Federal investigators rejected claims from Gavin Newsom’s team that the embezzlement case against former aides was a politically driven effort by the Trump administration, confirming instead that the probe began three years ago under the Biden administration.
The pushback came after a Newsom spokesperson suggested to the Los Angeles Times on Nov. 13 that the charges against former chief of staff Dana Williamson may have been influenced by “political motivation from the Trump administration.” The remark drew immediate scrutiny because the same statement invoked a civic principle that Newsom’s allies rarely apply to Trump.
“At a time when the president is openly calling for his attorney general to investigate his political enemies, it is especially important to honor the American principle of being innocent until proven guilty,” the spokesperson said.
Within hours, the FBI Sacramento Field Office countered that the case was not a Trump-era pursuit but the product of a three-year joint investigation led with IRS Criminal Investigation and federal prosecutors—timeline placing the origin squarely in the Biden DOJ, not the current administration.
Despite attempts by Newsom’s team to distance the governor from the case, the arrests of political insiders within his orbit have widened the fallout as Newsom’s national profile grows.
Investigation records referenced by the Times also include Alexis Podesta, whom Newsom appointed to a state board in 2020. Plea documents involving co-conspirator Sean McCluskie list Podesta in alleged conspiracy discussions. Podesta said she only inherited account duties from Williamson and did not know about irregularities. She has not been charged and is cooperating with prosecutors.
The controversy deepened because many figures tied to the case were connected to The Collaborative, a consulting group built by Williamson, lobbyist Greg Campbell, and former Newsom chief of staff Jim DeBoo. Podesta served as managing director, and the network has had intersections with senior Democratic strategists including Sean Clegg and Shannon Murphy, according to the Times.
This is not the first time associates close to Newsom have faced scrutiny. In 2021, public records showed that lobbying firms representing AT&T, PG&E, and Kaiser—all with significant regulatory interests—donated more than $800,000 between 2011 and 2018 to The Representation Project, a nonprofit operated by Jennifer Siebel Newsom.
BY YOONJAE JUNG [jung.yoonjae@koreadaily.com]
