Smelling smoke in Sacramento: Is there fire?

November 15, 2025

I’m smelling smoke in Sacramento and wondering how big the fire might get. When the SF Comicle decides to do a full-page piece on a corruption indictment of a very senior Newsom ex-staffer you know they are getting in front of something that blew up on X just a day or two ago. The SacBee led four days ago, and the WSJ was on it two days ago when one Dana Williamson appeared in court, but the Comicle has a way of ignoring or burying these stories on A10. Before anyone’s TDS gets triggered the WSJ writes:

A federal investigation involving prominent former aides to Democratic politicians could generate uncomfortable questions as California pols seek higher office. The feds allege a conspiracy among former aides to raid a campaign account by billing it for bogus services. Since the investigation began during the Biden administration, it won’t be easy for Democrats to dismiss it as Trump lawfare.

Apparently the Feds first reached out to Williamson asking questions about the Gavinor but she told them she Knew Nothing. She now sees where that got her. The smell of smoke is strong because all the support Newsom gave Biden before his TV crack-up. It couldn’t be retribution.

Williamson was Newsom’s chief of staff until last November when she alerted Newsom of the investigation. Her little team is accused of (and two have plead guilty to bank and wire fraud) skimming $10K a month out of a dormant Xavier Becerra campaign account totaling $180K. The would-be governor Becerra called it a “gut punch”. But wait, there’s more from the SacBee:

The charges also accuse Williamson of filing false tax returns, claiming more than $1 million in business deductions for personal expenses, including trips to luxury resorts in Mexico, designer handbags, jewelry, home furniture, and travel on private jets. The indictment also alleges that Williamson provided government information to a company involved in litigation with the state and lied about it to the FBI.

All sorts of money has been sloshing around Sacramento for a long time. High-cost rail is billions over budget. Lost EDD money totalled $31 billion and Williamson is also accused of filing a fraudulent PPP claim. Non-profits and NGOs get grant money all the time for all sorts of things. The Newsom tab to solve homelessness is somewhere between $24 and $37 billion. And Williamson worked as director of public affairs for PG&E from 2006 to 2011. I bought extra popcorn today.

Posted in Crime, Friends with Benefits, Power (Electricity, Gas), Sacramento Stupidity, State Ievel issues

2 responses to “Smelling smoke in Sacramento: Is there fire?”

Joe

November 19, 2025

There’s more smoke in Sac although you wouldn’t know it if all you read is the SF Comicle. Rob Bonta’s actions are raising Big Questions. This is from KCRA TV which is on the case:

SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s campaign on Tuesday clarified that the nearly half a million dollars it spent on legal services and fees were for Bonta to have legal counsel as authorities asked him for information during a federal bribery investigation.

Campaign finance records show the $468,000 his 2026 reelection campaign paid to the law firm Wilson, Sonsini, Goodrich & Rosati represents a historic amount of money spent on legal help by any candidate running for statewide office in California.

When KCRA 3 first reported the expense on Monday, Bonta’s campaign claimed the money was meant to “help” federal investigators in their probe that resulted in the indictment of the ex-mayor of Oakland and the Duong family, who were Bonta’s donors.

KCRA 3 followed up on Tuesday, pressing the campaign on whether that was a permissible use of campaign funds and specifics around the legal expenses. Dan Newman, Bonta’s reelection campaign adviser, then confirmed Bonta used the money to hire attorneys to help him as he answered questions from federal investigators.
Phinancier

November 21, 2025

Corruption is everywhere.
Prazkarat “Pras” Michel, a founding member of hip-hop group the Fugees, was sentenced on Thursday to 14 years in prison for his part in a criminal conspiracy to funnel millions of dollars from a foreign donor to President Obama’s 2012 reelection campaign. Michel was convicted in April 2023 of 10 criminal counts, including corruption, acting as an unregistered agent of the People’s Republic of China, illegal lobbying, witness tampering, money laundering and campaign finance violations.

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