After the gas tax passed California Republicans began collecting signatures to recall Democratic state senator Josh Newman, who had voted for the gas tax. This angered California Democrats. Since they hold all the legislative power they passed a bill to make it much more difficult to recall Newman. Democrats shouted that the recall effort was misleading voters and should have to pass new hurdles.
Wait. What?
Are Democrats really arguing that a political campaign can't mislead voters? Seriously? Misleading voters is a strategy every campaign uses, Republicans and Democrats alike. I mean, come on.
The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association filed a lawsuit to prevent that bill being implemented. The court didn't rule on the legality of the bill but stayed its implementation until after the court hears arguments and rules on the bill's legality. Democrats were attempting to pass new rules while the recall effort was underway. So the recall petitions will be certified before that happens and the election will be scheduled. Ex post facto laws are illegal in the United States and it could certainly be argued that applying this law to an existing recall would be an ex post facto law.
Democrats are undeterred and have decided to stick their middle finger at the judge and pass another bill similar to the first one. Are they trying to piss off the judge? If he stayed the first bill, he's going to stay any new bills that do the same thing. As far as Democrats are concerned they have the power to rig the election rules and they're going to use it. They don't care who knows it.
