KNX 1070 AM Los Angeles, CA: Consumer Advocates Support New Proposed Bill To Rein In Oil Refiner Profiteering
By Margaret Carrero, KNX 1070 AM, Los Angeles, CA
March 11, 2022
Click here to listen to the audio of this radio broadcast segment.
CA State Senator Ben Allen and Consumer Watchdog unveiled new transparency legislation that would open the books on the big oil refiners who are profiteering at the gas pump right now.
KGO 810 AM San Francisco, CA: Price Gouging At The Pump in CA?
By Nikki Medoro, KGO 810 AM San Francisco, CA
March 11, 2020
Click here to listen to the audio of this radio broadcast segment.
Jamie Court with Consumer Watchdog talks about new legislation introduced to help reign in oil refiners' profiteering.
KNX 1070 AM Los Angeles, CA: Oil Refiners Are Laughing All The Way To The Bank
By Staff Reporters, KNX 1070 AM Los Angeles, CA
March 11, 2022
Click here to listen to the audio of this radio broadcast segment.
Jamie Court with Consumer Watchdog tells how CA State Senator Ben Allen is introducing a bill to reign in oil refiners who are artificially jacking up gas prices in CA and laughing all the way to the bank.
Bill Looks To 'Open Books' Of Oil Refineries
By Eliyahu Kamisher, BAY AREA NEWS GROUP
March 11, 2022
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2022/03/11/bill-looks-to-open-books-of-oil…
While Californians watch their average gas prices surge to over $5.70 a gallon, consumer advocates are demanding new disclosures to reveal how much oil refiners are profiting off your latest fill up at the pump.
Bill Seeks Profit Transparency From California Oil Refiners
By Kevin Smith, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
March 11, 2022
https://www.ocregister.com/2022/03/11/bill-seeks-profit-transparancy-fr…
Russia’s invasion into Ukraine has pushed California’s already high gas prices to record levels, but a local lawmaker wants to know why Golden State prices are routinely so much higher than the rest of the nation.
KCRW 89.9 FM Santa Monica, CA: What Can Be Done About High Gas Prices in CA?
By Madeline Brand, PRESS PLAY - KCRW 89.9FM Santa Monica, CA
March 9, 2022
Click here to listen to the audio of this radio broadcast segment.
Consumer Watchdog's Jamie Court explains why California's gas prices are so much higher than the rest of the nation and what should be done about it.
Newsom Proposes Gas Rebate As Prices Exceed $5/Gallon. Why So High?
By Amy Ta, produced by Brian Hardzinsk, KCRW 89.9FM - Press Play
March 9, 2022
https://www.kcrw.com/news/shows/press-play-with-madeleine-brand/oil-ukr…
A gallon of gas in California today averages $5.57, according to AAA, and that’s the highest in the nation. Governor Gavin Newsom on Tuesday proposed a rebate aiming to ease fuel costs, though details are scant.
Environmental Groups Are United In California Rooftop Solar Fight, with One Notable Exception
NRDC’s stance on rooftop solar shows differences in strategy and worldview.
By Dan Gearino and Anne Marshall-Chalmers, INSIDE CLIMATE NEWS
March 7, 2022
https://insideclimatenews.org/news/07032022/california-rooftop-solar-nr…
Secret Bounties Can Net Consultants Millions to Influence California Officials
By Sophia Bollag, SACRAMENTO BEE
March 1, 2022
https://www.sacbee.com/article258526768.html
Fabian Núñez and Rusty Areias had a job to do.
The former lawmakers who left public service for private consulting were hired by a workers compensation company to convince the Department of Insurance to allow an acquisition deal to proceed. If they succeeded, they say they were promised a $2 million bounty fee.
Marin Candidate For Insurance Commissioner Duels With Incumbent
By Richard Halstead, MARIN INDEPENDENT JOURNAL
February 28, 2022
https://www.marinij.com/2022/02/26/marin-candidate-for-insurance-commis…
It appears the gloves are off in Assemblyman Marc Levine’s bid to unseat state Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara in the June 7 primary.
Demi Dominguez’s Mother Calls for California Medical Board Reform
By Jose Franco, KGET NBC-TV, Bakersfield, CA
February 24, 2022
https://www.kget.com/news/local-news/demi-dominguezs-mother-calls-for-c…
LOS ANGELES — Bakersfield’s Tracy Dominguez is calling for reform of the Medical Board of California.
Domnguez lost her daughter, Demi Dominguez and premature grandson Malakhi in 2019, due to Demi’s undiagnosed pre-eclampsia.
KNX 1070 AM Los Angeles, CA: Victims of Medical Malpractice Need More Rights In California, Say Advocates
By Craig Fiegner, KNX 1070 AM Los Angeles, CA
February 24, 2022
Click here to listen to the audio of this radio broadcast segment.
