The California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus, the LGBTQ Caucus of the League of California Cities and Equality California, the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ+ civil rights organization, announced their opposition to the misguided and dangerous effort to recall Governor Gavin Newsom during a virtual press conference on Friday (Facebook, Download). Equality California Executive Director Rick Chavez Zbur, Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, Legislative LGBTQ Caucus Chair Assemblymember Evan Low (D-Campbell), former Chair Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), Senator John Laird (D-Santa Cruz), Assemblymember Chris Ward (D-San Diego), Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia, League of California Cities LGBTQ Caucus Board Member Palm Springs Mayor Pro Tem Lisa Middleton and BART Board Director Janice Li praised Governor Newsom’s long record of support for LGBTQ+ civil rights and his leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic, national economic downturn and devastating wildfires. The leaders also spoke to the risk that the partisan recall effort, led and funded by anti-LGBTQ+ and pro-Trump extremists, poses to LGBTQ+ Californians and the diverse communities to which LGBTQ+ people belong.

After the press conference, 60* LGBTQ+ elected officials throughout California (listed below) released the following joint statement opposing the recall effort:

“As LGBTQ+ Californians and elected leaders in our communities, we strongly oppose the misguided effort to recall Governor Gavin Newsom. This attempt to remove the Governor — led and funded by anti-LGBTQ+ and pro-Trump extremists — is the product of a coordinated disinformation campaign that will cost the state of California $100 million. Instead, this money should be used to support Californians as our state recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic. The recall poses an especially grave threat to our LGBTQ+ community and the progress that California continues to make toward full, lived equality for all people.

“Throughout his career, Governor Newsom has been a dedicated ally of the LGBTQ+ community and an unyielding champion in our fight for civil rights and social justice. He stood with us at times when it was not politically popular, regardless of personal and professional risks, because he knew it was the right thing to do. He has taken bold, principled actions to advance marriage equality, expand access to life-saving HIV prevention medication, protect transgender Californians from discrimination, and ensure that California’s government reflects the diversity of our communities.

“Governor Newsom’s leadership has earned the trust of LGBTQ+ Californians, and our community stands ready to defeat a recall.”

The following officials signed the statement above:

• California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara
• U.S. Representative Mark Takano
• California Senator Susan Talamantes Eggman
• California Senator John Laird
• California Senator Scott Wiener
• California Assemblymember Sabrina Cervantes
• California Assemblymember Evan Low
• California Assemblymember Chris Ward
• San Leandro Unified School District Board Trustee James Aguilar
• San Leandro Vice Mayor Victor Aguilar
• Berkeley Unified School District Board President Judy Appel
• Signal Hill City Treasurer Larry Blunden
• Los Angeles City Councilmember Mike Bonin
• Anaheim City Councilmember Jordan Brandman
• Former San Mateo County Harbor District Commissioner Sabrina Rose Brennan
• El Monte Union High School District Board President Florencio Briones
• Belvedere Mayor James Campbell
• Pleasant Hill City Councilmember Ken Carlson
• Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board Commissioner James Chang
• San Francisco Treasurer José Cisneros
• Redlands City Councilmember Denise Davis
• Hacienda La Puente Unified School District Board Member Anthony A. Duarte
• Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Board Director Bevan Dufty
• Oceanside Unified School District Trustee Eleanor Evans
• Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority Director Shay Franco-Clausen
• Los Angeles City Controller Ron S. Galperin
• Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia
• San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria
• Former San Diego City Council President Georgette Gómez
• Cathedral City Mayor Gregory Raymond
• Sacramento Municipal Utility District Board Member Rosanna Herber
• Pajaro Valley Unified School District Trustee Jennifer Holm
• Palm Springs Mayor Christy Holstege
• West Basin Municipal Water District Director Scott Houston
• Palm Springs City Councilmember Geoff Kors
• Los Angeles County Supervisor Sheila J. Kuehl
• Dublin City Councilmember Shawn Kumagai
• Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Board Director Janice Li
• Monterey Park Mayor Pro Tem Henry Lo
• Former Stockton Unified School District Board President Lange Luntao
• San Francisco Supervisor Rafael Mandelman
• Palm Springs Mayor Pro Tem Lisa Middleton
• Encinitas City Councilmember Joe Mosca
• College of Marin Board Trustee Stephanie O’Brien
• San Leandro Unified School District Board Member Peter Oshinski
• Oak Grove School District Board of Trustees Vice President Jorge Pacheco, Jr.
• Chula Vista City Councilmember and California Coastal Commission Chair Steve C. Padilla
• San Carlos Mayor Laura Parmer-Lohan
• Los Angeles County Assessor Jeff Prang
• San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District Director Miles Prince
• El Cerrito Mayor Pro Tem Gabriel Quinto
• Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Board Vice President Rebecca Saltzman
• San Francisco Unified School District Commissioner Mark Sanchez
• Cabrillo Community College District Trustee Adam Spickler
• City College of San Francisco Trustee Tom Temprano
• Marin Community College District Board of Trustees President Wanden Treanor
• Los Angeles Community College District Trustee David Vela**
• Palm Springs City Councilmember Dennis Woods
• San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District Board President Thomas Wong
• Fullerton City Councilmember Ahmad Zahra
• Desert Healthcare District Director Dr. Les Zendle

*Number updated to reflect new total
**Added March 18, 2021

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Equality California is the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ civil rights organization. We bring the voices of LGBTQ people and allies to institutions of power in California and across the United States, striving to create a world that is healthy, just, and fully equal for all LGBTQ people. We advance civil rights and social justice by inspiring, advocating and mobilizing through an inclusive movement that works tirelessly on behalf of those we serve. www.eqca.org