Prosecutors say $225,000 from Xavier Becerra’s dormant campaign was illegally diverted; two co-defendants have agreed to plead.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Dana Williamson, a longtime Democratic strategist and former chief of staff to Gov. Gavin Newsom, pleaded not guilty Wednesday in federal court to a sweeping indictment that alleges she helped reroute campaign money tied to Xavier Becerra and falsified records as part of a broader corruption scheme.
Prosecutors say the case centers on $225,000 taken from a dormant campaign account linked to Becerra, now a gubernatorial contender and former U.S. health secretary. The money, investigators allege, was disguised as consulting or compliance work and used to supplement the pay of a former Becerra aide. The 23-count indictment also accuses Williamson of filing false tax returns and obstructing investigators. Williamson, a fixture in California politics who briefly served as Newsom’s top aide, was placed on leave late last year after disclosing the inquiry to the governor’s office and later departed. Neither Newsom nor Becerra is accused of wrongdoing. The case is in its early stages, with additional filings expected in the coming weeks.
According to the indictment read in court, the alleged scheme unfolded between 2022 and 2024 while Williamson ran a consulting firm and, for part of that time, worked in the governor’s office. Prosecutors say the $225,000 transfer moved through intermediaries before reaching a former Becerra chief of staff, and that invoices and memos were drafted to make the payments appear legitimate. After her arrest in Sacramento on Wednesday morning, Williamson appeared before a federal magistrate and entered her plea. “We will contest these charges,” her attorney said outside the courthouse, arguing that the payments were lawful and properly reported. Becerra called the allegations “a gut punch” and said he cooperated with investigators. A person familiar with the governor’s office said Newsom was informed last November and removed Williamson from day-to-day duties pending the federal review.
The 23 counts include conspiracy, wire fraud, bank fraud, false statements and obstruction. Court papers say Williamson, 53, signed or approved filings that masked personal spending as business costs, including travel and luxury goods, while claiming improper deductions on her returns. Prosecutors say two associates—lobbyist Greg Campbell and former Becerra aide Sean McCluskie—have signed plea agreements in connection with the same probe. A charging document says investigators interviewed Williamson and later alleged she was not truthful about her knowledge of how the campaign money was redirected. The filing does not accuse Becerra or Newsom of authorizing the transfers. Some details remain unclear, including who first proposed the payments and the full list of entities used to route the funds, which prosecutors say were intended to avoid campaign finance rules.
Williamson is among the most connected operatives in Sacramento, having advised Democratic governors and legislative leaders for years. She joined Newsom’s administration as a senior adviser before becoming chief of staff, a move seen at the time as cementing the governor’s political team ahead of his national travel and a possible White House bid. By November 2024, however, aides say she told the governor’s counsel about a federal inquiry and was placed on leave; she left the post a month later. Records show the alleged siphoning from Becerra’s old campaign account occurred around the same period. The case also arrives as California’s 2026 governor’s race takes shape, with Becerra in the field. The indictment’s narrative suggests a pressure-cooker environment around staffing and pay, but it does not allege wrongdoing by any candidate.
In court Wednesday, magistrate staff outlined conditions of release while setting the next steps. Prosecutors said plea agreements by Campbell and McCluskie include restitution tied to the $225,000 transfer and require cooperation with the government. The U.S. attorney’s office said more filings, including discovery logs and a protective order, will be submitted before the next hearing. A status conference is scheduled for Dec. 11 in Sacramento. Prosecutors could seek to supersede the indictment if new evidence emerges, though no such move has been announced. Defense lawyers signaled they will challenge the government’s timeline, the characterization of consulting work, and the allegation that Williamson lied during an FBI interview.
Outside the courthouse, a small crowd of cameras followed Williamson down a concrete ramp toward waiting cars as dusk settled over downtown. “Dana has served this state honorably,” a former colleague said, declining to elaborate. Another onlooker muttered that the case “makes everyone look bad.” In a brief statement, Newsom’s office emphasized the presumption of innocence and noted Williamson no longer works in the administration. Becerra, appearing at a separate event in Los Angeles, said accountability will come through the courts and added, “This is not what public service should look like.” By nightfall, courthouse security had cleared reporters from the hallway as lawyers shuffled stacks of filings into rolling cases.
Williamson remains free as the case moves into discovery. The court set the next hearing for Dec. 11, when lawyers are expected to address scheduling and evidence access. Further charging decisions, including possible superseding counts, could come later this winter as cooperation agreements play out.
Author note: Last updated November 13, 2025.