The FBI has sent ominous letters to members of California Governor Gavin Newsom's inner circle after his former chief of staff was indicted on corruption charges.
Dana Williamson, who served as Newsom's top aide from early 2023 to the fall of 2024, was hit with 23 felony charges earlier this month for conspiring to divert $225,000 of campaign money to another staffer.
Now, a host of political operatives with links to Williamson have been notified that they were surveilled during the course of the investigation into her actions.
Letters reportedly began arriving in mailboxes immediately after she was charged informing the impacted individuals.
According to The New York Times, a 'handful' of Newsom's current and former aides received the ominous letters.
The FBI is required by law to notify people if they have been subject to surveillance.
The scope of the surveillance dated between May 2024 and July 2024. During this time, communications for all those involved were intercepted.
This does not mean those surveilled were the targets of the investigation.
'People are on edge,' longtime Republican strategist Rob Stutzman told the Times.
While he did not receive a letter himself, and has no involvement in the case, he said 'there's a lot of wondering if this is all there is to it.'
Newsom himself is not named in the case, nor is he accused of having any involvement or knowledge in the crimes. It is not alleged that he received one of the FBI letters.
Upon learning that she was under federal investigation, Newsom's office placed her on leave in November 2024. She formally quit a month later.
'This is not the kind of thing I'm used to seeing in public service,' he said after the charges were made public.
'I hold our team to very high standards of ethics and accountability, and I'm still processing the seriousness of the allegations.'
Williamson, a longtime Democrat and California power broker, allegedly took part in a scheme to skim money from the campaign account of Xavier Becerra, a former Democrat congressman now running to be the next Governor of California.
She allegedly schemed with Becerra's ex-chief of staff Sean McCluskie, former Capitol aide Greg Campbell and two other unnamed culprits from 2022 to the fall of 2024.
The alleged plot involved Williamson using her political consulting company to bill Becerra's dormant campaign account under the pretense that the money was to pay McCluskie's wife to monitor it.
But there is no record that McCluskie's wife was hired to do any such job, which Williamson had been pretending to pay her $10,000 per month for, prosecutors claim.
The investigation into Williamson was launched under the Biden administration in 2023.
The scheme allegedly began when McCluskie took on the role of Becerra's chief of staff in 2022.
McCluskie has been a longtime top aide to Becerra, working for him while he served in Congress and as California Attorney General.
On October 30, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud.
He agreed to pay $225,000 back in restitution to Becerra.
Campbell, who is also a known lobbyist, also signed a plea deal, admitting to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to defraud the US.
Meanwhile, Williamson has pleaded not guilty to all the charges she is facing, including bank fraud, wire fraud and filing false tax returns.
Williamson's defense lawyer, McGregor Scott, said after she accepted a role in Newsom's office, she was approached by federal agents who asked if she could help as they investigated the Democrat governor.
She allegedly refused, telling them she had never seen him engage in any form of misconduct.
Becerra has also not been accused of any wrongdoing.
He was reportedly shocked by the allegations and has cooperated fully with the Department of Justice throughout the investigation.
Despite both Becerra and Newsom being cleared of any involvement, there are concerns about how the scandal could impact both of their futures as they gear up to run for governor and president in 2028.
