Newsom, Dems Try To Out-Trump Texas on Redistricting

Former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger took several years, working across the aisle with Democrats and liberal-leaning nonprofits, to create an independent “citizens” commission to end decades of partisan disputes over gerrymandered congressional districts.

On Thursday, Gavin Newsom held an expletive-laced hyper-partisan rally declaring that he planned to torch the independent commission effort in a few short months to “liberate” California and the country from President Trump’s policies and counter Texas’ mid-decade redistricting effort.

“Today is Liberation Day in the state of California,” Newsom proclaimed in downtown Los Angeles. “Donald Trump, you have poked the bear, and we will punch back.” 

“We’ve got to recognize the cards that have been dealt. We’ve got to meet fire with fire,” added Newsom, leaning into his self-appointed role as leader of the Trump resistance while urging other Democratic-led states to join in the gerrymandering cause.

Before Newsom’s remarks, Lorena Gonzalez, president of the California Federation of Labor Unions and a former San Diego assemblywoman, warmed up the small crowd in attendance.

“If they want to cheat, we will fight back,” Gonzalez said, before dropping three f-bombs urging voters to show “disobedience” to Trump and “fight with everything we have.”

“You have more in common with an undocumented farm worker than the fucking billionaires who are causing this [immigration] mess,” she shouted while standing behind a podium placard, “Election Rigging Response Act.”

Sen. Adam Schiff, who led the impeachment drive against Trump during the president’s first term, was standing in the front row of the rally to the left and behind Newsom. Schiff, who is facing new allegations that he illegally leaked classified information to the media to undermine Trump’s first term, once again accused Trump of posing a threat to democracy.

“And we have come to learn, much to our shock and astonishment, that this thing we call democracy is fragile, and now we are on the precipice of another great threat to our democracy,” he warned. Schiff then concluded his remarks with the Trumpian phrase, “Thank you for your attention to this matter.”

SEIU California President David Huerta, who was detained for allegedly blocking ICE vans during a protest earlier this year, called Trump’s One, Big Beautiful Bill a “pile of shit” and choked up when describing the ICE arrests across California and the other states.

Newsom chose to hold the event at the Democracy Center at the Japanese American National Museum in Little Tokyo. Outside, armed border agents in tactical gear arrived in a show of force, taking at least two people into custody whom the agents said were in the country illegally.

“It’s pretty sick and pathetic,” Newsom said of the border patrol’s arrests outside the event, accusing Trump of ordering the operation to intimidate Democrats. “It tells you everything you need to know about the authoritarian tendencies of the president of the United States.”

“Wake up America,” Newsom warned. “You will not have a country if he rigs this election.”

The term-limited California governor, who is likely eyeing a 2028 presidential run, then offered details of his plan to do some rigging of his own.

Newsom pressed the Democratic super-majority-controlled legislature in Sacramento to respond to a redistricting effort in Texas aimed at giving Republicans five more seats by redrawing the maps to eliminate five to six Republican congressional seats in California. Doing so would require California lawmakers to rewrite their own laws that currently prohibit a mid-decade effort to redraw the maps. Doing so would take a two-thirds majority vote, which Newsom said he’s confident he could attain. Under California law, the legislature then would need to approve a special election Nov. 4 to allow for voters to consider a ballot initiative to approve the gerrymandered maps.

If successful, the California effort would theoretically blunt Trump’s plan to hold onto a majority in the House of Representatives, preventing an almost certain impeachment redux if Democrats were to take control.

Texas Democratic lawmakers have fled the state to avoid approving their new Republican-drawn maps but have said they can’t hold out forever and may return this weekend under fines and threats from Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott. Meanwhile, GOP-controlled state legislatures in Florida and Missouri have signaled a willingness to adjust their own lines to produce more Republican House seats if California counters Texas’ move.

In the days leading up to Thursday’s rally, Newsom’s press office trolled Trump in several all-caps X.com posts mimicking and mocking the president’s boastful style.

“DEMOCRATS WILL DESTROY ABBOTT’S ‘TOTALLY RIGGED MAPS.’ TREMENDOUS WORK IS BEING DONE,” the office posted on X.com. “DONALD TRUMP (THE CRIMINAL PRESIDENT) GET READY FOR THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PAYBACK YOU’VE EVER SEEN!!! COULD BE THE WORST DAY OF YOUR LIFE AS YOUR PRESIDENCY ENDS (DEMS RETAKE CONGRESS!).  AMERICA WILL BE LIBERATED — ‘LIBERATION DAY’ MANY ARE CALLING IT!!! THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER! -GCN.”

Taking questions in the Oval Office Thursday before heading to a meeting in Alaska with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump dismissed Newsom’s redistricting counter-punch. 

Los Angeles, he said, “wouldn’t be in existence today,” if he hadn’t called in the California National Guard and Marines to quell protests against immigration arrests and deportations.

The trolling sparked a strong rebuke from White House communications director Steven Cheung, who called Newsom “a vile piece of shit” and accused him of “calling for something worse” after the near-miss assassination attempt on Trump just over a year ago.

Izzy Gardon, one of Newsom’s top press aides, then took a personal shot at Cheung.

“You’re the vile POS, Big Boy,” Gardon posted. “Just look in the mirror.”

Cheung fired back a little too quickly when he accused Newsom of being a “coward and a beta cuck” that was “too chicken shit to take questions from the press” after giving an “incoherent speech.”

“He’ll never be ready for prime time,” Cheung remarked.

The governor’s press office then labeled Cheung an “idiot” for speaking too soon, noting that Newsom answered nine question from reporters after the rally.

The day’s drama didn’t end there. Republican California Assemblywoman Kate Sanchez filed an ethics complaint against the governor with the state’s Fair Political Practices Commission, accusing Newsom of misusing taxpayer funds to launch a campaign supporting the redistricting ballot initiative.

State law bars taxpayer-funded campaign-related activity.

“Californians work hard for every dollar they earn, and they expect their tax dollars to fund essential services, not political campaigns,” Sanchez said in a statement. “Governor Newsom’s decision to use public funds to stage a political rally is an abuse of power and a betrayal of the public trust. “This isn’t leadership, it’s a power trip on the public’s dime. Our state faces real challenges, skyrocketing costs of living, rising crime, and a housing crisis. Instead of addressing these issues, the Governor is misusing public resources for personal political gain.”

Newsom’s office countered that the rally was in support of a “legislative package” – “something very much in line with the governor’s official duties.”

A Newsom spokesman directed KCRA 3, a Sacramento television station, to a press release stating that the governor announced three pieces of legislation.

But Newsom, during his roughly 15 minutes of remarks, never mentioned those three measures. Instead, Newsom concluded his comments by pressing voters to support the ballot initiative in a special election that would costs taxpayers an estimated $200 million or more.

“Most importantly, we’re counting on all of you on Nov. 4 to be there for each other to win this election and stand up for democracy,” he implored.

The FPPC has an estimated two weeks to respond to Sanchez’s complaint.

This article was originally published by RealClearPolitics and made available via RealClearWire.