Of all the arrogant, grandiose, power-abusing, pickpocketing things Gavin Newsom has ever done, what he’s about to do will top them all.
He’s about to sign legislation that takes $20 million from the vehicle registration fees Californians pay and use it to provide free security services for himself and his family after he leaves office.
Assembly Bill 113 is a last-minute budget bill that includes a $20 million funding increase for the California Highway Patrol. A 27-page analysis of the bill that was prepared for the Legislature lists 240 spending items, each of them representing an urgent last chance to get your money before the current den of thieves is replaced by another bunch following the November election.
The analysis included this one-line explanation of the sudden funding boost for the CHP: “Increases authorization for security services provided by the California Highway Patrol by $20 million from the Motor Vehicle Account.”
Separate legislation, the equally last-minute Senate Bill 194, notes that existing law “authorizes the Commissioner of the California Highway Patrol to provide for the physical security of any current or former constitutional officer or legislator of the state.” SB 194 expands this routine authorization to provide security into a spectacular perk: a look-alike Secret Service for a wannabe president. And all of it at your expense. Enjoy those vehicle registration renewal fees.
Just like Secret Service protection for presidents, SB 194 authorizes the same security for “the immediate family, as defined.” It’s defined to include children, parents, in-laws and, of course, spouses.
And unlike security that is provided temporarily for a specific event or situation, these security services are guaranteed to be continuous for at least six months at a time.
“Upon the request for security services pursuant to this subdivision, the commissioner shall direct a threat analysis to determine the threat level and duration of physical security provided,” the bill states. For six months, “the commissioner shall not alter the level or duration of the security provided.” At the half-year mark, the commissioner is directed to reassess the “need, level and duration” for security. If extended, the commissioner “shall not alter the level or duration of the security provided” for up to a year.
California’s Motor Vehicle Account could be paying CHP officers to traipse around the country attending the Newsoms all the way to the 2028 Democratic National Convention.
I have no doubt that Newsom, like nearly everyone in public life, has had to deal with threats. The question is why the cost of providing security after he leaves office is a burden that the people of California are required to carry. Alternatively, private security could be funded from campaign accounts or personal wealth.
What does it cost to protect a presidential candidate and family members? Last year, a report published by the Vote Mama Foundation calculated that candidates for federal office collectively spent about $41 million in campaign funds on security in the ten years encompassing the 2014 and 2024 election cycles. President Trump topped the list at $6.8 million. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., spent $5.8 million. Michael Bloomberg spent $2.5 million. Kamala Harris spent $1.2 million.
Harris enjoyed round-the-clock protective services from the California Highway Patrol for her high-visibility book tour after her Secret Service protection as vice president ended.
Obviously there is no public disclosure of security threats, plans or activities, so these expenditures of taxpayer funds for ex-officials’ protection are unreviewable and opaque.
How much of this public spending is for security and how much for show? A private security team wearing street clothes would be virtually invisible, hardly suitable for grand entrances to meet the imagined throngs of downtrodden voters across America.
So the entire Newsom family will be chauffeured around for a year and a half by uniformed CHP officers in official vehicles, ready to block streets with their patrol cars to keep the riff-raff from uploading cell phone video of the guests arriving at a fundraiser.
Recall that Newsom adamantly opposed Proposition 36, the 2024 anti-crime measure that nearly 70% of California voters supported because they don’t feel safe.
Newsom had no interest in funding it.
Marie Antoinette would tip her cap, if it was still attached.
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