As I described here, Dana Williamson was Gov. Newsom’s chief-of-staff from early 2023 until then end of 2024. She was dismissed after revealing to her boss that she was under investigation.
Today, Williamson accepted a plea deal related to charges brought against her for fraud. The fraud in question also involved Xavier Becerra, who is currently a leading candidate to replace Newsom as governor.
One of California’s most influential power brokers pleaded guilty to three felonies on Thursday in a corruption case that has reverberated through the State Capitol and spurred attacks on a Democratic front-runner in the volatile race for governor.
That powerful figure, Dana Williamson, appeared in federal court in Sacramento, where she accepted reduced charges and pleaded guilty to lying to the F.B.I., filing a false tax return and conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud…
While her case prompted speculation in November about whether her acts were tied to her work in Mr. Newsom’s office, there has been greater scrutiny this month on her connections to Mr. Becerra because of his unexpected surge in the governor’s race.
The plea deal actually seems pretty generous given that Williamson was facing 23 counts relating to three separate incidents. The plea deal will wind up dropping most of those charges.
The plea deal, as laid out in court filings, dramatically reduced the number of charges against Ms. Williamson. In exchange, she would pay more than $500,000 in restitution, the agreement says, and could face time in prison, to be determined at a sentencing hearing later this year.
She likely will do some time but the expectation is that it will be around 3 years. In general that probably means she’ll be out in 18 months. But sentencing is still a couple months away. One reason we could see an even lighter sentence is that Williamson recently had a liver transplant so the judge may decide to take it easy on her for health reasons.
Becerra is connected to the case but so far only as a victim.
The alleged scheme saw Williamson siphon campaign funds from Becerra’s state campaign account to pad the salary of his chief of staff, Sean McCluskie. McCluskie and another alleged co-conspirator, lobbyist Greg Campbell, accepted plea deals around the time Williamson was indicted and are scheduled for sentencing on June 4.
“As part of an investigation that began in 2022, Williamson joins the two others who were charged in the ‘Conduit Scheme’ conspiracy in pleading guilty,” said U.S. Attorney Eric Grant in a statement. “These conspirators, three of whom are former public officials, shockingly looted campaign funds for personal benefit. Our office and our law enforcement partners will continue working to protect the integrity of the electoral process and ensure that those who scorn the law are held accountable.”
Plea deal documents filed Thursday morning note that Williamson and her co-conspirators made “false statements” to Becerra about the purpose of the funds being siphoned from his account.
Gov. Newsom also brushed off the plea deal as if this was all a distant memory for him.
Mr. Newsom said on Thursday that he didn’t know the details of Ms. Williamson’s plea but that he was thinking of her children.
“We’ve all got to be held to the letter of the law and accountable,” he said after delivering his updated budget proposal in Sacramento. “But on a personal basis, you know, for her kids — it’s tough.”
Williamson was considered Newsom’s “political assassin” and his top adviser less than 18 months ago. Newsom may not have known what she was up to but he certainly knew her very well and worked with her daily for two years. The idea that he doesn’t even know the details of her case is nonsense. But we’ve known for a while now that all he cares about his protecting his lane to the White House. Distancing himself from his former top aide is just one more thing he has to do to keep that lane open.
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