There are stories that land with the weight of a thud. Not because they surprise us, but because they confirm something we already sensed in the political atmosphere. This is one of them.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s former chief of staff was hauled into federal court Wednesday, hit with a 23-count indictment accusing her of plotting to steal $225,000 and funnel it to a friend, according to the Justice Department.
Dana Williamson, 53, now stands accused of conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud, defrauding the United States, obstructing justice, filing false tax returns, and lying to investigators.
It is a grim list, the kind that suggests not a momentary lapse but a practiced choreography.
Prosecutors say she helped engineer a scheme to drain money from a dormant political campaign, shifting funds in quiet arcs toward a co-conspirator’s account for personal use.
“This is a crucial step in an ongoing political corruption investigation that began more than three years ago,” U.S. Attorney Eric Grant said. “As it always has, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to protect the people of California from political corruption.”
Court filings name Sean McCluskie — then chief of staff to “Public Official 1,” later confirmed as former HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra — as the recipient of the diverted funds.
Beginning in April 2022, Williamson allegedly used her consulting firm to bill Becerra’s campaign for work that was never done, with payments routed to McCluskie’s wife in what prosecutors describe as a classic “no-show job.”
And as she prepared to join Newsom’s office in late 2022, they say Williamson scrambled to keep the machine humming, recruiting a former public official to step in and keep the fraudulent flow going.
Williamson served as Newsom’s chief of staff until late 2024.
“Ms. Williamson no longer serves in this administration,” a Newsom spokesperson told Fox News Digital. “While we are still learning details of the allegations, the governor expects all public servants to uphold the highest standards of integrity.”
The investigation, prosecutors signal, is not yet at its end. It has the feeling of a doorway opening, not closing — and the sense that more shoes may soon fall to the floor.
