SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KTXL) — Crime continues to be a part of the debate in the recall of Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer said on Tuesday he will end Newsom’s moratorium on the death penalty if he is elected. He said the change would be immediate.
“There has to be consequences and if you do not have that, you are not going to see a change in behavior,” Faulconer said.
Two months after taking office in 2019, Newsom signed the executive order to halt executions in California, dismantling the death chamber at San Quentin State Prison. The move angered some prosecutors and crime victims.
In Tuesday’s virtual press conference, Faulconer pointed to California’s rise in crime and tens of thousands of inmates that are eligible for early release.
He was joined and supported by Marc Klaas, whose daughter, Polly, was murdered by a now death row inmate.
“This is not a partisan issue, this is not about any kind of a Republican takeover of the state of California,” Klaas said. “I am a registered Democrat, I proudly voted for President Biden. This is about something else entirely.”
Faulconer is one of the dozens of candidates on the ballot, and on the final week of the campaign trail, he is urging voters to recall the governor.
The latest ballot tracking numbers show 26% of ballots have been returned. Faulconer hopes his message will resonate with those who have yet to turn in their ballots.
Ahead of Vice President Kamala Harris’ visit Wednesday to campaign with Newsom, Faulconer said he doesn’t think she or any other national leaders can save the governor.