Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) was notified of a recall petition to remove him from office this week.
The petition, spearheaded by California resident Randy Economy’s organization called Saving California, was cosigned by 105 people, exceeding the 50 signatures required to initiate recall efforts against Newsom.
The intent to recall petition cited concerns about Newsom’s leadership during the Los Angeles fires that devastated the state. It also accused Newsom of overseeing rising crime, homelessness, drug use, and the cost of living in the Golden State.
Under Newsom, tax funds are being appropriated toward political agendas rather than addressing urgent crises, according to the petition, which was served to the governor on Tuesday.
Economy’s group tried and failed to recall Newsom several times, most notably in 2021.
In previous comments to the Washington Examiner, the governor’s office blasted him for leading “the same group of far-right activists [in] launching six different recall attempts against the governor since he’s taken office, each of which have failed spectacularly.”
However, Saving California’s latest effort has gained more momentum against the backdrop of the fires, which wiped out whole sections of Los Angeles and led to sharp scrutiny over how California handles its water supply and conducts fire prevention efforts.
Newsom has also faced censure for backing a special legislative session to block President Donald Trump’s agenda as his state burned.
“While our state was burning, Newsom focused on ‘trump-proofing’ California — spending taxpayer dollars on unnecessary political efforts instead of tackling the urgent wildfire disaster,” a post on Saving California’s Instagram page reads.
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Newsom must recognize the petition by Feb. 7, after which California’s secretary of state must recognize the measure. Saving California must then gather roughly 1.3 million signatures over 160 days to place the recall question on the November ballot.
The Washington Examiner reached out to Newsom’s office for comment.
