GOP Helps Finance Newsom Recall Efforts as Campaign Heats Up

California Gov. Gavin Newsom outlines his 2021–22 state budget proposal during a news conference in Sacramento, Calif., on Jan. 8, 2021. Rich Pedroncelli/Pool/AP Photo

The Republican National Committee is financially backing an effort to recall California Gov. Gavin Newsom to the tune of $250,000.

Of that, the California Republican Party (CAGOP) allocated $125,000 to Rescue California, which will put the money toward signature gathering, organizers said Feb. 13.

The other half of the donation is expected to support the recall campaign from other levels.

“We were thrilled to learn that Rescue California had deployed signature gatherers,” said Orrin Heatlie, chairman of the original committee Recall Gavin 2020, said in a press release.

“My volunteers are thrilled that everything that can be done is being done to successfully finish the effort we started nearly a year ago.”

Meanwhile, another $100,000 contribution was made to Rescue California by the political action committee (PAC) of former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, a Republican.

The PAC money arrived via a $25,000 donation on Feb. 4, followed by a larger $75,000 donation on Feb. 12, Rescue California campaign manager Anne Hyde Dunsmore told The Epoch Times.

The donations arrived as grassroots organizers last week surpassed 1.5 million unverified signatures. Rescue California hopes to ultimately see about 1.8 million signatures, since many are discarded during the validation process.

Organizations have until March 17 to meet the 1,495,709 verified signature mark.

Dunsmore said the latest round of funds will help cinch the recall effort.

“We expect to collect another 400,000 signatures,” she said in a press release. “This tremendous assistance from CAGOP will guarantee that we bring in enough additional signatures to hold Gavin Newsom accountable for his devastating performance as governor of California.”