The assemblywoman says governor’s redistricting plan is a taxpayer-funded power grab.
California Assemblywoman Kate Sanchez (R-CA) has taken Governor Gavin Newsom to the state’s political watchdog, filing a complaint with the Fair Political Practices Commission over what she calls the misuse of public funds to advance a partisan ballot measure. The initiative—branded by Democrats as the “Election Rigging Response Act”—would scrap California’s voter-approved independent redistricting system and hand the map-drawing process back to politicians, giving the governor’s party the upper hand for years to come.
Sanchez did not mince words, stating: “This isn’t leadership, it’s a power trip on the public’s dime. Enough is enough.”
Reports from political journalist Ashley Zavala indicate the governor’s rally in Los Angeles to promote the plan was organized using state resources and streamed online with taxpayer-funded equipment. Critics argue this is a textbook example of Democrats bending ethics rules to gain an electoral advantage.
The measure will potentially go before voters in a November 4 special election, a date opponents contend was chosen to maximize Democratic turnout. If approved, it would allow new, Democrat-drawn maps to remain in place until 2030, potentially flipping several Republican-held districts.
