California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom’s international travel, paid for by private benefactors, is now the subject of a federal criminal investigation, according to reports that have been circulating around the internet. The San Francisco Standard recently looked through subpoenas that were issued by the Department of Justice, specifically a U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Golden State.
The subpoenas, which were issued in the first few days of September 2026, requested testimony and communications with the governor and a few other individuals. They also want six years of records concerning the California State Protocol Foundation, which is a nonprofit group that has funded overseas travel for Newsom, as well as communications with both current and former aides, advisers, and associates.
The aides include Rebecca Prowda, who is in charge of the Democratic governor’s overseas travel as part of her duties as Newsom’s protocol officer, and is also married to San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie. The investigative report from The Standard pointed out that these documents “provide the clearest picture yet” of the extent of the probe of both Newsom and his wife.
“The records requested by this subpoena are for use in a criminal investigation pending in the Eastern District of California,” according to one of the subpoenas reviewed by the Standard. It was signed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Anderson. According to Breitbart News, investigators want to look through the communications with members of the Protocol Foundation’s board, some of whom are Newsom’s closest advisers.
The California Post took a look into state records and discovered that Newsom has directed over $7.5 million in donations from outside organizations to the Protocol Foundation since 2019. Almost $5.1 million of that amount came from leftover inaugural funds. Some of the top donors to the foundation are companies and groups that have business with the state or are impacted by decisions the governor makes.
Some of the donors include CVS, Zoox, a robotaxi company, and a foundation for Blue Shield. Newsom also sought monetary donations from a left-wing dark money group known as New Venture Fund, as well as from crypto billionaire Chris Larsen. Other well-known contributors include philanthropists Susie Tompkins Buell and Lisa Stone Pritzker, both of whom have helped fund Newsom’s political activities and helped his wife’s nonprofit organization.
Investigators are striving to determine if these donors directly benefited from Newsom administration policies, a tactic known as “pay to play.” The governor’s office has released a statement in response to news about the probe, placing the blame for everything on President Donald Trump. “Governor Newsom went after the king — and as he warned in June, the tyrant is now coming after everyone around him,” the statement said.
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“This is what Donald Trump does to his enemies: investigate first, hunt for a crime that doesn’t exist second. It’s deeply upsetting to see innocent staff, friends, and family have their names dragged through the mud just because they’re associated with the Governor,” it added. The Protocol Foundation has helped provide funding for Newsom’s overseas travel expenses for almost two decades now, relying on private donations instead of taxpayer money.