Gov. Newsom sends ‘burner’ phones to CEOs for direct communication

• Gov. Gavin Newsom sent prepaid phones to about 100 CEOs of California-based companies, programmed with his personal number and a handwritten note. This move reflects his reputation for direct communication with business leaders and politicians.
• The phones were funded by the business-backed nonprofit California Protocol Foundation, not taxpayers.
• The same nonprofit facilitated Newsom’s official trips to Italy and China.

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Gov. Gavin Newsom is making sure top executives in California can reach him. However, he’s doing it in a way usually reserved for crime dramas.

A recent Politico report revealed that Newsom sent prepaid phones — also known as “burner” phones — to about 100 CEOs of California-based companies. Newsom pre-programmed the phones with his personal number and included a handwritten note.

“If you ever need anything, I’m a phone call away,” one note read.

A direct line to Newsom

A spokesperson told Politico that the idea was entirely Newsom’s. The governor has built a reputation for directly communicating with business leaders and politicians.

His team says the phones have already led to valuable interactions.

Newsom is no stranger to keeping the lines of communication open. In a recent viral encounter with a mother filmed by Sky News, Newsom tried reaching then-President Joe Biden to discuss the Southern California wildfires. 

Who paid for the phones?

Taxpayers did not fund the prepaid phones. Instead, the California Protocol Foundation, a nonprofit backed by businesses and other organizations, covered the cost.

The same nonprofit paid for Newsom’s official trips to Italy and China, according to The Sacramento Bee.

Pop culture moment

Newsom’s use of prepaid phones has drawn comparisons to crime dramas. TV shows like “Breaking Bad” and “Psych” often use burner phones.

With CEOs receiving their own Newsom-issued burners, he’s ensuring California’s business leaders know exactly how to reach him.