Gavin Newsom declares war on Chevron and California small businesses as he tells drivers to avoid gas stations 66%

By Katie Jerkovich0%

5/21/2026, 10:38:59 PM

BS Summary: This article contains 25 faulty reasoning types, including Appeal to Emotion, Negativity Bias, and Post Hoc (False Cause), with Appeal to Authority as the most egregious example at 23.8% saturation with 144 hits. Analysis detected 1,433 faulty-reasoning hits from 605 analyzed words, generating a BS Score of 60.1% and a BS Rank of 66% (7,010 of 20,181 articles). This article is worse (more manipulative) than 65.30% of the article peer group.

Gov. 
Gavin Newsom has decided to declare war on Chevron and small businesses as he tells drivers to avoid filing up at California gas stations this Memorial Day weekend. 
The California governor’s press office told travelers who are hitting the highway this holiday to “be sure to AVOID Chevron” amid the state’s sky-rocketing gas prices. 
Newsom’s Thursday post claimed the company’s “branded” blend costs drivers more at the pump compared to “unbranded” gas. 
He also posted a map featuring two gas stations in the state, one in Sacramento County the other in Solano County, which Chevron said is run by small business owners. 
“Pro tip: unbranded gas comes from the same refineries, storage tanks, and pipelines,” Newsom’s post read. 
“It meets the same state standards to keep your engine running clean, even if it doesn’t have a fancy name like ‘Techron,'” the post continued. 
It added, “Big Oil is already making billions off Trump’s Iran War; don’t let them rip you off even more by overpaying for the brand name.” 
The Post reached out to Newsom’s office for further comment. 
Ross Allen, a spokesperson for Chevron, said the company was aware of the post. 
“Chevron is aware of the tweet and believes it is an unfortunate attack on two small businesses in the state,” Allen told The Post. 
“Most Chevron stations are independently owned and operated, and in many cases, including this, are run by small business owners.” 
Branded gasoline in the state from the such giants as Chevron, 76, and Valero, costs roughly $0.30 more per gallon than unbranded fuel, according to a 2024 report. 
Newsom’s attack on the gas giant comes after video of signs at Chevron pumps surfaced telling drivers that the reason gas prices in the state are the highest in the nation  is because of Democrats. 
“Sacramento policies did this. 
Now you pay more,” the signs read at pumps across California, paid for by the oil giant, showing a blue SUV entangled in a gas hose for effect. 
”California politicians are choosing foreign oil and fuels over local jobs and lower costs.” 
Allen previously told The Post the reason for the sign campaign at their pumps is to “educate consumers about how politicians are picking their pockets.” 
“These environmental fees, taxes, and regulations might be small individually, but cumulatively they are making the cost of living in California much more expensive. 
These are policy choices, it doesn’t have to be like this.” 
The average price of gas in America Thursday is $4.564, according to the AAA. 
In recent years, several major oil refineries in California have closed or begun the process of closing, only increasing gas prices in California. 
Lawmakers and experts have warned Newsom’s green agenda now risks sending the price of a gallon above $8 per gallon. 
Drivers in the Golden State pay a “California premium” that includes higher-than-average state excise and sales taxes, as well as hefty fees for climate programs unique to the state. 
This Memorial Day weekend, drivers in LA and across the state continue to contend with insane gas prices. 
As of Thursday, the average price in the Golden State is $6.143 a gallon, according to AAA. 
When travelers start hitting the road for the holiday in record numbers, the price of a gallon of gas is up nationwide by $1.38 more than it was this time last year, per AAA. 
Allen told The Post the reason for the sign campaign at their pumps is to “educate consumers about how politicians are picking their pockets.” 
