Gov. Gavin Newsom's office sending cellphones to CEOs to reach California governor 'directly'

Lia Russell, The Sacramento Bee on Mar 18, 2025

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SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration has been sending cellphones to business executives in an effort to maintain relationships with some of California’s most powerful business leaders, according to his office.

His office confirmed Monday night that the governor has been sending phones “on a rolling basis” since November to executives who lead some of the “largest (top-100) California-based companies” with Newsom’s direct phone number programmed into them.

“This was the governor’s idea to connect more directly with business leaders in the state,” spokesperson Izzy Gardon said in an email after KCRA first reported the existence of the phones. “The feedback has been positive, and it’s led to valuable interactions.”

Gardon did not immediately respond to follow-up questions about which company executives received phones, how many phones have been sent out or what Newsom and those executives have discussed.

Newsom has previously leveraged his business world connections — mostly recently tapping his friend, sports mogul Casey Wasserman — to shore up private donations to fund wildfire recovery efforts in Los Angeles County.

The California State Protocol Foundation is paying for the phones, Newsom’s office said. The nonprofit was founded in 2002 to offset costs for ceremonial activities and trips like the governor’s previous excursions to Italy, El Salvador and China.

Steve Kawa, the foundation’s principal officer, could not be immediately reached for a request for comment. Kawa was Newsom’s chief of staff when he was mayor of San Francisco from 2004 to 2011.

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