Governor Gavin Newsom said the president is using federal agents against him because of his potential run for the presidency.<\/p>\n
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (CN) \u2014 California Governor Gavin Newsom issued a stark message Monday to President Donald Trump, claiming the nation\u2019s executive is hunting for damaging information on the governor because he\u2019s considering a run for the White House.<\/p>\n
Delivering his remarks over video, Newsom said the Trump administration has reached out to family, friends and former employees in an attempt to find evidence of criminality. Newsom, who is term-limited and will leave office in January, said federal agents are scouring records about the governor \u2014 not only because of \u201cmean tweets\u201d but because Newsom is thinking about running for president.<\/p>\n
Newsom added later Monday that he\u2019d filed a Freedom of Information Act request about the investigation, seeking communications like emails and texts between federal officials in what he called a politically motivated probe.<\/p>\n
\u201cDonald Trump is simply the most corrupt president in history,\u201d Newsom said, adding the president rewards his cronies and tries to jail opponents.<\/p>\n
\u201cAsk Jerome Powell,\u201d Newsom said of the former chair of the Federal Reserve, who the Justice Department investigated over renovation costs to the Fed\u2019s office. \u201cHe sent them after James Comey.\u201d<\/p>\n
A former FBI head, Comey posted an image on Instagram showing the numbers \u201c86 47,\u201d which authorities have claimed was a threat to Trump.<\/p>\n
Noting Trump called for his arrest last year, Newsom claimed Trump\u2019s efforts have reached his own home and wife \u2014 Jennifer Siebel Newsom, whom the governor said has done nothing wrong.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf he can\u2019t intimidate me, he\u2019ll go after the mother of our children,\u201d Newsom said.<\/p>\n
Newsom listed a litany of other abuses, laying them at Trump\u2019s feet. The governor said Trump has sold the presidency, trading foreign tariff relief for approval of his overseas golf courses. Trump\u2019s taken advantage of the cryptocurrency market and accepted a $400 million jet from a foreign power, which he intend to keep after leaving office.<\/p>\n
Trump hawks Bibles, phones and sneakers, Newsom said, pointing to the Ultimate Fighting Championship\u00a0event held Sunday, Trump\u2019s birthday, at the White House.<\/p>\n
\u201cTonight it was used to promote a company the president owns stock in, sell subscriptions, promote corporate sponsors, push Trump crypto, and enrich the President and his family,\u201d Newsom posted Sunday on X. \u201cThe founders warned us about kings enriching themselves from public office.\u201d<\/p>\n
Now, Trump is seeking to subpoena records and harass Newsom, the governor claimed.<\/p>\n
\u201cLeave my wife and family out of your personal vendetta,\u201d Newsom added.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo Donald Trump, this country does not belong to you,\u201d the governor added. \u201cIt does not belong to your cronies.<\/p>\n
\u201cCome after me. I\u2019m not going anywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n
California and Trump have butted heads since the latter retook the White House last year. The verbal battles have ranged from federalizing the state\u2019s National Guard<\/a> to combat immigration protests in Los Angeles to the need for guardrails on artificial intelligence<\/a>.<\/p>\n