This week, Governor Gavin Newsom of California, a Democrat, shared an anecdote during a Zoom meeting focused on a ballot initiative addressing mental health, substance abuse, and homelessness. He recounted an interaction at a Target store in the Sacramento area, as reported by an ABC affiliate.
During the conversation, Governor Newsom described an incident where he observed a man exiting the store without paying for an item. The cashier’s reaction, attributing the lack of action to Newsom’s policies, highlighted a perception of reduced accountability for retail theft under his administration. Newsom recounted the cashier blaming him, saying, “The governor lowered the threshold, there’s no accountability.”
In response, Newsom clarified, emphasizing California’s position as having the “10th toughest” threshold for felony theft, set at $950, which the cashier seemed unaware of. The dialogue led to a moment of recognition where the employee asked Newsom for a photograph, a request he declined in favor of continuing their discussion about the issue.
The encounter ended with Newsom reflecting humorously on the situation, contrasting his spending with others’ ability to leave the store without paying.
The Sacramento Bee highlighted Newsom’s efforts urging state lawmakers to intensify measures against retail theft and to adjust the penal code. This would allow for the aggregation of multiple theft incidents to reach the felony charge threshold, addressing concerns over retail theft in California.
