Dana Williamson, who once served as chief of staff for California Governor Gavin Newsom, was taken into custody on Wednesday morning. She faces charges in a 23-count federal indictment that includes allegations of conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud, bank fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States, obstruction of justice, filing false tax returns, and making false statements. These charges stem from an alleged plot involving Williamson and three other notable Democratic political figures in California. The scheme purportedly involved diverting approximately $225,000 from an inactive political campaign for personal use by an associate.

This case is the result of an investigation initiated during the Biden administration and has been ongoing for nearly three years.

The indictment reveals that in February 2022, Sean McCluskie, who was then serving as chief of staff to Health & Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, sought a means to earn extra income without disclosing it in federal financial and ethical reports. As part of his role, McCluskie was tasked with managing $1.5 million in Becerra’s dormant state campaign accounts, which needed oversight by a third party during Becerra’s tenure in President Biden’s cabinet. McCluskie and Williamson allegedly crafted a plan whereby Williamson would invoice Becerra’s campaign for account management services. The funds would be processed through various entities and a payroll provider before ultimately reaching the McClusky family bank account, disguised as a salary for McCluskie’s wife. Though she had previous media experience with companies like the Washington Post, McCluskie’s wife was a stay-at-home mom and did not work for Williamson.

The indictment states that the McClusky family received a total of $225,000 from Becerra’s accounts, while Williamson’s firm, Grace Public Affairs, collected $74,000.

Upon Williamson’s appointment as Newsom’s chief of staff in late 2022, another individual was reportedly brought into the conspiracy to ensure the continuation of these payments.

When Williamson became Newsom’s chief of staff in late 2022, she brought another person into the conspiracy so those payments could continue.

A press release from the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of California describes the basis of some of the other charges:

The indictment also alleges that Williamson conspired with a business associate to create false, backdated contracts after receiving a civil subpoena in January 2024 from the U.S. Attorney’s Office regarding Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans made to Williamson’s business.

Williamson also subscribed to false tax returns claiming more than $1 million in business deductions for what were actually personal and nondeductible expenditures, such as private jet travel, luxury hotel stays, home furnishings, and designer handbags, as well as deductions for no-show jobs for friends and family.

According to a Politico report, Newsom learned in November 2024 that Williamson was under criminal investigation and had been interviewed by the FBI. He placed her on leave then, and she resigned in December 2024. Prior to Politico’s report Newsom’s spokesperson, Izzy Gardon, issued this statement:

“While we are still learning details of the allegations, the Governor expects all public servants to uphold the highest standards of integrity. 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 in a court of law by a jury of one’s peers.”

Becerra confirmed to the San Francisco Chronicle that he is the public official referenced in the indictment, and both the U.S. Attorney’s office and Becerra say that he knew nothing about the plot. Becerra said:

“The news today of formal accusations of impropriety by a long-serving trusted advisor are a gut punch. I have voluntarily cooperated with the US Department of Justice in their investigation, and will continue to do so. As California’s former Attorney General, I fully comprehend the importance of allowing this investigation and legal process to run its course through our justice system.”

McCluskie and another political consultant named in the case, who was part of the shell game funneling money to McCluskie, have entered guilty pleas.

Williamson had her initial appearance at the federal courthouse in Sacramento Wednesday afternoon and entered a plea of not guilty.

Editor’s Note: At RedState, we’re committed to making sure that California craziness stays in California. We’ve been at the forefront of reporting on Gavin Newsom’s corruption and failures – and that’s made us a target of the left and Big Tech.

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