POLITICO: Swing-district Dem breaks with Newsom on crime ballot measure
By Dustin Gardiner
Another powerful Democrat in Sacramento has broken ranks with party brass and endorsed a November ballot initiative that would increase prison sentences for retail theft and drug crimes.
State Sen. Dave Min, who is running for Rep. Katie Porter’s open House seat in Orange County, told POLITICO that he will support the initiative to roll back parts of Proposition 47 — a decade-old law that reduced penalties for some non-violent felony crimes.
Min’s stance puts him at odds with Gov. Gavin Newsom and Democratic leaders in the Legislature, who oppose the crime ballot initiative sponsored by district attorneys. Min had previously been ambiguous about his stance on the initiative, saying he hadn’t reviewed the language — a stance that was criticized by his Republican opponent, Scott Baugh.
“While well intentioned, Proposition 47 has resulted in a wave of unintended consequences that have plagued our communities with a dramatic rise in retail theft and smash-and-grab robberies,” Min said in a statement.