California Gov. Gavin Newsom's office has filed a public records request seeking Department of Justice documents mentioning him or his wife during President Donald Trump's second term, as new details emerged about the origins of the federal probe targeting the governor and first partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom.
The investigation is being handled by the U.S. Attorney's Office in Sacramento and has been ongoing since 2025, based on whistleblower complaints related to the couple's personal finances, according to sources familiar with the matter who spoke with Fox News.
What the Right Is Saying
President Trump has not publicly commented on the specific probe. Attorney General Pam Bondi has previously called out Newsom for failing to protect California cities and vowed to prosecute looters and rioters.
A DOJ spokesperson did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Bonta's characterization of the investigation as "weaponization."
Sources familiar with the matter told Fox News that the case is based on whistleblower complaints related to the governor and first partner's personal finances. A separate source indicated Washington was not involved in the decision to open the probe, according to the Associated Press.
The investigation launched last year under then-President Joe Biden resulted in corruption charges against Newsom's former chief of staff, Dana Williamson, who pleaded guilty to lying about sharing internal information with a former associate. The governor was not personally involved in that probe, sources said.
What the Left Is Saying
California Attorney General Rob Bonta defended Newsom while doubling down on accusations that Trump has weaponized federal law enforcement for political purposes. "I know what I've concluded is that this is highly dubious — there's no trust in it," Bonta said in an interview with Fox News Digital. "This is someone who's weaponized the U.S. DOJ time and time again. I think he's doing it now."
Bonta framed the probe within the context of Newsom's political profile, noting the governor leads the nation's most populous state and its largest economy. "Everyone knows that he could be president of the United States," Bonta said. "So you put that situational awareness and context into this, and what do you conclude?"
Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., declined to answer questions from Fox News Digital about reports that the probe originated with federal prosecutors in California rather than being directed by officials in Washington.
Newsom's office announced Monday it filed a public records request to the DOJ seeking documents mentioning Newsom or his wife during Trump's second term, including messages to and from Justice Department leaders — an apparent attempt to demonstrate political motivation behind the investigation.
What the Numbers Show
An investigation has been ongoing since 2025 based on whistleblower complaints related to Newsom and his wife's personal finances, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.
The case is being handled by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of California in Sacramento.
Williamson, Newsom's former chief of staff, pleaded guilty to lying about sharing internal information. She was charged as part of an investigation that originally launched under the Biden administration.
The Bottom Line
The new reporting that Washington was not involved in opening the probe complicates the governor's framing of the investigation as a politically motivated attack ordered by Trump from above — at least regarding its origin point. However, Bonta and Newsom allies argue the widening of the investigation to include the governor personally under the current administration remains evidence of weaponization.
The public records request filed by Newsom's office signals an intent to build a case for improper political motivation that could be used in any future legal proceedings or public defense. The probe remains in its early stages, and no charges have been announced against the governor or first partner.