembly Elections Committee hearing, Pellerin admonished Assemblymembers Marc Berman (D-Menlo Park) and David Tangipa (R-Clovis). 'I would like you both to give me a little time and respect,' Pellerin said near the end of a hearing that lasted about five hours. Tangipa and the committee's vice chair, Assemblywoman Alexandra Macedo (R-Tulare), repeatedly questioned witnesses about issues that the GOP is likely to continue to raise: the speed with which the legislation is being pushed through, the cost of the special election, the limited opportunity for public comment on the maps, who drew the proposed new districts and who is funding the effort. Tangipa voiced concerns that legislators had too little time to review the legislation. 'That's insanity, and that's heartbreaking to the rest of Californians,' Tangipa said. 'How can you say you actually care about the people of California? Berman dismissed the criticism, saying the bill was five pages long. In a Senate elections committee hearing, State Sen. Steve Choi (R-Irvine), the only Republican on the panel, repeatedly pressed Democrats about how the maps had been drawn before they were presented. Tom Willis, Newsom's campaign counsel who appeared as a witness to support the redistricting bills, said the map was 'publicly submitted, and then the legislature reviewed it carefully and made sure that it was legally compliant.' But, Choi asked, who drew the maps in the first place? Willis said he couldn't answer, because he 'wasn't a part of that process.' In response to questions about why California should change their independent redistricting ethos to respond to potential moves by Texas, state Sen. Majority Leader Lena Gonzalez (D-Long Beach) was blunt. 'This is a partisan gerrymander,' she said, to counter the impacts of Trump administration policy decisions, from healthcare cuts to immigration raids, that are disproportionately impacting Californians. 'That's what we're talking about here.' Her comments prompted a GOP operative who is aiding the opposition campaign to the ballot measure to say, 'It made me salivate.' California Common Cause, an ardent supporter of independent redistricting, initially signaled openness to revisiting the state's independent redistricting rules because they would not 'call for unilateral political disarmament in the face of authoritarianism.' But on Tuesday, the group announced its opposition to a state Senate bill. 'it would create significant rollbacks in voter protections,' the group said in a statement, arguing that the legislation would result in reduced in-person voting, less opportunities for underrepresented communities to cast ballots and dampens opportunities for public input. 'These changes to the Elections Code ... would hinder full voter participation, with likely disproportionate harm falling to already underrepresented Californians.'
Los Angeles Times
4 minutes ago
- Los Angeles Times
Newsom says California needs to build a water tunnel. Opponents argue costs are too high
As Gov. Gavin Newsom pushes for building a giant water tunnel beneath the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, his administration is saying it's the 'single most effective' way for California to provide enough water as the warming climate brings deeper droughts and more intense storms. Environmental advocates and political leaders in the Delta, among other opponents, condemned a new state analysis that draws that conclusion, arguing that building the tunnel would harm the environment and several types of fish and would push water rates much higher for millions of Californians. The potential costs of building the 45-mile tunnel are generating heated debate. The state has estimated the project, if water agencies participate and contribute, would cost $20.1 billion. But in a separate analysis, economic research firm ECOnorthwest found the costs would probably range from about $60 billion to $100 billion or even more. 'Unfortunately, the Newsom administration is brushing over and leaving out the real costs of the tunnel, both to the ratepayers and taxpayers and the environment,' said Carolee Krieger, executive director of the California Water Impact Network, a nonprofit group that commissioned the economic analysis. She said the high costs would fall largely on people in Southern California through their water bills, and that there are better and more economical ways of securing water supplies for the region. The Newsom administration released the report Tuesday outlining actions it said would 'climate-proof' the state water system so that it can operate for generations in hotter, drier conditions. Department of Water Resources Director Karla Nemeth wrote that the State Water Project — the system of aqueducts, pipelines and pumping plants that delivers supplies from the Delta to farmlands and cities — now 'needs revitalization,' and that 'maintenance of the aging project and a modernized tunnel system to transport water under the Delta are the most valuable adaptations.' The department said in a written statement that the state's 2024 estimate was prepared according to industry standards and that the ECOnorthwest report appears to be based on unsupported assumptions that 'overestimate the cost.' Newsom, who is set to leave office after 2026, has said the tunnel plan, called the Delta Conveyance Project, is essential for the state's future and has made it a central priority. Since May, the governor has sought to fast-track the plan by short-cutting permitting for the project and limiting avenues for legal challenges, saying the effort should not be held back by delays and 'red tape.' But legislators representing areas around the Delta have fought attempts to adopt the governor's plan. The Newsom administration continues to advocate with legislators to accelerate the project, said Tara Gallegos, a spokesperson for the governor. She said in an email that the legislative proposal is 'aimed squarely at removing bureaucratic processes and pointless delays that create unnecessary costs to taxpayers — something Californians have been very loudly and clearly in support of preventing.' Meanwhile, the State Water Resources Control Board is considering a petition by the Newsom administration to amend water rights permits so that flows could be diverted from new points on the Sacramento River where the tunnel intakes would be built. The tunnel would create a second route to transport water to the south side of the Delta, where pumps send it into the aqueducts of the State Water Project and onward to cities and farmland. According to the state's plan, the tunnel would be about 36 feet wide on the interior and buried about 140 feet to 170 feet underground. Lawmakers who represent the Delta region criticized the state report as flawed, saying it overlooks the project's costs and their concerns that it would damage the ecosystem and harm communities and farms in the area. In a joint statement, state Sen. Jerry McNerney (D-Pleasanton) and Assemblymember Lori D. Wilson (D-Suisun City) said the Newsom administration has made false claims about what they view as an 'extremely costly and environmentally destructive project,' and that 'there are far more affordable alternatives to the tunnel project that are much better for the environment, including increasing water recycling and groundwater storage.' Communities in the Delta would be overtaken by extensive construction work for years, they said. Seeking to address those concerns, Newsom earlier this month announced a plan to create a $200 million program to address or minimize or address the effects of construction on local communities. Delta community advocates dismissed that as a hollow attempt to sway some local people, and said they believe the project would be disastrous for local farms and the estuary's struggling fish species, including Chinook salmon and steelhead trout. Some said they see political ambition driving the project. Newsom apparently 'wants to have something for his campaign when he runs for president,' said Brett Baker, a lawyer representing the Central Delta Water Agency and its agricultural landowners, who are challenging the project in court. Baker said the governor seems to be hoping to 'to put his name on it to say he did something. So I think he's become a little bit more desperate.' The project is in an extensive planning stage, and preliminary planning costs are being paid by 18 water districts, including agencies that supply farmland in the San Joaquin Valley as well as urban agencies in Southern California and Silicon Valley. The largest share of those costs, about $142 million, is being paid by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, which delivers water for 19 million people. The MWD isn't expected to decide whether to invest in building the tunnel until 2027. Managers of the Eastern Municipal Water District, which serves about 1 million residents in western Riverside County and northern San Diego County, are among those supporting Newsom's plan. 'The existing conveyance system in the Delta is not sustainable and threatens water supply reliability,' said Joe Mouawad, Eastern Municipal's general manager. 'We've worked diligently over years and decades to diversify our water supply portfolio and provide resilient local water supply, but imported water is still going to be a critical source for our customers and for our communities.' Mouawad noted that the area has some of the fastest growth in California, and he said the Newsom administration's strategy is a 'well-thought-out approach' to meeting long-term water supply needs.
