So why are the Governors wife’s nonprofits being investigated? State employee whistleblowers.
Yesterday the Governor of California claimed that Trump took a page out of the Biden DOJ and was going after him and his wife. What he left out was the fact that California state employees from multiple departments came forward.
- Employees of the California Department of Justice (CA DOJ)
- Employees inside the California Governor’s Office
- Employees connected to state‑funded programs that interacted with her nonprofits.
- Why not go to state agencies?
- Whistleblowers believed state leadership would not investigate itself.
- Some feared retaliation if they reported internally.
- Several said they had already raised concerns inside state agencies and nothing happened.
This mirrors the pattern seen in other California scandals (EDD fraud, DMV contracting, etc.): state employees warn internally → warnings ignored → feds step in.
What the whistleblowers provided
Federal investigators reportedly received:
- Internal emails
- Financial documents
- Communications between state agencies and Siebel Newsom’s nonprofits
- Testimony about how grants, contracts, or tax‑related filings were handled
This is why the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Sacramento — not the State of California — is running the investigation.
Case Who Was Involved Connection to Newsom Type of Misconduct Alleged Who Investigated Indicted? Convicted? Siebel Newsom Nonprofit Investigation Jennifer Siebel Newsom’s nonprofits; state‑employee whistleblowers Indirect — nonprofits run by governor’s spouse; staff interviewed as witnesses Tax‑related activity; nonprofit financial questions Federal DOJ / U.S. Attorney (Sacramento) No (no one indicted) No Governor’s Office Staff (related to nonprofit probe) Former staff interviewed Only as witnesses; no wrongdoing alleged None — administrative involvement only Federal DOJ No No Shawn Kumagai Federal Bribery Case Shawn Kumagai, Dublin councilmember & Assembly candidate Endorsed by Newsom, but not staff, not campaign employee Federal bribery / pay‑to‑play allegations Federal DOJ Yes Pending CHP Officer Assigned to Newsom’s Security Detail CHP officer (not political staff) Assigned to governor’s security detail; personal conduct Weapons & drug‑related charges Local & state law enforcement Yes Pending / varies by case EDD Fraud Whistleblower Cases EDD employees No direct link to Newsom personally Massive unemployment fraud; ignored internal warnings Federal DOJ, DOL‑OIG, FBI Yes (contractors & fraudsters) Yes (multiple) DMV Real ID Contracting Scandal DMV employees No direct link to Newsom personally Contracting irregularities; mismanagement Federal auditors (Real ID is federally regulated) No (internal failures, not criminal) No High‑Speed Rail Whistleblower Cases CA High‑Speed Rail Authority staff No direct link to Newsom personally Falsified timelines, cost inflation, mismanagement Federal Railroad Administration No (mismanagement, not criminal) No Caltrans Safety & Contracting Whistleblowers Caltrans engineers & inspectors No direct link to Newsom personally Fraudulent testing; unsafe construction Federal Highway Administration & DOJ Yes (contractors) Yes California Prison System (CDCR) Civil‑Rights Cases Correctional officers & medical staff No direct link to Newsom personally Abuse, falsified reports, civil‑rights violations Federal DOJ (Civil Rights Division) Some (case‑specific) Some
