Newsom Email Responds To Criticism
The political career of California Governor Gavin Newsom appears to be smoldering in the ashes of the state’s latest wildfire crisis, as his leadership—or lack thereof—faces blistering scrutiny.
While communities in Los Angeles, including Pacific Palisades, wrestle with the devastation of rampant wildfires, Newsom has adopted a well-worn strategy: blame anyone but himself. This approach, combined with a series of tone-deaf decisions, has left many Californians questioning whether their governor is up to the task of leading the nation’s most populous state.
In one particularly cringe-worthy moment, Newsom allegedly staged a fake phone call with President Biden when confronted by an emotional resident demanding answers. The dramatic posturing didn’t end there. When asked why fire hydrants in Pacific Palisades failed to pump water at a critical moment, Newsom deflected responsibility, casually remarking, “The local folks are gonna figure that out.” For a leader who often touts his hands-on approach, the detachment here is glaring.
🚨 NEW: A far-left group is now soliciting donations under the guise of donating to “disaster relief” for the California wildfires.
The Democratic Party PAC “Vote Save America” via the Democratic fundraising arm “ActBlue” is the real source of this donation.
To give directly to… pic.twitter.com/RretaiA72Q
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) January 11, 2025
But the missteps didn’t stop with feigned phone calls and dismissive answers. As the fires raged, Newsom found time to appear on a left-wing podcast, soliciting donations for firefighter efforts through ActBlue, a Democratic fundraising platform dogged by investigations into alleged financial misconduct.
He then doubled down on this ill-conceived fundraising effort in a Saturday email, again using ActBlue to channel donations. Californians, already crushed under some of the nation’s highest taxes, might reasonably wonder why their governor is outsourcing disaster relief to a partisan platform.
What raised even more eyebrows was the fine print at the bottom of that email: “PAID FOR BY NEWSOM FOR CALIFORNIA – GOVERNOR – 2022.” The fact that a reelection PAC for a race long concluded is still in use prompts uncomfortable questions. It might all be technically legal, but to many, it reeks of opportunism cloaked in bureaucracy.
Newsom’s email also offered a rundown of firefighting efforts, touting the deployment of thousands of personnel and equipment pre-positioned for action. On the surface, it sounds competent—until you consider the glaring gaps. Why weren’t local resources like the Palisades water system checked before disaster struck? Why was Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass out of the country on a photo-op tour in Ghana when her city was at risk?
Adding to the drama, Newsom pivoted to attack former President Trump and his “allies,” accusing them of lies about water policy and mocking gay firefighters—though he provided no specifics to support these claims. It’s an odd accusation to make while simultaneously decrying the politicization of natural disasters.
In truth, many critics have raised valid concerns about Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) priorities, pointing out that millions have been funneled into DEI and LGBTQ initiatives even as the department’s operational budget faced cuts, reportedly impacting firefighting capabilities. These aren’t “politically motivated lies”; they’re legitimate questions about leadership priorities.