All Of The Legal Drama Gavin Newsom's Former Staffer Is Wrapped Up In

California Governor Gavin Newsom has been on a roll, doling out nicknames that give Donald Trump a run for his money and brutally humbling JD Vance with scathing tweets. But in November 2025, the governor hit a snag. His former chief of staff, Dana Williamson, who worked for Newsom for two years before resigning in November 2024, was charged with 23 counts relating to fraud, which included bank and wire fraud, obstruction of justice, and conspiracy to defraud the United States. Among her many alleged crimes, Williamson allegedly tried to help herself to $225,000 in campaign fund money belonging to former President Joe Biden's Health Secretary Xavier Becerra. She has pleaded not guilty to the charges. 

Newsom reportedly knew Williamson was being investigated — she came clean to the governor in 2024, and she was subsequently forced to take some time off before she left the governor's office. If a jury finds her guilty, Williamson will be looking at a 20-year prison sentence and a hefty fine of $250,000 for each count she's convicted of. 

In an interesting turn of events, Williamson's lawyer, McGregor Scott, told Politico that the FBI requested Williamson's assistance in an investigation the bureau was conducting into Newsom in 2024, but that she didn't comply. "She had no information to give them or offer them because she had not seen any misconduct by the governor of any kind," Scott said. Current chief of staff to the California governor, Nathan Barankin, told Politico that Newsom had no knowledge of said investigation. "There is no basis for any federal investigation into the governor," Barankin argued.  

By now, every pundit knows it's very likely Gavin Newsom will run for the Democratic presidential ticket come 2028. The last thing the governor needs is a scandal. Dana Williamson's legal drama didn't exactly make Newsom look good, and the governor distanced himself from her in a statement via his spokesperson, emphasizing that she "no longer serves in this administration," per The New York Times. "The governor expects all public servants to uphold the highest standards of integrity," Newsom's spokesperson said.

But Newsom himself lacked integrity during his tenure as the mayor of San Francisco when he had an affair with his appointments secretary Ruby Rippey-Tourk, which came to light in 2007. What made matters worse was that Rippey-Tourk was married to Newsom's campaign manager at the time, Alex Tourk. This was clearly one of Newsom's most controversial moments, and it continues to haunt the politician to this day.

After the affair became public, the then-mayor issued an apology, telling reporters, "I am deeply sorry. I humbly ask all of those I have hurt for their forgiveness (via Reuters). He promised to atone by throwing himself into serving his constituents to the best of his ability. Here's hoping there aren't any more staffing scandals just waiting to tap-dance out of the closet as Newsom gears up for 2028.