How corporate leaders and donors shaped Newsom’s biggest policy pivots

On June 23, Gov. Gavin Newsom had a scheduled call with Mark Lashier, the chief executive of Phillips 66 — months after the oil giant announced it would shut down a major Los Angeles refinery following the governor’s signing of new regulations on oil and gas facilities as he pushed to end California’s reliance on fossil fuels.

Within days, Newsom’s administration pivoted