Trump, ballot seizures and a ‘declaration’: Gavin Newsom teases tiresome July 4 address to the state

Gov. Gavin Newsom will keep beating the same drum when he addresses Californians on July 4: taking shots at President Donald Trump as he tries to grow his national brand ahead of a likely bid for the White House.

The Democratic governor, in excerpts shared with the San Francisco Chronicle, is set to make his own sort of Declaration of Independence from Trump’s claims of election fraud.

“The core of our democracy, the thing that separates us from a monarchy or a dictatorship, is the fundamental right to vote,” Newsom’s speech reads.

“If we lose that, we lose everything. On America’s 250th birthday, we need a declaration of election independence — a proclamation of freedom from the manipulators and deniers, from the threat of imprisonment for refusing to go along with Trump’s schemes.”

Trump criticized California’s slow vote-counting election system as “crooked” as results shifted drastically from Primary Election Day after late-arriving mail ballots were counted. Trump has also targeted California’s mail voting system.

Newsom, in response, will unveil a plan to make it a felony for ballots to be seized.

This year, Riverside County Sherriff Chad Bianco — who ran for governor as a Republican — seized ballots in his county to investigate the 2024 election.

“In California, we have a message for anyone considering helping Trump interfere with our election or our count,” Newsom will say, per the address. “If you violate California’s laws, if you interfere with our voters, tamper with our ballots or meddle in our election, you will be prosecuted.”

The speech was recorded at the governor’s mansion and will be released at noon Saturday, the Chronicle reported.

Newsom’s office teased the speech Friday, saying, “You’re gonna want to tune in tomorrow!”

The speech could be seen as an attempt to upstage Trump, who is also planning a speech at an “epic” Fourth of July bash featuring fireworks and military flyovers in the nation’s capital to celebrate America’s 250th birthday.

The governor’s office mocked Trump’s plans for a lengthy speech on Friday.

“Long speech, small crowd…” it posted on X.

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