{"id":192345,"date":"2025-06-11T13:18:15","date_gmt":"2025-06-11T20:18:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/?p=192345"},"modified":"2025-06-11T13:18:15","modified_gmt":"2025-06-11T20:18:15","slug":"governor-newsoms-address-to-california-democracy-at-a-crossroads","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/?p=192345","title":{"rendered":"Governor Newsom\u2019s Address to California: Democracy at a Crossroads"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Los Angeles, CA&#8230; In an address delivered to nearly 40 million Californians and Americans nationwide tonight, Governor Gavin Newsom condemned President Trump\u2019s unlawful militarization of Los Angeles and warned that the President\u2019s actions mark a dangerous inflection point for the nation.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-media-max-width=\"560\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">ICYMI: <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CAgovernor?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@CAGovernor<\/a> Gavin Newsom delivers a formal address to California from Los Angeles. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/CkAMBmbEgg\">pic.twitter.com\/CkAMBmbEgg<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/GovPressOffice\/status\/1932619046484070808?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 11, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat we\u2019re witnessing is not law enforcement \u2014 it\u2019s authoritarianism,\u201d Governor Newsom said to Californians. \u201cWhat Donald Trump wants most is your fealty. Your silence. To be complicit in this moment. Do not give in to him.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Governor Newsom recounted recent federal raids in Latino neighborhoods, the unlawful commandeering of 4,000 California National Guard members, and the deployment of over 700 active-duty Marines to the streets of an American city \u2014 all done without consultation with state or local officials. \u201cTrump is pulling a military dragnet across Los Angeles,\u201d Newsom said. \u201cIt\u2019s weakness masquerading as strength.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Calling this a moment of national reckoning, the Governor urged Americans to take peaceful action. \u201cThe most important office in a democracy is not President or Governor \u2014 it\u2019s citizen.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Watch and read the entire speech here, as written:<br \/>\nGovernor Newsom\u2019s Address to California: Democracy at a Crossroads<\/p>\n<p>I want to say a few words about the events of the last few days. <\/p>\n<p>This past weekend, federal agents conducted large-scale workplace raids in and around Los Angeles. <\/p>\n<p>Those raids continue as I speak.<\/p>\n<p>California is no stranger to immigration enforcement. <\/p>\n<p>But instead of focusing on undocumented immigrants with serious criminal records and people with final deportation orders \u2013 a strategy both parties have long supported \u2013 this administration is pushing mass deportations.<\/p>\n<p>Indiscriminately targeting hardworking immigrant families, regardless of their roots or risk.<\/p>\n<p>What\u2019s happening right now is very different than anything we\u2019ve seen before. <\/p>\n<p>On Saturday morning, when federal agents jumped out of an unmarked van near a Home Depot parking lot, they began grabbing people. <\/p>\n<p>A deliberate targeting of a heavily Latino suburb.<\/p>\n<p>A similar scene also played out when a clothing company was raided downtown.<\/p>\n<p>In other actions: a US citizen, 9 months pregnant \u2013 arrested. A four-year-old girl \u2013 taken.<\/p>\n<p>Families separated. Friends disappearing.  <\/p>\n<p>In response, everyday Angelinos came out to exercise their Constitutional right to free speech and assembly<\/p>\n<p>To protest their government\u2019s actions. <\/p>\n<p>In turn, the State of California and the City and County of Los Angeles sent our police officers to help keep the peace, and with some exceptions, they were successful.<\/p>\n<p>Like many states, California is no stranger to this sort of civil unrest. We manage it regularly \u2026 and with our own law enforcement.<\/p>\n<p>But this, again, was different. <\/p>\n<p>What then ensued was the use of tear gas. Flash-bang grenades. Rubber bullets. <\/p>\n<p>Federal agents, detaining people and undermining their due process rights.<\/p>\n<p>Donald Trump, without consulting with California\u2019s law enforcement leaders, commandeered 2,000 of our state\u2019s National Guard members to deploy on our streets. <\/p>\n<p>Illegally, and for no reason.<\/p>\n<p>This brazen abuse of power by a sitting President inflamed a combustible situation \u2026 putting our people, our officers, and the National Guard at risk. <\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s when the downward spiral began. He doubled down on his dangerous National Guard deployment by fanning the flames even harder.<\/p>\n<p>And the President did it on purpose.<\/p>\n<p>As the news spread throughout LA, anxiety for family and friends ramped up. Protests started again. <\/p>\n<p>By night, several dozen lawbreakers became violent and destructive. They vandalized property. They tried to assault police officers. <\/p>\n<p>Many of you have seen video clips of cars burning on cable news.  <\/p>\n<p>If you incite violence or destroy our communities, you are going to be held accountable. <\/p>\n<p>That kind of criminal behavior will not be tolerated. Full stop. <\/p>\n<p>Already, more than 370 people have been arrested. And we\u2019re reviewing tapes to build additional cases, and people will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.<\/p>\n<p>Again, thanks to our law enforcement officers and the majority of Angelenos who protested peacefully, this situation was winding down and was concentrated in just a few square blocks downtown.<\/p>\n<p>But that\u2019s not what Donald Trump wanted. <\/p>\n<p>He again chose escalation; he chose more force.