“An advocate for women and girls, a second-generation fighter for working people, and a trusted adviser to Vice President Harris, Laphonza Butler represents the best of California, and she’ll represent us proudly in the United States Senate,” said Governor Newsom. “As we mourn the enormous loss of Senator Feinstein, the very freedoms she fought for — reproductive freedom, equal protection, and safety from gun violence — have never been under greater assault. Laphonza will carry the baton left by Senator Feinstein, continue to break glass ceilings, and fight for all Californians in Washington D.C.”
National Right to Life issued a statement regarding Butler's appointment:
"[Gavin Newsom's] appointment of Laphonza Butler, president of the pro-abortion EMILY’s List, is just another example in a long line of actions that Newsom has taken to push unlimited abortions.
EMILY’s List is a political action committee that spends millions of dollars every election cycle to elect pro-abortion Democrat women. To be endorsed by EMILY’s List, candidates must take a hardline stance opposing any and all protections for unborn children. In previous election cycles, the group has pulled endorsements from pro-abortion candidates because the candidates opposed partial-birth abortions or taxpayer funding of abortion."
Onlookers were quick to point out that Butler does not live in California. At the time of Newsom's announcement, Butler's social media pages and her bio on the Emily's List website stated that she lived in Silver Spring, Maryland. After the announcement, this information was quickly removed.
When Fox News pointed this out to Newsom's office, it responded that Butler owns a home in California, and she will re-register to vote there before she is sworn in.
