Statement from Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims

7/19/21

Keeping my community members safe has been my life’s work. Today Californians are less safe
as a result of the Governor’s policies and his stated future plans for ‘justice reform’.
• Governor Newsom stopped executions, directly overruling the voice of the people who voted
to retain the death penalty.
• He has supported and signed numerous, what he calls ‘gun safety’ laws. Rather than say it
like it is, these are gun control laws that only punish law abiding citizens while parolees, gang
members and human traffickers get their hands on any kind of weapon and never worry about
these laws. In addition, in a recent FBI report of active shooter incidents in the Nation,
California was number one. We had more incidents than any other state, proving these laws do
not work. https://www.fbi.gov/file-repository/active-shooter-incidents-in-the-us-2020-
070121.pdf/view
• He is planning to close state prisons due to ‘reduced state prison population’. While at the
same time nearly 8,000 state inmates, who should be in state prisons, are being housed in local
jails impacting local law enforcement agencies from booking and holding local offenders
accountable.
• Future plans to make 76,000 additional sentenced felons eligible for early release, when in
fact little effort is required for them to qualify.
• The Governor does not discuss the victims of crimes. He does not acknowledge the
devastation they live with all of their lives in the form of the loss of their child, mother, father
or partner. Victims continue to battle medical and psychological issues that cause lifelong pain
and suffering due to their loved ones losing their lives in the most horrible of ways. Instead,
Governor Newsom is finding ways to coddle those who are responsible.
• State prison inmates have taken advantage of the State’s flawed EDD system stealing millions
of dollars, while those who are trying to follow the rules wait and wait for assistance.

• In addition, small businesses continue to suffer from shutdowns while the Governor models
do as I say, don’t do as I do behavior. He is committing millions of dollars in aid that will be
unsustainable in the future. These programs are all but impossible to stop once started. High
taxes are driving our citizens to other states.
It is time to stop the downhill slide and live up to the name of the Golden State. We can once
again be the destination for those wanting a better life, not the state to flee from. For these
reasons and more I am supporting the Recall of Gavin Newsom campaign.