Residents of dozens of California counties making up the newly formed “Southern California” region learned late Friday that unless something changes, the entire region will be under a stay-at-home order by Sunday, with strengthened restrictions on which businesses are considered “essential,” all on-site dining at restaurants prohibited (whether indoors or outdoors), grocery store capacity lowered to 20 percent, and more.
When some county sheriffs proclaimed that they weren’t going to enforce Newsom’s newest orders, Gov. Hair Gel hinted that the would withhold federal and state funding from those counties if they didn’t carry out his unconstitutional dictates.
If that threat sounds a little familiar, that might be because it reminds you of President Trump’s attempt to withhold federal law enforcement funding from jurisdictions, like California, that refused to enforce federal immigration law. Newsom argued against Trump’s position at the time, a fact that was not lost on first-term Sheriff Chad Bianco of Riverside County. Bianco sent Newsom a very blunt message via YouTube on Friday – and the entire three-minute video is worth watching.
Bianco said:
We were also told there was a potential he would be withholding federal and state funding from counties who did not enforce the orders. Ironically, it wasn’t that long ago our same governor loudly and publicly argued how wrong it was for the President of the United states to withhold federal funding from states not complying with federal laws.
Oh, but he’s not done. He goes right to the heart of what a lot of Californians are feeling.
The dictatorial attitude toward California residents while dining in luxury, traveling, keeping his business open, and sending his kids to in-person private schools is very telling about his attitude toward California residents, his feelings about the virus, and it is extremely hypocritical.
And, he says what many elected officials in the state will not. There is no science behind this change in the “Blueprint” to open the economy.
These closures and stay-at-home orders are flat-out ridiculous. The metrics used for closures are unbelievably faulty, and are not representative of true numbers, and are disastrous for Riverside County.
When the medical field is so split about this virus, it might be time to employ a little common sense.
Seemingly acknowledging the fact that every time Newsom is caught violating his own orders or a court smacks his hand he retaliates against the people of California in general, Bianco continues:
It appears part of the new goal is to shift attention away from his and others’ personal behavior with a do-as-I-say, not-as-I-do attitude by turning public opinion against California Sheriffs.
Just how will he do that? Well, by making the Sheriffs and their deputies the bad guys. Bianco says no, Newsom, you’re not making the tough choices that leaders face. You’re being a bully:
He is expecting us to arrest anyone violating these orders, cite them and take their money, close their businesses, make them stay in their homes, and take away their civil liberties, or he will punish all of us.
I believe that all jobs are essential to someone. Leaders do not threaten, attempt to intimidate, or cause fear. Bullies do.
Then Bianco simply tells his constituents, and Newsom, what the is and is not going to do:
As has been our position from the beginning of this pandemic the Sheriff’s Department is asking and expecting Riverside County residents to act responsibly and do what they can to protect themselves and their family from contracting the virus. Wear your mask and practice social distancing.
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department will not be blackmailed, bullied, or used as muscle against Riverside County residents in the enforcement of the Governor’s orders. I wish you all a very Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a safe and Happy New Year.
Plain and simple.
Let’s hear from the rest of the Sheriffs in the state.
