Newsom May Delay His Own Swearing In
SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS)_ Outgoing San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom indicated this week he may try and delay his January 3rd swearing in as Lieutenant Governor to allow a new board of supervisors to name his successor.
Newsom is scheduled to be sworn in before a new Board of Supervisors takes office and if there is delay there may be grave legal implications.
The old board could decide as early as Tuesday on the mayor's replacement, but Newsom has said they can't do that until there's a vacancy and that he doesn't plan on leaving until January.
KCBS' Bob Melrose Reports:
Newsom added that the person that replaces him should have no permanent designs on the office.
"Whoever is the interim mayor will not be the next mayor. I think that we need to appoint someone that's an elder statesperson, not a time of life, but a state of mind," said the mayor.
Newsom spoke very candidly on his hopes for the successor and would like to see someone that will call, "balls and strikes" and not use their position as a political stepping stone to run for the mayor's office next year.
The political gamesmanship is expected to continue until the end.
"No matter what this board does, trust me, the new board can undo it a few days later," said a defiant Newsom.
The current mayor added that this was a "symbolic run for a far-left progressive takeover of City Hall."
But City Attorney Dennis Herrera doesn't necessarily agree with that.
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