California’s political swamp just got murkier with a bombshell indictment against a top former aide to Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Breitbart reported that Dana Williamson, once Newsom’s chief of staff, has been slapped with a 23-count federal indictment for allegedly masterminding a scheme to siphon off $225,000 through a money laundering plot tied to a political campaign, as announced by the Department of Justice on Wednesday.
Williamson, who served as Newsom’s right-hand until the end of last year, is accused of conspiring to funnel campaign funds to a personal acquaintance for illicit gain.
The DOJ claims she used her political consulting firm as a front to orchestrate this shady deal, billing a campaign for services that were never rendered.
Court documents point to Sean McCluskie, a former chief of staff to an unnamed public official—identified as ex-California Attorney General and current U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra—as the recipient of these funds.
The scheme allegedly involved transferring money to McCluskie’s wife for a supposed job under Williamson’s company, a position the DOJ labels as a “no-show” gig with zero actual work performed.
Back in 2022, this arrangement reportedly took shape, with Williamson facilitating payments through Becerra’s campaign coffers, according to the indictment.
Charges against her are no small potatoes—conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud, defrauding the federal government, obstructing justice, filing false tax returns, and lying to investigators are all on the table.
U.S. Attorney Eric Grant didn’t mince words about the gravity of this case, stating, “This is a crucial step in an ongoing political corruption investigation that began more than three years ago.”
Grant’s comment signals a deeper rot in California’s political machine, and conservatives might wonder just how far this web of deceit stretches in a state often criticized for its progressive overreach.
A Newsom spokesperson chimed in, saying, “Ms. Williamson no longer serves in this administration,” while adding that the governor holds public servants to high ethical standards.
That same spokesperson also cautioned, “At a time when the president is openly calling for his attorney general to investigate his political enemies, it is especially important to honor the American principle of being innocent until proven guilty.”
While the reminder of due process is fair, one can’t help but raise an eyebrow at the timing of such a defense—does this hint at deeper concerns about political weaponization, or is it just a convenient shield for Sacramento’s elite?
California’s taxpayers deserve better than to see their hard-earned dollars potentially funneled into personal slush funds, especially when trust in government is already thinner than a dime.