duration 0:47 villaraigosa talks high-speed rail in fresno during a visit to fresno on sept. 20, 2017, former los angeles mayor antonio villaraigosa supports california high-speed rail project. by chrsitopher cadelago fresno  antonio villaraigosa, stopping off wednesday in the central valley to survey construction of the state’s oft-debated high speed rail system, accused lt. gov. gavin newsom of repeatedly equivocating on the project, criticizing his democratic rival for governor of being “for it, before he’s against it, and then he’s for it again.”  the former los angeles mayor suggested newsom, the frontrunner in next year’s contest, was revising his positions “when the winds blow in his direction.”  newsom was an early backer of the rail project, and he campaigned for the $9.95 billion bond measure in 2008. but his opinion soured over route and business plan deviations. newsom told a seattle radio program in 2014 that he would use the money for “other, more pressing infrastructure needs.”  campaigning for governor, he now says he would work to identify more funding, specifically private investment, yet he still worries about the viability of the $64 billion project considered one of the signature infrastructure efforts of gov. jerry brown.  villaraigosa said newsom’s shifting rail statements illustrate a broader approach to campaigning. newsom recall watch with lara korte  keep up with newsom recall news via text, for just $4 a month: get an inside look at the campaign and what newsom is doing to fend off challengers.  “when you look at the way he speaks to different audiences and says different things, again and again, i think you have to look at his support with a grain of salt,” he said midway through a tour of rail construction sites in fresno, accompanied by dan richard, the chairman of the california high-speed rail authority.  newsom’s campaign dismissed the critique, offering that he’s consistently expressed doubts about the project’s ability to attract private dollars, particularly after its route, originally pitched to bond voters as focusing on los angeles to san francisco, was replaced with an initial 32-mile segment under construction between fresno and madera counties.  newsom spokesman dan newman said villaraigosa’s charges are “particularly ludicrous considering the source.”  he ripped villaraigosa for attending a chamber of commerce political function in fresno and pointed to his past support for a non-partisan effort, the campaign to fix the debt, which proposed various changes to entitlements like medicare and social security.  “he used to be a democratic labor organizer, and today he’s literally raising money to support republicans,” newman said. “that’s guinness book of records flip floppery.” capitol alert newsletter  get political and capitol news in your inbox every weekday, plus breaking alerts.
antonio villaraigosa rips gavin newsom over high-speed rail