Carmen Balber with Consumer Watchdog says victims of medical malpractice need an independent Medical Board in California, not controlled by doctors as it currently stands.
California Insurance Commissioner Candidate Introduces Bills Addressing Alleged Ethical Lapse at Regulatory Office
By Timothy Darragh, BESTWIRE
February 24, 2022
https://news.ambest.com/newscontent.aspx?altsrc=108&refnum=239981
A California lawmaker running for insurance commissioner has proposed a pair of bills to address what he said is a lack of transparency and ethics in the office.
KNX 1070 AM Los Angeles, CA: Consumer Advocate Says Big Oil Fleecing Californians At The Pump Again
By Charles Feldman & Mike Simpson, KNX 1070AM LA
February 17, 2022
Click here to listen to the audio of this radio broadcast segment.
Consumer Watchdog's Jamie Court explains how Big Oil is fleecing California consumers at the pump again by artificially raising prices.
State Senator Lena Gonzalez Introduces Fossil Fuel Divestment Bill in CA Legislature
By Dan Bacher, DAILYKOS
February 17, 2022
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2022/2/17/2080895/-State-Senator-Lena-…
On February 17, Sen. Lena Gonzalez (D-Long Beach) introduced a bill in the California Legislature that would mandate that California’s public pension funds stop investing in fossil fuel companies.
Column: Businesses Have Been Ripping Off Consumers For 50 Years. Here’s How We Can Strike Back
Column by Michael Hiltzik, LOS ANGELES TIMES
February 17, 2022
https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2022-02-17/businesses-have-been-…
Raise your hand if something like this has happened to you:
— You booked a hotel room, and discovered when you checked in — or checked out — that the hotel added an undisclosed daily “resort fee” to your bill, for services you never would or did use.
State Farm Doesn’t Have To Refund $100 Million To Homeowners, State Supreme Court Rules
By Bob Egelko, SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE
February 9, 2022
https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/State-Farm-doesn-t-have-to-…
State Farm Insurance will not have to refund $100 million to homeowners after the state Supreme Court denied appeals Wednesday by California's insurance commissioner and a consumer organization, which both contended the customers had been overcharged.
State Senator Dave Min Introduces Bill To Ban Offshore Drilling In California Waters
By Dan Bacher, DAILY KOS
February 9, 2022
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2022/2/9/2079471/-State-Senator-Dave-M…
SACRAMENTO, CA — In a major challenge to the powerful oil industry in California, Senator Dave Min (D-Irvine) today introduced a bill to ban offshore drilling in state ocean waters, including oil production under current lease agreements.
Allstate Price Optimization Hearing in California Scheduled for May
By Timothy Darragh, BESTWIRE
February 8, 2022
https://news.ambest.com/newscontent.aspx?altsrc=108&refnum=239697
Sacramento, CA -- A California administrative law judge has set a date of May 10 for an evidentiary hearing and possible motion for sanctions in a long-running case involving Allstate Insurance Co. and Allstate Indemnity Co. and allegations of price optimizing costing drivers an extra $1 billion.
“What If I Can’t Insure My Home At All?”
By Sam Mellins, THE DAILY POSTER
February 7, 2022
https://www.dailyposter.com/what-if-i-cant-insure-my-home-at-all/
Major insurance companies are choosing to protect the fossil fuel industry while abandoning homeowners whose safety and livelihoods are being threatened by the industry’s carbon emissions.
Allstate Financial Results Take A Hit
By Lyle Adriano, INSURANCE BUSINESS MAGAZINE
February 3, 2022
https://www.insurancebusinessmag.com/us/news/breaking-news/allstate-fin…
Allstate Insurance’s results for Q4 2021 marked the second straight quarter that the insurer missed estimates – as record inflation drives up the costs of both insuring and repairing vehicles.
Patients Could Get a Voice in Disciplinary Hearings for Doctors
By Melody Gutierrez, Brittny Mejia and Jack Dolan, LOS ANGELES TIMES
February 3, 2022
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-02-03/california-lawmaker…
SACRAMENTO — Tracy Dominguez has often thought about standing in the lobby of the Medical Board of California and shouting. Maybe then she would be heard, she said.
Western States Petroleum Association Spent $17.5 Million Lobbying CA Officials Past 3 Years
By Dan Bacher, DAILY KOS
February 2, 2022
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2022/2/2/2078099/-Western-States-Petro…
The Western States Petroleum Association (WSPA), the largest and most powerful corporate lobbying group in Sacramento, has spent over $17.5 million lobbying the California Legislature and other state officials over the past three years.
