Consumer Watchdog

Energy

San Francisco Chronicle – Gavin Newsom is reigniting a political firestorm as his tenure draws to a close

By Sophia Bollag, Megan Fan Munce, Kathryn Palmer, Staff Writers, SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/newsom-wildfire-fire-utility-california-22397359.php?sid=53b87bf69dbcd42d26000640&ss=A&st_rid=db2ad497-fbe0-42cb-af84-220063588737&utm_source=marketing&utm_medium=copy-url-link&utm_campaign=article-share&hash=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2ZjaHJvbmljbGUuY29tL3BvbGl0aWNzL2FydGljbGUvbmV3c29tLXdpbGRmaXJlLWZpcmUtdXRpbGl0eS1jYWxpZm9ybmlhLTIyMzk3MzU5LnBocA%3D%3D&time=MTc4NzYwMTY5Mjg5OA%3D%3D&rid=ZGIyYWQ0OTctZmJlMC00MmNiLWFmODQtMjIwMDYzNTg4NzM3&sharecount=MA%3D%3D SACRAMENTO — As his time as governor comes…

Aug 22, 2026

Energy

Bakersfield Californian – As drilling permits surge, applications for other oil well activities plummet

By Jon Cox, BAKERSFIELD CALIFORNIAN https://www.bakersfield.com/news/as-drilling-permits-surge-applications-for-other-oil-well-activities-plummet/article_9effb3e2-0622-4065-a582-fee0c45a8754.html A jump in Kern County drilling permits was a foregone conclusion when a new state law…

Aug 21, 2026

Energy

The Lever – Big Oil Deploys Its Dark Money Army To The Supreme Court

By Freddy Brewster, THE LEVER https://www.levernews.com/deploying-to-scotus-big-oils-dark-money-army/ Right-wing dark money groups and Big Oil are pressuring the Supreme Court to shield the fossil…

Aug 20, 2026

Energy

DeSmog – Big Oil Could Face ‘Catastrophic Outcomes’ Without Republican Supreme Court

By Sarah Hofmann, DESMOG https://www.desmog.com/2026/08/17/big-oil-could-face-catastrophic-outcomes-without-republican-supreme-court/ A key line of defense against the “catastrophic outcomes” of lawsuits that successfully force the oil and…

Aug 17, 2026

Energy

Climate in the Courts – The U.S. Supreme Court Is Set To Hear A Landmark Climate Change Case Against Big Oil

By Dana Drugmand, CLIMATE IN THE COURTS https://www.climateinthecourts.com/the-u-s-supreme-court-is-set-to-hear-a-landmark-climate-change-case-against-big-oil/ When the U.S. Supreme Court returns to session this fall, the very first case…

Aug 17, 2026

Energy

E&E News by Politico – 25 groups urging Supreme Court to kill climate case have ties to oil companies, report says

By Lesley Clark, E&E NEWS https://www.eenews.net/articles/25-groups-urging-supreme-court-to-kill-climate-case-have-ties-to-oil-companies-report-says Two dozen entities that have urged the Supreme Court to bar climate lawsuits have deep links…

Aug 17, 2026

Energy

Daily Journal – Conflicts of interest swirl around Colorado climate case

By Andrew Rice, DAILY JOURNAL https://www.djournal.com/news/national/conflicts-of-interest-swirl-around-colorado-climate-case/article_11f8dd0b-f1f9-5093-884f-0efb8074c1c2.html (The Center Square) – More than two dozen organizations writing briefs for a pivotal U.S. Supreme…

Aug 17, 2026

Accountability

Politico – The political enemies united against Newsom’s wildfire plan

By CAMILLE VON KAENEL, POLITICO https://www.politico.com/newsletters/california-currents/2026/08/17/the-political-enemies-uniting-against-newsoms-wildfire-plan-01039716 THE ENEMY OF MY ENEMY: Jamie Court of the advocacy group Consumer Watchdog and California’s property…

Aug 17, 2026

Energy

Daily News – Gov. Newsom, state lawmakers confer on wildfire liability reforms as legislative session ticks away

By Linh Tat, DAILY NEWS https://www.dailynews.com/2026/08/14/gov-newsom-state-lawmakers-confer-on-wildfire-liability-reforms-as-legislative-session-ticks-away/ With only about two weeks left before the end of the legislative session, Gov. Gavin Newsom…

Aug 14, 2026

Energy

CalMatters: An oil field became California’s first carbon vault. Who’s responsible if something goes wrong?

BY ALEJANDRO LAZO https://calmatters.org/environment/2026/08/california-resources-corporation-carbon-terra-vault A pumpjack stands in an open oil field behind strands of barbed wire, with grassy hills, utility poles…

Aug 10, 2026

Energy

Los Angeles Times – Energy company profits are soaring with the Iran war. Here’s what California officials want to do

By Blanca Begert, LOS ANGELES TIMES https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2026-08-05/oil-company-profits-are-soaring-heres-what-california-officials-want-to-do Sky-high earnings for oil companies and California refiners in the second quarter are renewing calls…

Aug 5, 2026

Energy

The Press Democrat – A utility-backed advocacy group is riling California wildfire victims, fueling fears of last-minute political moves

By  MARISA ENDICOTT (opens in new tab), THE PRESS DEMOCRAT  https://www.pressdemocrat.com/2026/08/04/utility-lobbying-california-wildfires-victims “We need a permanent fix to bring California back from the…

Aug 4, 2026

Accountability

Los Angeles Times – Not married and need car insurance? You can get dinged for that in California

By Laurence Darmiento, LOS ANGELES TIMES https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2026-08-04/not-married-need-car-insurance-you-can-get-dinged-for-that-in-california California has long been known as a progressive state that embraces evolving lifestyles, but when…

Aug 4, 2026

Energy

New York Post – Gavin Newsom’s latest utility bailout — bad policy, bad for democracy

By Joy Chen, NEW YORK POST https://nypost.com/2026/07/31/opinion/gavin-newsoms-latest-utility-bailout-is-bad-for-democracy Gavin Newsom is secretly pursuing (opens in new tab) an 11th-hour push to shield California’s three for-profit utility…

Jul 31, 2026

Energy

CalMatters – LA fire survivors say Newsom is trying to help utilities reduce their wildfire costs again

By Levi Sumagaysay, CALMATTERS https://calmatters.org/economy/2026/07/wildfire-liability-battle If you live in California, chances are you’ve seen the ads that say “Home insurance rates skyrocket”…

Jul 30, 2026

In The News

Los Angeles Daily News – Consumer group launches State Farm complaint form for LA wildfire claims

By Pat Maio, LOS ANGELES DAILY NEWS https://www.dailynews.com/2026/07/28/consumer-group-launches-state-farm-complaint-form-for-l-a-wildfire-claims Consumer Watchdog unveiled a website this week where homeowners affected by last year’s Los…

Jul 29, 2026

Energy

Sacramento Bee – Would the oil refinery penalty have generated $600M for California if implemented?

By Stephen Hobbs, SACRAMENTO BEE https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article316618280.html The recent claim from the advocacy group Consumer Watchdog was eye-popping: A penalty on oil refiners…

Jul 28, 2026

Energy

CalMatters – California cannot keep rewarding utilities after catastrophic wildfires

By Joy Chen, CALMATTERS https://calmatters.org/commentary/2026/07/california-rewarding-utilities-after-wildfires A group calling itself Wildfire Victims First has been mailing Californians this year and running ads, claiming…

Jul 28, 2026