Democratic Governor of California Gavin Newsom spoke at an event in Texas over the weekend, apparently blatantly disregarding a California law that prohibits government travel to the state.
Texas is one of 22 states in which California state government travel is prohibited, because it has deemed them to have “discriminatory laws.” In 2017, this measure went into effect in California, as the state first took action due to North Carolina’s measures to keep people who identify as transgender out of certain bathrooms.
The law bans entities such as “[a] state agency, department, board, authority, or commission, including an agency, department, board, authority, or commission of the University of California, the Board of Regents of the University of California, or the California State University, and the Legislature” from “[r]equir[ing] any of its employees, officers, or members to travel to a state that” following June 26, 2015, “voids or repeals, or has the effect of voiding or repealing, existing state or local protections against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression,” along with other clarifications.
The attorney general is in charge of publishing a list of the states that are under the “travel ban” online, per the AG’s website on the matter.
Currently included on the list are Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Texas, Utah, North Carolina, Montana, as well as others.
Newsom has created speculation that he is planning to run for president as he continually goes after Republican-led states and Republican politicians, specifically states that have taken action to protect unborn lives.
He recently took out 18 billboards promoting California for abortion in Indiana, Mississippi, Ohio, Texas, South Carolina, South Dakota, and Oklahoma, all of which are on the state’s banned list.
Some pointed out this summer that Newsom took a vacation to Montana, one of the states on the banned list. His representatives said he was not in violation as it was a personal matter. However, he did bring security personnel along with him.
In Austin, Texas, Newsom told Democrats they should entirely shift their political methods because they are too shy and are “getting crushed” by the GOP. He said the Democratic Party is typically on the defensive as Republicans “dominate with illusion,” according to Fox News.
He also reiterated his claim that he is not running for president in 2024 or the next election in 2028, saying, “No, not happening.”
“I cannot say it enough,” he said. “I never trust politicians, so I get why you keep asking.”