Payam Javan: Federal prosecutors have delivered a major blow to California’s Democratic establishment, announcing that Dana Williamson, former chief of staff to Gov. Gavin Newsom, has been indicted on 23 counts tied to public corruption. According to a Nov. 12 statement from the Department of Justice, a federal grand jury charged Williamson with a wide array of offenses, raising serious questions about the integrity and oversight within Newsom’s political orbit.

U.S. Attorney Eric Grant stated that Williamson, 53, of Carmichael, California, allegedly engaged in bank and wire fraud, conspired to defraud the federal government, obstructed justice, filed false tax returns, and lied to investigators. The allegations paint a picture of a senior Democratic insider who believed she could operate beyond the rules that govern ordinary Americans, a theme critics say is far too common among California’s ruling class.

Prosecutors allege that Williamson helped divert roughly $225,000 from a dormant political campaign into an associate’s personal account, masking the transaction through a money-laundering scheme that funded a “no-show job” between February 2022 and September 2024. The indictment suggests a deliberate effort to exploit political resources for personal gain, raising concerns about how such conduct went unnoticed in Newsom’s inner circle.

The charges also involve a scheme to fabricate backdated contracts in an attempt to obstruct a federal investigation into Paycheck Protection Program loans issued to a business she owned. If proven, these actions would mark yet another case in which California Democratic officials attempted to benefit from pandemic-era relief programs while everyday Americans struggled. The case is likely to intensify scrutiny of Newsom’s leadership as he continues positioning himself on the national stage.