Overview
- The governor confirmed this week that he and First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom have retained private attorneys as multiple federal inquiries probe people in their political circle.
- Law enforcement sources say investigators are pursuing at least two lines of inquiry: conduct by governor’s office staff and the taxes and finances connected to Siebel Newsom’s nonprofit and business activities.
- Neither Gavin Newsom nor Jennifer Siebel Newsom has been subpoenaed or interviewed by federal authorities as of the most recent reporting, though associates and former staff have been contacted.
- Former chief of staff Dana Williamson pleaded guilty in May to federal charges including conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud, filing a false tax return, and lying to the FBI, and her case remains tied to the broader scrutiny.
- Some reporting includes unverified claims about investigative tactics, such as an attorney’s assertion that an appointee wore a wire, and the Department of Justice and White House have declined to comment publicly.