Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday that he and his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, are being investigated by President Donald Trump’s Department of Justice in what he has described as a politically motivated attack against his family.
In a video posted on social media (opens in new tab), Newsom said federal agents in recent days have “knocked on the doors of family, friends, and former employees” and are “digging through years and years of random documents.”
“Not because they found a crime. But simply because they are trying to find one,” he said.
“Donald Trump isn’t just coming after me because of my mean tweets. He’s coming after me because I am considering running for president,” Newsom said. “Because he hates that I’ve consistently called him out over and over again for his lies and deceit. Donald Trump is simply the most corrupt president in American history.”
The Department of Justice did not respond to a request for comment, and has publicly confirmed an investigation is underway.
Newsom’s office said federal agents have contacted family, friends, donors, former employees, and associates and have subpoenaed records. The office said investigators have asked questions about the governor’s finances and organizations tied to Siebel Newsom.
Newsom’s office declined to publicly identify individuals and organizations contacted as part of the investigation. Newsom’s team claims that Justice Department officials failed to initially identify any wrongdoing but are expanding the radius of their probe in efforts to find any misstep by the governor or his wife that Trump can use for political gain.
His office said Newsom and his wife have not been subpoenaed.
Newsom pledged to fight Trump’s “lawlessness” and said he would continue to remind Americans of what he described as the rampant corruption in the White House and the president’s lack of “character.”
“Donald Trump picked the wrong target,” he said. “We have nothing to hide.”
The Justice Department has made a series of investigations into Trump’s political opponents, including Sen. Adam Schiff of California, who was investigated over allegations of mortgage fraud (opens in new tab).
“One by one, anyone who has ever challenged Donald Trump has ended up on his hit list,” Newsom said. “And today, I proudly join that list.”
Newsom apologized to his wife in the video, saying he loves her, and she “did not earn a single one of the indignities,” while hailing her as a champion for gender equity and civil rights.
“To get me, he is coming after my wife, Jen,” he said. “Someone who has done nothing wrong other than having the temerity to advocate for what she believes in. If they can’t intimidate me, they will go after the mother of our children.”
“There are clearly no boundaries to what Donald Trump will do to get his way or to challenge those who get in his way,” Siebel Newsom said in a statement. “This is not presidential behavior, and the governor and I will continue to speak truth to power because the American people deserve so much more.”
Newsom said he is not afraid of the investigation, while his office said he would cooperate.
“Mr. President, I’m not going anywhere,” Newsom said in his end to the video. “And the country is watching.”
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