Gov. Gavin Newsom’s workplace lastly confirmed he’s on trip in Montana — one of many states to which California has banned state-funded journey.
The governor’s workplace mentioned Friday that the governor had left California to spend time with household, nevertheless it didn’t till Tuesday reply Cal Issues’ questions on the place he was or when particularly he would return, a noticeable distinction from communication surrounding different current out-of-state journeys.
A spokesperson mentioned Newsom hasn’t but booked his return journey, however that he’ll return to California over the weekend and be again within the workplace on Monday.
Montana is among the many 22 states to which California has banned state-funded and state-sponsored journey, citing insurance policies it deems discriminatory to LGBTQ+ folks.
Montana can also be one of many states Newsom’s workplace has referred to as out for limiting abortion entry.
Anthony York, Newsom’s senior adviser for communications, instructed Cal Issues: “We don’t legislate the place folks trip. By no means have. The journey ban applies to expending state funds. The governor’s journey isn’t being paid for by the state.”
Requested if the state is paying for Newsom’s safety whereas he’s in Montana, York mentioned: “We don’t remark or present particulars on the governor’s safety.”
The dad and mom of Newsom’s spouse, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, personal a ranch in Montana. The couple was married there, and their oldest youngster is called Montana.
The reluctance of Newsom’s workplace to share particulars concerning the trip suggests the governor is conscious of the politically perilous optics of vacationing in a purple state whereas he makes an attempt to place himself on the vanguard of the Democratic Celebration — and, certainly, the information was seized upon by conservative information shops together with the Nationwide Assessment, Breitbart and the Washington Examiner.
Harmeet Dhillon, California’s Republican Nationwide Committeewoman, issued a press release that mentioned, partly: “We’d like to know the gasoline costs and the COVID emergency standing the place the Governor is. Most Californians can’t afford to take their regular holidays this 12 months, because of Gavin Newsom and his occasion’s lack of management of our state.”
Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis is serving as performing governor in Newsom’s absence, nevertheless it’s unlikely that she should take motion on any payments. Kounalakis turned the primary girl to signal a invoice into California regulation, throughout Newsom’s household trip in March.