<\/p>\n<p>He chose theatrics over public safety \u2013 he federalized another 2,000 Guard members. <\/p>\n<p>He deployed more than 700 active U.S. Marines. <\/p>\n<p>These are men and women trained in foreign combat, not domestic law enforcement. <\/p>\n<p>We honor their service. We honor their bravery. But we do not want our streets militarized by our own Armed Forces. Not in L.A. Not in California. Not anywhere.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019re seeing unmarked cars in school parking lots. Kids, afraid to attend their own graduation. <\/p>\n<p>Trump is pulling a military dragnet across LA, well beyond his stated intent to just go after violent and serious criminals.<\/p>\n<p>His agents are arresting dishwashers, gardeners, day laborers and seamstresses \u2013 That\u2019s just weakness. Weakness, masquerading as strength.<\/p>\n<p>Donald Trump\u2019s government isn\u2019t protecting our communities \u2013 they are traumatizing our communities. And that seems to be the point. <\/p>\n<p>California will keep fighting on behalf of our people \u2013 all of our people \u2013 including in the courts. <\/p>\n<p>Yesterday, we filed a legal challenge to President Trump\u2019s reckless deployment of American troops to a major American city.<\/p>\n<p>Today, we sought an emergency court order to stop the use of the American military to engage in law enforcement activities across Los Angeles.<\/p>\n<p>If some of us can be snatched off the streets without a warrant, based only on suspicion or skin color, then none of us are safe. <\/p>\n<p>Authoritarian regimes begin by targeting people who are least able to defend themselves. But they do not stop there.<\/p>\n<p>Trump and his loyalists thrive on division because it allows them to take more power and exert even more control. <\/p>\n<p>By the way, Trump \u2013 he\u2019s not opposed to lawlessness and violence, as long as it serves HIM. <\/p>\n<p>What more evidence do we need than January 6th?<\/p>\n<p>I ask everyone to take the time to reflect on this perilous moment.<\/p>\n<p>A president who wants to be bound by no law or constitution.<\/p>\n<p>Perpetrating a unified assault on American traditions.<\/p>\n<p>This is a President who, in just over 140 days, has fired government watchdogs that could hold him accountable for corruption and fraud.<\/p>\n<p>He\u2019s declared a war on culture, on history, on science \u2013 on knowledge itself. Databases, quite literally vanishing.<\/p>\n<p>He\u2019s delegitimizing news organizations and assaulting the First Amendment.<\/p>\n<p>At the threat of defunding them, he\u2019s dictating what universities can teach.<\/p>\n<p>Targeting law firms and the judicial branch that are the foundation of an orderly, civil society.<\/p>\n<p>Calling for a sitting Governor to be arrested for no other reason than \u2013 to use his words \u2013 \u201cfor getting elected.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>And we all know, this Saturday, he\u2019s ordering our American heroes \u2013 the United States military \u2013 forcing them to put on a vulgar display to celebrate his birthday, just as other failed dictators have done in the past.<\/p>\n<p>Look, this isn\u2019t just about protests in LA. <\/p>\n<p>When Donald Trump sought blanket authority to commandeer the National Guard, he made that order apply to every state in this nation.<\/p>\n<p>This is about all of us. This is about you.<\/p>\n<p>California may be first \u2013 but it clearly won\u2019t end here. Other states are next.<\/p>\n<p>Democracy is next.<\/p>\n<p>Democracy is under assault right before our eyes &#8211; the moment we\u2019ve feared has arrived. <\/p>\n<p>He\u2019s taking a wrecking ball to our founding fathers\u2019 historic project.<\/p>\n<p>Three independent, coequal branches of government. <\/p>\n<p>There are no longer any checks and balances. Congress is nowhere to be found. Speaker Johnson has completely abdicated that responsibility.<\/p>\n<p>The rule of law has increasingly given way to the rule of Don.<\/p>\n<p>The founding fathers did not live and die to see this moment.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s time for all of us to stand up. <\/p>\n<p>Justice Brandeis said it best: in a democracy, the most important office is not president, it\u2019s certainly not governor. The most important office is office of citizen.<\/p>\n<p>At this moment, we must all stand up and be held to a higher level of accountability. <\/p>\n<p>If you exercise your First Amendment rights, please do so peacefully. <\/p>\n<p>I know many of you are feeling deep anxiety, stress, and fear.<\/p>\n<p>But I want you to know that YOU are the antidote to that fear and anxiety.<\/p>\n<p>What Donald Trump wants most is your fealty. Your silence. To be complicit in this moment.<\/p>\n<p>Do NOT give in to him.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Los Angeles, CA&#8230; In an address delivered to nearly 40 million Californians and Americans nationwide tonight, Governor Gavin Newsom condemned President Trump\u2019s unlawful militarization of Los Angeles and warned that the President\u2019s actions mark a dangerous inflection point for the nation. ICYMI: @CAGovernor Gavin Newsom delivers a formal address to California from Los Angeles. pic.twitter.com\/CkAMBmbEgg [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":192346,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_cbd_carousel_blocks":"[]","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20,5,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-192345","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-government","category-news","last_archivepost"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Fullscreen-capture-6112025-11651-PM.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/192345","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=192345"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/192345\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":192347,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/192345\/revisions\/192347"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/192346"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=192345"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=192345"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=192345"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}