Experts Slam Newsom’s Chevron Boycott as Reckless
California Governor Gavin Newsom's call to boycott Chevron stations drew criticism from experts who blame his own policies for the state's high fuel prices driven by heavy taxes and regulations.
Newsom urged California drivers to avoid Chevron stations this week, claiming the move would save money amid elevated gasoline costs, according to Breitbart News. In his public statement, the governor suggested that unbranded gas from the same refineries meets identical state standards, while accusing “Big Oil” of profiteering during the U.S. conflict with Iran.
Yet critics argue Newsom is deflecting blame from Sacramento’s decades-long regulatory assault on energy production. While gas prices nationwide have risen amid Iranian tensions, California faces uniquely punishing price points—driven largely by state-level policy choices.
California’s regulatory burden on energy
The state imposes a 61.2 cents per gallon excise tax on gasoline, roughly double the national average for state gas taxes. On top of that, the California Energy Commission estimates that environmental compliance costs add as much as 54 cents per gallon as of March 2025, stemming from the state’s Cap-and-Trade Program and Low Carbon Fuel Standard.
But the regulatory pressure goes beyond taxation. Refineries have been fleeing the state in droves. California is set to lose 17 percent of its oil refinery capacity over the next 12 months, as Breitbart News has extensively documented. The exodus has left the state increasingly dependent on imported fuel, driving prices even higher.
In March, Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) told Breitbart News that the energy producer exodus from California demonstrates why Newsom would be unfit for the presidency.
Experts slam Newsom’s blame-shifting
Stephen Moore, chairman of The Committee to Unleash Prosperity, noted that California refuses to tap its own abundant energy resources. California is one of the most energy-rich places in the country, and they refuse to do ‘Drill, Baby, Drill,’ Moore said.
Steve Forbes, chairman of Forbes Media, offered a blunt civics lesson for Sacramento: Chevron employs thousands, fuels California’s economy, and supplies fuel to residents. Over-regulation, he argued, delivers only higher prices and less freedom. Californians don’t need more Newsom, Forbes wrote—they need more Chevron.
Ken Blackwell, former Ohio Secretary of State and Treasurer, said California’s steep gas prices are the direct result of decades of anti-energy regulations that prioritize green ideology over consumers. He called on Newsom to take responsibility for his policies rather than scapegoating the companies keeping the state running.
Steve Milloy, former Trump EPA Transition team adviser, posed a pointed question: let Newsom stop governing California for the weekend, and let Chevron shut down—then see who Californians miss more.
Jason Isaac, CEO of the American Energy Institute, said Sacramento’s green policies are responsible for making gas prices unbelievably expensive. California politicians, he argued, are choosing foreign oil over local jobs and lower costs for residents.
With information from Breitbart News
