As California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta ponders a run for governor, he faces scrutiny for his ties to individuals central to a federal corruption investigation in Oakland and funds to non-public attorneys.
Bonta has not been accused of impropriety, however the questions come at an inopportune time for the Democrat, who says he’s reassessing a gubernatorial bid after repeatedly dismissing a run earlier this 12 months.
Bonta stated the choices by former Vice President Kamala Harris and Sen. Alex Padilla to not search the workplace altered the contours of the race.
“I had two horses within the governor’s race already,” Bonta stated in an interview with The Instances on Friday. “They determined to not get entangled ultimately. … The race is essentially completely different as we speak, proper?”
Bonta stated he has obtained important encouragement to affix the crowded gubernatorial subject and that he expects to decide “positively sooner fairly than later.” Political advisors to the 54-year-old Alameda politician have been reaching out to highly effective Democrats throughout the state to gauge his attainable assist.
Traditionally, serving as California legal professional common has been a launching pad to increased workplace or a prime submit in Washington. Harris, elected to 2 phrases because the state legal professional common, was later elected to the U.S. Senate after which as vp. Jerry Brown served within the submit earlier than voters elected him for a second go-around as governor in 2010. Earl Warren later grew to become the chief justice of the Supreme Courtroom.
Bonta, the primary Filipino American to function the state’s prime regulation enforcement official, was appointed in March 2021 by Gov. Gavin Newsom after Xavier Becerra resigned to turn out to be U.S. Well being and Human Providers secretary. Bonta simply received election as legal professional common in 2022.
Bonta was a deputy metropolis legal professional in San Francisco and vice mayor for the town of Alameda earlier than being elected to the state Meeting in 2012. Throughout his tenure representing the Alameda space, Bonta developed a repute as a progressive keen to push insurance policies to strengthen tenants’ rights and to reform the legal justice system.
In his position because the state’s prime regulation enforcement official, Bonta has aggressively fought President Trump’s insurance policies and actions, submitting 46 lawsuits towards the administration.
Bonta additionally confronted controversy this previous week in what his advisors say they believe is an try to break him as he considers a possible run.
“Political hacks perceive it’s truly a badge of respect, virtually an endorsement. Clearly others worry him,” stated veteran Democratic strategist Dan Newman, a Bonta advisor.
On Monday, KCRA reported that Bonta had spent almost $500,000 in marketing campaign funds final 12 months on private attorneys to signify him in dealings with federal investigators engaged on a public corruption probe in Oakland.
On Thursday, the web site East Bay Insider reported that as that probe was heating up in spring 2024, Bonta had obtained a letter from an Oakland businessman warning him that he may quickly be topic to blackmail.
The letter author, Mario Juarez, warned Bonta that one other businessman, Andy Duong, possessed “a recording of you in a compromising state of affairs.”
Duong was later indicted, alongside along with his father David Duong and former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao, on federal bribery fees. All have pleaded not responsible. An legal professional for David Duong this week stated that Juarez, who’s extensively believed to be an informant within the case towards the Duongs and Thao, was not credible. Juarez couldn’t be reached for remark.
Bonta stated his authorized expenditures took place after he started talking with the U.S. Legal professional’s workplace, who approached him as a result of prosecutors thought he may very well be a sufferer of blackmail or extortion. Bonta stated the outreach got here after he had turned over the letter he had obtained from Juarez to regulation enforcement.
Bonta stated he employed attorneys to assist him overview data in his possession that may very well be useful to federal investigators.
“I wished to get all of them the knowledge that they wished, that they wanted, give it to them as quick as as I might, to help, to assist,” Bonta stated. “Possibly I had a puzzle piece or two that might help them of their investigation.”
He stated he could have made “an audible gasp” when he noticed the authorized invoice, however that it was essential to rapidly flip over all paperwork and communications that may very well be related to the federal investigation.
“The billing fee is excessive or not insignificant at personal regulation corporations,” Bonta stated. “We have been shifting rapidly to be as responsive as attainable, to be as useful as attainable, to help as as a lot as attainable, and that meant a number of attorneys working a whole lot of hours.”
Bonta stated the state’s Truthful Political Practices Fee additionally has alerted him that it obtained a grievance towards him. Bonta and his advisors consider it’s about the usage of marketing campaign funds to pay the authorized bills and suspect it was filed by the marketing campaign of a present gubernatorial candidate.
“We’re not frightened,” Bonta stated. “That’s politics.”
Requested whether or not these information tales might create obstacles to a possible gubernatorial marketing campaign, Bonta pushed again towards any assertion that he could have “baggage.” He stated he was aiding federal prosecutors with their investigation with the hopes of holding individuals accountable.
“That’s what I’d count on anybody to do, actually somebody who’s dedicated as I’m to public security.,” he stated. “That’s my job, to help, to assist, to supply data, to assist.”
