Newson suddenly pulls out of trip to UN climate conference

By ADAM BEAM and KATHLEEN RONAYNE
Associated Press

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis will lead California’s delegation to the United Nations Climate Conference after Gov. Gavin Newsom suddenly pulled out of the trip. Newsom’s office said Friday he won’t attend because of unspecified “family obligations.” Newsom has four children ages 5 to 12 and Kounalakis said everyone should be understanding of the governor’s decision to put his young family first. The trip to Scotland next week was to have been Newsom’s first on the international stage to highlight the state’s aggressive climate change policies. Among other things, California plans to ban the sale of all new gas-powered cars by 2035 and end all oil drilling in the state by 2045.