California Gov. Gavin Newsom prioritized politics over policy while hurling repeated insults at opponents of a bill he signed into law Monday in an effort to combat rising gas prices, the leader of an energy trade group said.
Shortly after lawmakers passed a law to rein in gas prices, which gives regulators the authority to require that refineries keep a certain amount of fuel on hand in an effort to keep prices low when refineries go offline for maintenance, Newsom blasted oil companies and the Western States Petroleum Association (WSPA), a trade association, for allegedly spreading “mistruths” and engaging in “manipulation.”
“Particularly WSPA and their talking points and big oil that knowingly continues to lie to the people,” Newsom said while flanked by lawmakers in Sacramento, highlighting the struggles many Californians feel at the pump. “They are the polluted part of this climate crisis. They continue to lie and they continue to manipulate.”