What we know about the Justice Department investigation into Jennifer Siebel Newsom

By Tierney Sneed, Hannah Rabinowitz, Katelyn Polantz, CNN

(CNN) — A Justice Department probe into the wife of Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom burst into public view Monday after Newsom — prominent critic of President Donald Trump and a potential 2028 White House contender — accused the administration of spearheading a politically motivated investigation into his inner circle.

CNN confirmed Monday that California’s first lady, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, is under investigation. However, a person familiar with the probe denied that it was launched by the department’s Trump-appointed leadership in DC.

Still, the conduct of the department in the investigation — and any charges it ultimately produces — will be closely scrutinized after Trump’s Justice Department has brought a series of prosecutions against the president’s foes. Trump’s pick to lead the Justice Department, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, could face questions about it as well, as he advances in his Senate confirmation proceedings, which are expected to begin as soon as next month.

Here is what to know about the Newsom investigation.

What are federal investigators looking at?

Siebel Newsom, who founded a non-profit focused on gender equity in media, is being investigated for tax-related conduct, as are other people with connections to the governor, a person familiar with the investigation told CNN on Monday.

It has involved both interviews of potential witnesses and grand jury subpoenas, the person said.

People close to Newsom and his wife have been interviewed by investigators, according to Newsom’s office, which believes that records related to the family’s finances have also been subpoenaed.

Newsom’s office has not confirmed that documentary subpoenas were issued but believes records have been obtained based on the nature of the questions to the family’s associates were asked.

When was the probe launched and who launched it?

The investigation was launched last year by the US attorney’s office based in Sacramento, which is California’s capital city. The person familiar with the probe told CNN it was started based on whistleblower reports, insisting that the leadership of the DOJ headquarters in DC was not involved in opening the probe.

Newsom and his allies are nonetheless drawing attention to Trump’s demands that his DOJ prosecute his political foes and the willingness of the Justice Department to pursue those cases.

Who else in Newsom’s circle has been ensnared by DOJ’s investigations?

The investigation into Siebel Newsom began last year, according to the person familiar.

Separately, in November, a top aide to the governor, Dana Williamson, was indicted on charges that she was involved in a conspiracy to illegally funnel money from a dormant account of a past campaign of former federal Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra.

Before her indictment, Williamson, who was once Newson’s chief of staff, spoke with the US Attorney’s Office in Sacramento, according to a person familiar with the investigation.

Investigators had pressed her toward speaking about a separate matter that surrounded Newsom — an inquiry into his administration’s handling of the company Activision, the person said. But Williamson had nothing to disclose related to Newsom and Activision, and wasn’t asked about Newsom’s wife or her businesses, the person said.

Last month, Williamson pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud, subscribing to a false tax return, and making false statements to a federal agent.

While investigators have been looking at various threads into people or entities close to Newsom for years — including the Williamson case — the probe into his wife is a separate investigation and is being worked on by investigators in Washington and Sacramento, according to two people familiar with the effort.

Becerra meanwhile is running to replace Newsom, having made it to a run-off election against the Trump-backed Republican Steve Hilton. While Beccera’s primary opponents attempted to use the Williamson prosecution to impact him, the Democrat argued that he had not been implicated in the case.

What has Newsom said about the investigation?

Newsom blasted the investigation in a video posted Monday, in which he claimed that Trump was “coming after me because I’m considering running for president, because he hates that I’ve consistently called him out, over and over again, for his lies and deceit.”

The video cited the other Trump opponents who have found themselves in the DOJ’s crosshairs, including former chairman of the Federal Reserve, Jerome Powell and former FBI Director James Comey. Newsom called his wife “a public servant, a woman who’s dedicated her life to supporting women and girls.”

“If they can’t intimidate me, they’ll go after the mother of our children,” Newsom said. “Donald Trump picked the wrong target. We have nothing to hide.”

What are DOJ leaders saying about it?

The disclosure of the probe comes as Blanche is seeking to win over skeptical senators whose support he’ll need to be confirmed to as DOJ’s permanent leader. This week he is meeting with senators one-on-one on Capitol Hill, and the Senate Judiciary Committee is slated to host him for a public confirmation hearing next month.

Blanche repeatedly declined to respond to questions from CNN’s Manu Raju on Monday about Newsom’s claims.

“I’m not here to make any comments,” Blanche said during a pause in a closed-door meeting with Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley.

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