Governors Office In California Responds To Social Media Post
Governor Gavin Newsom is facing backlash after publicly attacking a private citizen — reality TV star and Pacific Palisades resident Spencer Pratt — who lost his home in the recent wildfires and dared to question Sacramento’s handling of the crisis.
At the heart of the dispute is California Senate Bill 549, which proposed the creation of a “Resilient Rebuilding Authority” (RRA) in Los Angeles County. The bill would have allowed the state to use taxpayer funds to purchase fire-ravaged lots, engage in land banking, override local zoning, and build low-income housing and transit infrastructure on the ashes of formerly private property. Critics saw it as opportunism disguised as recovery.
C list celebrity booooom pic.twitter.com/cLQLIpXfLi
— Spencer Pratt (@spencerpratt) July 17, 2025
Pratt, among dozens of residents suing the city and state over their handling of the fire, took to social media to flag concerns about the bill. He posted videos to his 2 million followers, highlighting language that, according to AI-generated interpretations and plain reading alike, suggested local control would be weakened and land ownership threatened.
“I don’t even think this is political,” Pratt said. “This is a common sense post.”
Apparently, common sense was enough to kill the bill. Facing growing public opposition and mounting scrutiny, the bill’s sponsor, State Senator Ben Allen (D–Santa Monica), withdrew it.
Rather than accept the public’s verdict and move on, Governor Newsom lashed out — directly attacking Pratt via the Governor’s Press Office.
In a stunning rebuke, Newsom accused Pratt of spreading “completely fabricated conspiracy theories,” blamed him for killing the bill, and implied he was harming his own community. That’s a remarkable message from a state official to a wildfire victim who raised concerns about a government proposal affecting his neighborhood.
This wasn’t a fringe activist spreading misinformation. This was a homeowner who lost everything, pointing out that the state had failed to clear brush, failed to enforce fire safety codes, and failed to stop the blaze. In return, he was told — publicly — to shut up and stop scaring people.
Calling a concerned resident who lost his home to the Palisades Fire ‘C-list’ for demanding answers? That’s not leadership. That’s shameful. Newsom, you let the state park burn down and it burned down my home, my parents’ home and my whole community. I’ll continue to speak up for… pic.twitter.com/5A0xIlDBmp
— Spencer Pratt (@spencerpratt) July 17, 2025
Newsom’s condescension and gaslighting is only made worse by the backdrop: a fire response mired in bureaucratic delay and dysfunction. When citizens try to hold their government accountable, this is the response?
The episode has also drawn attention to SB 549’s contents, which included sweeping powers for a new reconstruction authority, including the ability to issue bonds, use tax-increment financing, buy construction materials in bulk, and override local land use rules. Even if the intent was noble, the language made it clear: this wasn’t just about rebuilding — it was about redefining neighborhoods.
It is telling that rather than defend the bill’s merits, the Governor chose to smear the citizen who helped defeat it. That’s not transparency. That’s intimidation.