California Governor Gavin Newsom has hit back at the US Justice Department's claims that federal investigations into him and his entourage were long-standing.
Newsom, a likely Democratic White House contender in 2028, accused former President Donald Trump of launching a criminal investigation into him and his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, as a 'personal vendetta.'
A source at the Department of Justice in Washington told AFP that the probes were not initiated by 'main Justice' but were begun about a year ago by the Sacramento-based US attorney for the Eastern District of California after being triggered by information from whistleblowers.
The investigations are focused on 'tax activity' involving Newsom's wife, a documentary filmmaker, and activities related to his former chief of staff and possibly current aides.
Dana Williamson, a former Newsom chief of staff, pleaded guilty in May to bank and wire fraud and other felony charges stemming from a position she held prior to working for the governor.
Newsom slammed the attempt by 'anonymous' sources to muddy the waters, saying the DOJ's use of the word 'originated' in their statements was an attempt to deflect attention from Trump's actions.
Newsom noted that Trump has called for investigations into a number of his perceived political opponents since returning to the White House in January of last year.
California Senator Alex Padilla condemned the investigations into his fellow Democrat, saying the Trump Administration's decision to investigate Newsom fits a pattern of targeting those who speak out against the President.
