In The News
KGO-SF (ABC) – San Francisco, CA: Calls For Lara To Resign
Congressman Garamendi is calling on CA Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara to resign.
Nov 15, 2024Consumer Watchdog
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Articles by Consumer Watchdog
In The News
Politico – Will Lara’s New Plan Work?
By CAMILLE VON KAENEL, POLITICO https://www.politico.com/newsletters/california-climate/2024/11/14/lets-do-the-bi-op-again-00189758?nname=california-climate&nid=00000189-315c-d8dd-a1ed-797dc9f10000&nrid=0000014f-890a-d780-a9ef-9d7a82c30000&nlid=2745178 IT’S HAPPENING: It’s looking like Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara is going to make his self-imposed deadline of Jan. 1 to…
Nov 15, 2024
In The News
The San Francisco Chronicle – ‘He should leave’: Garamendi says Lara fails to take on insurance firms amid crisis
By Jordan Parker, THE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE https://www.sfchronicle.com/california/article/he-leave-lawmaker-says-lara-fails-take-19917697.php?utm_campaign=CMS%20Sharing%20Tools%20(Premium)&utm_source=share-by-email&utm_medium=email U.S. Rep. John Garamendi said in an interview with a Bay Area TV station that state Insurance…
Nov 15, 2024
Energy
Mercury News – California is about to change fuel standards. That means higher gas prices. But how high?
By Rob Nikolewski, MERCURY NEWS In a vote scheduled for Friday, the California Air Resources Board is expected to set stricter carbon…
Nov 4, 2024
Energy
The Daily Kos – Big Oil spent $16.9 million lobbying California officials in second quarter of 2024
By Dan Bacher, THE DAILY KOS https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2024/11/1/2281679/-Big-Oil-spent-16-9-million-lobbying-California-officials-in-second-quarter-of-2024 Despite California’s “green” image, Big Oil continues to spend millions of dollars in lobbying California…
Nov 4, 2024
In The News
PropertyCasualty 360 – Consumer group: State Farm bungled California reinsurance
BY Michael S. Fischer, PROPERTY CASUALTY 360 https://www.propertycasualty360.com/2024/10/31/consumer-group-state-farm-bungled-california-reinsurance/?slreturn=20241031150559 A Los Angeles-based advocacy group alleges that California’s State Farm General unnecessarily bought hundreds of…
Oct 31, 2024
Audio
99.1 KBU – Los Angeles, CA: State Farm General Accused Of Buying Way Too Much Reinsurance Over The Past Few Years
By Staff Reporters, 99.1 KBU – Los Angeles, CA Click below to listen to the audio of this radio broadcast segment.
Oct 30, 2024
In The News
KCBA (FOX) – Monterey, CA: Report: State Farm Hike Proposal
Consumer Watchdog accuses State Farm of now trying to raise the rates by 30%, to offset costs, and then funnel money to…
Oct 29, 2024
Accountability
KTLA-LA (CW) – Los Angeles, CA: What To Know About California Prop 34
The National Organization for Women, LA Times editorial board, and nonpartisan Consumer Watchdog oppose the measure.
Oct 29, 2024
In The News
KTLA-LA (CW) – Los Angeles, CA: State Farm Accused of Funneling Excess Profits
Consumer Watchdog claims State Farm general has grossly overpaid its parent company for reinsurance over the past decade and is trying to…
Oct 29, 2024
Audio
KNX-AM (Radio) – Los Angeles, CA: Consumer Watchdog Says State Farm Is Boosting Profits At The Expense Of State Policy Holders
By Staff Reporters, KNX-AM – Los Angeles, CA Click below to listen to the audio of this radio broadcast segment.
Oct 29, 2024
In The News
The Los Angeles Times – State Farm accused of funneling excess profits to parent as it seeks rate hike
By Laurence Darmiento, LOS ANGELES TIMES https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2024-10-28/state-farm-general-mutual-reinsurance-rate-hike State Farm General, California’s largest home insurer, is being accused of boosting the profits of its…
Oct 28, 2024
Energy
The Los Angeles Times – Another refinery shuts down in California. What happens to gas prices?
By Russ Mitchell, LOS ANGELES TIMES https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2024-10-18/another-refinery-shuts-down-in-california-what-happens-to-gas-prices California’s attempt to manage a smooth transition away from gasoline just got roughed up with this…
Oct 21, 2024
Accountability
Mother Jones – California’s Rent Control Ban Hits Disabled Tenants Hardest
By Julia Métraux, MOTHER JONES California’s statewide rent control law, the Costa-Hawkins Act, has been contentious since it was signed into law in 1995.…
Oct 16, 2024
In The News
The American Prospect – How Hurricanes Are a Profit Center for Insurers
By Robert Kuttner, THE AMERICAN PROSPECT https://prospect.org/economy/2024-10-15-hurricanes-profit-center-insurers To compensate for exaggerated expectations of claims, they jack up rates and hollow out coverage,…
Oct 15, 2024
Accountability
CalMatters – ‘Notoriously slow:’ Lengthy investigations into California politicians leave voters in the dark
BY YUE STELLA YU AND JEREMIA KIMELMAN, CALMATTERS A $1,044 outing at a glitzy Hollywood nightclub. A $1,316 meal at a Los Angeles steak and…
Oct 15, 2024
Energy
KNBC-LA (NBC) – Los Angeles, CA: New CA Law Aims To Protect Gas Price Spikes
The new law requires oil refineries to have to keep a minimum inventory of fuel to avoid shortages, and authorizes the california…
Oct 15, 2024
Energy
KPCC-FM (Radio) – Los Angeles, CA: Governor Gavin Newsom Has Signed A Law Aimed At Keeping Gas Prices In Check
By Staff Reporters, KPCC-FM – Los Angeles, CA Click below to listen to the audio of this radio broadcast segment.
Oct 14, 2024