Gavin Newsom denies Alexis Podesta was in his orbit despite giving her a state job

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA: California Governor Gavin Newsom forcefully pushed back on Friday, July 3, against a report highlighting political ties between FBI informant Alexis Podesta and his administration, insisting there is "no evidence" connecting him to an ongoing federal corruption investigation involving his former chief of staff, Dana Williamson.

In a lengthy post shared by the Governor's Press Office on X, Newsom's administration accused critics of spreading "false information". It dismissed the investigation as a politically motivated effort, while responding point by point to claims raised in the report.

Newsom's office dismisses report linking Alexis Podesta to his political circle

The governor's office adopted an unusually combative tone, accusing "MAGA bootlickers" of pushing misinformation and describing the federal probe as a "lawless fishing expedition."

The post also claimed prosecutors were "chasing ghosts" and argued that efforts to investigate Newsom amounted to political retaliation orchestrated by President Donald Trump.

Officials insisted there was no connection between Newsom and the reported use of an FBI informant.

"There is no evidence that the alleged use of a wire on one of the FBI's informants is in any way connected to the Governor," Newsom's staff wrote. "That investigation had nothing to do with the Governor."

The governor's office also argued that the report offered "no real evidence" that Podesta was in Newsom's political "orbit."

"Under the Post's theory, every one of the more than 2,000 appointees to boards and commissions is somehow an 'ally' and in the political orbit of the Governor," officials wrote.

Report details Alexis Podesta's appointments under Gavin Newsom

The report cited comments from Dana Williamson's attorney, McGregor Scott, who said Alexis Podesta had been cooperating with investigators while his client had not.

"Alexis wore a wire, and Dana did not," Scott said.

According to the report, Podesta remained in state government after Newsom became governor and was appointed secretary of the California Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency, a cabinet-level position she held until leaving state government in 2020 to launch a lobbying firm.

The report also noted that Newsom later appointed Podesta to the State Compensation Insurance Fund board, a position paying about $61,000 annually.

Newsom's office did not directly address those appointments while defending the governor's position. Instead, officials maintained that Podesta's government roles did not establish that she was part of the governor's inner political circle.

Federal probe and social media response remain under scrutiny

The report also stated that federal investigators documented conversations between Podesta and Williamson that concerned official state business, including a lawsuit against Activision Blizzard.

At the same time, it questioned whether the governor's communications operation had blurred the line between official government messaging and political communications.

It noted that senior communications officials Izzy Gardon and Brandon Richards also hold roles with Newsom's federal political action committee, Campaign for Democracy.

According to the report, Richards received more than $27,000 from the PAC in late 2025, along with more than $9,000 in travel reimbursements this year.

Gardon declined to answer questions regarding his role with the PAC.

The governor's office closed its lengthy social media response by arguing that reporting about Podesta's involvement as an FBI informant was "not news," while continuing to reject any suggestion that Newsom was personally connected to the federal investigation.