Senior Democratic Aide Arrested in Major Campaign Fund Scandal
A former top aide to California Governor Gavin Newsom has been indicted on federal charges for her alleged involvement in a scheme to steal campaign funds from Xavier Becerra, the former US health secretary.
Dana Williamson, who served as Newsom's chief of staff from late 2022 until late 2024, was arrested and scheduled to make her first court appearance on Wednesday in Sacramento.
The federal indictment alleges that Williamson conspired with four others, including Sean McCluskie, who was Becerra's chief of staff at the time of the alleged offences.
The Alleged Fraud Scheme
According to court documents, Williamson and McCluskie are accused of siphoning money from Becerra's dormant campaign account, funnelling approximately $225,000 to McCluskie over more than two years.
Becerra, a former California attorney general appointed health secretary by President Joe Biden, is not implicated in the indictment. The investigation began more than three years ago, according to FBI Sacramento special agent in charge Sid Patel, meaning it started under the Biden administration.
Williamson faces 23 separate charges including:
- Conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud
- Bank fraud
- Conspiracy to defraud the United States
- Obstructing justice
- Subscribing to false tax returns
- Making false statements
Political Fallout and Potential Consequences
A spokesperson for Governor Newsom stated: "Ms Williamson no longer serves in this administration. While we are still learning details of the allegations, the Governor expects all public servants to uphold the highest standards of integrity."
If convicted on all counts, Williamson could face up to 20 years in prison, according to the US attorney's office.
Williamson is described as a longtime Democratic power player in Sacramento. She previously served as cabinet secretary for former governor Jerry Brown before opening her own political affairs firm. She also managed Becerra's campaign when he ran for attorney general in 2018, later rejoining state government as Newsom's chief of staff.
The indictment comes as Governor Newsom attended the UN Climate Change Conference (Cop30) in Belém, Brazil, highlighting the timing's potential political sensitivity.
