RedState reported the story on Thursday: the extremist California Coastal Commission put the kibosh on the traditional Long Beach Independence Day fireworks display, well, because of course they did.
Their reasons were lame: oh, it might pollute the ocean — even though studies have shown that fireworks displays have but minor effects — and it might shut down a parking lot for the evening. Boo hoo.
As I wrote:
It sure is coincidental that 2026 is the year they pick to shut it down. It is, of course, America’s 250th b-day, an event that President Trump has touted relentlessly and has made plans for yuge celebrations.
Is the Coastal Commission worried about the water, or do they just want to thumb their nose at the president and patriots everywhere? You decide.
Killjoys: CA Coastal Commission Nixes Long Beach 4th of July Fireworks for Ludicrous Reasons
The blowback has been intense, as apparently, even voters on the Left Coast are sick of watching our elected officials suck the joy out of all things large and small. Gov. Gavin Newsom, who had nothing to say initially, felt the heat and belatedly tried to distance himself from the whole affair Friday:
This is NOT a decision the Governor made. Our office is looking into this matter on behalf of the people of Long Beach! https://t.co/fzCZdUe409
— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) April 17, 2026
“It wasn’t me!” he seemed to be shouting. “I have driven this state into the ground, picked every far-left position possible on policy issues, crushed the morale of the people, but I would never shut down a patriotic fireworks display, never!”
His quick sprint away from the issue is, of course, solely because he is by every indication preparing a run for the presidency in 2028, despite an exhaustive and well-chronicled list of failures.
And like so much of what he says, this tweet is disingenuous and once again shows his tendency to blame other people for his shortcomings. The Coastal Commission, you see, is heavily influenced by the governor, and in fact, fully a third of its members are hand-picked by… Gavin Newsom.
True, but it is @CAGovernor and the Democrat-controlled CA Senate rules committee, and the Speaker of the Democrat-controlled CA Assembly who appoints the board members. pic.twitter.com/t7eIH2f537
— Soquel by the Creek (@SoquelCreek) April 17, 2026
Oh.
Don’t you think that if he had leaned on his comrades in the Senate and his four personally chosen Commission members, it would’ve had a strong effect? But no, he was silent; it’s only because of the bad press that he’s saying something now. He doesn’t care about the residents of Long Beach, and he certainly doesn’t care about celebrating our nation’s founding.
The Executive Director of the commission, meanwhile, is not appointed — it’s a staff job by a person hired by the commissioners. This is who Gavin’s cronies hired:
Meet Kate Huckelbridge, executive director of the California Coastal Commission.
Long Beach, CA won’t have 4th of July fireworks displays this year celebrating America’s 250th after the commission BANNED it.
Kate is celebrated as the first woman to lead the Commission. pic.twitter.com/YiE7H4DDDn
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) April 17, 2026
She’s the first woman to lead the commission, so what?
As I wrote previously, I’ve taken my kids (now grown) to the Long Beach fireworks show many a time, and it’s fabulous. Now, I guess, children can watch patriotic displays on TV, beamed in from Texas or Florida.
Thanks, Kate.
And as I keep saying, when you’re the governor of a state, you are the captain of the ship, and a captain is responsible for what goes down under his command. No, you can’t be blamed for every single boneheaded move by a subordinate, but the overall workings are for you to own.
It’s typical of Newsom to go running when accountability comes a‑callin’. This is the kind of leadership we’ve seen in the Golden State for seven years — and the kind of captaincy he’d bring to the nation if ever elected to higher office.
Editor’s Note: Gavin Newsom wants to turn America into one big version of California – a failed, overtaxed, dystopian nightmare.
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