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Gavin Newsom on Crime

S.F. Mayor; former Gov. cand.

 


Criminal justice reform is crucial; repeal death penalty

At a forum organized by Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice, which pushes back against tough-on-crime laws, Newsom, the lone statewide politician to endorse Proposition 47 in 2014, which made nonviolent offenses like drug and property crimes misdemeanors instead of felonies, implored them to keep it up. "We'll get there on (repealing) the death penalty," Newsom said.
Source: The Sacramento Bee on 2018 California gubernatorial race , Apr 4, 2017

Death penalty is ineffective, irreversible and immoral

Gov. Gavin Newsom put a moratorium on the death penalty in California Wednesday, sparing the lives of more than 700 death-row inmates. Saying the death penalty is "ineffective, irreversible and immoral," he signed an executive order granting reprieves to all 737 Californians awaiting executions--a quarter of the country's death row inmates.

His action comes three years after California voters rejected an initiative to end the death penalty, instead passing a measure to speed up executions. Newsom said the death penalty system has discriminated against mentally ill defendants and people of color, has not made the state safer and has wasted billions of taxpayer dollars. "You, as taxpayers--you have spent $5 billion since we reinstated the death penalty in this state," he said. "What have we gotten for that?"

But he made clear that he simply believes killing other people is wrong. "If you rape, we don't rape," he said. "I think if someone kills, we don't kill.

Source: Modesto Bee on 2018 California Gubernatorial race , Mar 12, 2019

2016: Respect state referendum on death penalty; 2019: Don't

Newsom has long opposed the death penalty. While campaigning for a measure to repeal the death penalty in 2016, he told The Modesto Bee editorial board he would "be accountable to the will of the voters," if he were elected governor. "I would not get my personal opinions in the way of the public's right to make a determination of where they want to take us" on the death penalty, he said.

Newsom said that before he took office, discussing the death penalty was an "intellectual" exercise. Now that he has the power to allow executions, he said, it's an emotional decision: he can't be party to the system and still sleep at night. "It's not an abstract question any longer," he said. "I cannot sign off on executing hundreds of human beings."

The moratorium will be in place for the duration of Newsom's time in office. After that, a future governor could decide to resume executions. He told reporters last month that the prospect of executions resuming has been weighing on him.

Source: Modesto Bee on 2018 California Gubernatorial race , Mar 12, 2019

Moratorium on the California death penalty

Source: Ballotpedia.org on California ballot measure voting records , Mar 13, 2019

Spared 737 people on California's death row

As the most populous state and the country's biggest economy, Newsom's actions carry outsize weight--and are guaranteed outsize publicity.

Consider the national attention it garnered when Newsom signed an executive order in March halting executions-- sparing 737 people on California's death row. Witness the proclamation his office wrote last month "welcoming women to California to fully exercise their reproductive rights" after a wave of conservative states took steps to limit abortion. Newsom is outspoken on immigration, traveling to El Salvador earlier this year in his first international trip as governor.

"We're going to get it,'' Newsom insists. "We're committed to universal health care. Universal health care means everybody--We will lead a massive expansion of health care, and that's a major deviation from the past.''

Source: Politico.com on 2018 California Gubernatorial race , Jun 17, 2019

Moratorium on death penalty; disassembled death chamber

On March 13, 2019, Governor Newsom called a press conference to announce that he was taking the dramatic step of imposing a moratorium on executions. No one would be executed as long as he was governor. Newsom underscored that order by directing that the death chamber be disassembled, its various parts trucked to a warehouse. At the time, California had 737 condemned inmates.

Newsom's executive order did not abolish the death penalty. Nor did it empty death row. A constitutional amendment making it the law and approved by voters in 1972 remains in place, though it is like a zombie. As of this writing, California has 691 condemned men, and 20 condemned women. Their sentences are in limbo. None will die at the hands of the state so long as Newsom is Governor.

Source: Kamala's Way, by Dan Morain, p. 97 , Jan 12, 2021

Bolster police, more prosecutors, get guns off the street

Source: 2022 State of the State Address to California legislature , Feb 10, 2022

Cut administrative fees on people in criminal justice system

Legislative Summary: AB1869: Ends the harmful and costly collection of 23 administrative fees imposed against people in the criminal system. By eliminating these fees, California will dramatically reduce the suffering caused by court- ordered debt and enhance the economic security and wellness of populations with system involvement.

