Newsom hits WSJ over wealth tax editorial: ‘Ideological warriors’

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) went after The Wall Street Journal’s editorial board Wednesday after the board falsely claimed that he may support a wealth tax. 

Newsom has strongly rejected the progressive tax proposal for years and dubbed the publication’s editorial board “ideological warriors” during a budget presentation Wednesday.

The board’s editorial, headlined “California’s Wealth Tax Arrives,” features a prominent photo of Newsom and does not mention the governor has already said he will not sign a wealth tax bill proposed in the state’s Legislature.

“Are you supporting a wealth tax? No, yet again. Why the hell do you keep writing about that?” Newsom said.

“They know that because every year I say that,” he continued, emphasizing his opposition. “I think it’s shameful, because I think it’s done very intentionally. It’s not truth-seekers, it’s ideological warriors.”

The Journal board said the wealth tax is an effort by Democrats “to fill a projected $68 billion budget hole.”

“Progressive ideas that originate in California have a habit of spreading,” the editorial reads. “So it’s worth paying attention to legislation moving in Sacramento to establish a wealth tax on high earners and a bounty-hunter scheme for plaintiff attorneys to target alleged tax dodgers.”

Newsom said the editorial has already done “damage” to California and his administration, adding that he has received multiple worried phone calls from those who believe he would sign the wealth tax bill.

“The state’s been paying a price for the misrepresentation and lies being advanced every single day about this state,” he said.

Newsom’s budget proposal includes a plan to nearly halve the projected $68 billion 2024 state budget deficit by cutting some spending and drawing from the state’s reserves.

The California governor has been under increased scrutiny in recent months as his national political profile has risen. He debated GOP presidential candidate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) on Fox News last month.