Tag: california

Fmr Newsom top aide admits guilt in fraud scheme, takes plea deal

Dana Williamson, a former top aide to California Governor Gavin Newsom, pleaded guilty to federal fraud and tax charges as part of a plea deal agreement following accusations that she stole campaign funds from gubernatorial candidate and former Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra.

Williamson, who served as former chief of staff for the California governor from 2022 to 2024, appeared at the Robert T. Matsui Courthouse in Sacramento, California on Thursday. While there, she entered a guilty plea to charges including conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud, filing a false tax return, and lying to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), according to Eastern District of California court documents.

“Dana Williamson and her co-conspirators weaponized public trust for personal gain. They stole from a campaign account, fabricated contracts, filed false tax returns, and lied to federal agents … No title and no political connection places anyone above the law,” said FBI Sacramento Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel in a statement.

The former aide was arrested last November on 23 counts tied to what prosecutors described as a scheme to steal $225,000 from one of Becerra’s dormant campaign accounts to fund her personal expenses, including a $150,000 birthday trip to Mexico, tens of thousands of dollars spent on Chanel and Fendi handbags and an HVAC system for her home.

Prosecutors also accused her of conspiring with Becerra’s former chief of staff Sean McCluskie and lobbyist Greg Campbell to move the money from Becerra’s dormant account to pay for McCluskie’s wife’s no-show job after Becerra was elected head of the HHS under former President Joe Biden, according to prosecutors.

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California Democrats deploy risky strategy to shut out Republican governor candidates

A growing number of California Democrats are embracing an unusual election strategy ahead of the state’s crowded gubernatorial primary: waiting until the final possible moment to cast their ballots.

The tactic is being fueled by anxiety within left-wing circles over the state’s open primary system, where the top two candidates advance to the November election regardless of party affiliation, infamously earning the name “jungle primary.”

With multiple Democrats splitting the vote and two Republicans performing strongly in polling, some progressive activists fear a scenario in which Democrats are entirely excluded from the general election, CalMatters reported.

The concern intensified earlier in the race when many Democratic voters rallied around former Congressman Eric Swalwell in hopes of consolidating support behind a single candidate.

Swalwell’s campaign, which at the time was gaining momentum as he lead polls among others his block, collapsed after multiple women accused him of sexual assault, reopening uncertainty among Democratic voters searching for a viable contender.

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“Completely Insane”: Federal Govt Withholds $1.3BN In Medicaid Reimbursements To California, Citing Fraud

The Trump administration will withhold $1.3 billion in Medicaid payments to California due to potentially fraudulent billing patterns, Vice President JD Vance announced on May 13.

The action comes among a host of others taken recently to crack down on fraudulent activity in Medicare and Medicaid.

“We want to protect these programs for the kids and the families who need them. We want to ensure that the American taxpayer isn’t getting fleeced,” Vance told reporters.

Analysis of Medicaid billing patterns in California aroused suspicion, according to Dr. Mehmet Oz, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

“We’ve discovered $630 million in billing from folks who are egregiously the top 5 percent of outliers in billing. These numbers are so big you can’t imagine anyone billing for these [amounts],” Oz told reporters.

California itself is an outlier among states, Oz said.

“In California, the growth of spending on personal care services is twice the rate of the average of the rest of the country,” Oz said.

“We estimate there’s $500 million that could be a risk of being taken from federal taxpayers.”

Fewer than 20 of 800 Medicare providers recently removed from the program due to suspicious billing activity have called to complain, Oz said, offering that as evidence that they likely were not legitimate providers.

VP Vance responded with a double take after hearing that wild stat from Dr. Oz:

“You’re saying that we kicked off 800 fraudulent healthcare providers off of the Medicare system and not a single one of them called the government and said, ‘hey, you made a mistake?'”

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Watching Porn on California’s Death Row

Under Governor Gavin Newsom, California has sought to transform its massive prison system into a Nordic-style rehabilitation program. Newsom has placed a moratorium on all executions, transferred condemned prisoners to facilities across the state, dismantled San Quentin State Prison’s death row, and turned the notorious prison into a therapeutic center, with art, classrooms, a café, and podcast studios.

As part of this transformation, the Newsom administration approved a $189 million contract to provide new digital tablets—generic, flat-screen devices in a plastic shell—to every inmate in the state prison system, at “no cost” to offenders. The administration heralded the effort to replace inmates’ old tablets—which were piloted in 2018 and given to nearly all prisoners by 2023—as a step toward “digital equity” for “justice impacted” individuals, who could, in theory, use the devices to contact their families, consume “educational” content, and “learn new technology.”

In reality, taxpayer-funded tablets have also been used for more lurid endeavors. In this exclusive City Journal investigation, we contacted dozens of death-row inmates, who told us that prisoners in the state system use such devices to watch pornography and have explicit sexual conversations. Some prisoners, according to a former high-ranking California corrections official, use their tablets to groom minors. Though the state has claimed to regulate explicit content, the inmates told us that users can easily evade detection.

When reached for comment, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said the tablets were “tightly controlled education tools” that provided inmates with “access to the Bible, education, and reentry resources that actually reduce crime.”

