California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom ‘DISQUALIFIED’ From 2028 Run — He’s In Major Trouble as His $20/Hr. F
Two years after California Governor Gavin Newsom signed the FAST Recovery Act with cameras flashing and union leaders cheering, the law is leaving a trail of layoffs, shuttered restaurants, and angry consumers.
The measure, which took effect in 2023, mandated a $20 minimum wage for fast-food workers across the state. Newsom hailed it at the time as a “win-win-win” for employees, restaurant owners, and customers. But the numbers now show a far different reality.
According to the Employment Policies Institute (EPI), California has shed nearly 20,000 fast-food jobs since the law was signed — accounting for almost one-quarter of all fast-food job losses nationwide over the same period.
The analysis draws from Bureau of Labor Statistics data, which paint a bleak picture for one of California’s largest entry-level job sectors.
The job losses are not just statistics. Two major Pizza Hut franchisees recently laid off more than 1,200 delivery drivers, citing the steep rise in labor costs. Other chains, including Mod Pizza and Foster’s Freeze, have decided to close California locations altogether. For many small-business franchisees, razor-thin margins disappeared overnight once payroll costs spiked.
Even those who still have jobs are losing out. EPI estimates non-tipped restaurant workers have seen their hours slashed by an average of 250 annually — the equivalent of $4,000 in lost income under the state’s previous minimum wage.
Kiosks and self-ordering technology are replacing many part-time employees as owners race to offset the higher costs.
“Newsom’s $20 wage has turned out to be nothing more than a boost to his own ego at the expense of fast-food workers,” said EPI research director Rebekah Paxton. “His consistent claim that the law is a ‘win’ is out of touch with reality, and lawmakers looking to mirror his job-crushing policies should think twice.”
The pain has spread beyond workers. Consumers are paying more, too. Menu price data from Datassential show fast-food prices in California climbed more than 13% after April 2024, nearly double the average increase in the rest of the country. Families already stretched by inflation now face higher bills for basic meals.
Small businesses are suffering the most. The American Cornerstone Institute warned that unlike global corporations, mom-and-pop shops cannot absorb the higher payroll expenses, leaving them with two choices: cut staff or close down.
“In the same manner, a state-wide minimum wage doesn’t make sense when applied uniformly across a state as big as California,” the group said, pointing out that the cost of living in San Francisco is vastly different from rural regions like the Central Valley.
The fallout has fueled criticism of Newsom’s leadership. Opponents argue he ignored basic economic warnings in order to deliver a political win for organized labor.
“This should be a wake-up call for Newsom and other policymakers pushing for drastic wage hikes that will cause unintended consequences,” Paxton said.
Supporters of the law point to a UC-Berkeley study claiming that the wage hike did not reduce employment and only increased prices modestly, by about 2%. But business groups and workers on the ground say the Berkeley study ignores the closures, layoffs, and lost hours happening in real time.
For many Californians, the issue has become symbolic of a broader disconnect between Newsom’s progressive rhetoric and economic reality. While the governor has not addressed the latest round of data directly, critics note his silence is telling. “His office isn’t responding because the numbers speak for themselves,” one franchisee said.
The political stakes are high. Newsom has been floated as a potential future Democratic presidential contender. But policies like the FAST Recovery Act, which were sold as national models, are now being cited as cautionary tales of overreach.
“California was the test case, and it failed,” said one Republican strategist. “If Democrats try to scale this nationwide, the result will be disaster for workers and consumers alike.”
For now, the damage in California is measurable: tens of thousands of jobs lost, hours cut, restaurants shuttered, and menu prices climbing faster than anywhere else in the country.
What was once celebrated as a bold experiment is now widely seen — even by many of the workers it was supposed to help — as a self-inflicted wound.
Ilhan Omar Arrested - Refused to Leave and Fought Police
Minneapolis, Minnesota - June 16, 2026
Newly released police records show that Rep. Ilhan Omar was arrested for trespassing in 2013 after refusing multiple orders to leave a Minneapolis hotel lobby. According to the Hennepin County police report, Omar became argumentative with officers and physically resisted when police attempted to escort her from the premises.
