California State Assembly. (Photo: Kevin Sanders for California Globe)
California Democrats Scheming on Last Minute Alternative to Prop. 47 Reform Initiative
Whoa! Dems calling for late night Wednesday July 3rd Session
By Katy Grimes, June 30, 2024 8:08 pm
Just when we thought it was safe to go back in the water, California Democrats are now calling session for late night Wednesday, July 3rd to enact an alternative to the Proposition 47 reform initiative. Capitol Staffers received that message late Sunday.
This isn’t going to go well.
Before readers give in to temptation to offer the middle finger to Capitol staffers, remember that many are very skilled policy experts who genuinely want a functioning state government. And the really good staffers have been there many years – some for decades – through long, arduous budget sessions, often to only see their functional policy recommendations go up in smoke.
At issue at this moment is the ballot initiative to reform the 2014 Proposition 47, which qualified with 900,000 signatures for the November ballot. Democrats in the Legislature and Gov. Gavin Newsom are attempting to derail it, despite the important legal fixes it will implement to California’s outrageous crime problems, to ultimately make crime illegal again in California.
“Selfish Democrat legislative leaders are throwing a temper tantrum because all their efforts to stop the initiative repealing Prop. 47 have been stymied, mainly by their own members,” a Senior Senate Republican staffer told the Globe Sunday on the condition of anonymity. “They are threatening to keep legislators and staff in session all night on July 3rd and into the 4th. When Sen Min (drunk driving in a state vehicle) announces he’s standing for ‘law and order’ you know vulnerable Democrats are in ‘CYA mode.’”
“This could hopefully be the biggest political revolution since Prop 13!”
Wow. Just wow.
An important legal issue was brought up by San Luis Obispo County District Attorney Dan Dow – on June 29th, he asked:
Anyone have an idea what legal authority the @CAgovernor or @CAlegislature can use to circumvent the 131 day deadline (to propose an initiative) contained in Election Code section 9040? I sure would like to know why they seem to think the statutory deadline does not apply to them. Even though they acknowledge the deadline applied to the ACA they passed on Thursday (the last day). Here’s Election Code section 9040: “Every constitutional amendment, bond measure, or other legislative measure submitted to the people by the Legislature shall appear on the ballot of the first statewide election occurring at least 131 days after the adoption of the proposal by the Legislature.” leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_di. The 131st day before November 5, 2024 was last Thursday 6/27/20.
My source in the Capitol reminded me that “Democrat Assembly Speaker Leo McCarty and liberal Republican Senator Peter Behr tried in 1978 against Prop. 13 but it didn’t work. They put a rival ballot measure to Prop 13 on the June ‘78 ballot but the media and voters saw through it and more voted for Prop 13 than the Legislature’s phony Prop 8.”
I asked the Capitol staffer how this is legal. Here is the response:
“With a 3/4 vote and a governor willing to declare an emergency anything can be done. If challenged in court, the State Supreme Court will fold and say they are ‘reluctant to interfere with the Legislature’ etc, etc.”
This is the money quote from the Capitol staffer:
“A great quote from a famous 1962 movie ‘Advise and Consent’ that is from a famous actor (Charles Laughton) who appears to be playing then-conservative Democrat Senator Strom Thurmond of South Carolina. He’s advising a younger Democrat Senate colleague about the power of the Democrat White House: ‘You are dealing with devious powerful men.’”
This is not good for the state of California, and not good for the people who live and work and vote in California. It’s a power play for the sake of power, rather than governing for the good of the people and the state.
And if no one in the California Legislature listens to the people, perhaps their usefulness should be challenged by the people.
- Gov. Newsom Cancels Plan for Competing Reform Prop. 47 Crime Measure on Nov. Ballot - July 2, 2024
- California Democrats ‘Leading’ Through Fraud, Deceit, Divisiveness, and Election Interference - July 2, 2024
- Frequently Asked Questions about Gifts and Honoraria and California Legislators - July 2, 2024
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September 15, 2021 -
Thank you for shining the proverbial flashlight on these cockroach legislators in the Sacramento legislature, Katy….
I love my state, I detest its lawmakers with every ounce of my being….
The dems are walking into a trap of their own device. Keep walking is all that I can say. Let me encourage them to plot and scheme against what is the express will of the people
My question is why? Who profits? Is it the anti-prison movement? A reluctance to fund courts? A fear of being held up for being wrong on crime? Huge amounts of lobbying money from dark sources bent on destroying law and order?
Rod, it’s likely the latter.
Oh, brother! Of all the silly and pointless things these legislative leaders have done, this might be the silliest and most pointless. First of all, they have once again overstayed their welcome, and it wasn’t exactly a welcome to begin with, irritating little un-serious gnats that they are. Of course we all had a sneaking suspicion that these insects would ignore their own rules of the bill deadline of June 27 for their ridiculous schemes and delude themselves that as majority Dem-Marxists they can do any stupid thing that pops into their heads. We know they have no regard for Independence Day, or their constituencies, or common sense, but this whip-lashing panic-play is going to backfire BIG TIME. I’m with Hal, LET IT HAPPEN.
Impunity: exemption from punishment or harm.
When you control the ballot box you can act with impunity.
When you have tenure you can act with impunity.
Not to worry the union will protect you.
Thank you Katy for the VERY valuable service California Globe is providing. Assuming that Newsom & Co. will not be able to keep the fix to Prop. 47 off the ballot then votes for these essential changes are the next step to win this battle. I am already speaking to various groups in Auburn and Sacramento to get people registered to vote and to vote for this very important initiative.
I wonder if it would be possible to create a ballot measure that would dissolve the legislature as it currently stands and replace it with a New Legislature of California? Could the measure also include the CA “Supreme Court”? Just food for thought.
I love the idea of a Proposition to vacate the legislature and the CA Supreme court. Next best thing would be a Preposition that makes the legislature a part time one, paid only for the time they are in session 2 weeks every other year.
MCGA FGN