Gov. Gavin Newsom — who is facing a federal investigation — has agreed to pay a $31,500 ethics fine after California’s political watchdogs found the governor failed to timely disclose millions of dollars in donations he solicited, many of which were tied to Los Angeles wildfire relief.
The Fair Political Practices Commission’s enforcement division said Newsom failed to file 36 behested payment reports on time in 2024 and 2025, covering more than $5.5 million in payments from corporations, foundations, and other donors.
The late reports covered donations from some of the biggest names in business and philanthropy: $1 million from the Chuck Lorre Foundation; $500,000 each from BlackRock, Uber Eats, Lockheed Martin, and the Anthem Blue Cross Foundation; $250,000 from Apple, $200,000 from Amazon, and $150,000 each from Verizon and American Express.
Thirty-four of the payments went to the California Fire Foundation after Newsom or his staff directed people looking to help after the devastating January 2025 Los Angeles wildfires to the nonprofit, which supports firefighters and fire victims, according to a filing ahead of a FPPC meeting Thursday.
Newsom was already fined once for failing to report millions in behested payments in a timely manner.
Watchdogs said Newsom reported the donations before the FPPC became aware of them, and his office cooperated with the investigation. The filing also noted the emergency circumstances surrounding the wildfires.
However, the pattern of late reporting required a substantial penalty because “the present case is a repeat violation.”
The governor’s office acknowledged that paperwork was filed late but declined to comment.
In November 2024, the FPPC approved a $10,500 penalty against Newsom over late reports involving $14.4 million in behested payments. Under California law, elected officials must disclose payments of $5,000 or more that they solicit for charities, government programs, or other causes.
Some of Newsom’s behested payment reports this time around were filed more than six months late. A $50,000 payment from Schwab Charitable Funds to the Institute for Local Government was reported 229 days late, according to the FPPC filing.
The proposed penalty amounts to $1,750 for each of the 18 counts regulators chose to charge. The maximum possible fine would have been $90,000.
The case comes at an awkward time for Newsom, who — along with his wife and staff — is currently the subject of federal investigations.
Sources told The Post that one case focuses on the taxes of Jennifer Siebel Newsom, the governor’s wife, while another case is linked to the governor’s ex-chief of staff, Dana Williamson, who pleaded guilty last month to conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud, subscribing to a false tax return, and making false statements.
The governor slammed President Trump and called the probes politically weaponized.
“In recent days, federal agents have knocked on the doors of family, friends, and former employees, not because they found a crime, because they’re simply trying to find one,” Newsom said in a pre-recorded statement Monday.
Siebel Newsom also lashed out at Trump, saying the president has “no boundaries.”
The cases are being handled out of the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California.
“Donald Trump picked the wrong target. We have nothing to hide.”
