In our Agri-Pulse West Newsletter this week, we investigated Newsom’s ties to one of the nation’s wealthiest families through a directive he issued to CalEPA.

Heiress Anna Getty was among the signatures on a letter to Newsom last month asking for an executive order to significantly reduce pesticide use in the Ojai Valley. Newsom then directed his agency to focus “strong” enforcement on pesticide regulations during the pandemic. It frustrated ag commissioners but was celebrated by Getty’s activist group as a win.

The Getty family has collectively donated more than $500,000 to Newsom’s election campaigns, dating back to 1998. Anna Getty and her husband waited until Newsom’s gubernatorial campaign in 2018 to become donors. They then contributed more than $25,000.

Read the feature story