'We Will Fight Fire With Fire': California State Assembly Speaker Promises Pushback Against Trump

During a press briefing on Friday, Speaker of the California State Assembly Robert Rivas (D-CA) spoke about redistricting efforts in Texas.

Transcript

00:00Well good afternoon everybody and you know since the moment that Donald Trump

00:05was sworn in as president he has worked to change our country from a proud

00:10democracy to an authoritarian state. The stakes are high that's why we are here

00:18this afternoon they are that high. He's bullying universities to control what

00:25they teach. He's targeting news programs and late-night shows attempting to

00:32control what we watch. And here in California masked ICE agents without

00:41badges without identification they're shoving people into unmarked cars

00:49disappearing them into detention centers with no accountability and too often no

00:55way for families to even find their loved ones. And let's be clear they're not going

01:02to stop with the most vulnerable people or undocumented residents. History tells us

01:07that that is not how authoritarianism works. We are only seven months into this

01:15presidency seven months and the more power they get the more they will take.

01:21And what will they do with this power? More immigration rates? More arrests? More crackdowns?

01:33More attacks on our freedoms? Well certainly what we can expect

01:41are more negative consequences for every single American.

01:45Because of Trump's policies millions millions of Californians will lose their health care.

01:55And so we have to stand up now. We have a responsibility here in California to stand up

01:59and defend our democracy. And I'm proud to stand here with the brave Democrats from Texas who are doing just

02:08that. Texas Republicans acting on direct orders from Donald Trump are redrawing congressional lines

02:19so that there is no way to dislodge them from power of Congress. No way to hold them accountable.

02:28No way to prevent them from doing whatever they want.

02:31Well as Californians we're here to say absolutely not. If they're trying to destroy our democracy

02:44you're gonna have to come through California. You have to come through California where we are nearly 40

02:50million strong in this state. We have the fourth largest economy in the world. And we have a proud

02:59tradition here in our state of standing up for the people's rights. Of standing up for what is always

03:08always in the best interest of our state and of this country. We will not allow Trump's Republican

03:14Party to rig this system and take permanent control of the U.S. House of Representatives.

03:20We are prepared and we will fight fire with fire. And we will do whatever it takes to defend our

03:31democracy. California will do whatever it takes to protect the voices, to protect the votes, and to

03:38protect the rights of every single American. And now I'd like to introduce and welcome my partner in the

03:44state senate. Pro Tem Mike McGuire.