Newsom’s Bold ‘Trump-proof” Move Against Federal Overreach

Clear Facts

• Governor Gavin Newsom is proposing a $25 million legal defense fund to protect California’s rights against potential federal overreach.
• The fund aims to prepare California for potential conflicts with the incoming Trump administration.
• California previously filed over 100 lawsuits against the Trump administration, spending $42 million on litigation.

Governor Gavin Newsom is taking proactive measures to safeguard California’s interests by proposing a $25 million legal defense fund. This initiative, which Newsom describes as a “Trump-proof” measure, is intended to bolster the state’s justice department against potential federal overreach.

In a statement, Newsom emphasized California’s role as a “tent pole of the country,” committed to “protecting and investing in rights and freedoms for all people.”

He further stated, “But when there is overreach, when lives are threatened, when rights and freedoms are targeted, we will take action.”

The state’s Democratic-majority legislature is expected to introduce the proposed legislation soon, with the goal of enacting it before Inauguration Day on January 20.

Newsom clarified that this move is not about resistance but rather about “pragmatism” and “preparedness.”

“We would be fools not to get on top of this before January,” he said.

Between 2017 and 2021, California’s Department of Justice initiated 122 lawsuits against the Trump administration, costing $42 million in litigation. Notably, in one instance, the federal government was ordered to reimburse California nearly $60 million in public safety grants.

Despite California’s extensive legal actions, the Trump administration filed only four major lawsuits against the state, including challenges to California’s sanctuary state laws and vehicle emissions standards.

California, known for its progressive policies on immigration, abortion, and transgender rights, could face renewed scrutiny under the Trump administration.

Republican state Sen. Brian Jones criticized the special session as a “political stunt” and a “desperate attempt to distract from Democrats’ significant losses across California.”

He argued, “Californians have made it clear: affordability is their top concern,” and expressed concern over the state’s fiscal priorities amidst a “massive deficit.”

Jones added, “Gov. Newsom wants to hand his attorney general a blank check to wage endless battles against the federal government — while our own state is on fire, both literally and metaphorically.”

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