VIDEO: Speaker Rivas, Assembly Democrats Pass Measure Empowering Voters to Stop Trump’s Power Grab

SACRAMENTO — Today, Democrats in the Assembly and Legislature voted to pass a historic measure that empowers California voters to push back against Donald Trump’s power grab in Texas.

The passage of Assembly Constitutional Amendment 8 calls for a special election on November 4, when California voters will make the final decision to fight back against Trump’s attacks on their state economy and democracy.

Speaker Robert Rivas authored ACA 8, and the following is a video and transcript of his remarks during today’s Assembly floor session:

I’m proud to stand with my Democratic colleagues today as we pass this historic measure.

I‘m proud of this chamber — for meeting this moment with courage.

President Trump wants us to be intimidated.

His playbook is simple: bully, threaten, silence — then rig the rules to hang onto power.

Well, we are here today because California will not be a bystander to that power grab.

We are not intimidated. We are acting — openly, lawfully with purpose and resolve, to defend our state and our democracy.

Donald Trump does not believe in democracy. He is terrified of losing — and he will do whatever it takes to cling to power.

We saw it on January 6, when he unleashed a violent mob on our nation’s Capitol to overturn an election.

We saw it yesterday in the state of Texas, where Republicans advanced a mid-decade map designed to flip up to five congressional seats and lock in a partisan edge in the U.S. House of Representatives — at President Trump’s order.

Again, this is the same dangerous playbook: If Trump can’t win fairly, he’ll try to make it impossible for Republicans to lose.

And why? Because Donald Trump knows what we know: Voters are ready to hold him accountable.

But of course President Trump doesn’t want to be held accountable for his failures in the next election. That’s why he’s trying to rig it.

And of course our Republican colleagues don’t want their party to be held accountable by voters.

Accountable for ripping away $1.25 billion for food assistance from hungry children and our most vulnerable families.

Accountable for the millions of Californians who will lose their healthcare coverage because of this president.

Accountable for cuts to our disaster preparedness while our communities burn and flood.

Accountable for the communities in our state torn apart by ICE raids — our friends, our neighbors shoved into unmarked vans, by masked men and taken without warning.

Accountable for tariffs that are driving up our grocery prices.

Accountable for corruption that makes Trump, his family and his rich friends richer while everyone else struggles to get by.

Here is my message for President Trump: Today, California is going to hold you accountable for your failures.

We will do whatever it takes to ensure that voters — not Donald Trump — will decide the direction of this country.

This is a proud moment in the history of this Assembly.

Californians believe in freedom. We will not let our political system be hijacked by authoritarianism.

Today we give every Californian the power to stop Donald Trump’s power grab — and say yes to our people, to our state and to our democracy.

###

For more information, follow Speaker Robert Rivas at the following social media channels:

Instagram: @caspeakerrivas

Facebook: www.facebook.com/CASpeakerRivas/