California Governor Gavin Newsom has alleged that the U.S. Department of Justice is investigating a number of people close to him, citing his political opposition to former President Donald Trump as the motive.
In a video posted Monday, Newsom described a series of “federal agents knocking on the door of family, friends and former employees.” He said the agents were not looking for crime, but simply trying to “find one.”
Sources told the BBC that the investigations have been ongoing for roughly a year and are rooted in California, originating through whistleblowers and government sources. The probes focus on his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, and his former chief of staff, though no specific aides have been named.
The source did not specify which former chief of staff, and Newsom did not disclose any current or past aides under scrutiny. The governor’s former chief of staff, political operative Dana Williamson, had pleaded guilty in May to charges related to a campaign‑finance fraud scheme that did not implicate Newsom.
Newsom said federal investigators were demanding records and abusing the grand‑jury process. He framed the inquiries as an act of political persecution triggered by his speculation about a 2028 presidential run.
The Justice Department has recently pursued investigations of high‑profile Trump critics, including former FBI director James Comey. Past attempts to prosecute New York Attorney General Letitia James and former Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell have been dropped.
In response to a BBC inquiry, Newsom’s office issued a fact sheet stating that Williamson’s conduct was “entirely unrelated to him.” The governor has denied corruption and maintained that he has nothing to hide.
The White House and the Justice Department have declined to comment on the allegations.
