Last Thursday, June 12, California Governor Gavin Newsom held a press conference celebrating U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer’s brief restraining order halting President Donald Trump’s attempt to federalize the California National Guard. The move would have shifted control from the governor to the president to quell widespread violence tied to ICE-related protests and stop the burning and looting in Los Angeles.
As a background, U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer – appointed to the federal bench in San Francisco by President Bill Clinton – is the brother of former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, a noted liberal. Judge Breyer issued the temporary restraining order on the grounds of what he called “constitutional overreach,” directing that control of the California National Guard be returned to Governor Gavin Newsom. However, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals blocked Judge Breyer’s order just hours after he issued it, allowing the federal government to retain control of the Guard. The case is now under review by a three-judge panel of the Court of Appeals.
Governor Newsom responded to Judge Breyer’s initial restraining order with a press conference, where he sharply criticized President Trump:
“[President Trump] is not a monarch. He is not a king, and he should stop acting like one. It’s a federal judge with a federal order – period, full stop. It’s the rule of law, a foundational principle of a constitutional democracy.”
“He must operate within the constraints of a constitutional officer of the United States. That’s what this court order demands.” [Politico, June 12, 2025]
x.com/kcranews/status/1933348997780975975
Governor Newsom’s triumphal but almost instantly repudiated press conference following Judge Breyer’s restraining order drew sharp rebuke from California Assembly Minority Leader James M. Gallagher [born 1981], who quipped:
“‘He’s not a king,’ says the guy who wants to unilaterally ban the car you drive and the stove you cook with.”
Of course, banning gas-powered vehicles and gas stoves is only the tip of the iceberg in Newsom’s long record of disregarding laws he is sworn to uphold.
Newsom’s pattern of executive overreach, contempt for popular will, and belief in his moral authority speaks louder than last Thursday’s carefully choreographed constitutional oratory bombast – especially as he positions himself for a run at the presidency in 2028.
On taking a look at his early defiance of state law, we’ll find that in March 2000, 4.6 million Californians – 61% of voters – approved Proposition 22, affirming traditional marriage and adding Section 308.5 to the California Family Code: “Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.”
Yet, in February 2004, just weeks into his tenure as Mayor of San Francisco, Gavin Newsom unilaterally defied the law, converting City Hall into a wedding chapel for over 4,000 same-sex couples. One commentator observed at the time: “Gavin Newsom has elevated himself above the law.”
That episode offered a glimpse of how he would govern as Governor: by overriding statutes, circumventing the electorate, and appealing to his subjective standard of justice.
Newsom’s personal life has mirrored this pattern. During his mayoralty, he admitted to committing adultery with the wife of his close aide and campaign manager, a betrayal that eroded his credibility on moral leadership.
As Governor during the COVID-19 pandemic, Newsom issued sweeping executive orders with selective enforcement. Liquor stores, marijuana dispensaries, and abortion clinics were deemed ‘essential’, while churches were shuttered under his March 19, 2020, stay-at-home order. In July, his administration went further, banning singing in worship services and capping church attendance at 25% or 100 people – policies many viewed as discriminatory and constitutionally suspect.
Meanwhile, as cities burned during the George Floyd riots, Newsom extended empathy not to the victims of arson and lawlessness but to the agitators. On June 1, 2020, he said:
“For those of you out there protesting, I want you to know that you matter. To those who want to express themselves, God bless you. Keep doing it. Your rage is real.”
This double standard – coddling rioters while restricting worship – reflects the more profound contradiction at the heart of Gavin Newsom’s political identity: a man who preaches constitutional order while routinely placing himself above it.
As he eyes the Democratic nomination for President in 2028, voters would be wise to judge not just his words, but his record – a record marked by shameless duplicity, unsparing ambition, and a troubling disregard for the rule of law he so often invokes.
From a biblical perspective, Gavin Newsom does not model what Scripture in Matthew 8:9 calls a “man under authority”. But we close with the words of one who does – former Governor and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee. In a recent message to President Trump, Huckabee wrote:
“Mr. President, God spared you in Butler, PA, to be the most consequential President in a century – maybe ever. The decisions on your shoulders I would not want made by anyone else. You have many voices speaking to you, Sir, but there is only ONE voice that matters. HIS voice.
“I am your appointed servant in this land, and I am available for you, but I do not try to get in your presence often because I trust your instincts. No President in my lifetime has been in a position like yours – not since Truman in 1945. I don’t reach out to persuade you. Only to encourage you.
“I believe you will hear from heaven, and that voice is far more important than mine or ANYONE else’s.
“You sent me to Israel to be your eyes, ears, and voice, and to make sure our flag flies above our embassy. My job is to be the last one to leave. I will not abandon this post. Our flag will NOT come down. You did not seek this moment. This moment sought YOU. It is my honor to serve you.” —Mike Huckabee [Truth Social, June 2025]
Gideons and Rahabs have begun to stand.
David Lane
American Renewal Project
[1-2] www.sfchronicle.com/news/article/Gavin-Newsom-s-lively-term-as-SF-mayor-offers-12944142.php
