Fact Check: Did Gavin Newsom's leaked memo show Democrats expected 350,000 illegal votes?

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA: A viral social media post has sparked speculation online by claiming that a leaked document from California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office showed Democrats expected approximately 350,000 illegal votes. The allegation quickly gained traction across platforms, with users sharing the purported memo as evidence of election misconduct.

The claim has fueled calls for investigations and renewed debate over election integrity in California. However, a closer examination of the viral post reveals that the allegation is not supported by evidence. Here's a fact check.

Claim: Gavin Newsom's leaked memo gains traction online

According to a Facebook post, leaked documents from Newsom's office showed that California Democrats expected "in the area of 350,000" illegal votes. The alleged memo reportedly carried the label, "This is eyes only," along with the note, "Internal polling numbers included."

The post further claimed that the document, which was never intended for public release, had been forwarded to a US Attorney investigating the California primary for fraud.

The allegation spread widely on Facebook, X, and Threads, accumulating hundreds of thousands of views and prompting social media users to question the legitimacy of California's election process.

Fact check: Viral claim originated from a satire post

The claim is false. There is no evidence that any such document was leaked from Newsom's office or that Democrats anticipated receiving 350,000 illegal votes.

A search using keywords including "Gavin Newsom leaked document" and "California 350,000 illegal votes" produced no credible reports from major news organizations. If such a document existed, it would likely have generated significant national coverage and scrutiny.

Further examination of the viral image revealed text in the bottom-right corner stating, "Satire: Nothing on this page is real." The disclaimer indicates that the content was intended as parody rather than factual reporting.

As a result, the claim that a leaked Newsom memo exposed expectations of 350,000 illegal votes is unsupported and stems from a satirical social media post.

Gavin Newsom criticizes Trump's Justice Department plans

Separately, Newsom on Wednesday, June 10, criticized President Donald Trump's decision to nominate Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to permanently lead the Department of Justice.

The California governor accused Trump of turning federal law enforcement into a political tool and intensified his criticism of the administration's legal leadership plans.

The remarks marked Newsom's second public criticism of Blanche in recent days as Democrats continued to challenge the nomination.

"Why is the media not talking more about Donald Trump tapping his PERSONAL ATTORNEY to lead the Department of Justice???" Newsom wrote.