NBC News reporter pushes back on Gavin Newsom’s ‘completely full’ reservoirs claim – KOMO News
President Joe Biden signs proclamations to establish the Chuckwalla National Monument and the Sáttítla Highlands National Monument.by RAY LEWIS | The National News DeskTOPICS:ALTADENA, Calif. (TNND) — An NBC News correspondent in an interview that aired Sunday pushed back on a statement by California Gov. Gavin Newsom that reservoirs in the state are “completely full.”While discussing the recent wildfires in his state, Gov. Newsom slammed President-elect Donald Trump’s criticism of the governor’s handling of the disaster. Trump has accused the governor of failing to sign a “water restoration declaration.”Gov. Newsom told NBC News’s Jacob Soboroff “the reservoirs are completely full” before adding “the state reservoirs here in Southern California.” Soboroff then said the facility for the Pacific Palisades was not.“We do know, though, from reporting here locally that that one reservoir that serves the Palisades was not full,” the correspondent said.Gov. Newsom explained that facility was “local” and not part of California’s system.Trump posted on Truth Social on Thursday that Gov. Newsom refused to sign a “water restoration declaration” which would have allowed millions of gallons of water to flow daily into many parts of California, including areas now burning in a “virtually apocalyptic” way.“He wanted to protect an essentially worthless fish called a smelt, by giving it less water (it didn’t work!), but didn’t care about the people of California,” Trump said. “Now the ultimate price is being paid.”Gov. Newsom noted he didn’t know what the president-elect was referring to when talking about the delta smelt fish and reservoirs.“That mis- and disinformation, I don’t think, advantages or aids any of us,” the governor said.READ MORE | Actress suggests criticism of LA mayor over wildfires is racially motivatedTrump during his first presidency ordered greater water access be provided to farmers in California’s Central Valley. California in 2020 sued to block the order, alleging in part it could harm multiple fish species, including smelt.The Central Valley Project does not directly benefit Los Angeles, which has been hit by wildfires this month, according to its description.The president-elect last week also called the governor “Gavin Newscum” in multiple posts and wrote he had “gross incompetence.”“I will demand that this incompetent governor allow beautiful, clean, fresh water to FLOW INTO CALIFORNIA! He is the blame for this,” one post reads. “On top of it all, no water for fire hydrants, not firefighting planes. A true disaster!”Gov. Newsom told Soboroff “we’re all in this together.”“We’re all better off when we’re working together to take care of people and to make sure people are supported, we’re empathetic and we’re here not just in the immediacy of the crisis but we’re here after the crisis, as opposed to creating a crisis in the middle of this by trying to divide people and play political – take cheap political shots,” he said.Have questions, concerns or tips? Send them to Ray at rjlewis@sbgtv.com.
