Gavin Newsom faces recall effort over leadership failures amid LA wildfires

Organizers have vowed to file the paperwork within the next two weeks to remove Newsom from office, with Randy Economy, who is leading the effort, telling Newsweek that his group had already been planning the recall but the fires "shortened our time frame and changed things."

Economy said in a statement, "Under the reign of Governor Newsom, living in California has become impossible for average people through years of poor policies which have increased the costs of living, increased crime, increased drug use and homelessness, increased the cost of burden on small businesses and communities, while decreasing our professional standards, education standards, the disappearance of billions of taxpayers' dollars to failed pet programs, and our public services."

"This was most recently demonstrated by the woefully unprepared and incompetent response to the fires currently ravaging the Los Angeles area," Economy added. "Just today, Governor Newsom was asked 'What is your plan to deal with the lack of water to deal with the fires?' and he responded by saying 'local folks are gonna figure it out.' That's not leadership! Leadership is solving problems, not passing the buck and the blame, and Californians can no longer afford to have an empty suit occupying the governorship. It's time for Californians to take back control of our mismanaged government, and using the recall tool is our last hope."

To trigger a recall for the governor, groups must file a notice of intent and then collect the signatures of at least 12 percent of the votes cast in the previous election. In the last gubernatorial election, over 10 million people voted, meaning around 1.3 million signatures will be needed.

"It's about 9,000 signatures a day," Economy said. "That should be no problem." Economy led a 2021 recall against Newsom, and started the organization Saving California in late 2024.

Nathan Click, a spokesperson for Newsom, told Newsweek that the governor is "100 percent focused on the fires, ongoing rescue efforts and the recovery process - not politics." He added, "Readers still should have the context that the same group of far-right Trump acolytes have launched six different recall attempts against the governor since he's taken office, each of which have failed spectacularly. Even Republican Party leaders have criticized these repeated attempts as a brazen campaign finance 'grift,' and the recall organizers have been sued by their own donors for pocketing funds raised previously."

This comes as multiple wildfires have been burning in Los Angeles for a week, burning nearly 40,000 acres combined. The Palisades fire has burned over 23,000 acres and was 17 percent contained as on Tuesday morning, while the Eaton fire has burned over 14,000 acres and was 35 percent contained. Firefighters have been battling high winds and a lack of water as they attempt to extinguish the blazes.

President-elect Donald Trump, who will be heading to Southern California to survey the damage shortly after his inauguration, has called for "Newscum" to resign, blaming the California leader for the disastrous wildfires. "One of the best and most beautiful parts of the United States of America is burning down to the ground. It's ashes and Gavin Newscum should resign. This is all his fault!!!"