Gavin Newsom cries political witch hunt — but are feds focused on an alleged $1.5M nonprofit pipeline to wife's business?
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) has accused President Donald Trump of “coming after” him and his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, claiming that the president directed the Department of Justice to investigate the couple. Newsom posted a video on social media on Monday, stating that he and his wife had “joined Donald Trump’s hit list” because the governor is “considering running for president.” 'It has been apparent ever since their maskless dinner party at the French Laundry during COVID that the Newsoms feel themselves above the law.'Newsom, who referred to Trump as “the most corrupt president in American history,” claimed that federal agents had “knocked on the doors of family, friends, and former employees.”“Not because they found a crime, because they’re simply trying to find one,” Newsom stated, adding that the federal agents were “digging through years and years of random documents.” “To get me, he’s coming after my wife, Jen, a public servant, a woman who’s dedicated her life to supporting women and girls,” Newsom continued. “We have nothing to hide,” he added.Newsom’s office stated that it believes grand jury subpoenas had been issued for records to financial institutions, ABC News reported. The governor’s office submitted a public records request seeking “all documents and records” from the DOJ that pertain to Newsom and his wife from the beginning of the second Trump administration.RELATED: 'Come after me': Gavin Newsom challenges Trump after claiming DOJ is investigating his wife Gavin Newsom, Jennifer Siebel Newsom. David Paul MorrisA source familiar with the situation informed Blaze News that multiple ongoing investigations relating to Newsom have been initiated since last year by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of California. One of those investigations concerns Siebel Newsom’s tax activities, and a separate probe concerns Newsom’s former chief of staff and potentially current staff members, the source confirmed. Local sources and whistleblowers reportedly triggered the investigations. Siebel Newsom, a documentary filmmaker, leads two tax-exempt nonprofits, the Representation Project and the California Partners Project. She also runs a film production company, Girls' Club Entertainment LLC, and works as a director for her family’s private foundation, the Siebel Family Charitable Foundation.The Sacramento Bee previously reported potential conflict-of-interest concerns related to one of Siebel Newsom’s nonprofits, writing, “In 2015, the year Newsom announced he would run for governor, the Representation Project’s contributions increased by 30% to almost $1.6 million.”The Representation Project’s tax filings show that the nonprofit funneled over $1.5 million to Siebel Newsom’s for-profit production company from 2015 through the first quarter of 2025. Siebel Newsom has received roughly $150,000 to $160,000 annually as the founder and chief creative officer for the Representation Project, which reported revenue of $1.2 million from April 1, 2024, through March 31, 2025.It is unclear whether Siebel Newsom receives compensation from the other two nonprofits, though tax filings from the Siebel Family Charitable Foundation indicate she does not draw a salary there, and she is not listed on the tax filings for California Partners Project.Tax documents from 2015 to 2023 showed that the Siebel Family Charitable Foundation gave $35,000 in charitable donations, classified as “support,” to the Representation Project.RELATED: VIDEO: Gavin Newsom's wife explains how she's raising children to 'deconstruct' the 'limiting narratives' about gender Jennifer Siebel Newsom. Shannon Finney/Getty Images"It has been apparent ever since their maskless dinner party at the French Laundry during COVID that the Newsoms feel themselves above the law,” Michael Chamberlain, the director of the government watchdog Protect the Public's Trust, told Blaze News. "What is interesting is that the accusations of financial corruption originated in Sacramento," Chamberlain continued. "If the governor of a one-party state like California is feeling heat from his own capital, it would be no surprise if people tended to ignore his protestations of politicized justice and believe there may be some egregious self-dealing going on."The second alleged investigation is likely tied to Dana Williamson, who previously served as Newsom’s chief of staff and is a former consultant for current Democratic gubernatorial frontrunner Xavier Becerra. Williamson pleaded guilty in May to three counts related to campaign finance fraud, filing a false tax return, and lying to federal investigators.Williamson was caught up in a scandal in which she was accused of conspiring with Sean McCluskie, Becerra’s former chief of staff, and a Sacramento lobbyist to funnel $225,000 from Becerra’s state campaign account to McCluskie.
