{"id":2188370,"date":"2024-02-29T00:12:02","date_gmt":"2024-02-29T05:12:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/california-governor-under-fire-for-bizarre-minimum-wage-carveout-that-benefits-donor\/"},"modified":"2024-02-29T00:15:08","modified_gmt":"2024-02-29T05:15:08","slug":"california-governor-under-fire-for-bizarre-minimum-wage-carveout-that-benefits-donor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/california-governor-under-fire-for-bizarre-minimum-wage-carveout-that-benefits-donor\/","title":{"rendered":"California Governor criticized for favoring donor with unusual minimum wage exemption"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fcalifornia-governor-under-fire-for-bizarre-minimum-wage-carveout-that-benefits-donor%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2188370&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>California Governor Gavin Newsom Under Fire for Allegedly Pushing for Minimum Wage\u200c Exemption for \u200cDonor&#8217;s Restaurant Chain<\/h2>\n<div>\n<figure><figcaption>Gavin Newsom (Jerod Harris\/Getty Images for Vox Media)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><span>California Gov. \u200cGavin Newsom (D.) has come under fire\u2063 for \u200dallegedly pushing to exempt a chain of restaurant franchises owned by one of his most generous donors from the state\u2019s new\u2062 minimum wage law.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The\u200c <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/california-puts-fast-food-law-on-2024-ballot\/\" title=\"California Puts \u201cFast-Food Law\u201d on 2024 Ballot\">fast-food wage law<\/a>, which will raise California\u2019s minimum wage at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/bold-fiscal-policy-matters-yellen-says-biden-spending-agenda-is-meant-to-cut-inequality\/\" title=\"\u2018Bold Fiscal Policy Matters\u2019: Yellen Says Biden Spending Agenda Is Meant To Cut \u2018Inequality\u2019\">fast-food chains<\/a> from $16 to $20 an hour starting in April, comes \u2064with \u200ban exemption for restaurants that bake and sell bread, which would include the\u2063 two dozen Panera Bread\u2062 locations \u200downed by Newsom\u2019s billionaire donor Greg Flynn.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Newsom advocated for the bread exemption, which \u2062legislators \u200ceventually included in the bill to\u2063 win over the governor, due to his &#8220;longstanding relationship with \u200ba Panera franchisee,&#8221; one person\u2062 familiar with the law\u2019s passing <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/lachlan\/status\/1762859711894835639?s=46&#038;t=DLACJ4yGHOpsHfJ3mMosgw\"><span>told<\/span><\/a> <em>Bloomberg<\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Flynn has been <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bloomberg.com\/news\/articles\/2024-02-28\/panera-bread-exempt-from-california-s-minimum-wage-increase-for-fast-food-worker?cmpid%3D=socialflow-twitter-markets&#038;utm_content=markets&#038;utm_campaign=socialflow-organic&#038;utm_medium=social&#038;utm_source=twitter\"><span>involved<\/span><\/a>  in several \u200dbusiness deals\u200b with\u2062 Newsom and made\u200d large donations to his campaigns, including $100,000 to \u2063quash a\u2063 Republican-led recall effort against the governor and \u200c$64,800 to help him get reelected \u2062in 2022. The business magnate also said he knows Newsom well enough to be able \u200cto reach him via \u200dtext, <em>Bloomberg<\/em> reported.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Flynn <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bloomberg.com\/news\/articles\/2024-02-28\/panera-bread-exempt-from-california-s-minimum-wage-increase-for-fast-food-worker?cmpid%3D=socialflow-twitter-markets&#038;utm_content=markets&#038;utm_campaign=socialflow-organic&#038;utm_medium=social&#038;utm_source=twitter\"><span>denied<\/span><\/a>  he played \u200ba role in bringing about the exemption, although sources have told <em>Bloomberg<\/em> he \u200cprivately \u200burged the governor\u2019s \u2064team to not classify Panera as a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/state-pension-funds-invest-millions-in-blacklisted-chinese-companies\/\" title=\"State pension funds invest in blacklisted Chinese companies, worth millions.\">fast-food\u2062 chain<\/a>. According to Newsom, the wage law, known as the FAST\u200d Act, \u200dwas the &#8220;result\u2064 of countless hours of negotiations with dozens of stakeholders over two years.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The exemption for bread-selling restaurants\u200b came as a surprise to many, \u2064including \u200bMichelle Korsmo, head \u2063of the National Restaurant Association, who <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bloomberg.com\/news\/articles\/2024-02-28\/panera-bread-exempt-from-california-s-minimum-wage-increase-for-fast-food-worker?cmpid%3D=socialflow-twitter-markets&#038;utm_content=markets&#038;utm_campaign=socialflow-organic&#038;utm_medium=social&#038;utm_source=twitter\"><span>said<\/span><\/a>  \u200c&#8221;everyone\u2019s scratching their head&#8221; about\u200c the exemption. &#8220;You may\u200b be celebrating or you may be\u200d lamenting the bakery exemption. But remember, all of\u2064 that comes through relationships,&#8221; she told <em>Bloomberg<\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Even the bill\u2019s lead author, Assemblyman Chris Holden (D.), claimed\u2062 to be unsure\u2062 about the exemption\u2019s origins,\u2062 with his chief of staff Willie Armstrong telling <em>Bloomberg<\/em>, &#8220;We don\u2019t \u2064know how that came \u200cabout.