Proposition 47 is a California initiative handed by voters in 2014 that raises the bar for property crimes by making most retail thefts a misdemeanor. Over the previous 12 months, Democrats in Prop. 47 is beneath stress to do one thing about it as considerations develop about shoplifting and public drug use.
A bunch of California DAs joined the trouble to repeal Prop 47 on this 12 months’s poll, and only a few weeks in the past we realized that the trouble was prone to be accredited. However Govt. Gavin Newsom and different state Democrats don’t need the poll initiative to succeed. So that they got here up with a slate of competing crime payments that they provided to cross in file time (and Gov. Newsom agreed to signal) if solely the Proposition 47 reform poll initiative was pulled.
To clarify it was an both/or selection, the Sacramento Democrats additionally mentioned they might put “interoperability clauses” within the payments that may be triggered if Proposition 47 handed. In different phrases, they deliberate to place poison tablets in their very own payments to make sure their method.
The hassle was so ham-fisted that even some Democrats appeared embarrassed by it and walked away from the payments altogether. As a result of the swift passage they promised required a super-majority vote, the lack of even just a few Democrats put all the scheme in jeopardy.
That effort appeared to crumble additional final week when somebody leaked textual content messages between the 2 events, messages that made the governor’s chief of employees sound like an emotional jibe.
In an e mail, the governor’s chief of employees, Dana Williamson, informed coalition chief negotiator Greg Totten that management is keen to debate his crime invoice bundle, which might take impact instantly, clarifying “so far as an initiative, we’re open to doing one thing in 2026.”
Totten replied, “As I discussed earlier, our focus is on amending Proposition 47 on the 2024 poll.” Including, “If the administration is keen to contemplate an modification to Proposition 47 on the 2024 poll, we’re pleased to satisfy.”
Williamson responded, “If that is your place then I agree, nothing to speak about. And the consultants you are working with have not gained something in a decade. Good luck.”
If we step again for a second and ask why Newsom and the Democrats are so desirous to kill this poll initiative, there are just a few solutions. One is that they are saying they fear a few return to the “mass incarceration” period. In different phrases, they need (or seem to) cut back crime however they do not need to put too many individuals in jail.
If this rationalization does not make a lot sense to you, there’s one other one which’s a lot simpler to grasp.
Effectively, that is one purpose why Democrats hate this initiative. However hardly anybody believes that that is the primary purpose. The celebration’s dominant concern, it appears, is that the measure will assist Republican candidates, particularly in a handful of congressional races the place management of the US Home is at stake.
“Sure, it is good for Republican candidates,” State Meeting GOP Chief James Gallagher of Yuba Metropolis mentioned of the initiative. “But it surely’s additionally good coverage. It should even be good for Democrats who assist the initiative.”
Democratic marketing consultant Steve Maviglio mentioned the initiative would “transfer swing voters. Folks see crime going up. Democrats have a popularity for being mushy on crime. Republicans see blood within the water. They need to speak about crime. Democrats do not.”
There you may have it. It is about protecting their opponents at dwelling by stealing their thunder, albeit in a slimmer type that will not land many individuals in jail.
However Democrats had a deadline to make the deal. The final day supporters might pull the poll measure from showing on the poll was Thursday of this week. They missed it, so the Proposition 47 reform initiative will stay on the poll.
A months-long Democratic push to take away a tough-on-crime measure from the November poll seems useless within the water.
Talks between Gov. Gavin Newsom, legislative leaders and supporters successfully broke down final week, when the governor’s chief of employees, Dana Williamson, clashed with supporters in a leaked e mail chain.
Now, simply earlier than Thursday’s deadline to tug the initiative from the November poll and with no compromise laws in print, either side are making ready for a bruising struggle as a substitute…
So what’s the finish of this struggle? effectively possibly Democrats nonetheless have a determined try to derail the invoice. Final week, they mentioned placing a competing measure on the poll. It was apparently a gambit supposed to get supporters of the poll initiative again to the negotiating desk earlier than the deadline. Nonetheless, Democrats should still do that as a approach to a) punish their opponents and b) struggle the aforementioned mass incarceration.
There’s a probability that lawmakers might introduce a further retail theft measure early subsequent week in an effort to take away assist from the measure, although as of Thursday night, lawmakers had not introduced plans to take action.
They’ve already misplaced efforts to deal with Republicans, however they could nonetheless wrestle to maintain criminals out of jail. In California, sadly, it’s excessive on the agenda of many Democrats.
