SACRAMENTO, California — Gov. Gavin Newsom scrapped his last-minute push with legislative leaders to put a second crime-fighting measure before voters this fall, making a dramatic about-face hours before he heads to Washington to defend President Joe Biden.
Their measure would have toughened penalties for repeat shoplifters and drug dealers who lace substances with fentanyl. It was an effort to compete with another tough-on-crime measure, backed by prosecutors and big-box retailers, that will appear on November’s ballot.
The announcement comes just one day before it would have needed to win votes from a majority of each house to make it on the ballot before lawmakers break for a month-long summer recess.
The news was delivered to Democrats in the Legislature Tuesday evening in a late caucus call. The bill had already faced opposition from moderate and progressive Democrats who were frustrated by what they saw as a hastily-concocted plan to snub political opponents. One lawmaker, who was on the call Tuesday and granted anonymity to discuss private conversations, said some lawmakers took issue with Newsom’s sudden plans to head to Washington on Wednesday.