California Governor Gavin Newsom vented fury at President Donald Trump and what critics label as a weaponized Department of Justice, denouncing Trump for initiating a probe into Newsom and his wife Jennifer Siebel Newsom and branding him “the most corrupt president in American history.”
On Monday, June 15, Newsom said federal agents have been contacting his family, friends, and former aides in search of a crime or wrongdoing, demanding records and “digging through years of random documents,” which he described as an abuse of the grand jury process.
In his blistering assault on Trump, the popular Democrat, who has been ribbing the president on social media and publicly challenging him for more than a year, said he believes he knows why the Republican leader is pursuing him.
“Donald Trump isn’t just coming after me because of my mean tweets,” Newsom stated. “He’s coming after me because I’m thinking about running for president, because he hates that I’ve consistently called him out time and again for his lies and deceit.”
The DOJ hasn’t commented on the case, but Politico is reporting that the investigation into the Newsoms has been ongoing for the past year and that a person with knowledge of the matter said it began after whistleblower tips and has centered on Siebel Newsom’s taxes, Newsom’s former chief of staff, and possibly the governor’s present aides.
“They have not found a crime,” the governor repeated. “They are simply trying to find one.”
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Newsom didn’t stop there. He unleashed a fierce broadside against Trump, attacking him over the corruption that has been on full public display for the past year and a half.
“Donald Trump is simply the most corrupt president in American history,” Newsom angrily proclaimed.
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“He’s turned the levers of government into his own personal power ministries to reward cronies and to try to jail his opponents. His personal attorney now runs the Department of Justice, which has repeatedly gone after his political enemies,” he added.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, Trump’s former personal attorney, took over after the president fired another one of his former personal attorneys, Pam Bondi, as attorney general in March, but Blanche is staying mum on the Newsom probe.
While making his rounds on Capitol Hill on Monday, trying to convince skeptical lawmakers that his personal background with Trump does not present a conflict of interest for confirmation as attorney general, Blanche refused to say whether the DOJ is investigating the Newsoms.
As he was preparing to meet with Iowa Sen. Charles Grassley, reporters asked Blanche about the Newsom investigation, but Grassley interjected.
“This is not a news conference,” the Republican said, according to Raw Story, putting an end to any questioning.
Newsom denied any wrongdoing. “Donald Trump hit the wrong target. We have nothing to hide.”
And he issued a stark warning to Trump.
“I have a message for you. You can subpoena my records, you can investigate me, you can harass me, put my name on every and any enemies list you have, but leave my wife and family out of your personal vendetta,” the governor declared.
Social media erupted in support of Newsom.
“Not surprising. It’s not the U.S. Justice Department. It’s the Trump Grudge Enforcement Department,” a Threads user noted.
Others chimed in. “Just f-cking ridiculous, and we know this is because he can’t stand Newsom.”
Another user expressed alarm that a U.S. president was using a federal agency to target political opponents.
“If these allegations are true, Americans of every political persuasion should be concerned. The justice system should investigate crimes, not settle political scores. No president should be able to use federal power to intimidate opponents or the people around them.”
Newsom is by no means the only political rival or foe of Trump who has faced a DOJ inquiry since the president began a second term last January. He has targeted former FBI Director James Comey, New York Attorney General Letitia James, former Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, and even E. Jean Carroll, after a jury found Trump civilly liable for sexually assaulting and defaming the writer.