Florida and California Consider Changes That Could 'Decimate The Rooftop Solar Market,' Experts Say
By Ben Adler, YAHOO NEWS
February 2, 2022
https://www.yahoo.com/news/florida-and-california-consider-changes-that…
California and Florida are considering revoking a policy that has encouraged homeowners to install rooftop solar panels — causing fear among solar panel owners and installers, and creating divisions in the environmental community.
Newly Public Documents Allege Allstate Overcharged Loyal California Customers $1 Billion
By Aaron Sankin, THE MARKUP
February 1, 2022
https://themarkup.org/allstates-algorithm/2022/02/01/newly-public-docum…
A pair of newly public documents filed with a California administrative law judge show experts accusing the company of systematically overcharging customers it believed to be the most loyal around $1 billion over the past decade.
Column: There’s A Battle Brewing Over Changes To California Solar Incentives. Newsom Is In The Middle
Column by George Skelton, LOS ANGELES TIMES
January 31, 2022
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-01-31/skelton-rooftop-sol…
SACRAMENTO — Rooftop solar is generating intense heat on Gov. Gavin Newsom. And he’s quietly trying to cool it down.
He’s doing that by pressuring warring interest groups and the California Public Utilities Commission.
Column: Two Statewide Races To Watch This Year
Column by Dan Walters, CALMATTERS
January 30, 2022
https://calmatters.org/commentary/2022/01/two-statewide-races-to-watch-…
We can pretty much assume that Gavin Newsom will be re-elected this year to a second term as California’s governor.
Newsom’s Big Choice: Single Payer Or His Insurance Donors?
California’s governor is caught between his campaign pledge and the health care companies that bankroll him.
By Walker Bragman , THE DAILY POSTER
January 28, 2022
https://www.dailyposter.com/newsoms-big-choice-single-payer-or-his-insu…
New Analysis Reveals Fossil Fuel Industry's Job Claims Are 'Wildly Inaccurate' In California, U.S.
By Dan Bacher, ELK GROVE NEWS
January 27, 2022
http://www.elkgrovenews.net/2022/01/new-analysis-reveals-fossil-fuel.html
The Western States Petroleum Association (WSPA), the most powerful corporate lobbying group in Sacramento, claims that there are 368,000 jobs in the oil industry in California.
Editorial: California Must Do More To Get Bad Doctors Out Of The Profession
By THE LOS ANGELES TIMES EDITORIAL BOARD
January 25, 2022
https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2022-01-25/editorial-california-m…
California’s system for getting bad doctors out of the profession is obviously not working.
Column: This ‘Cost Recovery Fee’ Seems More Like Double Dipping
By Staff Writers, ATLANTA BUSINESS JOURNAL
January 20, 2022
https://www.atlantabusinessjournal.com/column-this-cost-recovery-fee-se…
If there’s a single business you should be able to trust implicitly to watch over you and protect you, it’s home security.
After all, these are companies you pay each month to keep you safe from unwanted intrusions.
Consumer Group Alleges California DOI Hid Open Records Evidence
By Timothy Darragh, BESTWIRE
January 19, 2022
https://news.ambest.com/newscontent.aspx?altsrc=108&refnum=239255
A consumer group is charging new evidence shows the California Department of Insurance has improperly withheld communications with representatives of a company linked to a 2019 fundraising scandal.
Investigators Warn Of Potentially Unlicensed Testing Companies
By Staff Reporters, KMVU FOX TV-26, Medford, OR
January 12, 2022
https://www.fox26medford.com/investigators-warn-of-potentially-unlicens…
SAN FRANCISCO, CA – At first glance, a pop-up COVID testing site nestled outside the 16th Street BART station in San Francisco’s Mission District looks like a convenient way to score a free COVID test.
Critics Say Newsom's Proposed 2022-23 Budget 'Falls Short' on Confronting Fossil Fuels
By Dan Bacher, DAILY KOS
January 11, 2022
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2022/1/11/2073926/-Critics-Say-Newsom-…
SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom on January 10 unveiled his 2022-23 state budget proposal including a $45.7 billion budget surplus, receiving both criticism and praise from environmental and climate advocates.
Big Oil's California Connection
State insurance commissioner Ricardo Lara has taken campaign money and gifts from fossil fuel interests and “done almost nothing” to address climate change.
By Sam Mellins, THE DAILY POSTER
January 12, 2022
https://www.dailyposter.com/why-is-california-backtracking-on-climate-r…
It’s Time To Make CA’s Fraudulent Recycling Run Properly: Consumer Watchdog
Host - Steve Chiotakis, Guest - Liza Tucker, Consumer Watchdog - Greater LA, KCRW 89.9FM
January 10, 2022
Click here to listen to the audio of this radio broadcast segment: https://www.kcrw.com/news/shows/greater-la/covid-recycle/recycling-fraud
