Gavin Newsom met with federal agents while detailing insidious Democrat plot at anti-Trump rally
Armed and masked US Border Patrol agents were outside the Japanese American Cultural Center in Los Angeles during the Democratic governor's 'Liberation Day' event on Thursday. At least one man was arrested.
'He's a failed president, who else sends ICE at the same time I'm having a conversation like this? Someone who's weak. Someone who's broken,' Newsom told the crowd inside.
Newsom - a vocal adversary of Donald Trump - planned the rally to introduce his Election Rigging Response Act to Golden State voters.
The act, which will go before voters in November, would mean California would temporarily adopt new congressional districts through 2030 if other states - such as Texas - did the same.
'We're giving the people of this state the power to save democracy, not just in California, but all across the United States of America,' he as the crowd cheered.
'We can't stand back and watch this democracy disappear district by district all across the country.'
Newsom's call to action comes as a response to right-wing efforts to rewrite the congressional map in Texas to favor Republicans in the upcoming 2026 midterms.
If the Trump-backed plot is successful, the GOP is expected to gain at least five additional seats in the House of Representatives.
'We have an opportunity in Texas to pick up five seats, Trump told CNBC on Tuesday.
'We have a really good governor, and we have good people in Texas. And I won Texas.
'I got the highest vote in the history of Texas, as you probably know, and we are entitled to five more seats.'
Democrats only need to flip three House seats to regain control of the chamber for the 2026 election.
Texas Republicans recently drafted up a new map, prompting the state's Democrats members to flee in order to prevent the redraw from going through.
But the fiercest push back has come from the Golden State, with Newsom not only taking Thursday's rally as an opportunity to describe the act, but also to throw digs at Trump.
'He's going to lose the midterms, he knows de facto his presidency ends in 17 months,' Newsom said. 'Why else would he try to rig the system?'
He encouraged Californians and residents of other blue states to 'stand up' against the GOP efforts being led by Texas, but are also be considered in other red states.
Newsom had shared multiple X posts throughout the day, with one reading: 'Donald Trump and Greg Abbott are going to have a very bad day today.'
He followed up with a video of the Border Patrol agents outside the center, saying that 'we will not be intimidated' by their presence.
Newsom's 'Liberation Day' came just days after he penned a passionate letter to Trump, telling the president he's 'playing with fire.'
In a letter penned to Trump on Monday, Newsom vowed to not 'stand idly by' as Texas along with other GOP-dominated states attempt to add more Republican seats to protect and enlarge their majority in the US House.
'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,' Newsom wrote.
Newsom offered a compromise to Trump by promising to call off redistricting efforts in California if GOP-led states do the same.
'But if the other states call off their redistricting efforts, we will happily do the same. And American democracy will be better for it.'
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