GAVIN NEWSOM GOVERNOR OF CALIFORNIA Life in Brief Quick Summary Born: October 10, 1967 Progressive politician who has established a reputation of advocating for marginalized Hometown: San Francisco, CA groups such as racial minorities and the LGBT community through unorthodox means. Current Residence: Greenbrae, CA Effectively leveraged family connections to jumpstart career Religion: Catholic • Embraces forging his own path on progressive issues; publicly goes against the status quo Education: • Fights for what he believes is right through • BS, Political Science, Santa Clara University, unconventional means; as Mayor of San 1989 Francisco, broke the state law to support same- sex marriage, putting his reputation at risk with Family: the broader Democratic Party • Wife, Jennifer Siebel, documentary filmmaker • Shifted from the private sector to politics after and actress working for Willie Brown • Divorced, Kimberly Guilfoyle, political analyst • Working for Jerry Brown allowed him to learn and former Fox News commentator tools of the trade and become his successor • Four children • Well connected to CA political and philanthropic elites; Speaker Nancy Pelosi is his aunt and Work History: political mentor, and he is friends with Sen. • Governor of California, 2019-present Kamala Harris and the Getty family • Lt. Governor of California, 2011-2019 • Advocates for constituents to engage with their • Mayor of San Francisco, 2004-2011 government, using technology to participate • Member of the San Francisco Board of nd Supervisors from the 2 District, 1997-2004 Approach and Motivations • Founder, PlumpJack Associates, a boutique winery company, 1991-2004 His working-class background instilled the value of public service. Sees political issues through a Past and Present Board and Advisory Roles feminist lens • Ex officio member of the University of California • His mother’s fostering of underprivileged Board of Regents children and his father’s tendency to give his wealth to others in need inspired his values of Electoral Overview public service and generosity • Won his 2018 gubernatorial campaign with • Credits his Jesuit education for growing into an 61.9% of the vote independent thinker who questions orthodoxy • Won his 2010 and 2014 bids for Lt. Governor • Identifies as a feminist; discusses role of with 58.9% and 57.2% of the vote, respectively gender in political issues, such as toxic • Won the 2003 and 2007 mayoral elections with masculinity’s role in shootings 53% and 72% of the vote, respectively • Was bullied during his childhood for his dyslexia, likely prompting his empathy for others who are marginalized PEOPLE RESEARCH SERVICE 1 GAVIN NEWSOM GOVERNOR OF CALIFORNIA Policy Positions and Areas of Focus Core Communities Newsom focuses on policies aimed to address Newsom’s core communities include prominent poverty, criminal justice reform, LGBT equality, Democratic Party figures, as well as his family’s and environmental protection relationship with the Getty family Diversity and Inclusion: Early supporter of LGBT Democratic Party Politicos: Has forged close equality; supports criminal justice reform to relationships with senior Democratic figures address race-based inequities • Speaker Nancy Pelosi is Newsom’s aunt by • Directed the city clerk to issue marriage marriage and has been a political mentor; her licenses to same-sex couples, despite the state son Laurence was Treasurer for Newsom’s prohibition, while mayor of San Francisco mayoral campaign • Vocal opponent of capital punishment, believing • Met Sen. Kamala Harris years ago through it to be a race-based system of discrimination; working for former San Francisco Mayor Willie issued a 2019 moratorium on capital Brown; the two have stayed friends, and punishment for the remainder of his tenure Newsom endorsed her 2020 presidential • Offered clemency in 2019 to several immigrants campaign with criminal records facing deportation • Has been endorsed by Bill Clinton, Al Gore, and • Endorsed Proposition 47, which decriminalized Jesse Jackson nonviolent drug and property crimes in 2014 Getty Family: His father’s work as an attorney Addressing Poverty: Supports wide range of for Getty Oil enabled the Newsoms to become housing and health care services close friends with the Gettys • As mayor, implemented several programs to • Newsom’s father was close with the powerful provide aid to the homeless, like the Care Not Getty family, and Newsom was childhood Cash initiative and Project Homeless Connect friends with billionaire Gordon Getty’s children • As governor, he threatened to withhold state • Founded PlumpJack Winery along with Gordon infrastructure funding for communities that fail Getty’s son, Billy Getty, using Gordon’s funds to construct affordable housing • Supported expanding eligibility for Medi-Cal, Staff: Former staff members have moved on to California’s Medicaid program, to low-income work for other prominent political figures undocumented youth; this was implemented in • Advisor and former communications director California’s 2019 budget Peter Ragone has advised Al Gore, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, and New York City Environment: Has championed CA’s Mayor Bill de Blasio environmental policy; at odds with Admin • Former Chief of Staff Chris Garland is now • Supports Attorney General Xavier Becerra’s political director for former Facebook executive lawsuits against the Trump Administration for Sean Parker; Parker is involved in advocacy for environmentally harmful policies progressive causes such as gun control • Examples of such policies include revoking • Former campaign manager Addisu Demissie California’s right to set pollution limits on cars, worked on both of Hillary Clinton’s presidential altering existing legislation to impede wildlife campaigns, as well as Sen. Cory Booker’s (D- protection, and opening public land to drilling NJ) 2020 presidential campaign PEOPLE RESEARCH SERVICE 2 GAVIN NEWSOM GOVERNOR OF CALIFORNIA Relevant Financial Information Publications, Media, and Speaking Receives most contributions from California- Makes regular media appearances using widely- based labor unions and businesses received outlets to primarily discuss social issues and issues pertaining to labor Biggest Industry Donors (2009-2020) • General Trade Unions: $3.4 million Publications: Wrote a book on the relationship • Lawyers & Lobbyists: $3.2 million between government and technology; writes op- • Real Estate: $2.5 million eds on environmental, labor, and social issues • Securities & Investment: $1.9 million • Citizenville: How to Take the Town Square • Public Sector Unions: $1.9 million Digital and Reinvent Government, 2013 • “California Must get past Differences on Water. Biggest Donors (2009-2020) Voluntary Agreements are the Path Forward,” • California State Pipe Trades Council: $160,000 Cal Matters, February 4, 2020 • California Professional Fire Fighters • “On Labor Day, let’s Pledge to Protect Workers Association: $120,000 and Create Paths to Union Membership,” The • California Department of Forestry Fire Fighters Sacramento Bee, September 2, 2019 Local 2881: $110,000 • California School Employees Association: Media: Has made frequent appearances on $110,000 national outlets since becoming Governor • California Teachers Association: $110,000 • Preferred Outlets: National cable news such as CBS, MSNBC, and PBS; talk shows like Late Biggest Individual Donors (2009-2020) Night with Seth Meyers and The View • Laib Greenspoon, CEO of Laibco, LLC • Favorite Subjects: Lawsuits against the Trump (Gardena, CA): $87,600 administration, criminal justice, immigration, • Diane B. Wilsey, CEO of A. Wilsey Properties environmental issues (San Francisco, CA): $85,000 • Social Media Habits: Very active on social • John H. Scully, Chairman of SPO Partners & media, has 1.5 million followers on Twitter Co. (Mill Valley, CA): $85,000 • Regina Kulik Scully, Self-Employed Filmmaker Speaking: Speaks about technology and (San Francisco, CA): $85,000 diversity/inclusion; started speaking about • Lynda Rae Renick, Vice-Chair and Co-Owner COVID-19 to constituents in February 2020 of The Wonderful Company (Los Angeles, CA): • Favorite Subjects: Diversity, LGBT rights; how $84,400 technology can impact/improve government; since February 2020, the COVID-19 outbreak Political Donations: Has contributed nearly • Preferred Audience: Universities; tech groups $60,000 to numerous Democratic campaigns • Spoke at the Stanford HAI 2019 about the across many states since 1998 effects that technology could have on labor • Largest contributions were $10,500 to Sen. • Spoke at UC Berkeley Law’s 2017 John Burton’s (D-CA) 2000 Senate campaign commencement about the value of diversity and $4,100 to Matt Debabneh’s 2013 California • Discussed his book at the UC San Diego Assembly campaign Revelle Forum and Talks at Google in 2013 • Other contributions were $250 to $2,500 • Holds regular press conferences to discuss possible solutions to issues affecting California Miscellaneous residents, such as ongoing wildfires, and the • Estimated net worth of ~$10 million COVID-19 pandemic • His 2018 income tax filing revealed an income of $1.2 million for that year PEOPLE RESEARCH SERVICE 3 GAVIN NEWSOM GOVERNOR OF CALIFORNIA Family and Personal Background Criticisms and Controversies A native of San Francisco who embraced the Newsom’s push for same-sex marriage as value of public service in his youth Mayor attracted criticism throughout both of his terms; an affair with a subordinate also attracted •