California's governor freed a man once labeled "the monster parents fear the most."
David Funston was found guilty on 16 counts involving kidnapping and molesting children back in 1999. One of his victims was just four years old when Funston snatched and assaulted her. That same victim later told reporters that he "shouldn't be breathing the same air" as everyone else. Yet Gavin Newsom let him walk free through California's elderly parole program, according to reports. And Funston is far from the only one.
Gregory Lee Vogelsang sexually abused multiple kids during the 1990s and received a 355 year prison sentence. He is also getting out under the identical program, which grants parole eligibility to inmates who have hit age 60 and completed a minimum of 25 years behind bars.
Assemblywoman Stephanie Nguyen attempted to push back by proposing that the eligibility threshold be bumped up to 75. That got diluted down to 65. It still hasn't become law because the Prison Policy Initiative opposed it, pointing to studies showing that recidivism drops significantly among offenders past 65. Sacramento prosecutor Anne Marie Schubert demolished that argument with devastating simplicity. Funston got out at 64. Does one more birthday suddenly neutralize a predator? "Age does not erase predatory behavior," she stated. The children whose lives were shattered by these men never got a do over.
But convicted child predators are only one piece of this jaw dropping puzzle.
Christine Loyd killed two elderly people for financial gain and got 55 years to life. The judge who handled her case called her among "the most evil and cold-blooded murderers" he had ever encountered. Newsom freed her after she served 31 years.
Then there is Joseph Tidwell. He was high on methamphetamine and additional substances when he veered into oncoming traffic and killed two members of the San Gorgonio Search and Rescue Team. Scott Timothy Johnson was 30 years old. Philip Newton Calvert was 58. They were heading out to locate a missing hiker. Multiple others sustained serious injuries. Tidwell already had prior arrests for driving under the influence. He received 45 years to life but only served 22. His parole currently sits on Newsom's desk for review.
This is the guy who wants to occupy the Oval Office.
Newsom signed AB 2727 into law rather than standing up for public safety. He had the authority to block multiple releases and chose not to exercise it. At least one person he set free has publicly declared his intention to cast a ballot for Newsom in 2028.
Let that sink in. Free the criminals. Collect their votes. Slap the word "compassion" on it and call it a day. That appears to be the entire political calculation. And now he reportedly wants to take this same experiment nationwide. The audacity is genuinely breathtaking.
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