Legislative Outcome:Passed Assembly 59-17-3 on Aug/31/20; passed Senate 30-7-3 on Aug/31/20; Signed by Governor Gavin Newsom on Sep/18/20

Source: California Legislative voting record AB1869 , Sep 18, 2020

Other governors on Crime: Gavin Newsom on other issues:
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Gubernatorial Debates 2021:
CA Recall:
S.D.Mayor Kevin_Faulconer(R)
vs.Former Gov. nominee John Cox(R)
vs.Former U.S.Rep Doug Ose(R)
vs.Laura Smith(R)
vs.Former Olympian Caitlyn Jenner(R)
vs.Radio Host Larry Elder(R)
vs.Kevin Paffrath(D)
vs.Gavin Newsom(D)
NJ: Incumbent Phil Murphy(D)
vs.State Rep. Jack Ciattarelli(R)
vs.Candidate Hirsh Singh(R)
vs.GOP Chair Doug Steinhardt(R)
VA: Incumbent Ralph Northam(D,term-limited)
vs.Former Governor Terry McAuliffe(D)
vs.CEO Glenn Youngkin(R)
vs.A.G. Mark Herring(D)
vs.State Sen. Amanda Chase(I)
vs.Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax(D)
vs.State Rep. Jennifer Carroll Foy(D)
vs.State Rep. Lee Carter(D)
vs.State Sen. Jennifer McClellan(D)
vs.State Rep. Kirk Cox(R)
vs.CEO Pete Snyder(R)

Gubernatorial Debates 2023:
KY: Incumbent Andy Beshear(D)
vs.State A.G. Daniel Cameron(R)

vs.Ambassador Kelly Craft(R)
vs.State Auditor Mike Harmon(R)
LA: Incumbent John Bel Edwards(D,term-limited)
vs.Biden Adviser Cedric Richmond(? D)
vs.Senator John Neely Kennedy(? R)
vs.Mitch Landrieu(D ?)
MS: Incumbent Tate Reeves(R)
vs.Bill Waller(R)

