politics
California Governor Solicited Millions in Behested Payments for Nonprofits
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced this week that federal agents may be investigating his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom. The announcement renewed attention to millions in charity donations he has requested from companies and individuals.
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Gov. Gavin Newsom said this week that the U.S. Department of Justice may be investigating his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom. The statement prompted renewed coverage of millions in donations he has solicited for nonprofits, including some tied to his wife. Those donations are known as behested payments. They are legal in California but must be reported when they exceed $5,000.
The California Fair Political Practices Commission fined Newsom $31,500 in June 2026 for failing to report 36 behested donations on time. Most of the donations were linked to 2025 wildfire recovery efforts. Sean McMorris, transparency program manager at Common Cause, said the payments do not violate state law but remain open to potential influence because donors often have business before the state.
Jerry Brown used behested payments to support charter schools.
Newsom's office said FBI and IRS agents have been questioning people in connection with the possible federal review. Jessica Levinson, a Loyola Law School professor, said behested payments are more transparent than many other political donations because they are publicly recorded.
