Gov. Gavin Newsom and Democratic leaders in California have been fighting to keep a ballot initiative which would reform Prop. 47 off the ballot this year. Having submitted more than 900,000 signatures to the state, last week the initiative qualified for the ballot. But Democrats concerned about “mass incarceration” are trying to get supporters to remove it by offering 14 new crime bills in its place.
The intended appeal of this offer is that, rather than waiting for November to see if the reform initiative will pass, Dems are willing to pass their 14 crime bills immediately and have them take effect as soon as Newsom signs them. In theory, they could be operational next month, assuming Dems can pass them.
But there’s a catch. The offer is only good if the ballot initiative goes away. To make it clear that this is an either or choice, Democrats have threatened to place a poison pill…