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The wage law faced immediate backlash from fast-food chains operating in California. McDonald\u2019s described the increase in minimum wage as a \u2063&#8221;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/states-new-fast-food-law-will-deliver-a-devastating-financial-blow-group-warns\/\" title=\"Group warns that the state's new fast-food law will cause significant financial damage.\">devastating financial blow<\/a>&#8221; that will cost each of its locations in the state an estimated $250,000 a year. Other chains such as Chipotle are reportedly\u2063 eyeing\u2062 a price increase to counter the rise in wage costs.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> What concerns have been raised about Newsom&#8217;s support for the \u200dexemption\u2062 and\u2063 its potential impact on the minimum wage law?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Rg<\/em> reported.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Newsom\u2019s support\u2064 for the exemption has raised concerns \u200d\u2062among labor activists and some\u200c lawmakers who \u2063argue that\u2062 it sets a dangerous precedent \u2064and undermines the spirit of the minimum \u2063wage law.\u200c Critics say that the \u2062exemption appears to be a \u200cquid pro quo\u200c arrangement, as it benefits a donor who has provided\u200c significant financial support to Newsom. They argue that this raises questions about integrity \u200dand the \u2062influence of\u2064 money in politics.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Advocates\u200b for the exemption, on the other hand, argue that it is a necessary measure to protect small businesses and encourage job growth. They contend that \u2064the \u2063baking exemption is reasonable as it pertains to the specific operations of certain restaurants and does\u200d not undermine \u200dthe broader goal \u2062of raising\u2062 wages for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/report-california-fast-food-restaurants-at-center-of-criminal-threats\/\" title=\"Report: California Fast Food Restaurants at Center of Criminal Threats\">fast-food workers<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The controversy \u200csurrounding Newsom\u2019s alleged\u2062 involvement in securing the exemption points to larger issues of money\u2063 in \u2062politics and the\u2064 influence of wealthy donors. Critics argue that this situation\u2063 is \u200ca prime example of how money can buy influence and potentially undermine the integrity of the political process. They call for greater transparency\u2064 and accountability in campaign donations and for politicians to be held to higher ethical standards.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Newsom\u2019s \u2062office has denied any wrongdoing and states\u2064 that the exemption was added \u2064to the bill based on\u2063 input\u200b from various stakeholders and through the standard legislative process. They emphasize that the decision \u2064was not influenced by \u2062campaign donations or personal relationships.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Regardless\u2064 of\u2062 the intentions or motivations behind the exemption, the controversy surrounding Newsom highlights the need \u200cfor a robust and\u200d transparent political system that\u2063 ensures the interests of the public are protected\u2064 and that decisions are made in the best interest of the people,\u200d rather than the wealthy few.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>As\u2062 this story\u200c continues \u200cto unfold, it serves as \u2062a reminder of\u2063 the importance of campaign\u200d finance reform and the need to address the influence of money in politics. Transparency, accountability, and ethical standards should be at the forefront of our political system to ensure a fair and just \u2062society for \u200call.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>California Gov. Gavin Newsom faces criticism for allegedly seeking to exempt a restaurant franchise chain owned by a major donor from the state&#8217;s new minimum wage law. The law aims to increase the minimum wage at fast-food chains in California<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2807,"featured_media":2188371,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/freebeacon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/vox-medias-2022-code-conference-day-2-e1704991137430.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2188370","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/freebeacon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/vox-medias-2022-code-conference-day-2-e1704991137430.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2188370","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2807"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2188370"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2188370\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2188371"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2188370"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2188370"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2188370"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}