California Secession Supporters Find More Interest After Election

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Calls for a California exit from the United Stares started Tuesday night, even before President-elect Donald Trump declared victory.

It's not the first time a state has reacted this way. Texas made threats in 2012 when President Obama won re-election.

"Calexit" supporters held a rally at the Capital Wednesday, calling for the state to secede. According to one attorney, that's unconstitutional -- but it's not stopping these so-called "Calexit" supporters.

Trump's values go against all of California's values."

Theo Slater represents the California National Party, a political organization that launched in 2014. He says California is a progressive and diverse state, and he says having Trump as President threatens those beliefs.

"Our short-term and medium-term goals are creating a better government for California," Slater said.

The National Party's long-term goal is to get California a divorce from the United States. Slater says the "Calexit" movement has exploded around the state since Donald Trump was elected President on Tuesday.

"There has been a massive wave of interest, and it has really taken us by surprise," Slater added.

But can California actually secede from the Union?

"No, there's no provision in the U.S. Constitution that allows for secession."

David Mastagni, a constitutional attorney in Sacramento says the only way California can secede is if two-thirds of the Senate, two-thirds of the House of Representatives and three-quarters of the State vote to approve a secession.

Mastagni says the other option is to have 38 out 50 states ratify an amendment, allowing for California to secede.

"Anything a state does during a period of secession is a nullity, it means nothing unless a secession is successful," Mastagni said.

Mastagni also says if Californians continue pushing for a secession knowing it's unconstitutional, "the federal government would come in like they did in reconstruction era and reestablish California as a state."

As protests erupted around California and the country in the wake of Trump's presidential win, some are now calling for unity in a nation that has become divided.

"We are divided enough as it is why divide us even more?" one Sacramento man reacted.

Slater says his party has been getting thousands of phone calls and inquiries from Californians wanting to join the "Calexit" movement.

He says more rallies are to be expected in the near future.