ANALYSIS.
Newsom earmarks $50 million to 'fight Trump' as he asks administration for $40 billion
The governor of California says that, "in reality," he has 'only' set aside $25 million to address Washington's new policies in anticipation of legal challenges, while the other $25 million will go toward protecting illegal immigrants "regardless" of who is in the White House.
Gavin Newsom hosts Donald and Melania Trump in Califronia.
Gavin Newsom justified setting aside $50 million to "fight Trump" in California while applying for $40 billion from the federal administration for aid to rebuild areas ravaged by the devastating Los Angeles fires.
After being questioned by a reporter during an event about the launch of a website in which the California state will "account" for spending to address the homeless crisis, Newsom responded with an attack on the reporter, noting that the question was poorly phrased.
$25 million to "protect and preserve" Californians' policies and rights
Because, according to the governor, it's not $50 million to rein in Trump, but two separate line items of $25 million each. The first would be a provision to defray the cost of foreseeable lawsuits against the federal executive to "defend and preserve" the policies and rights of Californians in the face of the new airs and graces of Washington.
Newsom noted that this is a preventive measure based on the experience of Trump's first term, in which the Golden State filed one lawsuit after another against the Administration and which he hoped would "repeat itself" in this legislature.
As an example, he noted that the Transportation secretary had already announced an audit into high-speed rail spending, which includes billions of dollars of federal funds in addition to state funds. "We were prescient in that regard, setting aside those funds in anticipation of the efforts taking place in the second Trump administration, just as they did in the first."
According to Newsom, allocating $25 million to protect illegals "is not because of Trump"
Newsom continued his explanation by pointing out that the other $25 million is earmarked to cover the defense costs of illegal aliens, stressing that "that is not specific to Trump," but that it was about "protecting people's rights." The governor did not explain, however, why he is earmarking that amount of money for this purpose precisely when the Republican reached the White House and at a time when the Californian budget is projecting a significant deficit.
This second $25 million will also go to pay non-profit organizations and other groups that help undocumented immigrants in California "to address their anxieties and fears."
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