In my RedState interview with Roman Balmakov, we discussed California Governor Gavin Newsom and his consistent rise, trading one higher office for another. Newsom parlayed his lofty visions into a role on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, then Mayor of San Francisco, then Lt. Governor, and finally Governor. As RedState reported, Newsom certainly appears to be flirting heavily with a presidential run. Had Californians cut Newsom off at the pass when he was on the Board of Supervisors, the nation would not be facing this scenario. I asked Balmakov what are some of the warning signs that will help expose these progressive activists and warriors before they gain a foothold into elected office. 

Yeah, I'll say this, Gavin Newsom is unbelievably charismatic. You know, I can imagine him being at some local board meeting and you just look at that guy and you're like, Yeah. Whether it's his ambition or his charisma, there's a reason he keeps getting elected higher and higher and higher, right? And it's not because of the results he's delivering. He's a unique case, but for many politicians, if you have the charisma you can keep rising. 

It's very identity politics. It's very much this grandiose language, like, "I'm on this world stage, and I'm going to do it big."

Assemblyman Isaac Bryan (D-AD55) is one of these people. We called progressive Konstantine Anthony the "Low-Rent Gavin Newsom," because he tries to spout charm and big ideas, without one iota of the charisma or finesse that Newsom often embodies. Bryan is the "Black Gavin Newsom," because he's got all that charisma, finesse, and articulation, coupled with the Los Angeles intersectionality card of being a Black Democrat.

In July, Fox News senior correspondent and host Elex Michaelson featured Bryan on his "The Issue Is" show as a rising star in politics. 

"I've seen the way systems fail folks"@isaacgbryan talks w/ @Elex_Michaelson about how his unique upbringing, w/ 100's of foster siblings, impacts his work as Assembly Majority Leader.

"To be in a position now to change those systems - is an opportunity I'm looking forward to" pic.twitter.com/Y855X5Xwvn

— The Issue Is (@TheIssueIsShow) July 8, 2023

Bryan is as serious as a heart attack. He was among the Democrats in the Assembly Public Safety Committee who tried to kill SB 14 which makes child trafficking a serious felony. In blocking the bill, Bryan, the supposed champion of the underprivileged and marginalized, claimed that the current laws did enough, and that making this a law would only victimize the victim. 

The people most vulnerable to being charged with trafficking are the victims of trafficking themselves.

Charges are used to leverage their cooperation in prosecution and their survivor status is erased with many currently incarcerated in both youth and adult prisons.

— Isaac G. Bryan (@ib2_real) July 13, 2023

Nobody supports the trafficking of children or any people.
That’s why existing laws carry the potential for life in prison.

We can and must do more to affirm, protect, & support survivors with all of our civic resources - including those beyond the criminal legal system

— Isaac G. Bryan (@ib2_real) July 13, 2023

Black Gavin was not only shamed by Newsom but by Californians across the board. The committee chair waived the rules in order to bring the bill back up for passage. The bill was then passed out of committee and onto the Assembly floor, where it received bipartisan approval. On Monday, Newsom signed SB 14 into law. 

You’re a dangerous clown and hopefully serving your last term.

— 𝚅𝚒𝚌𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚘𝚞𝚜 (@Victorious329) July 14, 2023

Bryan is a dangerous clown, but as Assembly Majority Leader, he's going to ride that to another term while scoping out his soft place to land into higher office. This is the way. So, the danger this politico poses is clear and present. 

Bryan's rise started in June of 2018 at TEDxUCLA. Isaac was one of the featured speakers, discussing his hobby horses of restorative justice, ending the prison system, zero cash bail, and affordable housing. All the Soros-backed progressive bona fides were on full display. Bryan declared it to the world—or at least the world of champagne elitists and wannabe theoreticians who would support and fund these fever dreams. Like Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón, another dangerous poster child of criminal justice reform run amok, Bryan initially comports himself as sober, thoughtful, and reasonable. The glowing TedX introduction paints a picture of an accomplished young man with a fire in the belly borne out of his difficult and underprivileged upbringing <cue the tiny violins>.

