US News Metro Long Island Politics

Sports NFL MLB Olympics NBA NHL College Football College Basketball WNBA

Entertainment TV Movies Music Celebrities Awards Theater

Lifestyle Weird But True Sex & Relationships Viral Trends Human Interest Parenting Fashion & Beauty Food & Drink Travel

Health Wellness Fitness Health Care Medicine Men’s Health Women’s Health Mental Health Nutrition

Science Space Environment Wildlife Archaeology

Today’s Paper Covers Columnists Horoscopes Crosswords & Games Sports Odds Podcasts Careers

Email Newsletters Official Store Home Delivery Tips

Switch between CA and NY editions here.

Gavin Newsom’s long trail of corrupt connections

See more of our coverage in your search results.

Gavin Newsom recently claimed that federal agents had launched an inquiry targeting him and his wife, and proclaimed his innocence.

Yet over nearly three decades in California politics, Newsom has amassed a network of appointees, employees, and associates implicated in a range of ethical violations and criminal offenses. (Newsom has never been charged or implicated in connection with any of the figures or incidents discussed below.)

Governor Newsom appointed Dana Williamson, a “bareknuckle political brawler,” as chief of staff in January 2023. Less than two years later, she left the governor’s office after becoming the subject of a federal corruption probe. Last month, she pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud.

Williamson was allegedly involved in multiple corrupt schemes that began before she joined Newsom’s office. In one, prosecutors say, she and two others conspired to drain $225,000 from a dormant campaign account belonging to Xavier Becerra. In another, Williamson claimed bogus business expenses worth $1.7 million, which she used to purchase luxury vacations and “private jet travel.” 

Newsom served as San Francisco mayor from 2004 to 2011. One of his most enduring “accomplishments” was boosting the political career of London Breed, the future city mayor who proceeded to commit multiple ethics violations.

Then-Mayor Newsom appointed Breed to San Francisco’s Redevelopment Agency Commission in 2005 and named her to a post at San Francisco’s Fire Commission in 2010.

As mayor, Breed presided over the creation of the city’s racialist “Dream Keeper Initiative” and a range of scandals. In 2021, San Francisco’s Ethics Commission fined her nearly $23,000 for “Violating Campaign Finance, Ethics, and Gift Laws.” 

Mohammed Nuru was a public works official under Mayor Newsom. In 2020, Nuru was arrested for his role in a massive bribery and corruption scandal. He had allegedly orchestrated a bribe-and-kickback racket spanning more than a decade.

In 2022, Nuru pleaded guilty to federal charges and was sentenced to seven years in prison.

Nuru had reportedly volunteered on Newsom’s first mayoral campaign while serving in city government. In 2003, Nuru allegedly helped orchestrate a coercive voting scheme through the San Francisco League of Urban Gardeners (SLUG), a city-funded nonprofit under contract with his department.

Newsom won a narrow runoff. He received roughly 25,600 more absentee votes than his opponent — the same ballot type that nine........

© New York Post