But inmates told us a different story. For some, the devices have become personal sex machines. In the words of one inmate, California’s death row is populated with desperately “horny” criminals who see the tablets as a way to satisfy their basest fantasies and desires—all thanks to the California taxpayer.

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California Democrat Xavier Becerra May Have Just Nuked His Governor Campaign With This Embarrassing Interview

Xavier Becerra served as the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services under Joe Biden. Prior to that, he was the attorney general for the state of California, where he is now running for the Democrat nomination for governor.

Becerra has been polling well with Democrats, but an interview he just did with KTLA News in California was so bad that it could derail his campaign. It was really that embarrassing and cringeworthy.

This interview was also an excellent reminder that Democrats are not used to dealing with hostile media. They’re accustomed to journalists setting them up with easy questions and teeing up attacks on their opponents, usually Republicans.

FOX News reports:

Democratic candidate for California governor Xavier Becerra is drawing criticism for a sit-down interview with local media in which he voiced expectations for a “profile” and not a “gotcha” interview.

“By the way, this is a profile piece — this is not a gotcha piece, right?” Becerra asked.

When the reporter indicated Becerra would face at least some challenging inquiries, Becerra doubled down.

“The way I describe a profile is: You talk about all the things that I’ve done, things that I want to do, along with some tough questions. But not only tough questions,” Becerra said.

The moment highlights rising tensions amid a crowded field to replace outgoing California Gov. Gavin Newsom — as well as Becerra’s readiness to defend his image in the final stretches of California’s open primary, where only the top two candidates will advance to the general election.

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New Investigation Exposes How Much Roundup Is Being Sprayed in Northern California’s Forests

In remote Northeast California, about 10 miles outside the lumber mill town of Chester and a half-hour’s drive from the old hunting cabin I bought and fixed up about a decade ago, I steer my old Toyota Tacoma down a bumpy dirt road to where the Lassen National Forest gives way to private timberland. Lilly rides shotgun.

We’d come to this exact spot seven years ago. Lilly, my sharp-eyed border collie, had jumped out of the truck and chased a rabbit through a meadow of knee-high grass, returning covered in mud and burrs. The landscape was straight out of an L.L.Bean catalog: a flower-dotted meadow buzzing with life. Douglas firs, incense cedars, and some of the tallest sugar pines on the planet sheltered protected species ranging from gray wolves to Pacific fishers and northern goshawks. The Sierra Nevada red fox, one of California’s rarest mammals, was known to live nearby, amid the vast patchwork of private and public lands. The Lassen area is where I come to reset, forage for wild mushrooms, and let stress evaporate.

But today, I’m looking out over a barren, sun-bleached expanse that stretches across the former meadow and up the sides of denuded mountains as far as the eye can see. No birds. No animals. No insects. No big trees. Just some waist-high piles of volcanic rock, a nod to the still-active Lassen Peak nearby. It is eerily quiet—desolate. The Dixie Fire roared through here in July 2021, burning nearly 1 million acres. The Park Fire three years later took out another 430,000 acres nearby. But the fires aren’t directly responsible for what I’m seeing today. People did this.

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19-year-old Padres prospect self-deports to Mexico after pleading guilty to human smuggling charge

Humberto Cruz, a high-ranking pitching prospect for the San Diego Padres, has reportedly self-deported to Mexico after pleading guilty to a federal misdemeanor charge involving the transportation of illegal aliens.

According to reports from the San Diego Union-Tribune, the now-19-year-old athlete, who was ranked as the organization’s fifth-best prospect by MLB Pipeline, admitted to authorities that he had responded to a social media advertisement seeking drivers to “pick up people for easy money.”

Cruz disclosed that he was offered $1,000 per person and acknowledged his awareness that the individuals were in the country illegally. While Cruz was initially in the United States on a legal work visa, the conviction triggered a near-certain deportation process and long-term consequences for his professional career.

Legal experts and team officials indicate that Cruz will likely be barred from reapplying for a U.S. work visa for at least ten years, though he may be eligible to petition for a return after five years — provided he demonstrates consistent good behavior during his time abroad.

The legal proceedings stem from an incident in October last year, when law enforcement officers stopped the pitcher in Lukeville, Arizona, on suspicion of transporting illegal aliens into the United States. Following his guilty plea, Cruz was sentenced to 30 days in prison, a term satisfied by the credit he received for time already served in custody.

In a lengthy statement released through the San Diego Padres organization, Cruz expressed deep remorse for his actions and offered an extensive apology for the lapse in judgment that led to his arrest and subsequent deportation.

“To my teammates, the organization, our fans, and my family, I want to express my sincere regret for a recent lapse in judgment that has caused disappointment to many people I deeply respect,” he began in the statement. “I understand that my actions have fallen short of the standards expected of me as a professional and as a representative of this organization. I take responsibility for my conduct and recognize the impact it has had on my teammates, the club, and those who support us.

“To my teammates and coaches, I apologize for becoming a distraction and for not upholding the level of professionalism you deserve,” he continued. “To the fans, I am sorry for letting you down and for failing to meet the trust placed in me. Your support means a great deal, and I regret not honoring it in the way I should have. To my family, I am grateful for your continued support and understanding during this difficult time.

