Gavin Newsom’s Investigation Timeline Under Scrutiny

Recent developments challenge California Governor Gavin Newsom’s claims that the Justice Department under President Donald Trump initiated politically driven investigations against him. Reports suggest that key federal investigations began before Trump’s second administration.

Timeline of Investigations

The timeline is an important aspect of this debate. Newsom argues that the current Justice Department is using investigations as a weapon against him politically. However, various news outlets report that some investigative activities started before Trump assumed office again. Sources familiar with the situation indicate that two criminal investigations linked to Newsom have been ongoing for about a year in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California. These investigations stemmed from whistleblower tips and local complaints in Sacramento. Additionally, an inquiry involving former Newsom chief of staff Dana Williamson was reportedly opened during the Biden administration.

Multiple outlets, including CBS News, Axios, the Financial Times, and The Guardian, support this timeline. Their sources confirm that at least one federal inquiry began around a year ago, originating in California rather than in Washington.

Newsom’s Position

Despite reports, Newsom continues to assert that the current Justice Department is retaliating against him for his political stance and prominence. He describes the investigations as politicized actions meant to intimidate. In response, Newsom’s administration has filed requests under the Freedom of Information Act to uncover details about the origin of these investigations.

DOJ’s Response

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche rebutted Newsom’s accusations of political motivation. Blanche refrained from commenting on ongoing investigations but expressed doubt about the factual basis of Newsom’s claims. He stated that Newsom would need to clarify his statements.

Newsom’s office reacted on social media, mocking Blanche’s comments and accusing Trump’s associates of misleading the public.

Expanding Scope

According to CalMatters, federal prosecutors allegedly expanded their investigations after the Williamson investigation failed to yield substantial results. The expansion included examining Jennifer Siebel Newsom, her financial activities, nonprofit organizations, and other related financial matters.

The investigations have reportedly looked into her tax records, nonprofit entities, and certain payments, with no allegations of unlawful activities related to those payments.

Though investigations involve Jennifer Siebel Newsom, Fox News reports that no direct federal investigations target Governor Newsom himself. The Department of Justice, the White House, and Newsom’s office did not provide comments to Fox News Digital’s inquiries.