Newsom disputes 'fake' allegations of racism

Conservatives had said he disparaged Black Americans during stop in Atlanta.

- BY TARYN LUNA

GOV. GAVIN Newsom has been promoting his new book in cities across the U.S.

(PETER ZAY Anadolu)

Gov. Gavin Newsom this week sharply criticized “fake MAGA-manufactured outrage” over his comments about his low SAT score in Atlanta during his national book tour.

Conservative commentators, Trump loyalists and right-wing media outlets accused the California governor and potential 2028 presidential candidate of disparaging Black Americans when he was discussing his struggles with dyslexia.

“First MAGA mocked his dyslexia and now they're calling him racist for talking about his low SAT scores,” Izzy Gardon, a spokesperson for Newsom, said in a statement Monday. “The governor has said this publicly for years — including with [the late conservative commentator] Charlie Kirk and dozens of other audiences.”

During a conversation Sunday with Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, who is a Black politician, Newsom was asked what he wanted the audience and readers to know about him. The governor, in a long-winded response, said he wasn’t trying to impress anyone, but “press upon you I'm like you.”

“I'm no better than you,” Newsom said. “I'm a 960 SAT guy.”