Consumer Watchdog Alert Warns Gov. Newsom Against 11th Hour Plan to Bail Out Utilities for Fires They Cause; Exposes Ads from Utility Front Group Targeting Politicians
SACRAMENTO, Calif., July 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- A new Consumer Alert video from Consumer Watchdog exposes a new ad campaign by the phony "Wildfire Victims First" group as a front for utilities and warns against a reported 11th hour proposal by Governor Newsom to limit utilities' responsibility to compensate victims of the fires they cause.
No one has seen Newsom's proposal but it is rumored to include limits on liability for the three for-profit utility corporations – PG&E, Southern California Edison and SDG&E – for wildfires sparked by their equipment, to limit wildfire survivors' rights to recovery by capping attorney fees and payouts to victims, and to prevent insurance companies from recovering losses when utilities start fires.
A coalition led by the Every Fire Survivor's Network launched an open letter to the Governor this week asking the governor to put any proposal through the normal legislative process, not a last-minute gut-and-amend with no time for public input. Find the letter at DearNewsom.org.
See the Los Angeles Times report.
The Consumer Alert begins: "There's a new ad campaign running across the state targeting Sacramento politicians. But who is 'Wildfire Victims First' really?
"It's paid for by PG&E, Southern California Edison and SDG&E – California's three for-profit utility corporations whose faulty equipment has caused 9 of the state's 20 most damaging fires.
"According to Public Utilities Commission records, 70% of the members of the 'Wildfire Victims First' coalition are funded by the utilities, to the tune of $6.9 million dollars.
"They want to limit what utilities pay to compensate victims of the fires they cause.
"Now we're hearing Governor Newsom is developing plans that could be introduced in the final weeks of the legislative session to shift more of the cost of catastrophic fires away from the utilities and onto fire survivors and all Californians.
"Campaign finance records show that PG&E, So Cal Edison, and Sempra have together given approximately $162,000 to Governor Newsom's campaign committees since he started running for statewide office. That's more any other elected official reviewed.
"Californians don't need another backroom deal that bails out utilities at all of our expense.
"Let the utilities and the governor know that to protect fire survivors, responsible parties should pay for the fires they cause.
"Sign on at DearNewsom.org."
SOURCE Consumer Watchdog
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