By Titus Wu
Publication Date: 2026-04-26 23:12:00
California Gov. Gavin Newsom apparently felt sick — literally — after he found out that one of the most influential tech figures was quitting the state.
Back in December, at a treehouse party north of San Francisco, the co-founder of Google, Sergey Brin, confronted the Democratic governor, according to a recent report by Bloomberg.
Brin, one of the world’s wealthiest men, told Newsom he was leaving the state. He mentioned a proposed tax on billionaires in California, which would hit his $260 billion net worth hard.
Gov. Gavin Newsom opposes a proposed billionaire tax. Getty Images
Newsom was reportedly “cold and hungry” when Brin and his girlfriend spoke with him at the Christmas event held by crypto figure Chris Larsen.
That conversation has apparently been lingering on Newsom’s mind for months, Bloomberg reported, as he complained about a “lingering cold” he caught from the couple.
The governor declined comment to Bloomberg on the conversation.
Since then, the proposed…
