Democrats Turn on Newsom, Forcing Withdrawal of His Ballot Proposition

California Governor Gavin Newsom withdrew his competing ballot measure to reform the state’s reduced prosecution of drug dealing and theft just days after Democratic legislators rejected his supported amendments to their anti-crime bills. Newsom’s measure would have required the majority of legislators’ support on July 3 to make it on the November ballot, and would be in competition with another prosecution reform measure that earned nearly one million signatures. The official website and Twitter account of the Office of the Governor of California took down mention and links to a July 1 press release from Newsom, Senate President pro Tempore Mike McGuire, D-North Coast, and Speaker of the Assembly Robert Rivas, D-Hollister, announcing their drug and theft initiative, which initially had a vote set for Wednesday, July 3.