Things are getting worse for out of control Governor Gavin Newsom.
President Donald Trump is calling for an audit of California’s high-speed rail project, a massive initiative that has been in the works for nearly 20 years but has shown little to no progress. The project, which was supposed to revolutionize transportation in the state, has become a symbol of government inefficiency and wasteful spending.
Last week, union workers who rely on federal funding gathered at Union Station in Los Angeles to protest. They were upset by the Department of Transportation’s investigation, which will explore how taxpayer dollars have been spent. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy made it clear that the project’s failure is not the fault of the federal government.
“It’s been 17 years and $16 billion, and still, no rail,” Duffy remarked, as protesters voiced their frustrations. “If you want to protest, go talk to the governor or the Democrats in the legislature who have dragged this project on for so long.” His comments reflect the growing dissatisfaction with the project’s management and its lack of tangible results.
Duffy’s investigation will focus on potential corruption and mismanagement within the project’s structure. As of January, the state was only able to showcase minor developments, specifically in the Bakersfield section. Governor Gavin Newsom hailed this as a significant achievement, claiming the state was making strides toward the “future of transportation.” However, despite these claims, the project’s estimated cost has ballooned to $106 billion, with little progress to show for the federal taxpayers’ investment.
Federal taxpayers have already contributed nearly $3 billion to the project, and President Joe Biden has promised another $4 billion. If the audit uncovers wrongdoing or waste, President Trump could move to recover the funds.
Many Republican lawmakers are pushing back against the project, seeing it as a costly failure. Congressman Kevin Kiley, R-Calif., has long been an outspoken critic, stating, “We’ve been fighting this disastrous project for years, and now, with the audit, we have a chance to put an end to it.” Similarly, Congresswoman Young Kim, R-Calif., expressed hope that the investigation would uncover fraud and waste, particularly among contractors and subcontractors involved in the project.
California’s high-speed rail was meant to be a shining example of progressive infrastructure, but instead, it has become a textbook case of how unchecked government spending can go awry. As the audit moves forward, many are hoping that it will finally bring accountability and stop the misuse of taxpayer dollars.