Gov. Gavin Newsom's office said the phones, mailed to chief executives of some of the top 100 California-based companies, are part of an effort to 'connect more directly' with business leaders.

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration has been sending cellphones to business executives in an effort to maintain relationships with some of California’s most powerful business leaders, according to his office.

Gavin Newsom is making sure California’s business elite can call him, maybe. Roughly 100 leaders of state-headquartered companies have received a curious package in recent months: a prepaid, inexpensive cell phone (commonly known as a burner,