SACRAMENTO:- President Trump continues to misuse the national guard and federal law enforcement — pulling them from important enforcement work at the border to stop illegal trafficking — and instead using them as his personal police force and political pawns. Today, Governor Gavin Newsom announced he is filing a formal request for information about the Trump Administration’s recent action and role in directing federal law enforcement and military personnel in what appeared to be an operation intended to intimidate those defending a fair electoral process and who Trump perceives as potential political threats.

The Office of Governor Newsom is submitting the formal request for all documents, communications, and records regarding the Trump administration’s decision to send dozens of federal agents just outside of a widely publicized event on August 14 at the Democracy Center in Los Angeles, where a group of people, including California’s elected officials such as the Governor and congressional and California legislative leaders, gathered to announce an effort challenging to the administration’s efforts to rig the upcoming midterm elections. The letter also requested information about the administration’s communications with Fox News to embed a reporter and camera crew with the group of ICE agents.

This is the second federal Freedom of Information Act request filed by the Newsom administration about Trump’s unlawful use of the military and misuse of public funds. On August 6, the Governor’s Office requested documents and records to identify the total expenses incurred to activate the U.S. Marines and federalize the National Guard since June 7. Shortly after the deployment began, the Department of Defense staff testified to