'Aiding and abetting': Congressman threatens to defund California over plan to defy Trump

A North Carolina Republican lawmaker suggested on Fox News this week that the federal government should strip California of funding.

This came in response to reporting that Gov. Gavin Newsom plans a network of support programs to resist mass deportation efforts by the Trump administration, which may include the “creation of an Immigrant Support Network comprised of regional ‘hubs’ to connect at-risk individuals, their families, and communities with community systems — such as legal services, schools, labor unions, local governments, etc.”

Rep. Greg Murphy (R-NC) previously railed against him in a post to X on Christmas Eve, saying, "Obstruction of Justice. Aiding and abetting. @GavinNewsom When will you learn you are not outside of the law? @realDonaldTrump." (Deliberately shielding unauthorized immigrants from federal agents is a crime, but there's nothing inherently illegal about states providing local services to them, or not expending resources to arrest immigrants themselves.)

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Speaking on Fox News, however, Murphy argued the federal government has a way to browbeat California into submission.

"We have laws in this land ... and President Biden and Vice President Harris decided they were above the law," said Murphy. "America spoke and America gave a mandate to President Trump and the rule of law. Newsom has created his own deficit-spending debacle of a state, they're $68 billion in debt, and what he wants to do basically is break the law."

Murphy compared Newsom to "states that didn't want to integrate" schools in the South.

"These are laws, these are national laws, and he doesn't get to pick and choose which one he gets," said Murphy. "I know we're not going to send in the National Guard, but they get a lot of federal money. And if they want to have their state dry up even quicker because of his nasty policies, I don't think he lasts long. And this time when the recount comes, he's gone."

While California is running a budget deficit this year, the state is — according to the most recent statistics — one of a small handful that in most years contributes a greater amount in federal tax revenue from its citizens and businesses than it receives in the form of grants and transfer payments.