Over the last several weeks, California has made headlines for the spate of smash-and-grab robberies reported in several of its largest cities. Surveillance videos shared by businesses and local authorities showed groups of thieves rushing into stores all at once and grabbing thousands of dollars worth of items before fleeing.

The uptick in these kinds of retail thefts came near the start of the holiday shopping season and has driven many local leaders to call for crackdowns on organized crime rings. While industry leaders have said retail theft—including incidents that appear to be perpetrated by organized groups—is an issue across the country, California has become a focus for the smash-and-grab trend due to high-profile incidents reported in the Bay Area and Los Angeles communities.

As this crime wave began gaining traction in late November, Newsom spoke out against the people behind it and vowed to increase the state’s budget for the next fiscal year to address retail theft. He also instructed the California Highway Patrol to boost its presence near major retail hubs through the holiday shopping season and said his administration was working with mayors and law enforcement departments throughout the state to address the rise in thefts.

“The level of organized retail theft we are seeing is simply unacceptable,” Newsom said in a November 22 press release. “As a small business owner myself, I am resolved to holding these criminals accountable and protecting our local businesses.”

As department stores and small businesses alike continued reporting robberies involving large groups of thieves, the Democrat received criticism for traveling out of state to promote his new children’s book, which was released in early December. When asked about the state’s battle with crime during appearances on The View and The Late Late Show With James Corden last week, Newsom told the show hosts the retail thefts were “unacceptable” and reiterated that his office was working with local leaders to combat crime before saying violent crime and property crime rates have increased in several U.S. states. During both appearances, Newsom cited Texas as one example of a state with higher violent and property crime rates than California.

Over the weekend, Newsom aimed a new spotlight at Texas when he suggested California may pursue legislation styled after the Lone Star States’ contested abortion law. On December 11, Newsom said he was “outraged” by the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to allow Texas’ abortion law to remain in effect.

“But if states can now shield their laws from review by the federal courts that compare assault weapons to Swiss Army knives, then California will use that authority to protect people’s lives, where Texas used it to put women in harm’s way,” Newsom’s statement said.

He went on to say he has instructed his team to work with the state legislature and the California attorney general to draft a bill “that would create a right of action allowing private citizens to seek injunctive relief, and statutory damages of at least $10,000 per violation plus costs and attorney’s fees, against anyone who manufactures, distributes, or sells an assault weapon or ghost gun kit or parts in the State of California”—much like the Texas law allows private citizens to sue individuals who help pregnant women seek abortions in Texas.

“If the most efficient way to keep these devastating weapons off our streets is to add the threat of private lawsuits, we should do just that,” Newsom added.

As news of Newsom’s strategy spread, the lawmakers in Texas who drafted their state’s abortion law expressed doubt that he would be successful in implementing such a law in California. The National Rifle Association (NRA) also responded to Newsom’s announcement by calling it “little more than political theater.” Newsom responded by calling the NRA’s statement “a pathetic attempt to remain relevant.”

When reached for comment on Wednesday, Newsom’s office said he “has been very focused on this issue” and pointed toward discussions he has had about the state’s battle with crime during appearances over the last couple of weeks on The Late Late Show With James Corden, The Daily Show With Trevor Noah, The View, Good Morning America and The Issue With Elex Michaelson.

The governor “can walk and chew gum at the same time,” his office said, adding Newsom “is constantly focused on a myriad of issues including crime, climate change, ports, COVID, homelessness” and more.

Update 12/15/21 at 4:44 p.m. ET, with a response from Newsom’s office.