Masks in Newsom’s BYD Deal Denied Safety Certification

Gov. Gavin Newsom, second from right, is given a tour of the Bloom Energy campus in Sunnyvale, Calif., on March 28, 2020. Beth LaBerge/KQED via AP, Pool

California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s $1 billion deal with a Chinese company to produce protective masks during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic has soured, as the masks failed to meet national safety and health standards.

The deal has been a source of controversy and confusion among legislators since Newsom announced it on April 7, without sharing details of the contract to state lawmakers.