Gov. Gavin Newsom scrapped his last-minute push with legislative leaders to put a second crime-fighting measure before voters this fall, making a dramatic about-face hours before he heads to Washington to defend President Joe Biden.
The measure would have toughened penalties for repeat shoplifters and drug dealers who lace substances with fentanyl.
It was an effort to compete with another tough-on-crime measure, backed by prosecutors and big-box retailers, that will appear on November’s ballot.
Newsom, in a statement, hung the blame on the California District Attorneys Association that is supporting the other crime measure, and which he argued did not engage with the administration and legislative leaders to reach a deal for averting a showdown on the ballot.
“They refused, opting to instead push a ballot measure that would revive policies from the era of mass incarceration and the failed War on Drugs,” he said.
Newsom said his proposal had the necessary legislative votes, but that leaders “were unable to meet the ballot deadline to secure necessary amendments to ensure this measure’s success and will be withdrawing it from consideration.”
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