Becerra’s Oil Hypocrisy Exposed in CA Governor Race
California gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra faces accusations of hypocrisy for accepting substantial oil industry donations while portraying himself as the only candidate capable of challenging Big Oil.
As New York Post reports, Xavier Becerra is portraying himself as the only candidate capable of challenging Big Oil in California’s gubernatorial race — even as he accepts substantial donations from the industry he claims to oppose.
In a Friday social media post, the former congressman and state attorney general attacked hedge-fund billionaire Tom Steyer, writing that “I made my career taking them to court … and winning.” Becerra’s campaign graphic asserted he was the sole candidate with a track record of suing major oil corporations.
The claim drew immediate criticism when observers noted Becerra’s campaign has received consistent financial support from oil companies. According to New York Post’s reporting, Becerra accepted a maximum contribution of $39,200 from Chevron last June. More significantly, on the same Friday he attacked Steyer, Chevron donated $500,000 to a pro-Becerra political committee.
Steyer’s campaign spokesperson Danni Wang seized on the apparent contradiction, stating that “Chevron is charging Californians $6 a gallon with one hand and writing Xavier Becerra a $500,000 check with the other.” Wang highlighted that as Attorney General, Becerra failed to pursue aggressive action against major oil firms.
The Gas Price Crisis
California drivers faced an average fuel cost of approximately $6.14 per gallon over Memorial Day weekend — roughly $1.58 above the national average, according to the American Automobile Association. State taxes and regulatory fees account for approximately 70 cents per gallon alone, representing the nation’s highest gas tax burden.
Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton criticized Becerra’s apparent flip-flopping during a Saturday interview. “Becerra has pulled off the incredible feat of showing Californians that he’s not only a complete hypocrite” while continuing policies that punish working-class residents with elevated fuel costs, Hilton stated.
The contradiction became even starker when Becerra’s recent comments at a League of California Cities forum emerged. Speaking last month, he acknowledged that “Chevron — that’s the problem with politics — they’re not the bad guy,” emphasizing that both he and California residents depend on the energy company’s operations.
Becerra’s ascent in the race began in mid-April following the political collapse of Congressman Eric Swalwell, who faced multiple allegations of sexual assault. His opponent Steyer, who has invested over $190 million of personal wealth into his campaign, requires no corporate energy sector contributions.
With information from New York Post
