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By Sam Stevenson
Associate News Editor
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California Governor Gavin Newsom’s political orbit is facing renewed scrutiny, placing a spotlight on how millions of dollars have flowed into a nonprofit run by his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom.
Federal investigators are examining financial relationships linked to the Newsom family and associated organizations, including the California Partners Project, as part of a broader probe into finances and tax-related matters.
While there has been no allegation of wrongdoing against Siebel Newsom or the California Partners Project, the overlap between political power, donor networks and charitable funding has become a focal point as federal inquiries continue.
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Authorities have not publicly set out any specific allegations, and Newsom has rejected the probe as politically motivated, describing it as part of President “Donald Trump’s hit list” and saying it has been launched because he is “considering running for President.”
“He hates that I consistently call him out,” he said in a statement posted to X. “He is simply the most corrupt President in American history.”
Federal investigators have spent the past year examining finances tied to Newsom and his wife, including donations routed to her nonprofit through “behested payments.”
The inquiry has sharpened attention on a little-understood funding system that allows unlimited donations at the request of elected officials.
Donors, nonprofits and public officials using the same model face renewed scrutiny as investigators review relationships, disclosures and financial flows.
Newsweek contacted Newsom’s office and the California Partners Project for comment via email early Tuesday morning.
When approached for comment by email, the White House pointed Newsweek toward the Department of Justice (DOJ), which declined to comment.
Why It Matters
The investigation cuts into a gray zone of U.S. politics: a legal funding system that remains controversial because of how closely it can sit to political power.
Newsom has strongly rejected the premise of the inquiry, casting it as politically driven. In a statement, he said federal agents were seeking records “not because they found a crime, but because they’re simply trying to find one.”
While those claims reflect his political framing, outside legal voices suggest the timeline and scope of any investigation remain opaque. Former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani said there is no requirement for the DOJ to disclose details of an investigation, meaning clarity may take time.
“Obviously, regardless of what it is, Gavin Newsom is going to argue this is a vindictive prosecution,” Rahmani told Newsweek in previous comments, adding that such a defense would likely hinge on claims of political targeting tied to his national profile.
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What Is the California Partners Project?
The California Partners Project sits at the heart of the current scrutiny. Founded by Siebel Newsom, the Sacramento-based organization focuses on gender equity and the role of media and technology in shaping opportunities for women and children.
It operates alongside a broader network of advocacy work tied to Siebel Newsom, including The Representation Project, another nonprofit focused on media and gender issues.
Public disclosures show that the California Partners Project relies heavily on donations rather than earned income, making how that money arrives central to the story.
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How Behested Payments Work
Much of the funding has flowed through a distinct feature of California politics: behested payments.
Under state law, elected officials are allowed to ask individuals or organizations to donate money to nonprofits or public causes for “legislative, governmental or charitable purposes.”
These payments sit in a regulatory gap:
- They are not campaign donations
- They are not personal gifts
- They are not subject to caps
- But they must be disclosed above $5,000
Officials, such as Newsom, who support behested payments present them as a way to fund public causes.
Ethics watchdogs, including Common Cause California, have argued that they can be used “to curry political favor,” while Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton—who is running in the 2026 race—has described them as “literally corruption in plain sight,” per the California Post.
Scale of Donations
Available disclosures suggest the California Partners Project has received millions of dollars in behested payments in recent years. One widely cited figure puts that number at around $5.1 million since 2020, based on campaign finance disclosures, according to Politico.
Other analyses point to similarly large totals across multiple reporting periods, though there is no single consolidated figure.
In one example, a Native American tribe made two $500,000 donations after being asked to contribute—payments that were disclosed through the state system, according to a Washington Free Beacon report.
Because filings sit across multiple databases and years, the full picture is fragmented.
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Who Has Donated
Records filed with California’s Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) show a series of reported “behested payments” to the California Partners Project, meaning donations made at the request or encouragement of an elected official.
Public filings indicate that Silicon Valley Bank donated $100,000 to the nonprofit in 2021, in four installments of $25,000 each.
Additional disclosures show that the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria contributed $500,000 in April 2024 and $500,000 in April 2025, payments that were also made following requests from Gavin Newsom, according to state records cited by the Washington Free Beacon.
Separately, New York Post reporting based on nonprofit filings and state data has identified other contributors, including Blue Shield of California Foundation ($50,000) and New Venture Fund ($100,000).
These donations fall under California’s disclosure rules for behested payments, which require reporting of contributions of $5,000 or more when they are solicited by public officials for charitable or governmental purposes.
Why Model Draws Scrutiny
Behested payments are not unique to Newsom. They are widely used across California politics, and the debate around them isn’t new.
Criticism has come from ethics watchdogs and good-government groups, including California Common Cause and the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust, which argue that the system allows elected officials to steer large donations from interests with business before the state, creating at least the appearance of influence.
Supporters, including Newsom allies and some policy advocates, counter that the funds support public-benefit work, are disclosed under transparency rules, and do not go directly to politicians themselves.
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Link to DOJ Scrutiny
The renewed focus on the California Partners Project comes amid broader federal scrutiny of figures in Newsom’s orbit.
According to reporting from CNN and other outlets, federal investigators have approached people connected to the governor and his wife—including friends, former employees and affiliated organizations—and sought records as part of the inquiries.
People familiar with the matter told outlets, including CNN, that the probes are focused in part on Siebel Newsom’s finances, including tax-related issues and nonprofit activity.
The investigations have been underway for roughly a year and originated from whistleblower complaints handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Sacramento, according to sources cited in the reporting.
The Department of Justice has not publicly confirmed details of the inquiries.
What Happens Next
For now, the California Partners Project stands as a clear example of how money flows through a system that sits outside traditional campaign finance rules but remains fully legal.
Whether that system becomes the focus of legal action—or political reform—remains uncertain.
Three questions now hang over the story:
- Will investigators identify any violations of the law?
- How deeply will scrutiny extend into donor relationships?
- Will renewed attention prompt changes to how behested payments operate?
Until then, the key facts hold: a legal funding structure, millions in disclosed donations and an investigation that has yet to define its conclusions publicly.
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