Is the governor playing politics with his move "to fully reopen" California?
Not if you ask him.
Gov. Gavin Newsom strongly denied the imminent recall election as a motivating factor in doing away with much of the state’s COVID-19 restrictions in an interview Wednesday with "CBS This Morning."
"Absolutely not," Gov. Newsom said. "In fact, quite the contrary. We’re just focused on the data, disease prevalence. I’m focused on what’s actually happening on the ground."
Reaction to Tuesday’s announcement ran the gamut, including a critical editorial published by the San Francisco Chronicle that said the first-term Democrat might have used "polling data" versus scientific data in making the decision. "We think we’re better positioned than most other states to come roaring back and we’re providing a record amount of relief and support for small businesses," Gov. Newsom added of a post-coronavirus rebound.
His chief Republican challengers in the looming recall, John Cox and Kevin Faulconer, were quick to criticize the move to do away with the state’s color-coded tier system. "Gavin Newsom is making a political football out of reopening California," Cox tweeted.
While not yet official, the recall effort is widely expected to qualify for the ballot once the necessary 1.5 million signatures are verified.
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