California Democrats’ Latest – Sabotage the Initiative to Amend Prop. 47

Rampant retail theft throughout California cities has caused thousands of small business and store closures. Escalating fentanyl overdoses are killing young Californians at a stunning rate. In reaction to the destruction of California, 900,000 Californians signed the petition to qualify the Reform Prop. 47 initiative, the “Homelessness, Drug Addiction, and Theft Reduction Act,” for the November 2024 ballot.

Yolo Couty District Attorney warns that California Democrats’ Latest act is to Sabotage the Initiative to Amend Prop. 47.

“We’re hearing the poison pill amendments have been put in all of the retail theft bills and will begin coming up on the assembly floor on Monday and perhaps the senate on Wednesday. I think one interesting angle is about all the progressive Democrats who abstained or voted no who will now flip because of the poison pill,” DA Reisig said on X.

According to the “poison pill” amendment, the legislative bills would be repealed if the ballot initiative to restore safety to cities and communities is approved by voters in November, rather than complimenting the ballot initiative.

“The poison pill proves they are not serious about the retail theft and Fentanyl crisis,” Greg Totten, Co-chair of Californians for Safer Communities added.

Reisig said:

“URGENT PUBLIC SAFETY UPDATE To All CA Sheriffs, Police Chiefs, DAs & LEOs – In the latest act of cynical political gamesmanship designed to sabotage the initiative to amend Prop 47, the Gov & Leg leadership have revealed they are preparing their own competing crime (Prop 47) initiative for the Nov 2024 ballot.

This shady 11th hour tactic, which conflicts with all  their previous public statements that legislation alone should address CA’s crime crisis, is designed to confuse voters by presenting a seriously weaker crime initiative on the Nov 24 ballot, thereby creating murky choice overload to voters.

In combination with their ongoing efforts to pass legislative crime bills with the “poison pills,” the Admin & Leg leadership has carved out an unprecedented path of deceptive behavior for the singular purpose of undermining a fair democratic initiative process.

Major newspapers/journalists across CA have already criticized the ethics of their “poison pill” plan, with statements like:

Sacramento Bee Editorial Board: “Democrats, enough of the coercive tactics. Stop trying to block the Homelessness, Drug Addiction and Theft Reduction Act from the ballot.”

Orange County Register Editorial Board: “Democrats are more interested in playing politics than addressing legitimate crime issues.”

Santa Cruz Sentinel Editorial Board: “Democrats are now threatening to blow up their own legislation…So why not let voters be heard?”

San Francisco Chronicle Headline: “California Dems are being shady about squashing a Prop 47 reform measure.”

Despite the blistering media criticism of their ethics on this issue, this latest move dramatically elevates the threat to public safety & democracy and requires your immediate action since the “poison pill” bills and their proposed legislative initiative will be moving through the Capitol on Monday 6/24.

DA Reisig offers action items:

URGENT ACTION REQUESTED by Sheriffs, Police Chiefs, DAs, LEOs:

1) Call/Text your State Assembly and Senate representatives today and tell them you are OPPOSED to ALL the bills with “poison pill” AND this latest deceptive threat to present a watered down competing legislative crime initiative. Let them know you DO NOT & WILL NOT support this type of gamesmanship with public safety.

2) Notify your local elected officials, businesses and constituents about these facts and the threat to public safety and ask them to immediately make calls to their assembly & senate representatives to OPPOSE the gamesmanship. Urge your constituents to hold lawmakers accountable.

3) Continue to express your strong support for The Homelessness, Drug Addiction and Theft Reduction Act and a fair democratic process for the Nov 24 election.

The ballot initiative seeks to:

• Address Organized and Serial Retail Theft by:
  • classifying repeated theft as a felony for individuals who steal less than $950 if they have two or more prior theft convictions;
  • allowing stolen property values to be combined so repeat offenders can be charged with a felony if the total exceeds $950;
  • Authorizing judges to impose an enhanced penalty when an offender steals, damages, or destroys property by participating in organized theft with two or more offenders or by causing losses of $50,000 or more.
• Confront the Fentanyl Crisis in Our Communities by defining fentanyl as a hard drug, hold individuals convicted of trafficking fentanyl accountable, and grant judges greater discretion in sentencing drug traffickers.
• Prioritize Mental Health and Drug Treatment by providing critical mental health, drug treatment services, and job training within our justice system for people who are homeless and suffering from mental illness or struggling with substance abuse.
  • enacts a new class of crime called a “treatment-mandated felony” where offenders with multiple hard drug possession convictions would be given the option of participating in drug and mental health treatment in lieu of incarceration;
  • Allowing offenders who successfully complete drug and mental health treatment to avoid jail time and have the charge fully expunged.

Democrats in the Legislature don’t want to eradicate the Fentanyl overdoses or serial theft and organized theft gangs, and we need to know why.

Congressman Kevin Kiley (R-CA) posted on X/Twitter:

“Californians are tired of hiding their jewelry to go outside, or getting a clerk to open a lock to buy groceries, or wading through tents on the way to school. The failed politicians who created these problems are now trying to cancel a vote to fix them.”

“With these political tricks, the Attorney General could be pressured to change the description of the ballot measure to say it will weaken safety laws,” Californians for Safer Communities said. “The legislative package and the initiative can both be enacted and combined to provide a comprehensive solution to California’s crime epidemic.”

As we opined last week, the bizarre reaction by legislators and Democrat legislative leaders leaves many questioning their motives. Why wouldn’t they support reforms to Prop. 47 when business owners in their legislative districts are suffering, and children are overdosing on Fentanyl. Lawmakers, attempting to prevent Democracy, are behaving as if they are Soros-funded politicians. Why?