Gov. Gavin Newsom brings his begging bowl to Washington Thursday, pushing what he calls a “long-overdue federal aid package for LA fire survivors.”
Months ago, Newsom asked the feds for $40 billion to rebuild after the devastating blazes; he complained this week that the Trump administration still hasn’t “sent a recovery proposal” to Congress.
But what has Newsom been doing in the 11 months since the fires?
He found time to launch a podcast, and to visit South Carolina — the first state in the Democratic Party presidential primary.
And he turned his official “@GovPressOffice” account on X into an anti-Trump trolling machine.
Even socialist Zohran Mamdani has shown more civility to the president.
Furthermore, if Newsom needs money, he knows where to find it.
California has a budget of $322 billion and faces an $18 billion deficit — the fourth year in a row in the red.
$13.1 billion of that is entirely due to spending on “free” health care for illegal immigrants, according to Republican Assemblyman Carl DeMaio.
Newsom also found $50 million to fight the Trump administration in court, and just spent nearly $300 million on a special election to gerrymander California’s House districts.
The state just keeps spending — without results, and without accountability.
From 2019 to ’24, California spent $24 billion on homelessness — and the number of homeless shot up.
What went wrong? Sacramento can’t say: The State Auditor’s Office slammed the California Interagency Council on Homelessness for failing to consistently track or evaluate “the ongoing costs and outcomes” of homeless programs.
That is, the state figured spending money was what counted; results don’t seem to matter: Any wonder Team Trump is reluctant to send no-strings-attached cash?
Newsom claims California doesn’t have money to rebuild, yet it does have funds for a high-speed rail project that is going nowhere.
When voters approved the LA-to-San Francisco bullet train in 2008, it was supposed to cost $33 billion and open by 2020; now the cost is well over $100 billion, with only vague hopes to finish by 2032 — if at all.
What Newsom isn’t spending enough on is fire prevention.
Capital Public Radio, a liberal outlet, found in 2021 that the governor had fallen far short of his promises to remove fuel for wildfires from state land, and “misled the public” about his efforts.
The Palisades Fire in January began on land in the Topanga State Park; Newsom claims local authorities were responsible for fighting fires in that area — but state officials adopted a policy limiting what firefighters could do near endangered plants or cultural sites.
Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), who is leading an investigation into the Palisades Fire with Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), is entertaining the idea of a special master to oversee fire aid to California.
Like the special master who oversaw the 9/11 Victims Compensation Fund, this one would ensure any federal money gets spent properly.
Newsom has shown he can’t be trusted — not with California’s money, and not with America’s.
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