Gubernatorial Debates 2022:
AK: Incumbent Mike Dunleavy(R)
vs.Bill Walker(I)
vs.Les Gara(D)
vs.Billy Toien(L)
vs.State Rep. Chris Kurka(R)
AL: Incumbent Kay Ivey(R)
vs.Chris Countryman(D)
vs.Yolanda Flowers(D)
vs.Stacy Lee George(R)
vs.Ambassador Lynda Blanchard(R)
vs.State Sen. Malika Sanders-Fortier(D)
vs.Challenger Tim James(R)
AR: Incumbent Asa Hutchinson(R,term-limited)
vs.Trump Adviser Sarah Huckabee Sanders(R)
vs.A.G. Leslie Rutledge(R,withdrew Nov.2021)
vs.Ricky Dale Harrington(L)
vs.Anthony Bland(D)
vs.Chris Jones(D)
AZ: Incumbent Doug Ducey(R,term-limited)
Mayor Marco Lopez(D)
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vs.State Rep.Aaron Lieberman(D)
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CO: Incumbent Jared Polis(D)
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CT: Incumbent Ned Lamont(D)
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HI: Incumbent David Ige(D,term-limited)
vs.Former Lt.Gov.Duke Aiona(R nominee)
vs.Marissa Kerns(R)
vs.Lt.Gov.Josh Green(D nominee)
vs.Vicky Cayetano(D)
vs.Paul Morgan(R)
vs.State Rep.Kirk Caldwell(D)
vs.U.S.Rep.Kai Kahele(D)
IA: Incumbent Kim Reynolds(R)
vs.Deidre DeJear(D)
vs.State Rep.Ras Smith(D)
ID: Incumbent Brad Little(R)
vs.Stephen Heidt(D)
vs.Raul Labrador(R)
vs.Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin(R)
vs.Ammon Bundy(R)
vs.Ed Humphreys(R)
IL: Incumbent J.B. Pritzker(D)
vs.State Sen.Darren Bailey(R)
vs.Paul Schimpf(R)
vs.Jesse Sullivan(R)
vs.Richard Irvin(R)
KS: Incumbent Laura Kelly(D)
vs.Jeff Colyer(R)
vs.State Sen.Derek Schmidt(R)
vs.Chase LaPorte(R)
Gubernatorial Debates 2022 (continued):
MA: Incumbent Charlie Baker(R)
vs.Lt.Gov.Karyn Polito(R)
vs.State Rep. Geoff Diehl(R)
vs.Harvard Professor Danielle Allen(D)
vs.State Sen.Ben Downing(D)
vs.State Sen.Sonia Chang-Diaz(D)
vs.Shiva Ayyadurai(I)
vs.A.G. Maura Healey(D)
MD: Incumbent Larry Hogan(R,term-limited)
vs.State Del.Robin Ficker(R) vs.State Del.Peter Franchot(D) vs.State Del.Kelly M. Schulz(R) vs.Secretary John B. King(D) vs.Ashwani Jain(D) vs.State A.G. Doug Gansler(D) vs.County Exec. Rushern Baker(D) vs.Secretary Thomas Perez(D) vs.Wes Moore(D) vs.Dan Cox(R)
ME: Incumbent Janet Mills(D)
vs.Former Gov. Paul LePage(R)
MI: Incumbent Gretchen Whitmer(D)
vs.Chief James Craig(R)
vs.Police Chief Tudor Dixon(R)
vs.Garrett Soldano(R)
vs.John E. James(? R)
MN: Incumbent Tim Walz(DFL)
vs.Mayor Mike Murphy(R)
vs.State Sen.Scott Jensen(R)
vs.Michelle Benson(R)
vs.Paul Gazelka(R)
NE: Incumbent Pete Ricketts(R,term-limited)
vs.U.S.Senator Bob Krist(R)
vs.Chuck Herbster(R)
vs.Jim Pillen(R)
vs.Brett Lindstrom(R)
vs.Carol Blood(D)
vs.State Sen. Theresa Thibodeau(R)
NH: Incumbent Chris Sununu(R)
vs.Dan Feltes(D)
vs.Karen Testerman(R)
vs.Dr.Tom Sherman(D)
NM: Incumbent Michelle Lujan Grisham(D)
vs.Commissioner Jay Block(R)
vs.State Rep.Rebecca Dow(R)
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NV: Incumbent Steve Sisolak(D)
vs.A.G.Adam Laxalt(R)
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NY: Incumbent Andrew Cuomo(D,resigned)
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OH: Incumbent Mike DeWine(R)
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vs.Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley(D)
vs.Mayor John Cranley(D)
OK: Incumbent Kevin Stitt(R)
vs.State Sen. Ervin Yen(R)
vs.Connie Johnson(D)
vs.Joy Hofmeister(D)
vs.Natalie Bruno(L)
OR: Incumbent Kate Brown(D,term-limited)
vs.Gov. nominee Bud Pierce(R)
vs.Paul Romero(R)
vs.Casey Kulla(D)
vs.Kerry McQuisten(R)
vs.Tina Kotek(D)
vs.Nicholas Kristof(D)
vs.Tobias Read(D)
vs.State Rep. Christine Drazan(R)
vs.Julian Bell(D)
PA: Incumbent Tom Wolf(D,term-limited)
vs.U.S.Rep. Lou Barletta(R)
vs.Commissioner Joe Gale(R)
vs.A.G.Josh Shapiro(D)
vs.William McSwain(R)
vs.U.S.Rep.Melissa Hart(R)
vs.State Sen.Scott Martin(R)
vs.State Sen. Scott Martin(R)
vs.State Sen. Doug Mastriano(R)
RI: Incumbent Gina Raimondo(D,to Cabinet)
vs.Gov. Dan McKee(D)
vs.Ashley Kalus(R)
vs.Mayor Allan Fung(R)
vs.Secy.Matt Brown(D)
vs.Luis-Daniel Munoz(D)
vs.RI Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea(D)
vs.Seth Magainer(D)
vs.Helena Foulkes(D)
SC: Incumbent Henry McMaster(R)
vs.US.Rep.Joe Cunningham(D)
vs.State senator Mia McLeod(D)
SD: Incumbent Kristi Noem(R)
vs.State Rep. Billie Sutton(? D)
vs.Speaker Steven Haugaard(R)
vs.Jamie R. Smith(D)
TN: Incumbent Bill Lee(R)
vs.Jason Martin(D)
vs.Carnita Atwater(D)
vs.J B Smiley(D)
TX: Incumbent Greg Abbott(R)
vs.Beto O`Rourke(D)
vs.Chad Prather(R)
vs.State Sen.Don Huffines(R)
vs.U.S.Rep. Allen West(R)
vs.Deirdre Gilbert(D)
VT: Incumbent Phil Scott(R)
vs.Brenda Siegel(D)
WI: Incumbent Tony Evers(D)
vs.Tim Michels(R)
vs.CEO Jonathan Wichmann(R)
vs.Rebecca Kleefisch(R)
vs.State Rep. Timothy Ramthun(R)
WY: Incumbent Mark Gordon(R)
vs.Theresa Livingstone(D)
vs.Rex Rammell(R)
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Page last updated: Apr 29, 2023; copyright 1999-2022 Jesse Gordon and OnTheIssues.org