By Assemblyman Kevin Kiley – July 5, 2022

This week, Gavin Newsom’s reelection campaign started running TV ads – in Florida.

In the commercial, Newsom tells Floridians that “freedom is under attack in your state” by “Republican leaders.” He concludes: “I urge all of you living in Florida to join the fight, or join us in California where we still believe in freedom.”

The layers of irony are so thick it’s hard to peel them all back:

• Californians are leaving for Florida in record numbers.
• Newsom branded a state that bans plastic straws as “the real Freedom state of CA.”
• The ads are funded by the unions that run Newsom’s office and that shut down our schools. Florida kids stayed in school (without mandates) and thrived.

Meanwhile, Newsom has disappeared. Despite “repeated questions” from the press, he refused to reveal his “current whereabouts” or “what day he will return to the state” – though it will be at least a week. Perhaps he’s vacationing in Florida.

The Legislature has also recessed, but not before blessing a gas tax increase, burning another $4.2 billion on the nonexistent High-Speed Rail, and passing an “inflation relief” package that makes inflation even worse. I couldn’t contain my disbelief in my speech on the Assembly Floor.

The Legislature also advanced several of the dreadful “Vaccine Work Group” bills, whose updated status you can see here. But in good news, a court just struck down Los Angeles Unified’s student mandate.

I hope you had a great Fourth of July weekend. I’m proud to be an American, and am honored to fight for our state and country alongside you.