Newsom Hires Abbe Lowell as $5.1 Million in Wife-Linked Donations Draw Federal Scrutiny
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Jul 22
Newsom Hires Abbe Lowell as $5.1 Million in Wife-Linked Donations Draw Federal Scrutiny
2 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 22
Summary
Abbe Lowell is now advising Gavin Newsom as federal investigators examine financial and nonprofit matters tied to Jennifer Siebel Newsom and a separate fraud case involving ex-chief of staff Dana Williamson.
At least two probes handled by the U.S. attorney’s office in Eastern California reportedly began with whistleblowers, with one focusing on tax-related questions around Siebel Newsom’s nonprofit and filmmaking finances.
The Los Angeles Times said Siebel Newsom’s Representation Project paid her more than $1.9 million and awarded about $2.2 million in contracts to her production company, while the California Partners Project received nearly $5.1 million in behested payments since 2020.
Newsom has called the scrutiny a politically motivated fishing expedition by the Trump administration and said contact from federal investigators is "inevitable," though the Justice Department and FBI have not commented publicly.