The bad optics of a trip to Montana
We don’t begrudge Gov. Gavin Newsom for taking a vacation in Montana. It’s a beautiful place to spend time, home to his in-laws and the state where he was married. The United States is a glorious country and most of us enjoy some non-California destinations.
But the governor’s secrecy has understandably raised eyebrows. CalMatters broke the news about his trip. It’s of interest because, when governors leave California, their authority temporarily shifts to the lieutenant governor. It took his office several days to respond and to name the destination and the governor’s return date.
Republicans have chided Newsom for vacationing in one of 22 states where California bans taxpayer-funded state travel because of their policies regarding gay and transgendered rights. “We don’t legislate where people vacation,” said Newsom’s spokesperson. “The travel ban applies to expending state funds. The governor’s travel is not being paid for by the state.”
True enough, but it’s a typical Newsom-ian half answer. It doesn’t directly address whether the state is paying for a security detail. His office only said, “(T)he law explicitly states there is an exemption for public safety, and the governor has to travel with security.” In reality, the funding details aren’t important. The issue is about symbolism.
That travel law was signed by Jerry Brown and has expanded to additional states. It is a piece of performative policymaking. And Newsom loves to shame red states for not following our political lead, as evidenced by his eyebrow-raising political advertisement urging Floridians to move to California to seek “freedom.” Whatever great things our state offers, freedom from government interference isn’t one of them.
Newsom’s trip highlighted the silliness of California’s travel ban. We prefer that public employees stay at home for budget reasons, but the ban has limited opportunities for student athletes and restricted legitimate travel to score political points.
The trip also reinforced the sense that Newsom — who famously dined at a tony restaurant during coronavirus restrictions and sent his kids to private schools as public ones refused to reopen — shares Marie Antoinette’s sense of optics.