California gubernatorial frontrunner Xavier Becerra has a new top aide — his own daughter, Clarisa Reyes-Becerra.
The Democrat’s campaign has shelled out more than $17,000 to his Reyes-Becerra, who’s an immigration attorney, according to campaign finance records.
Before joining her dad’s campaign, Reyes-Becerra worked at multiple immigration-related organizations, including as a managing attorney at the immigration nonprofit California Immigration Project, according to her LinkedIn profile.
The Stanford and Columbia grad is also vice chair of First 5 Monterey County, one of 58 state-funded local commissions championed by slain director Rob Reiner. First 5 county commissions are tasked with directing tobacco tax revenue towards early childhood programs.
The Post reached out to Underland for more details on her work, such as pay rate or time spent working.
Reyes-Becerra was initially a volunteer for her dad’s campaign, but became a paid deputy policy director after the primary, campaign spokesperson Jonathan Underland told the Sacramento Bee, which first reported the hire.
She helps develop campaign communication and briefs the candidate and other members of the campaign on key issues like and health care to wildfire relief, the paper reported.
“With Steve Hilton co-signing Trump’s ICE reign of terror, the value of an experienced attorney with a focus on immigration on our policy team cannot be overstated,” Underland said. “We’re lucky to have her.”
It’s not illegal to hire a family member for a campaign, but the details are key, a compliance expert told The California Post.
“The issue here is, is she actually doing the work that she is being paid for? Is the amount that she is being paid market rate for that type of person doing that type of work, or is it is it above market, right?” said Joshua Wurtzel, a partner at Schlam Stone & Dolan LLP.
Records show Reyes-Becerra has been reimbursed for around $4,300 worth of travel expenses.
Even if the daughter is doing significant work, Wurtzel added that the optics still can be risky.
“It certainly gives your adversary something to point to and and try to say there this is nepotism,” he said. “You’re using campaign funds to to pay your family. It’s some degree of vulnerability for the candidate.”
The veteran California Dem, who was President Joe Biden’s Health and Human Services secretary and state attorney general, has been criticized for ducking press and holding few public events after winning the primary.
Becerra leads Republican rival Steve Hilton by a significant margin, appearing to coast on overwhelming Democratic voter registration in the Golden State.
Becerra’s other two children are not working for the campaign.
