California Governor Gavin Newsom’s administration formally requested Monday that the Department of Justice turn over all records related to its investigation into the Democratic governor and his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom. The move escalates a confrontation with the Trump administration that Newsom has framed as a politically driven vendetta.
In a letter to acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, Newsom’s legal affairs secretary, David Sapp, demanded access to “all documents and records including but not limited to memoranda, emails, text messages, and Signal messages” concerning the probe. The request specifically targets communications among senior DOJ officials—including Blanche, former Attorney General Pam Bondi, and former acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove—mentioning Newsom, his surname, or his wife’s name from January 20, 2025, onward.
Newsom, a frequent antagonist of President Trump, revealed earlier Monday that federal agents had approached family friends and former employees in search of evidence of a crime. “Today, my wife & I joined Donald Trump’s hit list,” he wrote on X. “He has directed his Department of Justice to investigate us. They have not found a crime – they are simply trying to find one.”
The governor suggested the probe is retaliation for his potential presidential ambitions. “He isn’t coming after me because of mean tweets, but because I am considering running for President,” Newsom added.
Newsom’s office set a July 6 deadline for Blanche to respond, demanding the materials be provided in electronic format. “My office is demanding the Trump Administration release any and all records on the Trump DOJ’s politically motivated, baseless fishing expedition,” Newsom posted on X. “The American people deserve to know who ordered this abuse of power and how far it goes.”
CalMatters reported Monday that at least two criminal investigations into Newsom have been active for over a year in the Eastern District of California. One probe, triggered by whistleblower complaints, focuses on Siebel Newsom’s taxes. The other examines Dana Williamson, Newsom’s former chief of staff, who pleaded guilty last May in a corruption case that originated under the Biden administration.
Newsom insisted he and his wife have “nothing to hide” and warned, “Donald Trump picked the wrong target.” The Hill has reached out to the DOJ for comment.