Isaac Bryan translates restlessness into purpose in his quest to reform the American bail system. By finding duty in the face of unrest, we strengthen the bonds with our brothers, our sisters, and ourselves. Isaac Bryan is a second year Masters of Public Policy Candidate in the Luskin School of Public Affairs. He studies public safety and criminal justice policy, and has worked on projects with the U.S. Department of Justice, ACLU, Children’s Defense Fund and National Center for Youth Law. He currently serves as a Bohnett Policy Fellow in Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti’s Office of Reentry. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community.

WATCH:

Bryan first parlayed his political schtick as a fellow in Mayor Eric Garcetti's office, making himself known around City Hall and among the policymakers in the City Council. Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Holly Mitchell is one of his mentors. It was an open secret in Los Angeles that he was slated to be the heir-apparent to the now-disgraced Mark Ridley-Thomas' council seat. Instead, he ran for California Assembly for the 55th District, and won the election in 2020 and re-election in 2022 by large margins. Having the endorsement of rapper Common, former Congresswoman and current Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, and Patrisse Cullors of BLM-fame (Build Large Mansions), was icing on the intersectionality cake.

Bryan has somehow wormed his way into top leadership in the California Assembly, and he's making even more grandiose moves in his district. Remember that affordable housing and homelessness tick borne out of his painfully disenfranchised and underprivileged past? Bryan is now supporting the removal of a major traffic artery through his district in order to make room for affordable homeless housing.

You cannot make this stuff up. 

If anyone needs further proof of the LUNACY of California & LA government - including @MayorOfLA @KarenBassLA & especially Assemblyman @isaacbryanforca look no further. They want to remove a FREEWAY & replace it with homeless housing. Yep! The person posting this is a Democrat… https://t.co/6IXhVsOTRD

— Houman David Hemmati, MD, PhD (@houmanhemmati) September 26, 2023

A new study is looking into converting one Los Angeles County freeway into a park with low-cost housing. And the plan already has the backing of some LA officials, like Mayor Karen Bass.

The Marina Central Park study is a potential plan which would convert the 90 Freeway that stretches from Marina del Rey to Culver City, and turn the stretch into a park.

"It's the shortest freeway in LA County, it's the least-trafficked freeway in LA County," said Michael Schneider with Streets for All, which is responsible for the initiative. "We have a housing crisis. We don't have enough places for people to live. We don't have enough parks. And so it's a study at this point to see, could we use the space a little bit better?"

The shortest freeway in literally the most congested part of Los Angeles that sees over 80,000 drivers on any given day. The Culver City and Marina del Rey neighborhoods that the 90 Freeway traverses are fishbowls of horrific traffic every hour of the day. It's the spillway between Venice Beach, the Los Angeles International Airport, and Sony Studios. If it were not for the 90 Freeway filtering all that traffic, it would be perpetual gridlock. But by all means, add more people and get rid of a corridor that helps mitigate major congestion in an already packed portion of the city.

Totally brill.

Which leads back to the Balmakov interview. He concluded his thoughts on how to recognize these progressive popinjays by saying:

I would recommend that when you hear a politician say anything like that, especially when it's grandiose, take a step back and go: Okay, what's the problem and what's going to be the result of the solution? It's actually the job of the media to dig into this stuff and to report it. The media is not doing that, unfortunately, which is leading to a lot of problems. But be extremely leery of these large, grandiose claims that are ostensibly for your benefit. Yeah. Because oftentimes when you dig into it, it's like all the negatives are a lot broader than you think they are, and the supposed positives might not even play out.

Asm. Isaac Bryan needs to be put through the mill of scrutiny and called out on his grandiose aims. Today it's several neighborhoods destroyed by the removal of a freeway, tomorrow it will be destructive policies that tear down a community or destroy a state, and finally a nation.

You've been warned.