Newsom, Who Wants Kids Vaccinated, Fights Vaccine Mandates For Prison Guards, Whose Union Gave $1.75 Million To Fight Recall

California Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom, who believes in vaccine mandates so much that he issued the first vaccine mandate in the United States targeting children in public and private schools, has a different view when it comes to the state’s prison guards, whose union donated a whopping $1.75 million to Newsom for September’s recall election. Newsom is appealing the ruling issued by U.S. District Court Judge Jon S. Tigar that stated prison guards must be vaccinated in order to protect incarcerated prisoners.

Tigar wrote in the ruling issued September 27, “… access by workers to CDCR institutions be limited to those workers who establish proof of full COVID-19 vaccination or have established a religious or medical exemption to vaccination and (2) incarcerated persons who desire to work outside of the institution or to have in-person visitation must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or establish a religious or medical exemption.”

“For months, the politically powerful union and the Newsom administration have resisted a COVID vaccine mandate for prison workers, despite the spread of the deadly virus behind prison walls,” Cal Matters reported.

On Tuesday, Newsom and the state appealed the decision to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

SFGATE noted, “Newsom’s hostility towards the mandate for prison guards does not align with his previous statements on COVID mitigation efforts, including vaccine mandates.” Newsom had told CBS News less than 24 hours after the attempt to recall him had failed in September, “We need to stiffen our spines and lean into keeping people safe and healthy. We shouldn’t be timid in trying to protect people’s lives and mitigate the spread and transmission of the disease.” – READ MORE