“I regret the stress and disappointment this situation has caused. I am committed to reflecting on this moment, learning from it, and taking the appropriate steps to move forward in a positive and responsible manner. I will cooperate fully with the organization and any steps required of me, as I remain focused on personal growth and accountability. Thank you to everyone who has reached out with support and honesty. I understand that trust must be earned, and I am prepared to do that through my actions going forward.”

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Gavin Newsom’s ‘Free’ Diapers Cost More Than 3 Times Costco Diapers

The “free” diapers that failed Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) is handing out will cost taxpayers more than three times as much as Costco diapers.

One person who deals in baby products says it could be as high as eight to ten times as much.

Why?

Because this isn’t about giving new mothers 400 free diapers. Rather, it is about Newsom using a government program to funnel millions of taxpayer dollars to the nonprofit organization Baby2Baby, which is led by an executive who sits on the board of California Partners Project, which was co-founded by Newsom’s insufferable wife, Jennifer Siebel-Ocasio-Rodham Newsom.

As a not-so great American once said, the math ain’t mathing…

According the far-left Los Angeles Times, in its first year, the “state plans to distribute 40 million diapers.”

We also know that the cost of this program in year one is $20 million.

So, the state will pay 50 cents per diaper.

And yet, California is lousy with Costco stores, where you can buy diapers for 16 cents each.

If that’s the case, why is Gavin Newsom forcing taxpayers to pay 50 cents per diaper for Baby2Baby to distribute them when he could simply have maternity wards hand these 100,000 new mothers a Costco coupon for 400 free diapers, which would cost the taxpayers about a third as much?

Did I mention that the top executive at Baby2Baby is pals with Newsom’s insufferable wife?

You see, that’s how the government grift works. That’s how corrupt politicians pay off their pals. It’s all hidden in a compassionate-sounding government program when it’s really a taxpayer-funded payoff.

Allow me to speculate for a moment…

Baby2Baby probably pays a wholesale price for diapers that is much less than 16 cents each. Sure, there’s staff salaries and delivery costs, but come on… 50 cents each? Amazon can deliver them for half that. That leaves a lot of money left over for, say, massive presidential 2028 campaign contributions or direct kickbacks to Mr. and Mrs. Governor.

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Arcadia mayor Eileen Wang admits acting as Chinese spy, running fake news website with ex-lover in shocking plea deal

The former mayor of Arcadia resigned after admitting to acting as an illegal foreign agent of China in a federal plea deal unsealed on Monday.

Eileen Wang agreed with prosecutors that she worked with the People’s Republic of China to boost propaganda with a fake news website on US soil between 2020 and 2022. She was elected to Arcadia City Council in November 2022 — the city is within LA County.

Wang worked with her then fiancé, Yaoning “Mike” Sun, on a web site called “U.S. News Center,” which claimed to be news source for Chinese Americans, according to court documents.

But in reality the pair were carrying out Beijing’s orders through the site.

Wang and Sun “executed directives” from the Chinese government, posting propaganda designed to boost China, all while reporting back to their masters with screenshots showing how many people viewed the stories, according to the plea agreement.

In one case, Wang’s spymaster ordered her to post a PRC-authored essay denying the existence of genocide and forced labor in the Xinjiang region, the plea deal states.

“There is no genocide in Xinjiang; there is no such thing as ‘forced labor’ in any production activity, including cotton production. Spreading such rumor is to defame China, destroy Xinjiang’s safety and stability,” wrote Wang’s master, according to the plea agreement.

Wang complied and her handler wrote back, “So fast, thank you everyone.”

In another case, Wang’s PRC boss commended her on page views received by a certain piece of propaganda. Wang wrote back, “Thank you leader”.

Wang pled guilty to the federal charge at her arraignment in downtown Los Angeles on Monday afternoon. She faces a maximum of 10 years in prison.

LA’s top federal prosecutor, Bill Essayli, said this is not the first time China has been caught trying to exert its influence in the United States.

“Ms. Wang is just the latest to act as an agent for the PRC and it should terrify Americans that she was able to rise to the highest levels of local office in her city,” Essayli said.

Under the terms of the plea agreement, Wang admitted that that she acted under the control of Chinese officials to promote propaganda in the U.S.

Prosecutors in 2024 charged Sun with conspiracy and acting as an illegal agent of a foreign government.

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Caught On Tape: California Billionaire Tax Architect Admits Wealth Confiscation Could Go Even Further

One of the co-authors of California’s controversial ‘one-time’ tax on billionaires appeared to suggest that the levy could extend beyond a single imposition.

Marxist economics professor Emmanuel Saez, who hails from France, made the comment during a Tuesday debate against economist Arthur Laffer at the University of California, Berkeley.

“I don’t think it’s going to be a one-time tax. Because you can’t surprise billionaires more than once,” Saez said. “Even then, maybe some of them were expecting something like this. So, it’s going to be a debate about this time, you know, a permanent wealth tax at a low rate that’s going to last for a number of years.”

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