Article reasoning-pattern comparisonThis article: 3.0%Katie Jerkovich: 2.7%California Post: 4.0%Confirmation Bias3.0%This article: 5.1%Katie Jerkovich: 1.5%California Post: 1.4%Anchoring Bias5.1%This article: 18.2%Katie Jerkovich: 5.9%California Post: 4.2%Availability Heuristic18.2%This article: 4.8%Katie Jerkovich: 1.2%California Post: 1.1%Representativeness Heuristic4.8%This article: 0.0%Katie Jerkovich: 1.1%California Post: 0.7%Hindsight Bias0.0%This article: 0.0%Katie Jerkovich: 0.5%California Post: 2.2%Overconfidence Bias0.0%This article: 18.3%Katie Jerkovich: 13.8%California Post: 10.4%Framing Effect18.3%This article: 0.0%Katie Jerkovich: 1.2%California Post: 0.9%Loss Aversion0.0%This article: 0.0%Katie Jerkovich: 0.0%California Post: 0.6%Status Quo Bias0.0%This article: 0.0%Katie Jerkovich: 0.0%California Post: 0.2%Sunk Cost Effect0.0%This article: 1.8%Katie Jerkovich: 1.0%California Post: 2.5%Optimism Bias1.8%This article: 9.3%Katie Jerkovich: 1.2%California Post: 1.5%Pessimism Bias9.3%This article: 22.5%Katie Jerkovich: 14.4%California Post: 16.1%Negativity Bias22.5%This article: 4.0%Katie Jerkovich: 4.1%California Post: 2.4%Self-Serving Bias4.0%This article: 0.0%Katie Jerkovich: 0.9%California Post: 1.5%Fundamental Attribution Error0.0%This article: 3.3%Katie Jerkovich: 0.2%California Post: 0.2%Actor-Observer Bias3.3%This article: 0.0%Katie Jerkovich: 1.2%California Post: 1.6%In-Group Bias0.0%This article: 0.0%Katie Jerkovich: 0.7%California Post: 1.1%Out-Group Homogeneity Bias0.0%This article: 0.0%Katie Jerkovich: 3.7%California Post: 3.0%Halo Effect0.0%This article: 0.0%Katie Jerkovich: 0.5%California Post: 0.6%Horn Effect0.0%This article: 0.0%Katie Jerkovich: 0.0%California Post: 0.0%Dunning-Kruger Effect0.0%This article: 3.0%Katie Jerkovich: 1.8%California Post: 1.6%Recency Bias3.0%This article: 0.0%Katie Jerkovich: 0.1%California Post: 0.5%Primacy Effect0.0%This article: 0.0%Katie Jerkovich: 0.0%California Post: 0.0%Blind-Spot Bias0.0%This article: 0.0%Katie Jerkovich: 2.4%California Post: 2.6%Ad Hominem0.0%This article: 0.0%Katie Jerkovich: 0.3%California Post: 0.5%Straw Man0.0%This article: 23.8%Katie Jerkovich: 2.2%California Post: 4.2%Appeal to Authority23.8%This article: 2.3%Katie Jerkovich: 1.6%California Post: 1.4%False Dilemma2.3%This article: 5.1%Katie Jerkovich: 0.7%California Post: 1.0%Slippery Slope5.1%This article: 0.0%Katie Jerkovich: 0.1%California Post: 0.2%Circular Reasoning0.0%This article: 3.3%Katie Jerkovich: 5.6%California Post: 5.5%Hasty Generalization3.3%This article: 6.0%Katie Jerkovich: 0.4%California Post: 0.7%Red Herring6.0%This article: 0.0%Katie Jerkovich: 1.4%California Post: 1.4%Bandwagon0.0%This article: 23.0%Katie Jerkovich: 11.2%California Post: 9.0%Appeal to Emotion23.0%This article: 0.0%Katie Jerkovich: 0.7%California Post: 1.1%Begging the Question0.0%This article: 19.7%Katie Jerkovich: 4.1%California Post: 2.7%Post Hoc (False Cause)19.7%This article: 0.0%Katie Jerkovich: 0.0%California Post: 0.2%Tu Quoque0.0%This article: 0.0%Katie Jerkovich: 0.9%California Post: 0.8%Burden of Proof0.0%This article: 0.0%Katie Jerkovich: 0.0%California Post: 0.2%Appeal to Nature0.0%This article: 4.8%Katie Jerkovich: 0.4%California Post: 0.2%Composition/Division4.8%This article: 4.6%Katie Jerkovich: 7.9%California Post: 3.6%Anecdotal4.6%This article: 0.0%Katie Jerkovich: 0.0%California Post: 0.0%No True Scotsman0.0%This article: 7.6%Katie Jerkovich: 2.1%California Post: 2.0%Ambiguity (Equivocation)7.6%This article: 0.0%Katie Jerkovich: 0.0%California Post: 0.0%Gambler’s Fallacy0.0%This article: 0.0%Katie Jerkovich: 0.0%California Post: 0.1%Middle Ground0.0%This article: 0.0%Katie Jerkovich: 0.1%California Post: 0.1%Personal Incredulity0.0%This article: 0.0%Katie Jerkovich: 0.1%California Post: 0.2%Special Pleading0.0%This article: 0.0%Katie Jerkovich: 0.0%California Post: 0.4%Genetic Fallacy0.0%This article: 11.4%Katie Jerkovich: 5.7%California Post: 3.2%Unattributed Quote11.4%This article: 2.6%Katie Jerkovich: 2.5%California Post: 2.1%Quote-first Misdirection2.6%This article: 19.2%Katie Jerkovich: 10.1%California Post: 13.2%Biased Writer Voice19.2%This article: 10.2%Katie Jerkovich: 1.2%California Post: 1.4%Indoctrination10.2%This article: 0.0%Katie Jerkovich: 0.0%California Post: 0.4%Politically Left Leaning Bias0.0%This article: 0.0%Katie Jerkovich: 2.9%California Post: 3.1%Politically Right Leaning Bias0.0%This article: 0.0%Katie Jerkovich: 3.5%California Post: 6.1%Attempt to Sell a Product or S…0.0%

