Republicans slam Newsom over new rule + Faulconer defends vanilla + Oil permits dropped in 2021

Andrew Sheeler
·6 min read
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

Good morning, and welcome to the A.M. Alert!

RECALL CANDIDATES SLAM NEWSOM OVER NEW VAX RULE

Via Lara Korte...

Gov. Gavin Newsom made waves on Monday when the state announced it would require health care workers and state employees to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination if they want to avoid masks and workplace coronavirus testing.

As the Delta variant threatens another wave of infections, Newsom stopped short of reinstating a mask mandate, but took the opportunity to denounce conservative rhetoric around the vaccine. He called out Fox News host Tucker Carlson by name, and took a swipe at Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene.

“We’re exhausted by the right-wing echo chamber that has been perpetuating misinformation around the vaccine and its efficacy and safety,” Newsom said.

As with many of his other COVID-19 decisions, Newsom’s opponents weren’t impressed.

Recall candidates balked, saying that the decision should continue to be left to individuals.

Here’s what some of the candidates had to say about Newsom’s new rule:

“Newsom’s announcement today is proof that his coronavirus policies haven’t worked. First, he shut down the state causing millions to lose their jobs and thousands of small businesses to close forever. Then he spent over $100 million in taxpayer money on a coronavirus lottery game. Through it all, Gavin Newsom failed to follow his own rules. We need to trust Californians to do what’s best for them and their families.” - businessman John Cox

“I’ve been vaccinated, but I believe it is a matter of choice. And it seems to me it is a contradiction to urge people to be vaccinated to provide protection well telling unvaccinated state employees to wear a mask to protect other state unvaccinated workers who chose to accept the risk... Kamala Harris and Joe Biden both said if Trump recommends being vaccinated, they wouldn’t do it. One poll found that after Harris made the comment—and repeated it during a debate—the percentage of blacks who said they did not want to take the vaccine increased by 20%. Did Gavin Newsom criticize Harris and Biden when they made those statements?” - talk radio host Larry Elder

(Note: Politifact found a viral video claiming Harris and Biden distrusted the vaccines to be false. Both politicians said they would not take the vaccine only on Trump’s word.)

“After failing our children and small businesses during the pandemic, Gavin Newsom has pivoted to making the fight against COVID-19 overtly political, launching partisan attacks against his opponents to distract from his checkered response to the pandemic. Our goal must be to get as many Californians vaccinated as possible, without further politicizing this issue.”- former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer

“Our state has imposed the harshest government controls throughout the COVID era, with nothing to show for it in terms of public health. Today’s announcement shows Gavin Newsom hasn’t learned anything. My approach would be to trust and respect the people of California.” - Assemblyman Kevin Kiley, R-Rocklin

“This isn’t news within the healthcare industry. Newsom is once again running to the head of the parade to take credit for the difficult decisions and thoughtful protocols already implemented by non-governmental enterprises. Leadership matters. It’s time for a change.” - former U.S. Rep. Doug Ose

FAULCONER SAYS HE’S VANILLA (AND THERE’S NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT)

Marking the occasion of National Vanilla Ice Cream Day, Republican gubernatorial recall candidate (and former San Diego mayor) Kevin Faulconer recently took the occasion to defend the most popular ice cream flavor from its detractors.

OK, so Faulconer was less defending the ice cream flavor than he was using it as a metaphor for his own campaign, while taking jabs at his fellow GOP candidates John Cox and Caitlyn Jenner.

“You know, a lot of folks have said ‘Kev, your campaign is so serious. You don’t want to come off as too vanilla,’” Faulconer said in a YouTube video. “’You don’t have a bear, you don’t have a big ball of trash and you don’t have Hollywood fame.’”

Faulconer then proceeded to make a vanilla ice cream sundae, using the various fixings as a metaphor for his plans to cut taxes, fix the Employment Development Department, address homelessness and put the state “on a war footing” for wildfire preparedness.

“So I guess that makes for a pretty interesting and serious bowl of ice cream,” Faulconer said. “Damn! That’s pretty good.”

Will Faulconer’s bowl of ice cream be enough to win an endorsement from the California Republican Party? That remains to be seen.

OIL WELL PERMIT APPROVALS DROPPED DRAMATICALLY THIS YEAR, GROUP SAYS

Advocacy group Consumer Watchdog reports that permit approvals for new or reworked oil wells dropped by 64% in the first six months of 2021, while the number of permit applications from oil and gas companies fell by 52%.

Those drops mark the perfect occasion for Gov. Newsom to move away from fossil fuel drilling in the Golden State.

“The market is the single most important factor suppressing permit applications, but Governor Newsom is also sending the oil industry the right signals by rejecting fracking permit applications and announcing an end to fracking by 2024,” Consumer Watchdog’s Liza Tucker said in a statement. “Gov. Newsom now has a golden opportunity to seize the moment and come forward with a decisive transition plan off of fossil fuels that includes switching oil workers away from production toward desperately needed well remediation.”

According to the website NewsomWellWatch.com, Newsom’s administration has approved 9,014 oil and gas permits since he took office in January 2019, while 1,019 of those permits approved in January through June of this year.

“Overall, rates of both permit approvals and counts of permit applications to drill new wells have dropped in 2021,” said Kyle Ferrar, western program coordinator at FracTracker Alliance, in a statement. “While the market traditionally drives permit application counts, Governor Newsom now has the opportunity to reduce the expansion of oil extraction. Starting with a responsible setback for Frontline Communities of at least 2,500 feet from drilling operations, Newsom can limit new drilling and begin California’s transition away from the stranglehold of big oil.”

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Disgraceful? Here’s a word — murderous. Your anti-vaccine lies are literally killing Americans. Your own supporters are following you off a cliff and into the ICU. Come clean about vaccines — they save lives.”

- California Gov. Gavin Newsom, with some strong words for Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, via Twitter.

Best of the Bee: