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DOJ Probe, Newsom Says
California Gov. Gavin Newsom said on Monday that the Department of Justice is investigating him and his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, and he claimed President Donald Trump is "coming after me because I'm considering running for president."
Newsom said federal agents have "knocked on the doors of family, friends, and former employees" and that it was "Not because they found a crime, because they're simply trying to find one."
In a call with reporters Monday afternoon, Newsom's office said it believes grand jury subpoenas had been issued for records to financial institutions, and it said it has not seen any subpoenas.
ABC News reported that a Justice Department spokesperson declined to comment when reached about the investigation into Newsom and his wife, and Newsom's office said it does not know of any target letters sent by prosecutors.
The CNBC report added that Newsom accused Trump of ordering the Department of Justice to investigate him and his wife, and it said the probe is largely focused on her tax filings.
Harris Backs the Claim
Former Vice President Kamala Harris said during a summit in Austria that she was "not surprised" by the Trump administration’s investigation of Gavin Newsom, reinforcing his argument that it fits a pattern of pursuing political rivals.
Harris said, "I am not surprised that he may be using the Department of Justice to go after a political enemy in the current governor of California."
Politico reported that Democrats rallied behind Newsom after he revealed on Monday that federal investigators were scrutinizing him and his wife, interviewing more than a dozen people and issuing a flurry of subpoenas.
NBC News said Newsom’s aides told reporters that more than a dozen people were contacted by FBI and IRS agents about the governor and his wife, and that some questions involved specific financial transactions and "credit card statements."
NBC News also reported that a “fact sheet” released by Newsom’s office said investigators had expanded their inquiry into "increasingly personal matters involving the Governor’s family and professional network."
What’s at Stake Next
Newsom said the investigation is politically motivated and accused Trump of directing the Department of Justice to investigate him, warning that "If they can’t intimidate me, they’ll go after the mother of our children."
“California Governor Gavin Newsom has claimed that he and his wife are under investigation by the US Department of Justice in what he describes as a politically motivated probe directed by President Donald Trump”
NBC News reported that the White House referred NBC News to the DOJ for comment and that the DOJ declined to comment, while Newsom’s office said it is pursuing a public records request for documents and communications from the Department of Justice from the start of Trump’s second term until now.
CNBC reported that MS NOW said the probe dates to early 2025 and that the DOJ's public integrity section had been looking at potential tax fraud and evasion by Siebel Newsom, with investigators partnering with the U.S. Attorney's office.
NBC News also reported that two sources familiar with the investigation said it is being run out of Sacramento, under the control of Eastern District of California U.S. Attorney Eric Grant, and that the governor’s wife is under investigation for "her taxes."
In a separate account, ABC News said Newsom’s office believed grand jury subpoenas had been issued for records to financial institutions, and it said it would be illegal for banks to disclose to customers that they had received one.
