Home>Articles>CA Gov. Newsom Names his Cabinet Secretary ‘Energy Czar?’

Cabinet Secretary Ana Matosantos (PROMESA)

CA Gov. Newsom Names his Cabinet Secretary ‘Energy Czar?’

Ana Matosantos was Nancy Pelosi’s pick to deal with Puerto Rico’s debt

By Lloyd Billingsley, November 2, 2019 7:13 am

California Governor Gavin Newsom has appointed his cabinet secretary, Ana Matosantos, to serve as his “energy czar,” the Sacramento Bee reports, announcing Friday that “the entire system needs to be reimagined,” and “we cannot afford the kind of public safety power shutoffs we’ve experienced over the last week.”

Californians who have experienced power outages might think it odd that the governor should look to a “czar” figure to address a statewide energy problem. Californians also have grounds to regard Ana Matosantos as a dubious selection for the job.

In 2009 Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger picked the Puerto Rico native Matosantos for state finance director. With only a BA in political science and feminist studies, Matosantos’ qualifications were decidedly on the thin side.

In 2011 she was busted for drunk driving in Sacramento but Gov. Jerry Brown refused to accept her resignation. Matosantos served nearly four years as Brown’s chief budget advisor and her tenure was marked by “multibillion-dollar shortfalls.”

Covered California, the state’s wholly owned subsidiary of Obamacare, then took on Matosantos at $120,000 for a six-month stint. Her performance did nothing to prevent Covered California from becoming what health journalist Emily Bazar described as “widespread consumer misery.”

In 2016 Congress passed the PROMESA legislation to deal with Puerto Rico’s $72 billion debt and the legislation created the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management and Economic Stability Board. House minority leader Nancy Pelosi favored Matosantos for a board post and President Obama duly appointed her. It was not disclosed that Matosantos was also on the board of the Matosantos Commercial Corporation,” owned by her wealthy family, with deep interests in the energy business on the island.

 

“Given the recent evidence of blatant conflicts of interest of Ana Matosantos, her removal seems like the best place to start.”

 

According to Christopher D. Coursen, former counsel of the U.S. Senate Commerce Committeethe Oversight Board “has been a complete failure and has not achieved anything of significance.” President Trump and Congress, need to replace members “clearly unfit to serve” with those dedicated to restoring fiscal responsibility in Puerto Rico. “Given the recent evidence of blatant conflicts of interest of Ana Matosantos,” Coursen says, “her removal seems like the best place to start. And that review and her subsequent removal needs to happen now.”

That was in April of 2018. In August, 2018, Ana Matosantos was still on the Board and by all indications, she remained a member. For Gavin Newsom, Matosantos was one of the “most capable public servants in America” and a person of “unrivaled professional accomplishment coupled with a personal determination to serve the public good.”

Gov. Newsom is on record that his cabinet secretary is a “genius” and Capitol Weekly explains that Matosantos “makes the trains run on time.” As the Sacramento Bee noted, “Ana Matosantos will continue to serve as Newsom’s cabinet secretary while also working as the state’s energy czar, where she will be charged with helping fix the state’s utility problems.”

Californians will be watching to see how she reimagines the entire system.

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14 thoughts on “CA Gov. Newsom Names his Cabinet Secretary ‘Energy Czar?’

  1. This seems very surreal to put it mildly.
    Looks like a death nail to me.
    I need to start making plans to move out of California.
    This a joke and is only going to push people on the brink over the edge.
    What’s wrong with forrest management? It worked before.

    1. We left Ca 20 years ago in October. We’re fine and have electricity. Yes, it’s “different” but I’ve grown to be calm and peaceful with the change.

  2. Obviously this is very bad news on top of the existing pile of very bad news we continually receive from this crowd. I guess we should now look for the state to take over PG&E? And Edison? And everything? They’ve been signaling such a move up there in Sacramento for some time, haven’t they?
    At least Newsom and his cronies are consistent — you can always count on them to make the exact wrong decision every time.

    1. That’s why we have people on thew street getting signatures to recall Newsom. Have you signed the recall petition yet? Let’s not complain about him, let’s get rid of him! We did it to Gray Davis, let’s do it to Newsom.

      1. Go here to find locations where you can sign Recall Newsom petitions. Click “Petition Events Map.”
        http://recallgavinnow.com/
        This is the RANAF.org recall effort, the one that first qualified. The locations are listed in the box on the left side of the screen. You can also volunteer to be a permanent or pop-up petition-signing location.

  3. It’s clear folks.., not only do Brown and Pretty Boy now control our water after Moonbeam nationalized the water, now this, Newsom is going to use this woman to give him cover so he can NATIONALIZE the PG&E Power grid and Kalifornia will run it.. Holy Cow.. The demorat party running the power .. Brown, and Newsom are responsible for the mess as they used PG&E as the vehicle to run the green scam on us and now,… The green scam as blowing up and he’s going to do what all socialist do… Take over the power company.. What could possible go wrong. It might be time to put your home up for sale and move to another state.

  4. Is California going to take over control of all energy? Against the wishes of voters, they raised a gas tax. Now, in the name of safety, will they be using the position of an Energy Czar to control the proper usage of electricity? We must vote, pray, fight the Democrates out of control in California. “Drain the California Swamp”

  5. Well, Newsom is Pelosis nephew, so it makes sense. That’s what inbred govt gets you.
    Revolt like your freedom depends on it.

  6. Clearly the left / Newsom is trying t get cover to take over PG&E & Edison. What could go wrong when criminal demorats takeover the power company and then run it even further into the grd using wind and solar scams.

  7. Government to “reimagine” a government-induced crisis ! Exactly how will that work ? What could possibly go wrong !

  8. She’s been a failure at everything she has done. Here diversity score has protected her from being kicked out on her ample ass.

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