California Governor Gavin Newsom acknowledged mistakes in his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, but insisted that the campaign for his impeachment has more to do with political issues than with the public health crisis.
Newsom made the most direct comments yet about the attempt to impeach him during an interview Friday with KQED, saying his opponents are attacking his broader agenda of progressive laws.
“It’s about immigration. It’s about our health care policies. It’s about our criminal justice reform. It’s about diversity in the state. It’s about our clean air, clean water programs, achieving our environmental strategies, ”he told the San Francisco news station.
Organizers of the impeachment attempt are Republicans and say they have collected nearly two million signatures, far more than the 1.5 million needed by March 17 to force an election. The Republican Party only has 24% of California’s registered voters, but organizers say they are attracting Democrats and independents.
The campaign has intensified in recent months amid the increase in coronavirus cases in California, which has kept schools and businesses closed to the frustration of many residents. The outrage grew after Newsom was caught dining at the posh French Laundry restaurant in North San Francisco, contrary to his own advice.
Newsom said “of course” that he regrets attending that dinner.
“It’s one of those things you can never undo. And, you know, I take responsibility. And nobody hid from it and it was a mistake. It’s crystal clear, ”he told KQED.
The Democratic governor, who has also been criticized for the slow distribution of vaccines in the state earlier this year, indicated that he has learned several lessons in leading the state’s fight against the pandemic.
He acknowledged that California authorities could have done a better job of informing and communicating to the public as state restrictions changed over the past year.
California should also have made COVID-19 vaccine distribution a priority earlier in the worst-hit areas of the state, including black and Latino neighborhoods, Newsom said.
The governor announced in recent weeks that California would target 40% of all vaccines to the most vulnerable communities.
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