Gavin Newsom Gets Almost $9,000 Raise Despite Recall Election
Newsom’s current salary would now increase from $8,800 to $218,500 per year
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California Governor Gavin Newsom is set to receive an almost $9,000 raise following a vote from the California Citizens Compensation Commission (CCCC).
The unanimous vote would also apply to 132 other elected state officials, the Los Angeles Times reported.
The CCCC meets every year to decide if salary increases are required for elected state officials.
According to the outlet, Newsom’s current salary would now increase from $8,800 to $218,500 per year.
Last June, a recall effort was created to remove Newsom from office and garnered over two million signatures.
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The recent announcement of Newsom's increase in salary received massive backlash from Republican gubernatorial challengers.
Republican candidate for governor, John Cox, said in a statement that the vote to raise Newsom's salary was an “insult to taxpayers."
He added that that California’s elected officials are currently the highest paid in the country, Fox News reported.
“Over the last year, millions of Californians have lost their jobs, and thousands of small businesses have been closed forever,” Cox said.
“The last thing Newsom and the political insiders should do is accept higher government salaries.”
Former San Diego Mayor and Republican gubernatorial candidate Kevin Faulconer suggested Newsom should reject the raise on Twitter.
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“Now is not the time for a salary increase for Gov. Newsom,” he said in a video.
“Millions of Californians have lost their jobs."
"We have $30 billion in unemployment fraud. Gov. Newsom, reject the salary increase today.”
WATCH:
My thoughts on Gavin Newsom getting a pay raise during a recall: pic.twitter.com/tBr6UQrI3K
— Kevin Faulconer (@Kevin_Faulconer) June 10, 2021
The news comes just weeks after Newsom was hit with a $1.35 million settlement bill following a lawsuit from a Los Angeles church over his coronavirus restrictions.
The settlement terms state Newsom can no longer place coronavirus restrictions on houses of worship.
Founder of the Liberty Counsel, Mat Staver, who represented the Harvest Rock Church of Pasadena, branded Newsom the "worst governor in America" for religious freedom, the Washington Examiner reported.
"The church stayed open [during the lockdown], and the pastor and parishioners were threatened with daily criminal charges that were up to a year in prison," Staver said.
After months of highly publicized legal battles against churches, Newsom finally lifted all capacity restrictions on houses of worship in April.
