(The Center Square) – The U.S. Department of Justice has been investigating people close to California Gov. Gavin Newsom over the past year for reasons that have not been fully disclosed, according to information obtained by The Center Square.<\/p>\n
Newsom alleged that President Donald Trump had weaponized the DOJ to investigate him in an effort to thwart a potential 2028 presidential campaign.\u00a0<\/p>\n
For this story, The Center Square contacted the U.S. Department of Justice and the White House, which referred all questions to the DOJ. The\u00a0Center Square went on to find multiple investigations into people close to Newsom.<\/p>\n
A source familiar with the inquiries told The Center Square that the DOJ had several ongoing investigations related to Newsom. The source, who declined to give a name for publication, added that the investigations had started in 2025 and have been underway for roughly a year. The Center Square decided to use the anonymous source’s information because Newsom already said an investigation was happening and because there was no other way to independently confirm it.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey’re being run through [the] U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of California, and they were triggered by local sources and whistleblowers in California,\u201d the source said of the investigations.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot by the President, not by the main justice in D.C.,” the source said, answering The Center Square’s questions by email.<\/p>\n
The source added that one of the investigations is related to the nonprofit \u201ctax activities\u201d of Jennifer Siebel Newsom, Newsom’s wife. Another investigation is related to a former chief of staff for the governor and potentially some current staffers.<\/p>\n
Siebel Newsom\u2019s feminism-focused nonprofit work has previously been the subject of scrutiny by opponents, who have alleged Newsom has illegally used his office to support the work.<\/p>\n
A report by the Sacramento Bee found the governor had solicited $4.8 million in donations since 2020 for the California Partners Project, of which Siebel Newsom is an unpaid co-founder. Reportedly $1.8 million<\/a> came from a Native American tribe that runs a Sonoma County casino, which has lobbied for legislation in the past. California officials are required by law to disclose donations made to organizations at their request.<\/p>\n On Tuesday, Newsom posted on the social media site X<\/a> a Freedom of Information Act request for any documents mentioning his name or Siebel Newsom since Jan. 20, 2025 – Trump’s Inauguration Day – within the DOJ. The request is in the form of a letter that David Sapp, Newsom’s legal affairs secretary, wrote to the Office of the Attorney General’s FOIA Request Center in Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n “Trump\u2019s DOJ is on a fishing expedition for a crime that doesn\u2019t exist,” Newsom posted, noting his office was demanding all communication, including emails, texts, memos and Signal messages that refer to him or his wife.<\/p>\n Newsom initially discussed being investigated during\u00a0a video<\/a> posted to his X social media account Monday afternoon.<\/p>\n \u201cIn recent days, federal agents have knocked on the doors of family friends and former employees,\u201d Newsom said.\u00a0\u201cNot because they found a crime \u2013 because they\u2019re simply trying to find one.\u201d<\/p>\n