Newsom launches California’s offensive against President-elect Trump

Launching his first salvo less than 36 hours after former President Trump was re-elected to the White House, Gov. Gavin Newsom called a special session of the state Legislature on Thursday to approve legislative funding to defend civil rights, climate change and abortion access to increase. Disaster funding and other California policies from a conservative federal agenda ahead of January’s inauguration.

Newsom’s preemptive strike signals the return of the hostile relationship between Democratic-controlled California and the Trump administration that was a hallmark of the Republican’s first term.

“The freedoms we hold dear in California are under attack — and we will not stand idle,” Newsom said in a statement. “California has faced this challenge before and we know how to respond. We are ready to fight in court, and we will do whatever it takes to ensure Californians have the support and resources they need to succeed.”

The new special session offers a first glimpse of Newsom’s plan to wage an aggressive and highly visible campaign to protect California from the Trump White House while leading Democrats in the culture wars against the Republican Party.

In an interview in Orange County on Sunday, the Democratic governor warned that California will be dealing with a different Trump than the politician who won the presidency in 2016.

“This is revenge and retaliation 2.0,” Newsom said.

In his acceptance speech early Wednesday, Trump said America had given him “an unprecedented and powerful mandate.”

Newsom’s special session proclamation states that his administration anticipates that the new president may seek to restrict access to abortion drugs, impose a nationwide ban on abortion, dismantle environmental protections for clean air and water, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program and withhold federal funding for disaster relief. among other promises he made during the election campaign.

As part of its efforts to prepare for a possible Trump presidency, the Newsom administration has completed an analysis of Project 2025, which has been described as a guide for a new GOP administration and plans to replace thousands of career federal civil servants with Trump supporters contains those who do this will pursue a right-wing extremist agenda.

Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta and Newsom’s office also reviewed more than 100 lawsuits filed by California against the federal government during Trump’s first term to identify potential vulnerabilities for the state and set the president-elect’s agenda.

Bonta called a news conference Thursday morning to “discuss the impact on California and preparations for a second Trump administration” — another sign that the state’s top Democrats are preparing for a legal battle.

The governor is asking lawmakers to provide additional funding to the California Department of Justice and other agencies of his administration to promptly file lawsuits and defend against litigation brought by and against the Trump administration.

The governor’s aides said the state’s legal defense increase would be paid for with income tax revenues that exceeded projections for the current fiscal year, but the level of funding would be determined in negotiations at the state Capitol.

Newsom has called a special session twice more to achieve a political goal in his political battle with the oil industry. This is also the second special session since the Legislature adjourned for the year in late August.

The new proclamation set the special session to begin on Dec. 2, the day newly elected lawmakers are scheduled to gather in the Senate and Assembly chambers to be sworn in. Typically, lawmakers leave Sacramento after the ceremony to spend the holidays in their districts before returning for the regular session at the start of the year. The schedule for the special session hearings has not yet been determined, but they could take place in early January at the same time as the regular session.

Legislation passed in a special session and signed by the governor typically takes effect 90 days after the session adjourns. Emergency legislation that requires the support of two-thirds of lawmakers takes effect immediately upon the governor’s signature. With his approval, bills providing funds will also come into force.

Trump’s inauguration is January 20th.