Latest News Releases

20+ Groups Decry CA Oil Refiners’ Average $1 Per Gallon Profit Margin In 2023, Call On CEC To Implement Price Gouging Penalty By Summer...

Sacramento, CA --  More than twenty public interest groups pointed to new state data showing that California oil refiners averaged more than $1 per gallon in gross profits during 2023 and called on the California Energy Commission to adopt...

As Drafted, Insurance Commissioner’s Proposed Rules for Insurance Catastrophe Models Preserve Secrecy of Black Box Models

Los Angeles, CA - Consumer Watchdog issued the following statement about the proposed catastrophe modeling rules released by Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara today. “Black box catastrophe models are notoriously contradictory and unreliable, which is why public review and transparency...

Consumer Alert: The Medical Board of California Will Now Accept Patient Impact Statements from Families When Their Complaints are Investigated

Los Angeles, CA – As the Medical Board of California meets in Los Angeles today, Consumer Watchdog released a Consumer Alert video notifying the public of new consumer rights in the doctor disciplinary process. The board will for...

Responding to Clearview AI’s Comments Concerning Consumer Watchdog’s Report on Clearview AI’s Abuses of Our Privacy Rights

In the wake of the publishing of Consumer Watchdog’s report on Clearview AI, both the company’s CEO, Hoan Ton-That, and General Counsel, Jack Mulcaire, objected to the report. In this blog, we respond to Mr. Ton-That’s and Mr. Mulcaire’s statements,...

New Consumer Alert Exposes Deceptive Oil Industry Attack On Governor Newsom

Los Angeles, CA – Consumer Watchdog released a new Consumer Alert video exposing another deceptive oil industry tv ad attacking on Governor Newsom’s energy policies called “Make Matters Worse.” Watch the alert.  “This phony ad claims to be from a group called Californians for Energy...

Consumer Watchdog and the Los Angeles Times Petition Federal Court to Release FBI Warrants Related to LA City Attorney and LA DWP Corruption 

 Los Angeles, CA -- Yesterday afternoon the non-profit Consumer Watchdog and the Los Angeles Times petitioned a federal court in Los Angeles to release 33 FBI warrants and related documents that detail the United States Attorney’s Office’s investigation into unethical...

Friedman Introduces Bill to Hold Oil Drillers Financially Liable for Harm Caused by Their Drilling 

Sacramento, CA – While it has long been known that oil drilling can cause cancer, respiratory illnesses and birth defects, holding oil drillers liable for the illnesses caused by their drilling in safety zones (established as 3,200 feet within...

Consumer Alert Video Exposes Phony, Chevron-Funded TV Ad That Falsely Claims CA Oil Drilling Is Needed To Lower Gas Prices, Targets Chevron’s 3 Barrel...

Los Angeles, CA - Consumer Watchdog published a new Consumer Alert video today taking on a deceptive television ad by a group called Californians For Energy Independence, which records show is funded with more than $3 million from Chevron.  The ad falsely...

CRC Play To Buy Aera Is Way To Avoid Plugging Idle Wells, Extending Life Of Depleted Oil Fields Via Unproven Technology, Say Consumer Watchdog...

Los Angeles, CA—Oil giant California Resources Corp’s purchase of Aera Energy for just half the price it fetched two years ago is a ploy for Aera to avoid plugging very low producing wells, and for California Resources to...

Chevron Self-Inflicts Wound In CA; Failed to Plug Low Producing Wells That Yield Only 3 Barrels Of Oil Per Day, Should Blame Itself Not...

Los Angeles, CA -- Consumer Watchdog said that Chevron has itself to blame for its $1.8 billion in "higher US upstream impairment charges mainly in California" discussed in its earnings release today, saying its own low producing wells...

Study: Public Scrutiny Has Saved Californians Over $5.5 Billion on Home, Auto Insurance Since 2002, Including $885 Million at Year-End

Seeking Billions in Premium Increases, Insurance Industry Targets Law that Gives Consumers a Say in Insurance Pricing Los Angeles, CA – Consumer Watchdog, a non-profit citizen organization, has saved state consumers $5.5 billion over the last 21 years using a...

Energy Commission Delays Price Gouging Penalty Recommendation; Consumer Watchdog Calls for Governor Newsom To Force Penalty ASAP

 Sacramento, CA -- Consumer Watchdog today condemned the delay in the implementation of a price gouging penalty as articulated by the California Energy Commission (CEC) at a briefing this morning. The CEC had originally said the penalty recommendation would...

Oil Drilling Permit Approvals Cratered In 2023; Plummeting Production Calls for Plugging Idle Wells, Chevron Wells Produce Only 3 Barrels of Oil Per Day 

Los Angeles, CA—California oil regulators issued 95% fewer permits to drill new wells and 25% fewer to fix or redrill existing wells during 2023 in a cratering of permit approvals over 2022, Consumer Watchdog and FracTracker Alliance said today.  While Chevron...

The Osteopathic Medical Board of California Adopts New Patients’ Rights Initiative to Include Patient Voice in Enforcement Process

 Sacramento, CA – The Osteopathic Medical Board of California (OMBC) announced at their January Quarterly Board meeting that for the first time they will consider patient testimony before disciplining a doctor. The Board will begin accepting patient impact statements from...

Watchdog Wants Legislative Investigation Into CA Department of Finance $300 Million Understatement of Bottle Deposit Funds As Means to Stop Spending on Reforms

Sacramento, CA— Consumer Watchdog called upon the Senate and Assembly budget chairs to investigate the Department of Finance’s understatement of available funds in CalRecycle’s budget as way to free money up to borrow and to stop legislatively authorized...

Consumer Watchdog Report Shows How Wall Street AI Could Cause a Financial Crisis And How it Can Be Stopped

Wall Street banks are seeking patents and trademarks for a range of uses, with JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley seeking AI patents and trademarks for investment, analyzing securities, and predicting stock prices and portfolios.

Consumer Watchdog Saves Policyholders $884.8 Million on Year-End Insurance Rate Increases 

Allstate, State Farm Also Agree to End Restrictions on Sales of New Auto Policies Los Angeles, CA – Challenges by Consumer Watchdog to double-digit auto and homeowners insurance rate hikes requested by State Farm, Allstate, Pacific Specialty, and GEICO that...

One of the Largest HIV Privacy Breach Payments Arriving in Mailboxes This Week

Los Angeles, CA – Checks for $1,821.58 were mailed late last week to hundreds of Californians whose confidential medical information—including their HIV status—was allegedly accessed and shared without their consent. The payment is part of the settlement of a class-action lawsuit brought on...

Oil Drillers Mislead With Advertising Claims That Decreased CA Crude Oil Production Policies Lead To High Gas Prices

Los Angeles, CA -- In a barrage of deceptive Facebook and television advertisements, oil drillers, masquerading as “Californians for Energy Independence,” are falsely claiming limiting oil drilling in California will raise prices at the pump.   Californians for Energy Independence (CEI) has...

Top Five Questions Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara Must Answer About his Wildfire Insurance Plan 

Pasadena, CA – Consumer Watchdog today called on members of the Assembly Insurance Committee to make Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara answer five tough questions about the wildfire insurance deal he cut with the insurance industry, and whether it will...

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