Gavin Newsom & His Wife Jennifer's Lavish Life Has Raised Some Eyebrows

Gavin Newsom, the Governor of California, and his wife Jennifer Siebel, a documentary filmmaker, are raising eyebrows with their wealthy lifestyle and big paychecks. As a combination of politics and Hollywood, this celebrity couple brings a mix of California's wealthiest roles. In a state like California, living big and flaunting wealth is a not uncommon. However, as government figures, Newsom and Siebel's growing wealth may be a point of concern — especially given how they are earning their money.

Sources claim that Siebel has made as much as $150,000 through her nonprofit, The Representation Project. As the founder of the organization, awarding herself such a high salary did leave some eyebrows raised, but jaws downright dropped upon hearing of her second income in 2024. The Representation Project donated to its largest independent contractor, Girls Club Entertainment ... Siebel's own entertainment company. The donation, in the amount of $150,000, was for, as filings report, "'writer/producer/director services." 

The documentary filmmaker is not the only one making bank in her current public position. Newsom himself earned around $240,000 as governor in 2024, and has gained additional wealth through a series of blind trusts he has in place while serving in office. In the trust are restaurants, wineries, and other businesses that Newsom has acquired or partnered with. It was reported by the AP that Newsom and Siebel earned around $1.5 million in 2020 with their combined incomes and business ventures, which afforded them a lavish life.

As an individual in a position of power who has both control of a governmental position and a healthy income, Gavin Newsom's wealth may be doing more damage to his image than good. Newsom's wealth and large estates have been part of speculation that his transparency in finances may not be as straightforward as originally presumed. And, with outlets like the Wall Street Journal opining about Newsom's voiced opposition to a wealth tax, it paints Newsom in a not-so-flattering light. 

Siebel herself was also living a lavish life even prior to her husband's position as governor. Before wedding Newsom, Siebel was an actor — appearing in projects like "Mad Men" and "Rent." When acting wasn't cutting it for Siebel anymore, she moved on to producing and directing, and stepped away from narrative filmmaking into the world of documentary. As rumors of Newsom and Siebel's lavish living grow, its hard to ignore their consistent history of wealth.