A Sacramento County Supreme Court judge ruled Monday that California Governor Gavin Newsom could not identify himself as a Democrat in the September recall election.
In his official response to the recall efforts in February last year, Governor Newsom's staff failed to identify his affiliation with the Democratic Party. The governor's campaign asked California Secretary of State Shirley Weber to allow membership, but she declined.
In the ruling, Judge James P. Arguelles rejected the governor’s request, stating that circumstances “do not justify excuse from the deadline.”
The law “unambiguously precludes party information from appearing on a recall ballot where the elected officer fails timely to make the designation,” the judge said.
The recall election of Newsom, a first-term Democrat, followed growing criticism within his party and from Republicans about the governor's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and other issues.
He faced a backlash after being spotted with lobbyists in the French Laundry last fall after the Californians were told to stay home. Newsom apologized for the incident.
CTM News
13 July 2021
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