![]() In 1986, his book, “The New California: Facing the 21st Century,” was published in its first edition. Walters has written about California and its politics for a number of other publications, including The Wall Street Journal and the Christian Science Monitor. He has written more than 9,000 columns about California and its politics and his column has appeared in many other California newspapers. In 1984, he and the column moved to The Sacramento Bee. Walters later became the Union’s Capitol bureau chief, and in 1981 began writing the state’s only daily newspaper column devoted to California political, economic and social events. The Hanford Sentinel was the first of three newspaper editor positions before joining the Sacramento Union’s Capitol bureau in 1975, just as Jerry Brown began his governorship. At one point in his career, at age 22, he was the nation’s youngest daily newspaper editor. He began his professional career in 1960, at age 16, at the Humboldt Times in Eureka, while still attending high school, and turned down a National Merit scholarship to continue working as a journalist. He can be reached at Walters has been a journalist for nearly 57 years, spending all but a few of those years working for California newspapers. Sacramento County’s district attorney, Anne Marie Schubert, who gained fame for prosecuting serial killer Joseph James DeAngelo, is challenging Bonta by tying him to criminal justice reforms she says have gone too far.īonta is allied politically and ideologically with the district attorneys of Los Angeles and San Francisco, George Gascón and Chesa Boudin, both of whom face potential recalls for adopting more lenient policies on prosecuting criminals.Ĭrime could be the sleeper issue of the year.ĭan Walters has been a journalist for over half a century, spending all but a few of those years working for California newspapers starting in 1960, at age 16, at the Humboldt Times in Eureka, while still attending high school. The tough-on-crime rhetoric from these and other prominent politicians clearly reflects their concerns not only about the surge in crime but a surge of public anger about it, and the possibility of a political backlash.Īlthough Newsom’s re-election this year is not likely to be affected, there will be tests for other politicians, including Attorney General Rob Bonta, who was appointed by Newsom and will be seeking a full term. The pendulum has swung too far, and it’s our neighborhoods that endure the most crime that suffer as a result.” “I appreciate the purpose of bail reform,” Mayor Sam Liccardo said, “but releasing a homicide suspect without bail is outrageous. The mayor of San Jose joined the anti-crime chorus after a local judge allowed two people charged with homicide to go free while awaiting trial - citing more lenient bail reform rules. ![]() Schaaf applauded the vote, saying that residents “spoke up for a comprehensive approach to public safety - one that includes prevention, intervention, and addressing crime’s root causes, as well as an adequately staffed police department.” Perennially, Oakland has one of the nation’s highest homicide rates The Oakland City Council, at the urging of Mayor Libby Schaaf, voted to hire more police officers as the city tallied 134 homicides in 2021, the most in nearly two decades. Newsom is not the only born-again crimefighter, however. Newsom sounded more like one of those Republican lock-‘em-up governors of the past, such as George Deukmejian or Pete Wilson, than a governor who has blocked executions of murderers, closed prisons and otherwise backed the criminal justice reform agenda. “Through robust new investments and ongoing coordination with local agencies, this plan will bolster our prevention, deterrence and enforcement efforts to aggressively curb crime, hold bad actors to account and protect Californians from the devastating gun violence epidemic,” Newsom, said. reducing punishment for those who transgress - to demanding crackdowns on criminals.Ī week before Christmas, with retail stores seeing a wave of smash-and-grab robberies and cities reeling from record levels of homicide, Newsom unveiled what he called a “Real Public Safety Plan” that “focuses on new investments that will bolster local law enforcement response, ensure prosecutors hold perpetrators accountable and get guns and drugs off our streets.” Gavin Newsom is leading the unsubtle rhetorical shift from criminal justice reform - i.e. It is amusing - and a little pathetic - to see California’s liberal politicians slide to the right in response to an upsurge in crime.
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