Because the Division of Justice probes Gov. Gavin Newsom and his spouse on a number of fronts, a contemporary scandal involving one among his closest former aides is elevating new questions concerning the firm he stored in Sacramento.
Dana Williamson, who led Newsom’s workplace as chief of employees from late 2022 to early 2025, pleaded responsible final month to a conspiracy to loot a congressional marketing campaign account tied to Xavier Becerra — the previous Biden cupboard secretary now main the Democratic area to change Newsom as California governor.
However that was solely a part of Williamson’s authorized troubles. She additionally admitted to submitting false tax returns and mendacity to the FBI about her official dealings involving former consumer Activision Blizzard — the online game big on the middle of one among California’s most high-profile office discrimination instances.
Williamson’s responsible plea — and a extremely anticipated sentencing listening to subsequent month — has solid a obtrusive highlight on Newsom, who this week accused the Trump administration of weaponizing the Justice Division towards him as he weighs a run for president in 2028.
A supply aware of the federal probes instructed The California Submit that Williamson’s actions may current a specific problem for the governor, who curiously issued a press release honoring “her perception, tenacity, and large coronary heart” regardless of figuring out she was underneath FBI investigation when she left his workplace in late 2024.
The investigation into Williamson dates again to 2022, a supply instructed The Submit, and different shops have reported that the unique investigation stemmed from whistleblower complaints right here in California. Investigators, in the meantime, have more and more centered on Newsom’s orbit over the previous 12 months.
Williamson’s conduct seems to be one side of a broader inquiry that features scrutiny of Jennifer Siebel Newsom’s taxes and enterprise preparations and members of the governor’s employees.
Neither Newsom nor his spouse have been charged with any wrongdoing.
Tara Gallegos, a spokesperson for the governor, dismissed the federal inquiry Friday as a politically motivated effort to wreck the governor forward of a possible White Home run.
“What we do know is that federal investigators have been contacting household pals, donors, former staff and associates, subpoenaing information and asking questions concerning the governor’s funds, organizations linked to the primary companion, and even deeply private household issues,” Gallegos instructed The Submit in an electronic mail.
She added that the governor’s workplace has not been instructed particularly what the Justice Division is investigating and accused federal authorities of pursuing “chasing ghosts and launching investigations primarily based on conspiracy theories.”
“The problem isn’t individuals or organizations,” Gallegos stated. “The problem is that after failing to determine wrongdoing by the governor of their authentic line of inquiry, investigators seem like casting an ever-wider web searching for one thing they’ll use.”
Gallegos additionally sought to distance Newsom from Williamson’s felony case, saying the feds provided her a “deal,” however “the governor by no means dedicated against the law, so there was nothing for her to ‘supply.’”
Authorized consultants say the general public proof accessible thus far leaves open two competing potentialities: Williamson’s crimes are politically embarrassing however legally irrelevant for Newsom, or investigators imagine her conduct results in broader wrongdoing.
Paul DeGroot, a former chief prosecutor who oversaw public corruption instances in Passaic County, New Jersey, instructed The Submit that federal prosecutors hardly ever goal sitting governors except they imagine they’ll in the end show their case at trial.
“A federal or state prosecutor will solely indict a authorities official, particularly a high-ranking one, if the prosecutor believes they’ll have the ability to show against the law has occurred past an inexpensive doubt,” DeGroot stated.
“As such, you hardly ever see situations of a prosecutor looking for to indict a governor.”
He stated Williamson’s responsible plea places Newsom in a troublesome place as a result of defendants going through important jail time typically cooperate with investigators.
“Steadily, the one lifelike choice a person has to remain out of jail is to cooperate with legislation enforcement towards others,” DeGroot stated.
“A goal of an investigation ought to at all times be involved a couple of cooperating witness beforehand of their inside circle due to the witness’s desperation to keep away from jail time and skill to attribute statements and actions to the goal.”
On the similar time, DeGroot added, “the very best protection is an efficient offense.”
“Governor Newsom want look no additional than President Trump about how a prosecution framed as being politically motivated can really assist the defendant politician on the polls.”
Complicating the governor’s narrative is the truth that among the crimes on the middle of Williamson’s plea deal occurred throughout her time with the Newsom administration.
In 2021, California’s Division of Honest Employment and Housing – now the Civil Rights Division – sued Activision Blizzard, alleging the online game big fostered a pervasive “frat boy” tradition the place girls confronted sexual harassment, unequal pay and retaliation.
The lawsuit alleged girls had been steered into lower-paying roles, denied promotions and punished for being pregnant and motherhood.
One girl was allegedly instructed she couldn’t be promoted as a result of she would possibly “get pregnant and like being a mother an excessive amount of,” whereas one other killed herself throughout a enterprise journey with a male supervisor who had introduced intercourse toys and lubricant.
The state’s chief counsel Janette Wipper was fired after elevating considerations about political interference, whereas her deputy, Melanie Proctor, resigned and alleged the governor’s workplace was “mimicking the pursuits of Activision’s counsel.”
Newsom’s workplace denied the allegations.
The controversy intensified after Activision board member Casey Wasserman — the media mogul and chair of the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles — donated $100,000 to Newsom’s anti-recall marketing campaign weeks after the lawsuit was filed.
Gallegos confirmed to The Submit that federal investigators have frolicked inspecting allegations associated to Activision Blizzard, however she stated nothing was discovered and any suggestion that Newsom or the workplace “tilted the result of a case to profit Activision is absurd on its face.”
She famous that Activision’s then-CEO, Bobby Kotick, “spent years opposing the governor politically,” donating roughly $1 million to campaigns towards Newsom.
“As an alternative of closing the ebook, investigators seem to have moved on to the subsequent conspiracy theories searching for one thing they’ll use,” Gallegos stated. “That’s the sample we’re seeing all through this investigation.”
California ultimately agreed to a $54 million settlement with Activision Blizzard in late 2023 — however not earlier than dramatically scaling again its blockbuster case.
As a part of the deal, the state dropped its sexual harassment declare. The consent decree additionally acknowledged that neither a court docket nor an impartial investigation discovered proof of systemic or widespread sexual harassment on the gaming big.
An FBI wiretap in June 2024 would doc how Williamson deliberate to quash a public information request from Proctor looking for to carry particulars across the Activision case to gentle. Williamson was positioned on depart months later after informing the governor’s workplace she was underneath federal investigation.
Her lawyer, former US Lawyer McGregor Scott, has characterised the broader probe as politically motivated and stated Williamson declined to offer investigators with details about Newsom as a result of she had none to supply. Scott didn’t reply to request for remark Friday.
Jessica Levinson, a professor at Loyola Regulation College, stated the proof made public thus far doesn’t set up felony legal responsibility for the governor.
“At this level,” Levinson stated, “I can’t inform whether or not that is merely embarrassing for him as a result of he employed anyone who engaged in federal felony habits, or whether or not there’s extra of a connection than anyone is aware of about.”
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