Whose recall is it, anyway? Gavin Newsom’s California critics spar over money, credit
The effort to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom is one of the biggest political stories in the nation this year, and an uncommon chance for Republicans to regain power in a state that has operated under Democrats for over a decade.
Everyone wants a slice of the action.
After working for more than a year to qualify the recall for the ballot, the lead organizers of the Recall Gavin 2020 campaign are feuding with groups eager to raise money and send their own messages about getting rid of the governor.
The state Republican Party, the Republican Governors Association and several state political action committees are fundraising and promoting the recall. While organizers say they’re excited to see a wide swath of Californians join the cause, they worry the movement is being overtaken by the political establishment.
“We united the state under the one cause of recalling Gavin Newsom, which brought a lot of people together,” said Mike Netter, one of the leaders on the recall petition. “Now that it’s ready to hit the ballot, everybody’s jumping on the bandwagon to try to raise money and create publicity for themselves.”
‘There’s a lot of grifters that are coming through’
Over the last few months, as the recall picked up steam and media attention, various individuals across California have launched their own campaigns, and asked voters to lend their voices, and bank accounts, to the cause.
Carl DeMaio, a San Diego Republican, is chair of Reform California, a political action committee that backs conservative initiatives in the Golden State. In the last several months, Reform California has encouraged its members to help it fight the recall and donate to the PAC.
Not everyone appreciates the support.
“There’s a lot of grifters that are coming through,” said Anne Dunsmore, campaign manager for Rescue California, which operates in partnership with the original committee, the Patriot Coalition.
The vitriol from recall leaders doesn’t mean DeMaio is using contributions illegally, but it’s caused a rift among those who want to see Newsom out of office.
On Fox News last week, DeMaio spoke about Senate Bill 663, which would have allowed the targets of recall petitions in California to see the names of signers, a piece of legislation that the original proponents testified against in the Capitol.
Even though the bill wouldn’t have affected the Newsom recall, state Sen. Josh Newman, D-Fullerton, decided to delay the bill to next year’s session in light of the pushback from recall supporters.
The Newsom recall effort is extremely viable, DeMaio said in the Fox interview.
“We’re working hard to see we win the yes vote,” he said.
Lead recall proponent Orrin Heatlie and his fellow organizers were outraged to hear DeMaio weigh in. They suspect he’s trying to collect names from recall backers to build his own base of support.
“Forgive my profanity, but that mother------ had nothing to do with stopping that bill or voicing opposition here in Sacramento,” Heatlie said. “I am extremely upset. What the hell has this guy done for the recall?”
Reform California has spent nearly $130,000 on mailers and online ads in support of the recall of Gavin Newsom, according to state campaign filings. The group also launched an ad campaign and sent out emails to supporters, urging them to oppose SB 663.
“At a time when we need more resources and coalition members to defeat Gavin Newsom’s machine, I’m frankly surprised and shocked that someone would go on an ego trip and assert they have a right to decide who gets to join in this important fight,” DeMaio told The Sacramento Bee. He said he’s spent more to support the recall than he’s collected in recent donations.
Reform California led the most recent successful recall of a state official, removing Democratic Sen. Josh Newman in 2018. DeMaio said his thousands of supporters and volunteers expect him to support the Newsom recall.
“If I sat back and did nothing to help the recall, I wouldn’t be doing my job in fulfilling my obligation to our supporters and volunteers,” he said.
Recall organizers also took issue with another recall-supportive webpage, promoted by former GOP Assemblyman Travis Allen, who left office in 2018. The page is funded by the PAC Allen helped found, Take Back California, though he’s no longer involved with the committee.
“Join Travis Allen to recall Gavin Newsom,” reads the top of one of the web page. Visitors are directed to a form where they can “sign the petition to Recall Gavin Newsom NOW.”
Heatlie said he donated to Travis’ effort in early 2020, and signed up under the impression that it was a legitimate recall petition. Only after further research did he realize his digital signature didn’t count.
Emanuel Patrascu with Take Back California said the PAC has advocated for a Newsom recall since 2018, told supporters they needed to sign physical petitions.
“Take Back California will continue to advocate for a better California, including the recall of Gavin Newsom,” he said in a statement.
Recall organizers Heatlie and Netter say they’ve run into trouble with virtual petitions in the past. Half a dozen petitions at Change.org call for Newsom to be removed, and have thousands of signatures, which didn’t count toward the 1.5 million the recall effort needed to qualify for an election.
One online petition, titled “Recall California Governor Gavin Newsom! Make California Great Again!” has more than 427,000 digital signatures.
“People would pass our tables by and say ‘I signed online,’ and walk on by,” Heatlie said. “That’s the damage that these folks have done to us because they have provided an avenue where people feel confident that they signed a legitimate recall.”
Newsom supporters are also joining the recall action.
Former Senate President pro Tem Don Perata has launched his own committee independent, independent of the governor’s operations, called “Stop the Steal California.” Another committee, sponsored by the National Union of Healthcare Workers, is also operating independently to fight the recall.
Fundraising laws are fairly lax
Dan Schnur, former chair of the California Fair Political Practices Commission, the state’s campaign finance watchdog, said the laws on fundraising for recalls, which are considered ballot initiatives, are fairly lax, because it’s difficult to prove that a fundraising effort isn’t using its money to advocate for a particular issue.
“If I start an organization called Californians for Furry Woodland Animals, the Sierra Club might get mad at me if I spend my money in other ways than they might, but as long as I can demonstrate that I’m spending a portion of it towards my definition of the goal, I’m just fine,” Schnur said.
“It may be very frustrating for the recall organizers, but anyone who advocates for the recall has a right to start and name an organization that works towards those goals. Where an organization will run into problems is if they spend too much of their money on overhead or on salaries.”
The California Republican Party is also campaigning on behalf of the recall. The party’s landing page invites visitors to “commit to vote to recall Gavin Newsom,” and shares links to fundraising portals and a virtual store where one can purchase “Dethrone Newsom” hats, t-shirts and hoodies.
The national Republican Governor’s Association, an organization that works to install GOP state leaders, has launched a political committee, too, which Heatlie has called a “money grab.”
Netter described the state GOP’s involvement as “adjacent” to their efforts.
“The head of the California GOP made one appearance at our July town hall, and promised us a bunch of support. We didn’t see much of that support until later on,” he said. “Again, everybody jumps on when it’s successful.”
There are also politicians like Assemblyman Kevin Kiley, R-Rocklin, who sent out fundraising pleas based on the recall effort. On his campaign website, he sells a self-written book about the recall, wherein he argues for the removal of “American’s most corrupt governor.”
Recall organizers say Kiley has donated $10,000 to their committee and has pledged half of the proceeds from book sales.
“We collaborate with some groups. Other groups work in a silo, not collaborating with us,” Netter said. “It’s the difference (between) riding on coattails and working together.”
This story was originally published April 29, 2021 at 5:00 AM.