SACRAMENTO — Up to now, gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra has escaped the brilliant highlight targeted on Gov. Gavin Newsom within the cash pilfering scandal involving their former high aides. However that might change.
It appears solely a matter of time earlier than certainly one of Becerra’s marketing campaign rivals seizes the federal fraud case for assault fodder. I can hear it already: “If the person who needs to be governor can’t shield his personal political funds, he shouldn’t be trusted to safeguard your tax cash.”
That may not be truthful, however that is big-time politics. And the phrase “truthful” isn’t within the political dictionary.
Neither Becerra nor Newsom is implicated in any wrongdoing.
Newsom has drawn heavy media consideration as a result of his former chief of employees, Dana Williamson, is the central determine within the felony case. Newsom additionally has made himself right into a nationwide political celeb and the chief in early polling for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination. That makes him prime information copy.
Becerra is low-profile by comparability, though he has achieved a really profitable and respectable profession: U.S. Well being and Human Companies secretary below President Biden, California lawyer basic and 12-term congressman.
It was Becerra’s dormant state political account that allegedly obtained pilfered of $225,000 whereas he was well being secretary.
Federal prosecutors allege that Williamson, former Becerra chief of employees Sean McCluskie and Sacramento lobbyist Greg Campbell illegally diverted cash to McCluskie’s spouse, funneling the loot by means of shell firms for bogus consulting companies.
McCluskie and Campbell each pleaded responsible to conspiracy to commit fraud and have been cooperating with the federal authorities.
Williamson, who allegedly fleeced Becerra’s political kitty when she owned a authorities relations agency earlier than becoming a member of Newsom’s employees, pleaded not responsible to financial institution and tax fraud fees. Apart from raiding Becerra’s account, she’s accused of falsifying paperwork involving a COVID small-business mortgage and claiming $1 million in private luxuries as enterprise bills on her revenue taxes.
After information of the case broke final week with Williamson’s arrest, Newsom’s workplace mentioned the governor suspended her final November after she knowledgeable him of the federal investigation.
There additionally was a sophomoric try by a Newsom spokesperson to hyperlink the federal case to the combative relationship between President Trump and the California governor. It’s true Trump has been focusing on his “enemies.” However this three-year FBI probe started below the Biden administration.
Becerra issued a press release saying that the “formal accusations of impropriety by a long-serving trusted advisor are a intestine punch.” He additionally mentioned he had been cooperating with the U.S. Justice Division‘s investigation.
The federal indictment alleges that McCluskie and Williamson misled Becerra about how month-to-month withdrawals from his political account had been for use.
The account stash of almost $2 million was raised for a 2022 lawyer basic reelection marketing campaign that by no means occurred as a result of by then Becerra was well being secretary. However the cash could possibly be utilized in some future state race, resembling for governor.
Political operatives I talked with had been surprised that $225,000 could possibly be siphoned out of a politician’s marketing campaign account with out him noticing.
“Did the account have nobody watching it besides the consultants who had been pilfering from it?” requested veteran Democratic marketing consultant Garry South. “These of us who’ve run campaigns are scratching our heads. I can’t think about how this might occur.”
I requested the Becerra marketing campaign.
A spokesperson replied that the well being secretary had approved funds for “marketing campaign administration” after being misled by trusted advisors.
Additionally, the spokesperson added, Becerra was recommended by a Well being and Human Companies lawyer to distance himself from any “marketing campaign or political exercise” prohibited by the federal Hatch Act and ethics guidelines. So he delegated duty for managing the account to advisors.
And he obtained snookered and ripped off.
Will it tarnish Becerra’s picture and harm his marketing campaign for governor? We don’t know but. However most likely not that a lot, if any. His solely sin, in any case, was trusting the unsuitable individuals and following an lawyer’s recommendation.
Even massive scandals don’t appear to break politicians on this period — Trump being the unfathomable finest instance.
It might crimp Becerra’s fundraising if potential donors surprise the place their cash is definitely going and whether or not anybody credible can be watching it.
The gubernatorial race continues to be large open with no actual front-runner. No candidate is charming the voters.
A late October ballot by the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Research confirmed paltry numbers for all candidates. Former Orange County Rep. Katie Porter led Democrats with 11% help amongst registered voters. Becerra was second with 8%. A whopping 44% of these surveyed had been undecided.
Riverside County Sheriff Chad Blanco, a Republican, was first total with 13%. However no Republican want apply for this job. California hasn’t elected a GOP candidate to a statewide workplace since 2006.
Becerra has nearly as good a shot at successful as any present candidate. He was the main Democrat amongst Latinos at 12%.
However he’ll want a greater reply for why he could have allowed $225,000 in donated political contributions to be grabbed and illegally spent by individuals he trusted.
