SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The recent arrest of Capitol powerbroker Dana Williamson took Gov. Gavin Newsom completely by surprise, he said Wednesday in his first remarks since the U.S. Attorney’s Office indicted his former chief of staff on 23 counts of conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud, lying to the FBI, falsifying tax returns and obstruction.

FBI agents arrested Williamson, who served as Newsom’s chief of staff from December 2022 to November 2024, last Wednesday at her Carmichael home. Prosecutors accused her, lobbyist Greg Campbell and former Deputy State Attorney General Sean McCluskie of orchestrating a scheme to pad McCluskie’s salary by stealing $225,000 from dormant campaign accounts belonging to former Attorney General Xavier Becerra, who is now running for governor in 2026.

In an exclusive interview with The Sacramento Bee, Newsom said his first reaction was “real surprise and shock,” as well as concern for Williamson’s four children when he learned about her arrest while in Brazil at a United Nations climate summit. Prosecutors also charged Williamson with claiming $1 million worth of private jet travel, furniture and luxury clothing as business deductions, in addition to the 18 bank and wire fraud counts. She pleaded not guilty, was released on bond and is awaiting a court appearance next month.

Newsom said the office was first made aware of the FBI investigation a year ago, after agents first approached Williamson. His office then placed her on leave and she left the following month, in December 2024.

“As soon as we found out about it (the FBI investigation), my legal folks came over and we moved to place her on leave,” the governor said. “My hope was, over the course (of) last year, that whatever this was, I wasn’t privy to the details, it would be worked out.”

A spokesperson for the governor previously told The Bee that the office had also been informed that Williamson was working to resolve a civil matter related to a Paycheck Protection Program loan for her political consulting firm.

Since Williamson’s arrest, lobbyists, consultants and current and former members of Newsom’s administration have received letters from the FBI informing them that their phones were intercepted as part of its investigation.

Newsom said he did not receive any such letter, nor has the FBI interviewed him as part of its ongoing investigation. He said he does not believe he is the intended target of the FBI probe, as Williamson’s lawyer has alleged.

“I don’t know anything about that..and whatever that assertion is,” he said. “That was certainly not reflected in the indictment itself. There’s nothing specific in that respect, or at least connects me.”

Newsom’s office insinuated last week that the investigation may be political, as the DOJ has targeted Democratic politicians and opponents of Trump in recent months, including New York Attorney General Leticia James and former FBI Director James Comey.

“There’s not an objective observer of this (federal) administration that can’t be concerned about that,” Newsom told The Bee. “I mean, just look at their actions on a consistent basis. Look at, you know, their actions over the course the last few months. So, I mean, I think that that’s the table stakes as it relates to the moment we’re living in.”

The FBI investigation into Williamson appears to also be linked to a previous state sexual harassment lawsuit against gaming company Activision Blizzard, which Williamson, Campbell and lobbyist Alexis Podesta, an unindicted co-conspirator, all represented at one time. The Department of Fair Employment and Housing, now known as the Civil Rights Department, sued Activision Blizzard in 2021 for fomenting a “frat boy” culture that allowed unfettered sexual harassment and discrimination against female employees.

Two state attorneys on the case were fired and resigned in protest in spring 2022, accusing the Governor’s Office of “interfering” in the case. Prosecutors said Williamson passed on information about the case to Podesta in January 2023 while she was chief of staff and the case was ongoing, claiming she could get another attorney on the case fired.

“To the extent that there’s some allegations around her (Williamson’s) relationship with Activision, from my vantage point, from the vantage point of everyone around me, I’m not aware of anything,” Newsom said. “So that would, that would be of concern in that respect. But, look, no one’s naive about the moment we’re living in. And, as I say, this was really surprising to me in the first place.”

Activision Blizzard, which is now part of Microsoft, eventually agreed to pay $54 million in a December 2023 settlement, but did not admit wrongdoing. Casey Wasserman, a member of its board of directors at the time, donated $100,000 to Newsom’s recall defense campaign in 2021.

Newsom said Wasserman, whom he tapped in January to lead the philanthropic effort overseeing wildfire recovery in Los Angeles County, is a longtime friend of 30 years, from before he first entered politics in San Francisco in 1995. Wasserman, a sports executive, is also chair of the nonprofit LA28, which is overseeing the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. His company also employs sports agent Doug Hendrickson, Newsom’s longtime friend and co-host of the “Politickin’” podcast.

Newsom pointed out that Bobby Kotick, Activision Blizzard’s chief executive, donated to efforts opposing Proposition 50, the governor’s successful bid to redistrict congressional districts: “He’s hardly been shy as an advocate for causes we’re not necessarily aligned with.”

Wasserman, who is no longer on the Activision Blizzard board, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Newsom, who has said he’s considering a presidential run after he’s termed out of office next year, has not taken a position in the governor’s race, which may now be shaken up by the scandal surrounding Becerra’s former aide. Newsom suggested Wednesday he would not issue any endorsements.

“I try to avoid that topic, just on the basis of its uncomfortable ... when you have a sell-by date,” Newsom said. “I used to be frustrated with Jerry Brown when he wasn’t returning my calls at this stage. Now, I’m deeply empathetic to Jerry, and actually want to apologize to him for being a pest ... I think it’s more interesting who’s not running, you know, with Kamala (Harris) and (Alex) Padilla, than who is (running).”

Before joining Newsom’s administration, Williamson was known as a sharp-elbowed political operative who brokered some of the governor’s most ambitious legislative deals. She is accused of helping McCluskie, a longtime Becerra aide, funnel money from Becerra’s accounts by disguising them as payments to his wife for a no-show job with Williamson’s consulting firm.

McGregor Scott, Williamson’s attorney, last week accused the FBI of arresting his client as retaliation for not cooperating with an investigation into Newsom. Williamson initially retained Scott two years ago for help with a “discrete matter,” he said.

Scott, the former U.S. Attorney in Sacramento, said federal prosecutors ignored his requests to meet and allow his client to voluntarily surrender herself. Instead, FBI agents stormed her home and temporarily handcuffed one of her adult children during her arrest last week.

“We appreciate the governor’s concern for my client’s children,” Scott said Wednesday.

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