Three months after announcing a federal probe into him and his wife, Gov. Gavin Newsom claims he hasn’t heard a peep from investigators.
The California Democrat told reporters at a Wednesday press conference he’s never been contacted by federal investigators — alleging he knows little about the reported probes involving his professional dealings, family finances and nonprofit-sponsored travel.
“I know nothing more than you know. Period, full stop,” Newsom said.
“Never been contacted by anyone and I continue to make this point. They continue to zig and zag and I stand by everything I said in my opening remarks on this,” the governor added, alluding to his June 15 pre-recorded message branding the federal scrutiny as a political hit job.
The lame-duck governor and expected presidential candidate made the comments during a lengthy Q&A with Sacramento reporters after he signed a bill providing tax credits to local newsrooms.
While the probe hasn’t resulted in any indictments, federal investigators have zeroed in Newsom’s international globetrotting paid for by wealthy donors, per the San Francisco Standard.
A glossy Vanity Fair profile published Wednesday mentioned another possible target of federal investigators — the governor’s controversial use of “behested payments” to boost his wife Jennifer Siebel Newsom’s nonprofit.
The magazine piece — in which Newsom compared himself to Bill Clinton and claimed he’s written “36 pages of ideas” on national priorities — noted that investigators may be looking into money that was piped from a Sonoma County native tribe to his wife’s gender-focused nonprofit.
Newsom has solicited $2.3 million in behested payments from the powerful Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria since 2022 for the California Partners Project, Siebel Newsom’s nonprofit that focuses on gender and pay equity, according to state records.
Newsom appointed the tribe’s chairman Greg Sarris to the influential University of California Board of Regents roughly three months after a $500,000 contribution March 23, 2023.
The governor’s office has defended Newsom’s use of behested payments and denied there is any connection between donations and political appointments.
“The governor only makes decisions based on what is best for Californians, not campaign contributions or special interests,” Gallegos told The Post in June.
“Any suggestion otherwise is not only completely false, but absurd.”
The California Post previously reported that multiple donors to Newsom’s political PAC, Campaign for Democracy, or nonprofits friendly with Newsom received gubernatorial appointments shortly before or after making contributions.
The US Attorney’s Office also issued subpoenas in this month for six years of communications involving the California State Protocol Foundation — a nonprofit run by Newsom aides that often foots the bill for Newsom’s travel using private funds instead of taxpayer money.
The nonprofit’s past donors include corporations like CVS Pharmacy Inc. and Zoox, an autonomous vehicle company that has been testing robotaxis in the state. Charitable donors include the Hewelett Foundation, Sierra Health Foundation and the Ford Foundation, The Post previously reported.
In the subpoenas, federal investigators reportedly asked for details about the Protocol Foundation’s donors and fundraisers, Newsom’s international travel and events, and any money that may have been used for his personal and living expenses.