The incident occurred on January 18, 2013, after an event at the Minneapolis Convention Center featuring former Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. Large crowds followed the presidential convoy to the Hotel Ivy, where the president was staying. Hotel staff requested police assistance to clear the lobby, stating that only guests with room keys were permitted to remain.
When an officer approached Omar and asked her to leave, she refused. The report states that Omar was “argumentative” and stood her ground.
“As she stood her ground and refused to leave, I took hold of her left elbow to escort her from the lobby. Omar then pulled away from me, stating, ‘Don’t put your hands on me!’” the officer wrote.
Ten minutes later, the same officer found Omar seated in another area of the lobby. After being informed she would be arrested for trespassing if she did not leave, Omar again refused to comply.
The officer attempted to handcuff her while she remained seated in a chair. Omar pulled away during the arrest. She was ultimately booked into Hennepin County Jail.
“Omar was booked at [Hennepin County Jail] as I felt it was likely that she would fail to respond to a citation, and she also demonstrated that she was going to continue her criminal behavior,” the officer wrote in the report.
The newly surfaced document adds to the long list of controversies surrounding the Minnesota congresswoman.
Hannah Dugan Sentenced to 10 Years: Ex-Judge Helped Undocumented Immigrant Flee ICE in Court
MILWAUKEE, Wis. — June 16, 2026
THE SENTENCING HEARING for former Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan has been postponed indefinitely as a federal court takes under advisement a high-stakes defense motion aimed at completely overturning her felony conviction.
U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman opted to halt the scheduled June 3, 2026 proceedings to consider extensive oral arguments regarding recent appellate case law and procedural standards that could render the baseline foundation of the government's case legally invalid.
Dugan, 67, faces a statutory maximum penalty of five years in federal prison following a split verdict delivered by a federal jury in December 2025. The panel found her guilty of one felony count of obstructing an official federal proceeding but acquitted her on a misdemeanor charge of concealing an individual from arrest.
The criminal charges stem from a highly controversial April 18, 2025 incident inside the Milwaukee County Courthouse involving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and an undocumented immigrant.
"The defense maintains that the administrative execution of a standard immigration warrant does not meet the strict statutory definitions of an official federal proceeding required under obstruction laws."
The structural trial evidence demonstrated that ICE agents arrived at the county courthouse to detain Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, a Mexican national who had re-entered the United States illegally and was appearing before Dugan on a state misdemeanor battery matter.
According to official court testimony, Dugan confronted the agents outside her courtroom door, informing them that their administrative paperwork did not authorize a summary arrest within her state court facility. She then directed the officers to the chief judge's office before utilizing a private jury exit corridor to escort Flores-Ruiz and his defense attorney safely out of the building.
Agents remaining in the immediate vicinity observed the departure and apprehended Flores-Ruiz outside the municipal facility following a short foot chase.
Dugan resigned from her judicial seat shortly after the split jury verdict was finalized. While many legal observers originally anticipated a multi-year prison sentence if the felony conviction stood, first-time nonviolent offenders can alternatively receive probation or non-custodial outcomes depending on judicial discretion.
"The prosecution continues to push back forcefully against the request for a new trial, maintaining that the jury’s original verdict rested on sufficient, verified evidence and correctly applied federal law."
The case has commanded national attention from legal scholars as an unprecedented early test of a state court judge facing criminal prosecution for actions intersecting with federal immigration enforcement. The ongoing dispute has exposed deep rifts over the absolute authority of state jurists, courthouse safe-haven policies, and the true legal boundaries of domestic judicial discretion.
Judge Adelman did not issue an immediate ruling from the bench following the conclusion of oral arguments, stating that a comprehensive written order will follow. Consequently, the former judge's sentencing remains on hold until the court determines whether the underlying felony conviction will stand or be permanently vacated.