605 words analyzed.

Speakers

3speakers27%attributed speech442writer words
Voice mapSelect a segment to jump to its words
Writer's voice • 18 words • 100.0% coverageWriter's voice • 1 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 28 words • 100.0% coverageCalifornia governor’s press office • 26 words • 100.0% coverageWriter's voice • 18 words • 0.0% coverageChevron • 30 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 16 words • 100.0% coverageWriter's voice • 25 words • 100.0% coverageWriter's voice • 26 words • 100.0% coverageWriter's voice • 10 words • 0.0% coverageRoss Allen • 14 words • 0.0% coverageRoss Allen • 24 words • 100.0% coverageRoss Allen • 20 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 28 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 36 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 4 words • 100.0% coverageWriter's voice • 28 words • 100.0% coverageWriter's voice • 14 words • 100.0% coverageRoss Allen • 25 words • 100.0% coverageWriter's voice • 24 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 11 words • 100.0% coverageWriter's voice • 14 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 23 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 20 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 29 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 18 words • 100.0% coverageWriter's voice • 17 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 34 words • 0.0% coverageRoss Allen • 24 words • 0.0% coverage
100%flagged-word coverage
26 attributed words16% of attributed speech98% writer coverage
0%50.0%100.0%Unattributed Quote+95.9 ptsWriter: 4.1%California governor’s press office: 100.0%100.0%Biased Writer Voice-20.8 ptsWriter: 20.8%California governor’s press office: 0.0%0.0%Indoctrination-14.0 ptsWriter: 14.0%California governor’s press office: 0.0%0.0%Quote-first Misdirection-3.6 ptsWriter: 3.6%California governor’s press office: 0.0%0.0%

Attribution is sentence-level. Pattern percentages are calculated only from words assigned to that voice.

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Analysis

Hover over highlighted words in the article to view the associated bias or fallacy analysis.