California Attorney General Rob Bonta is no longer ruling out a possible run for governor. In an exclusive interview with KCRA 3 Political Director Ashley Zavala on Friday, Bonta would not say if he’s staying out of the race.”I am very flattered, honored, grateful for the incredible outpouring of encouragement I’ve received to reconsider running for governor and that has meant a lot to me to hear from those folks,” Bonta said. When Zavala followed up by asking Bonta if he’s considering a run with that encouragement, Bonta said, “I have nothing to announce today about this.” Bonta had said twice this year, once in February and again in October, that he would run for reelection as California Attorney General. “I had endorsed Kamala Harris to run for governor when she was considering it and she never entered the race, and then I endorsed Alex Padilla before he made a final decision, and he never entered the race so I can guarantee you that if there’s gubernatorial candidate that has my endorsement and is not yet in the race, they’re not getting in the race,” Bonta said. The development comes day after KCRA 3 first reported Bonta’s reelection campaign spent nearly half a million dollars on private attorneys amid a federal bribery investigation that resulted in the indictment of Oakland’s ex-mayor and a family of businesspeople who had donated to Bonta. The attorney general spent the bulk of the interview explaining the money spent and his role in the investigation. Bonta said the attorneys he hired helped him answer questions and provide documents and information to federal authorities. He said at first investigators thought he may be a victim of extortion. “I was 1000% not a target,” he said. “In the late understanding, I was a witness who provided information that may be helpful in their investigation of other people.” Campaign finance records show Bonta paid the attorneys two days before announcing in February he would not run for governor. Bonta said it played no role in that decision. You can watch Bonta’s full interview on California Politics 360 Sunday at 8:30 a.m. on KCRA 3. See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
California Attorney General Rob Bonta is no longer ruling out a possible run for governor.
In an exclusive interview with KCRA 3 Political Director Ashley Zavala on Friday, Bonta would not say if he’s staying out of the race.
“I am very flattered, honored, grateful for the incredible outpouring of encouragement I’ve received to reconsider running for governor and that has meant a lot to me to hear from those folks,” Bonta said.
When Zavala followed up by asking Bonta if he’s considering a run with that encouragement, Bonta said, “I have nothing to announce today about this.”
Bonta had said twice this year, once in February and again in October, that he would run for reelection as California Attorney General.
“I had endorsed Kamala Harris to run for governor when she was considering it and she never entered the race, and then I endorsed Alex Padilla before he made a final decision, and he never entered the race so I can guarantee you that if there’s gubernatorial candidate that has my endorsement and is not yet in the race, they’re not getting in the race,” Bonta said.
The development comes day after KCRA 3 first reported Bonta’s reelection campaign spent nearly half a million dollars on private attorneys amid a federal bribery investigation that resulted in the indictment of Oakland’s ex-mayor and a family of businesspeople who had donated to Bonta.
The attorney general spent the bulk of the interview explaining the money spent and his role in the investigation.
Bonta said the attorneys he hired helped him answer questions and provide documents and information to federal authorities. He said at first investigators thought he may be a victim of extortion.
“I was 1000% not a target,” he said. “In the late understanding, I was a witness who provided information that may be helpful in their investigation of other people.”
Campaign finance records show Bonta paid the attorneys two days before announcing in February he would not run for governor. Bonta said it played no role in that decision.
You can watch Bonta’s full interview on California Politics 360 Sunday at 8:30 a.m. on KCRA 3.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel