A California mother who went viral for confronting Gavin Newsom over his handling of the Los Angeles fires said she was stunned by his response to her criticism.
Rachel Darvish told Fox News she was furious with the California governor after she confronted him and witnessed his struggle to provide a coherent explanation.
Newsom claimed he had been trying to reach President Biden by phone but was unable to get cell service—a claim Darvish argued highlighted his broader mismanagement of the crisis.
“There was no cellphone reception in certain areas, but that’s a big problem in and of itself,” Darvish told host Jesse Watters. “Why doesn’t he have a satellite truck? The fact that he couldn’t get cell reception was really frustrating.”
Her concerns mirror those of many Los Angeles residents who have criticized the response to the wildfires, which have already claimed at least 10 lives and destroyed more than 10,000 homes and buildings, including consuming the ritzy Pacific Palisades neighborhood and the multimillion-dollar homes of many celebrities.
WATCH:
She correctly says that, “It’s time for something new. It doesn’t have to be an R, it doesn’t have to be a D. Why can’t it be someone who knows what they’re doing?”
Fair question. https://t.co/PkI51mNRFJ pic.twitter.com/XCvI8s937Y
— Paul A. Szypula 🇺🇸 (@Bubblebathgirl) January 10, 2025
Criticism of Newsom’s handling of the crisis has focused on his decision to reduce California’s funding for wildfire and forest resilience by $101 million less than a year before the Los Angeles fires erupted, the DailyMail.com reported.
President-elect Donald Trump has led calls for Newsom’s resignation, highlighting the governor’s prioritization of conservation efforts for the delta smelt, a three-inch fish native to the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta.
On his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump argued that Newsom’s conservation policies have diverted water away from farmers and major cities. The strained water system struggled and, in some areas, failed under the pressure.
When Watters asked about her thoughts on Newsom’s handling of the crisis, Darvish ridiculed his policy with a four-word response, saying she has “no regard for smelt.”
“Actually, I love sushi, but I have no regard for smelt,” she continued. “But apparently, the governor does. But that leads to what he cares about… why do you care?”
Darvish expressed concerns about DEI policies in the Los Angeles Fire Department and emergency services, stating this in her message to Newsom: “Why do you care who it is? Let’s pick the good people.”
“Governor, can you just clean this up and fix it and move on at least,” she said. “These guys are entrenched in what they do… It’s time for something new. It doesn’t have to be an R (Republican), it doesn’t have to be a D (Democrat), why can’t it be someone that knows what they’re doing?”
Watters added: “If you take a mom and put them in the governor’s mansion, they’d probably do a better job than Gavin Newsom.”
Darvish reiterated the concerns she had raised directly to Newsom earlier this week, stating that she didn’t see a single fire truck or firefighter while fleeing the flames. “On my way down (while evacuating), I didn’t see a single fire truck coming to help me,” she said. “It’s not their fault Jesse, it comes from the top… the buck stops with these guys.”
Darvish caught up to Newsom on Wednesday and demanded answers.
“Governor, you got a second? Governor, governor, I live here, governor. That was my daughter’s school, governor. Please tell me what you’re going to do. I’m not going to hurt him, I promise,” the mother, who was touring the damaged areas with a Sky News team when she spotted Newsom, said after running up to him.
“I’m literally talking to the president right now to specifically answer the question of what we can do for you and your daughter,” Newsom claimed, holding up his cell phone.
Unconvinced, she replied, “Can I hear it? Can I hear your call? Because I don’t believe it.”
This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
