California Gov. Gavin Newsom, thought to be among the top Democrats expected to vie for their party’s 2028 presidential nomination, has come under additional scrutiny from the U.S. Department of Justice.
Federal investigators have expanded their examination of California Gov. Gavin Newsom, issuing subpoenas seeking years of records involving a nonprofit that has helped pay for his international travel and other official expenses.
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The subpoenas, issued in early September by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California, request roughly six years of communications and financial records tied to the California State Protocol Foundation, according to documents reviewed by the San Francisco Standard.
The records sought include information about the foundation’s donors and fundraisers, Newsom’s international travel and participation in overseas events, and money used for the governor’s residence, living expenses or other personal costs.
One subpoena states that the records are being sought for “a criminal investigation pending in the Eastern District of California.”
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The subpoenas do not identify a specific crime under investigation, and being named in them does not mean an individual has been accused of wrongdoing.
Newsom’s office has strongly denied misconduct and characterized the investigation as politically motivated.
“Governor Newsom went after the king — and as he warned in June, the tyrant is now coming after everyone around him,” Tara Gallegos, a spokesperson for the governor’s office, said in a statement to the New York Post.
“This is what Donald Trump does to his enemies: investigate first, hunt for a crime that doesn’t exist second.”
The governor previously disclosed in June that federal investigators were examining matters involving him and his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom. He accused President Trump of using the Justice Department against a political opponent.
Federal prosecutors have declined to publicly confirm the exact scope of the investigation.
A source familiar with the matter told the Los Angeles Times in June that multiple inquiries involving people in Newsom’s orbit had originated from information provided by California whistleblowers rather than a directive from Washington.
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The latest subpoenas provide the clearest indication yet that investigators are scrutinizing the California State Protocol Foundation.
The nonprofit was created in 2001, before Newsom became governor, and has been used by both Republican and Democratic administrations to cover costs that otherwise could fall on taxpayers.
Its stated mission includes funding official events, hosting foreign dignitaries and paying expenses associated with gubernatorial travel.
Under Newsom, the foundation has helped finance trips to destinations including China, Mexico, Israel, the Vatican and El Salvador.
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The foundation says it has lawfully supported governors of both parties and exists to reduce the burden on taxpayers.
Questions about its donors and transparency, however, have persisted for years.
State and federal records reviewed by the Standard show that more than $5 million raised through funds associated with Newsom’s 2019 and 2023 inaugurations was later transferred to the Protocol Foundation.
Some donors included companies, tribes and other organizations with business interests before the state.
Since taking office in 2019, Newsom has also directed more than $7.5 million in outside contributions to the foundation, according to the Standard’s review of state records.
Federal investigators are seeking communications involving several current and former Newsom aides and associates, including Rebecca Prowda, the governor’s chief protocol officer and the wife of San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie.
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Prowda oversees Newsom’s international travel.
The subpoenas also request communications involving former Newsom chief of staff Steve Kawa, former executive secretary Jim DeBoo, former deputy chief of staff Jason Elliott and others connected to the foundation.
Newsom’s former chief of staff Dana Williamson has separately pleaded guilty in a federal corruption case that began during the Biden administration.
That case is distinct from the current travel inquiry, though it has contributed to broader scrutiny of Newsom’s political and government circle.
The subpoenas reviewed by the Standard suggest investigators are looking not only at how Newsom’s travel was funded but also whether outside money may have been used for personal or residential expenses.
For now, no charges have been announced against Newsom, his wife or anyone connected to the Protocol Foundation in connection with the latest inquiry.
This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.
