Gavin Newsom is planning on running for president. This investigation by the Department of Justice has thrown quite a wrench into his plans.
Initially, the game plan was to blame President Trump for the investigation. That plan was derailed when it was revealed that the investigation began under the Biden DOJ. And the plea deal by former Newsom Chief of Staff Dana Williamson signaled that there might be a lot of dirty laundry hiding within his administration. Williamson, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud back in May of this year, had been under investigation since 2022.
According to court documents, between February 2022 and September 2024, Williamson conspired with Greg Campbell, 52, of Davis, Sean McCluskie, 57, of Davis, and others to steal approximately $225,000 in funds from a dormant political campaign and funnel it to McCluskie for his personal use. Collectively, they funneled the money through various business entities and disguised it as pay to McCluskie’s spouse for what was, in reality, a no-show job.
From 2021 to 2023, Williamson claimed a total of approximately $1,718,277 million in business deductions for what were actually personal and nondeductible expenditures, such as food delivery services, luxury vacations to Mexico (twice) and Santa Barbara, private jet travel, purported wages for family members, home goods, veterinary services, landscaping services, and other nondeductible personal expenses. Williamson’s false deductions resulted in a tax loss of approximately $504,523, which she agreed in her plea agreement to pay back to the IRS in full as restitution.
When questioned by FBI agents in November 2024, Williamson made false statements regarding the diversion of campaign funds, Williamson’s request to Campbell to create false and backdated contracts after she received a civil subpoena from the U.S. Attorney’s Office regarding Paycheck Protection Program loans to her business, and allegations of public corruption. These statements were designed to lead the FBI away from Williamson’s criminal activity by concealing the nature of the conduit scheme, denying the backdating of contracts, and hiding Williamson’s involvement in passing information to former clients and business partners to give them an advantage in litigation against the state.
And this woman was Newsom’s chief of staff. Even if he had no knowledge of it, the entire episode makes him look back, and Gavin knows it. Add this current investigation on top of it, and the entire Newsom house of cards could come tumbling down – which has the people around him wondering if they should have legal counsel to protect themselves.
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