Rep. Issa: Dems Have 'Tricks Up Their Sleeves' on Newsom Recall

California Gov. Gavin Newsom will eventually be recalled, but the "Democrats have a lot of tricks up their sleeves" and will mount challenges despite the number of petition signatures continuing to grow, Rep. Darrell Issa said Wednesday. 

"I do not for a moment think it's going to be this summer," the California Republican told Fox Business' "Mornings With Maria." "Even though there are over 1.5 million signatures and continuing, in other words, more than what is legally needed, it is pretty clear they're going to be scrutinized and thrown out in large number by the Democrat establishment in California."

Recall advocates say they have collected about 1.7 million total signatures, reports The Hill. To force a recall vote, almost 1.5 million signatures must be verified. The California Secretary of State’s office has said that through Feb. 5, it has verified 668,202 signatures, with approximately another 300,000 remaining to be processed.  

"There will be additional legal challenges but I do believe in the end the governor's going to face a recall," Issa told Fox Business' Maria Bartiromo. "If he continues digging a hole, he is certainly going to get deep into a recall."

There have been other efforts to recall Newsom, but the current attempt is gaining steam because of the public sentiment over COVID-19 lockdowns that have closed schools and businesses. 

Issa also commented about Friday's vote on President Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion coronavirus bill, particularly calls to raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour. 

"When you look at the restaurant industry, particularly in California, raising the minimum wage in a state that doesn't even have tip credit would essentially further force restaurants either out of business or to curtail the kinds of services people historically enjoy in restaurants," said Issa. 

Meanwhile, the COVID-19 bill itself has "less than a third" of the $1.9 trillion that actually focuses on matters directly connected to the pandemic, Issa said. 

"The Democrats have a massive amount of promises they've made to special interest groups, not the least of which would be the public employee pension programs that represent tens or hundreds of billions of dollars depending on the state," said Issa. 

• California Lifts Stay-at-Home Orders as Worst of Virus Eases
• Effort to Recall California Gov. Newsom Nears Number Required For Ballot