Federal investigators used a longtime Democrat insider as a confidential source in a corruption investigation that later expanded to include California Gov. Gavin Newsom and his wife, according to the attorney for Newsom's former chief of staff.
Alexis Podesta secretly recorded conversations for the FBI beginning in June 2024 during the agency's criminal investigation into Dana Williamson, Newsom's former chief of staff, according to Williamson's attorney, McGregor Scott, The New York Post reported on Friday.
"Alexis wore a wire, and Dana did not," Scott, a former U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of California, told The Post.
Williamson pleaded guilty in May to conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud, filing a false tax return, and making false statements to the FBI.
Scott's disclosure helps explain why Sacramento political insiders and lobbyists received FBI notification letters last fall informing them that some of their phone conversations had been intercepted during the investigation, despite many having little or no apparent connection to Williamson.
Assemblymember Josh Hoover, R-Folsom, said he was among those who received a letter even though he had never spoken with either Williamson or Podesta.
"A lot of people received letters essentially informing us that there were certain periods of time where the FBI was given access to follow phone calls," Hoover said.
"I don't know how these investigations work, but it sounds like they cast a pretty broad net across the Capitol community to see what they could find."
A separate source familiar with the matter told The Post that four Sacramento insiders also received FBI notifications confirming they had been recorded.
According to the source, one recipient said: "Dude, I got this f---ing letter. I never even met with Dana Williamson!"
"Their curiosity was that they never even met with Dana Williamson, so they were wondering what this is all about," the source said.
"And now you have the answer."
Newsom announced last month that he, his wife Jennifer Siebel Newsom, and members of his inner circle are under federal investigation. The governor has accused President Donald Trump of directing the Justice Department to investigate him as political retaliation ahead of a possible 2028 presidential campaign.
Sources familiar with the matter told The Post that investigators have spent the past year examining not only Newsom, but also members of his staff and his wife's taxes. Siebel Newsom has accused Trump of having "no boundaries."
According to The Post, whistleblowers prompted the federal investigation into Newsom. Scott said Williamson declined to cooperate with investigators because she had no information regarding the governor.
Podesta, 45, has not been charged with a crime. Her attorney, Bill Portanova, has identified her as the uncharged co-conspirator described in Williamson's indictment and confirmed she cooperated with federal investigators.
The governor appointed Podesta to the California State Compensation Insurance Fund board in January 2020, a position paying nearly $61,000 annually. She previously served as secretary of the California Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency and held senior positions under former Gov. Jerry Brown.
The governor's office declined to comment to The Post, calling the matter a personnel issue. Podesta and Portanova did not respond to requests for comment.
Federal prosecutors allege Williamson and others orchestrated a scheme to divert about $225,000 from a dormant campaign account belonging to former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra by disguising payments as consulting fees for Becerra's former chief of staff, Sean McCluskie.
According to court filings, Williamson also shared confidential state government information with Podesta regarding a corporate client identified in reports as Activision Blizzard.
Williamson's plea agreement states she was recorded on a June 2024 wiretap discussing with Podesta how to respond to a California Public Records Act request concerning the state's litigation against the company. Court records also indicate the two exchanged text messages about the matter.
A spokesperson for the U.S. attorney's office leading the investigation declined to comment.
Hoover said the investigation has fueled public concern about the governor's administration.
"All of this stuff just raises so many questions," Hoover said. "What is going on in this administration? What types of conversations are being had? I think the entire case should be really concerning for the general public. It's really raising a lot of mistrust."