The FBI had a mole inside Gov. Gavin Newsom’s political orbit earlier than the company’s corruption probe expanded into the governor and his spouse, The Publish has discovered.
Democrat insider Alexis Podesta, 45, secretly recorded conversations through the prison probe into Newsom’s then-chief of employees, Dana Williamson, 53, who pleaded responsible to federal fraud and tax expenses in Might, in line with Williamson’s lawyer.
The revelation she was sporting a wire way back to June 2024 explains why a swath of Sacramento political insiders and lobbyists have been surprised to obtain FBI letters final fall informing them that their cellphone calls had been intercepted through the investigation — regardless of many having little or no connection to Williamson.
“Alexis wore a wire, and Dana didn’t,” stated McGregor Scott, Williamson’s lawyer and a former US lawyer for the Jap District of California, which is now investigating the Newsoms.
The disclosure comes as Newsom introduced final month that he and his spouse — whose nonprofit has been burning via cash in recent times — in addition to members of the governor’s inside circle are beneath federal investigation.
Inside hours of that announcement, Newsom blasted out an e mail to lift cash for political motion committee.
Assemblymember Josh Hoover (R-Folsom) instructed The Publish he was amongst those that obtained one of many letters although he had by no means spoken with both Williamson or Podesta.
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“Lots of people obtained letters basically informing us that there have been sure intervals of time the place the FBI was given entry to comply with cellphone calls,” Hoover stated.
“I don’t understand how these investigations work, but it surely appears like they solid a fairly broad internet throughout the Capitol group to see what they may discover.”
A separate supply with information of the matter stated they knew of 4 Sacramento insiders who additionally obtained FBI notifications confirming they’d been recorded.
One recipient instructed the supply: “Dude, I obtained this f—ing letter. I by no means even met with Dana Williamson!”
“Their curiosity was that they by no means even met with Dana Williamson, so that they have been questioning what that is all about,” the supply stated.
“And now you’ve got the reply.”
The governor publicly accused President Trump of directing the Justice Division to research him as political retaliation forward of a attainable 2028 presidential marketing campaign.
Trump had beforehand known as for Newsom’s arrest.
However sources accustomed to the matter instructed The Publish that federal investigators have spent the previous yr digging into not solely Newsom, but in addition his employees and his spouse’s taxes, main Siebel Newsom to accuse Trump of getting “no boundaries.”
Whistleblowers reportedly tipped off the feds to launch the probe into Newsom, and Williamson’s lawyer instructed The Publish that his shopper declined to cooperate as a result of she had no data on Newsom.
Podesta, a longtime Democratic energy dealer, stays on California’s State Compensation Insurance coverage Fund board — the place she receives annual compensation of almost $61,000 — after Newsom appointed her in January 2020.
She beforehand served as secretary of the California Enterprise, Shopper Companies and Housing Company and held senior positions in Gov. Jerry Brown’s administration.
She additionally labored for PG&E, Disney and the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein.
Podesta has not been charged with a criminal offense, however her lawyer, Invoice Portanova, has recognized her because the uncharged co-conspirator described within the Williamson indictment and confirmed she has cooperated with federal investigators.
The governor’s workplace declined The Publish’s request for touch upon the circumstances involving Podesta, saying it’s a personnel matter.
Podesta and her lawyer didn’t reply to requests for remark.
Williamson pleaded responsible in Might to conspiracy to commit financial institution and wire fraud, submitting a false tax return and making false statements to the FBI.
Federal prosecutors alleged Williamson and others orchestrated a scheme to siphon roughly $225,000 from a dormant marketing campaign account belonging to former Well being and Human Companies Secretary Xavier Becerra, who’s now the Democratic frontrunner to succeed Newsom as governor.
Williamson disguised funds as reputable consulting charges whereas routing the cash to profit Becerra’s former chief of employees, Sean McCluskie.
Podesta’s lawyer has stated she inherited accountability for overseeing Becerra’s dormant marketing campaign account after Williamson left non-public consulting to turn out to be Newsom’s chief of employees in late 2022 and didn’t know the funds have been improper. Marketing campaign finance data present Becerra’s committee paid Podesta Firm largely $10,000 month-to-month installments throughout 2023 and 2024.
In accordance with courtroom filings, Williamson, whereas serving as Newsom’s chief of employees, shared confidential state authorities data with a co-conspirator — who has since been recognized as Podesta — concerning a company shopper that reporting has recognized as Activision Blizzard.
Williamson’s plea settlement states that she was captured in a June 2024 wiretap strategizing with the co-conspirator about how to answer a Public Data Act request involving the state’s litigation in opposition to the corporate. Williamson and Podesta exchanged textual content messages on the difficulty, in line with courtroom data. Podesta has not publicly commented on the matter.
A spokesperson for the US lawyer’s workplace that charged Williamson and is investigating the governor declined remark Thursday.
Hoover stated the rising investigation has solely deepened public skepticism round Newsom and the way in which the governor’s workplace conducts enterprise.
“All of these items simply raises so many questions,” he stated. “What’s going on on this administration? What sorts of conversations are being had? I feel your entire case ought to be actually regarding for most people. It’s actually elevating a number of distrust.”
He added: “I feel it underlines how problematic this present administration is. [Newsom] is somebody who desires to run for president of the US. It’s actually disappointing to see that that is the extent of our politics.”
