Despite ramming an unconstitutional ballot proposition to further gerrymander California's congressional districts through the legislature and getting it passed last year, and despite (so far) successfully beating back the Department of Justice's 18-month campaign to get noncitizens off of the state's voter rolls, California Gov. Gavin Newsom's multi-day crashout indicates that he still isn't convinced that his party will continue its dominance at the polls.
It's ironic that while his administration has been whining to federal judges that election workers in the state are afraid to do their jobs because they might be prosecuted, and have sought court orders banning the U.S. Attorney General and U.S. Attorneys in the state from "threatening" to prosecute people who facilitate voting by noncitizens, that's exactly what Newsom is doing with a video rant he posted to social media late Monday.
He started this latest blitz on October 29, writing:
A warning to Donald Trump:
I’m deploying election lawyers to key battleground districts in California to protect every vote.
And I just made it a FELONY to illegally seize ballots.
Gavin, how are there any "key battleground districts" left in California after your Election Rigging Act passed? You promised that would fix the "problem."
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli hit back, as he usually does.
You're going to protect every legal or illegal vote? What about California citizens whose votes are being diluted by ineligible voters. Do their constitutional rights matter.
— F.A. United States Attorney Bill Essayli (@USAttyEssayli) October 29, 2026
On Monday evening, Newsom issued an even more strongly-worded warning, even cursing.
California is dead serious about the security of tomorrow's midterm elections. If Trump tries to meddle with California's ballots, you can be sure as hell that we'll prosecute those who help him. Californians deserve a free and fair election, and that is exactly what we'll deliver.
— Governor Gavin Newsom (@CAgovernor) November 2, 2026
Possibly fearing that Attorney General Todd Blanche, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, and Essayli weren't yet quaking in their boots, he went full retard, threatening people with felonies if they assist the federal government in prosecuting election fraud.
Let me be clear to anyone thinking about helping Trump interfere with California elections: If you interfere with voters or tamper with ballots, you will be prosecuted with a FELONY. And don't count on a pardon from the President. He can't pardon you out of California justice. https://t.co/UhdjqsRSVL
— Governor Gavin Newsom (@CAgovernor) November 2, 2026
Here's the full transcript of what he said, including the lies.
So, just hours ago President Trump went to the United States Supreme Court and asked it to throw out 20,000 California ballots from 20,000 voters who followed the rules. His excuse is a lie, that there's widespread illegal voting in California. He's been setting this up for months and months so he can call tomorrow's election stolen if he doesn't get the result he likes. His Justice Department has even hit local election workers with criminal grand jury subpoenas to intimidate them.
So, let me speak clearly and directly to anyone thinking about helping them. If you interfere with our voters, you will be prosecuted with a felony. If you tamper with our ballots, you will face justice. It doesn't matter who gave the order. Meddle in California's election, and California will come for you. And don't count - don't count on a pardon. The president can't pardon you out of California justice. Two months ago, I signed a law giving our state prosecutors new tools to make sure of that.
Look, we saw this coming. We passed 13 election protection bills. We sent $40 million to counties to hire staff and count ballots faster. Our election security task force, they're on watch their watch for misinformation and threats at the polls. And just this past week, we took the administration to court. We took them to court three times, and we won all three. And tomorrow 135 lawyers will be on standby across the state, and more than a thousand volunteers will be watching. And if anyone gets in your way, call 1-877-321-VOTE That's 877-321-VOTE.
And to our election workers, thank you. The threats against you are a disgrace, and we have your back. California is ready. Every eligible vote will be counted, so don't let anyone scare you out of your voice. Get out there and vote.
Excuse me, 20,000 voters who followed the rules? As of this moment, there are 35 people on that list who have already been criminally charged for not following the rules, and that number is going to grow.
Clearly, when Gavin found out yesterday that San Luis Obispo County District Attorney Dan Dow was seeking state criminal charges against some of those people on the DOJ's list who've voted in his jurisdiction, that didn't sit well with him. And despite all the court victories, he's not confident that every illegal vote will be counted.
What he's doing is disgraceful. Yes, we laugh at him and know he's impotent, but the process is the punishment, and I have no doubt that some of Rob Bonta's jack-booted thugs will be making examples of people who are trying to ensure that *only* legal votes are counted.
Editor's Note: Unelected federal judges are obstructing President Trump's agenda and ignoring the will of the people.
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