Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom went out of his way Tuesday to defend Prince Harry and Meghan’s Archewell Foundation amid a scandal over late payment of a $200 filing fee, something officials say it’s solved.
Newsom, considered by many to be a shining light in liberal American politics, spoke at an event in the crime-ridden Bay Area to promote a $3.3 billion investment in mental health treatment.
But the governor took the unusual step of going off script to defend the couple after the recent row over the Archewell Foundation which called the charity’s work “extraordinary”.
“I just want people to know that not only are they complying, but this is a technical paperwork issue that was greatly overrated,” he said.
MailOnline previously reported that the foundation fell into default in the state of California, where it was registered in 2021, for failing to pay a filing fee. It was later alleged that the check was lost in the mail.
However, new records show that the payment was delivered on time but was not processed. The reason for this is not clear.
California Governor Gavin Newsom took time out of his event to promote a massive new investment in mental health treatment to champion the Archewell Foundation.
“I just want people to know that not only are they complying, but it was a technical paperwork issue that was greatly overrated,” he said.
Prince Harry and Meghan photographed during their recent visit to Nigeria to promote the Invictus Games
As of Tuesday, the foundation is in “good standing” with the state of California, the attorney general’s office said Tuesday.
“We have diligently investigated the situation and can confirm that the Archewell Foundation remains in full compliance and in good standing,” read a statement from the charity.
‘Payments due were made promptly and in accordance with IRS processes and procedures. Furthermore, the Foundation had submitted all the necessary documentation without errors or irregularities.’
The governor was supposed to be promoting his new initiative to address the mental health crisis in California.
Those comments were followed by an attack on the media that covered the scandal. “With all due respect, I hope the people who posted those headlines post this headline.”
Many California residents were outraged that Newsom took the time to defend the Beverly Hills charity.
‘It is disappointing that as governor I am wasting my time being a spokesperson for them and highlighting that they have done a great job. What great job is that? On the other hand, he didn’t use the title of it,” wrote one X user.
“Someone offered a donation,” another person joked. “He pushes his own administration under the bus when he could have just said ‘no comment,'” another person noted.
‘Look how Democrats protect the “elites,” another mused, adding that Harry and Meghan ‘were clearly upset enough to go to the governor and ask him to defend them.’
‘I hope the people of California criticize him for favoring two former royals who do nothing. Do all their citizens get press conferences like these two?’ another X user asked.
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“She also talked about Archewell as a “celebrated” organization, which it is not, and the excellent work it does around women, girls and especially mental health, for which there is little evidence,” the comments continued.
“Their attempts to embarrass the media are also quite pathetic, as the damage has already been done and no one cares at this point about the resolution.”
Even Newsom fans were unimpressed. “I like Newsom and I have no idea why he’s going to hit for the Harkles,” one person said.
A notice of delinquency letter was sent to the Archewell Foundation on May 3 saying the charity is “characterized as delinquent” for “failure to submit required annual reports and/or renewal fees.”
The foundation is separate from the couple’s Archewell media and business divisions.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry (pictured on a conference call from their home in October 2020) are said to have had a secret “introductory meeting” with Gavin Newsom.
The Sussexes participated in an hour-long virtual meeting with the Democratic governor on October 19, 2020, according to a memo obtained by The Sun (above)
The former royal couple recently returned from a visit to Nigeria that the Duchess of Sussex described as “humiliating.”
‘I would never in a million years understand it as much as I do now. And the thing that’s been repeated so much in recent days is, “Oh, we’re not so surprised to learn that you’re Nigerian,” she said at the women in leadership event.
“It is a compliment to you because what they define as a Nigerian woman is brave, resilient, courageous and beautiful.”
When the couple stepped away from royal duties in 2020 and moved to the Golden State, they enjoyed a secret “introductory meeting” with the governor.
The one-hour virtual meeting with the Democratic governor on October 19, according to a memo obtained by Sun.
It’s unclear what was discussed in the meeting with Newsom’s office, and the outlet was told he does not comment on “the content of meetings between the Governor and private parties or his staff.”
At the time, the presidential election was just two weeks away and Newsom was facing growing calls to nominate a woman of color to replace then-California Sen. Kamala Harris if she was elected vice president.
Meghan and Harry stepped down as senior royals as of March 2020, but part of their agreement with Buckingham Palace was that “everything they do will uphold Her Majesty’s values.”
Hit by mounting pressure, Newsom announced Tuesday that his administration will make $3.3 billion available ahead of schedule for counties and private developers to begin building more behavioral health treatment centers as part of their efforts to fund health programs. housing and drug use.
It is the first fund in a ballot measure designed to help cities, counties, tribes and developers build or renovate treatment centers and clinics, among other things.
Voters narrowly approved it in March after Newsom threw his full political weight behind it, touting it as the linchpin of the state’s efforts to reduce homelessness.
Authorizes the state to borrow nearly $6.4 billion to build 4,350 housing units and requires counties to spend two-thirds of a millionaire’s tax money on housing and programs for homeless people with serious mental illness or child abuse issues. substances.
Applications to receive the money will open in July.