$225,000 vanished from Xavier Becerra's campaign account while his own chief of staff's wife was paid $10,000 a month for a ghost job. Now Gavin Newsom's chief of staff Dana Williamson has PLEADED GUILTY - and prosecutors call Becerra "Public Official 1."
Today on California Reports, the sequel to our 330K investigation into the FBI wire inside Newsom's office. Federal prosecutors say three Sacramento operatives shockingly looted a dormant campaign account for years. But here's where this gets worse, and this is the detail most coverage has missed - Becerra says "I did nothing wrong. Case closed," while his former chief says Becerra approved it.We lay out the paper trail, the pleas, and the question the FBI hasn't answered.And that matters. Nothing here has been proven against Becerra. No charges have been filed against him and he is described as a victim in filings. This is what the plea documents allege.
IN THIS VIDEO:
How $225K moved from a dormant Becerra for Attorney General account from Feb 2022 to fall 2024, why U.S. Attorney Eric Grant says three former public officials looted campaign funds for personal benefit, and why Steve Hilton is asking the U.S. Attorney to re-interview Becerra before the 2026 governor's race.
TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 The $225K That Vanished
00:38 Rewind: Becerra's Dormant Campaign Account
01:42 The $10,000-A-Month Ghost Job
03:15 Three Guilty Pleas: Williamson, McCluskie & Campbell
04:48 Who Is "Public Official 1"?
06:02 "I Did Nothing Wrong" vs "He Approved It"
07:45 The Letter To Re-Open The Case
09:10 Why This Matters Beyond One Account
10:02 What Happens Next - Trial & The Governor's Race
SOURCES & CONTEXT:
Plea agreements for Dana Williamson (23 felony counts - bank/wire fraud, false tax filings, lying to investigators), Sean McCluskie (plea signed Oct 30, agreed to repay full amount), and Greg Campbell. DOJ press statements from U.S. Attorney Eric Grant, Nov 2025. Becerra statements to FOX40. Letter from Steve Hilton to federal authorities Aug 30.
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#XavierBecerra #GavinNewsom #DanaWilliamson #CaliforniaPolitics #CaliforniaGovernor #CampaignFinance #FBI #InvestigativeJournalism #CaliforniaReports
Disclaimer: This video reports on federal charging documents, plea agreements, and public statements. All persons are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. Allegations in plea documents are not findings of guilt as to uncharged individuals.
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