Newsom Ducks Debate – On His Own Proposition

 “Would Gavin Newsom please make up his mind?  If he wants to debate then stop ducking us and let’s get to it…”

Big surprise.   Lt. Governor has once again shifted his position on whether to debate Proposition 63.

In response to Gavin Newsom’s repeated pleas to debate NRA president Wayne La Pierre, Gun Owners of California Executive Director Sam Paredes recently called out the Lt. Governor for not answering his own call to debate.  Newsom has complained loudly and widely on not hearing from LaPierre (who has bigger fish to fry, i.e. the Presidential election), yet he, himself has ignored public debate challenges from the Coalition for Civil Liberties, the official opposition to Proposition 63. He has even spurned Olympic superstar and 6 time shooting medalist Kim Rhode.  On the JUST GUNS radio show (Money 105.5 FM-Sacramento) which Paredes cohosts with Just Guns Store owner Josh Deaser, Paredes said that Newsom’s timidity “makes the cowardly lion look brave.”

Late last week Newsom finally agreed to come out from under his blankie and debate (maybe he listens to Just Guns radio), yet he has already reneged on an agreement to appear on Saturday, October 29 at Los Angeles City Hall in a televised (20-minute) debate, organized in partnership with the LA Times, KABC-7, La Opinion, Charter Communications and the California Channel.  The Coalition for Civil Liberties has been ready and willing to go toe-to-toe with Newsom – anywhere and anytime.

It’s no surprise to us at GOC that Prop. 63 is Newsom’s attempt to increase his name ID and “curry brownie points” for his future gubernatorial bid.  That said, any reasonable human being would wonder why he’d consistently shy away from having a face-to-face discourse with any of the proposition’s opponents – whether the LGBT community, women’s rights groups, an Olympic medalist or pro-gun groups?  He’s “running away” from debating because he knows his “lunch will be eaten with a knife, fork and a white napkin,” said Paredes during his on-air conversation with Deaser and Coalition partner Chuck Michel, President of the California Rifle and Pistol Association.

At this point, we don’t know what next week’s debate will look like, but if he decides to show up and defend his own initiative, our Coalition has a super-nice place setting for our Lt. Governor.  Even though he has scored some downright fraudulent points with the media and other folks who are scared of their own shadow, we’re bringing integrity and truth along for the ride, and that sometimes gets messy. He better bring a bib.

The Coalition for Civil Liberties was formed by Californians concerned about the unconstitutional and deceptive “Safety for All” initiative, Proposition 63.  Coalition partners include (but are not limited to) Gun Owners of California, California Rifle and Pistol Association, NRA, CalGuns Shooting Sports Association, California Waterfowl, Jews Can Shoot, Law Enforcement Alliance of America, Pink Pistols, San Francisco Veteran Police Officers Association, Women Against Gun Control, and the National Wild Turkey Federation. 

Proposition 63 is opposed by  California State Sheriffs’ Association, California Correctional Peace Officers Association, California Police Chiefs Association, California Fish & Game Wardens Association, California Reserve Peace Officers Association, Peace Officers Research Association of California, San Francisco Veteran Police Officers Association, Association of Deputy District Attorneys for Los Angeles County Western State Sheriffs Association, Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs, Law Enforcement Alliance of America and the Law Enforcement Action Network. 

For more information on the Coalition for Civil Liberties, go to www.stoptheammograb.com