“I thanked all the police for coming out for me,” Joe said. “I think they’ve gone way overboard.”
Small groups of black-clad counter-protesters wearing helmets and carrying shields had gathered at nearby parks, and more than 50 marched near the Capitol. But there were no confrontations as dozens of police and soldiers guarded every entrance behind a 6-foot (1.8 meter) chain-link fence.
A truck drove past the counter-demonstrators flying an American flag and playing the national anthem.
Gov. Gavin Newsom mobilized 1,000 members of the National Guard to safeguard the Capitol and other vital infrastructure, at a cost of $3.4 million for staffing, fuel and travel, the state Department of Finance said Thursday.
California Leaders Shredded for Giving Less Covid Aid to Small Communities courthousenews.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from courthousenews.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
California should have spent more money helping its smaller counties battle the coronavirus, state Auditor Elaine Howle said Tuesday, criticizing Gov. Gavin.
The criticism, in a letter to Newsom, casts doubt on whether there is broad support among educators for Newsom’s proposal to reopen some classrooms soon.
Newsom himself may share much of the blame. The governor, who had already come to embody the left in this polarized nation, used the briefings to cement himself as the sole voice of the state’s response inflaming the politicization of the pandemic, while at the same time boosting his name recognition in California and beyond its borders.
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But as the crisis has dragged on, the Democratic governor’s credibility has been eroded by more than his decision in November to attend a lobbyist’s birthday party at an upscale restaurant as he advised Californians to stay home. Critics say Newsom frequently hypes announcements and keeps local government and public officials in the dark about his plans.