California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom’s former chief of staff, Dana Williamson, along with four co-conspirators was indicted on 23 counts of bank and wire fraud that was allegedly committed from 2022 to 2024, while she was working for the governor. The indictment alleges that Williamson, who has had a lengthy career as a Democratic strategist, partnered with Greg Campbell, a well-known Sacramento lobbyist, and Sean McCluskie, the former chief of staff to former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, along with two other individuals, to steal $225,000 from an unnamed former official’s dormant campaign account.
The funds from the account were then used by McCluskie for personal expenses. “Collectively, they funneled the money through various business entities and disguised it as pay for what was, in reality, a no-show job,” FBI Sacramento Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel explained in a news release concerning the suspects’ arrests.
Prosecutors state that Williamson, along with one of her unnamed co-conspirators who formerly owned a political consulting firm, used their political strategy firms to siphon cash out of a campaign account, believed to have belonged to Becerra, into an account controlled by McCluskie. The suspects hid the funds as payments to McCluskie’s spouse, who is a stay-at-home parent.
According to a report from CA Matters, Williamson is also being accused of falsely claiming over $1.7 million in business expenses on her taxes. The money was ultimately squandered on a $15,000 Chanel handbag and earrings, a chartered jet trip, and a $170,000 trip to Mexico for her birthday. The indictment also accuses her of conspiring to retroactively create fake contracts to justify federal loans that were granted to her company, Grace Public Affairs.
Both Campbell and McCluskie pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud. Authorities say the two are fully cooperating with investigators. Campbell also pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States. During her arraignment, Williamson, clothed in a gray robe and sporting shackles, broke down crying several times.
Unlike Campbell and McCluskie, she pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against her, with her lawyer demanding a jury trial. Williamson is set to be released on a $500,000 unsecured bond, having used her home as collateral. She will have until Nov. 26 to post bond. She will then be released under supervision and must surrender her passport and all other travel documents, along with several other conditions for her release.
Williamson had a well-established reputation for her superior negotiation skills, one that was earned during her time serving in a high-level position in Gov. Jerry Brown’s administration. When she finally left Newsom’s office, he released a statement saying he would miss her “insight, tenacity, and big heart.” One of the other unnamed co-conspirators was identified as Alexis Podesta.
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Podesta is a well-known Sacramento Democratic political consultant who served as a secretary during the Brown administration and is a member of the State Compensation Insurance Fund. If Williamson is convicted, she could end up serving over two decades behind bars, along with over a million dollars in fines for the charges.