SACRAMENTO, CA – In a letter to Senator Lindsey Graham, gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton called on Congress to sanction Gavin Newsom and relevant California agencies for their extreme climate policies that help bankroll Putin’s war machine by indirectly buying Russian oil.

“President Trump will soon sit down with Vladimir Putin to try and end the war on Ukraine. His main leverage will be economic pressure – in particular, pressure on countries like India and Turkey to stop buying Russian oil. Guess where California now gets some of its oil, thanks to Newsom’s ideological ‘war on fossil fuels?’ India and Turkey. Instead of using our own plentiful reserves, Gavin Newsom is shutting down California oil production and replacing it with foreign imports.” Hilton said. “Newsom calls it ‘climate leadership,’ but in fact it’s economic and national security sabotage.”

Just under Newsom, in-state oil production has dropped by more than a third, forcing California to import over 78% of its crude, including Russian-origin oil laundered through countries like India and Turkey. Hilton’s plan would reverse these policies, aiming to double California production every two years and deliver $3 gas for families and small businesses instead of the $5 or more they pay today.

“Newsom’s ideological climate crusade is bankrolling Putin’s bombs and punishing California’s working families,” Hilton added. 

Read the letter HERE. 

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For more information about Steve Hilton’s campaign and vision for California, visit www.stevehiltonforgovernor.com.