Nothing ruins holiday mood in Sacramento quite like an envelope from the FBI. That’s what showed up in mailboxes of dozens of California political insiders (including Governor Gavin Newsom’s administration) after federal investigators revealed their calls, texts, or emails had been intercepted during a corruption probe tied to former Newsom chief of staff Dana Williamson.
And suddenly, everyone is asking, “Did you get one?” According to reports from The New York Times, the FBI letters began arriving last week, signed by the Special Agent in Charge of the Sacramento Field Office, Siddhartha Patel. They informed recipients that under a federal wiretap order, their private conversations were swept up sometime between May and July 2024.
The letters make clear that no one is being accused of wrongdoing. Patel spells out that the notice doesn’t mean the recipient was a target or will face charges. It’s a notification required under the 1968 Wiretap Act upon the end of surveillance. Still, there’s panic as a strategist told the letters have the Capitol “on edge.” Another joked they were almost offended not to receive one.
A Democratic consultant admitted the vibes are existential because, “[People] can’t remember what they said to whom — about what.”
And given that Sacramento runs on off-the-record gossip, that kind of uncertainty hits hard in a place like this.
BREAKING:
Gavin Newsom’s ex-Chief of Staff Dana Williamson arrested by FBI—charged w/ bank fraud, wire fraud & conspiracy. Allegedly stole $225K from Becerra’s dormant campaign + $1.5M total from Dem accounts.
Co-conspirators already flipped.
CA corruption exposed. pic.twitter.com/6eTASbWGWQ
— Mila Joy (@Milajoy) November 16, 2025
At the center of this political earthquake is Dana Williamson, who was once considered one of California’s toughest operatives. But prosecutors indicted her this month as they accused her of siphoning $225,000 from Xavier Becerra’s campaign fund and spending around $1 million on luxury handbags and first-class travel that were written off. Williamson pleaded not guilty.
Two other longtime Democrats (lobbyist Greg Campbell and former Becerra deputy Sean McCluskie) are also charged in the scheme. The indictment references intercepted texts and phone calls, and the investigation has found that wiretapping played a key role. But Williamson’s attorney says the feds approached her about Gavin Newsom, and that she allegedly declined.
As of now, neither the Justice Department nor the FBI has confirmed it, and no charging documents mention the governor. Gavin Newsom told the Sacramento Bee he was “surprised and shocked” by her arrest and said he placed Williamson on leave last year when she informed his office about the investigation. Also, we must note that Gavin Newsom did not receive a letter himself.
RELATED: Gavin Newsom Just Roasted Trump With “Quiet, Piggy” Meme – and The Internet Loses It
Quiet, piggy. pic.twitter.com/RIKsI4iDjV
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) November 18, 2025
This isn’t Sacramento’s first brush with the FBI, either. Let’s recall the 1988 “Shrimp Scam” bribery sting, which resulted in 12 convictions. Then, in 2013, FBI agents left the Capitol with boxes after raiding offices. In 2014, Senator Leland Yee was arrested in a federal gun trafficking case. So clearly, this town has seen things. But what makes this moment different is that this pool of recipients reportedly stretches from Sacramento to D.C., and includes aides, lobbyists, policy staffers, and consultants.
Some fear private conversations or strategy could become public, or, worse yet, be weaponized by rivals. This is likely especially under a Donald Trump-controlled Justice Department. And until this plays out, no one in Sacramento is resting easy.
