California Gov. Gavin Newsom might have another problem on his plate after his spokesperson, Izzy Gardon, cursed at a reporter over an email exchange.
Newsom, California’s governor since 2019, has frequently mentioned his childhood struggles with dyslexia throughout an ongoing book tour promoting his new memoir. Veteran reporter Susan Crabtree, who now works for Real Clear Politics, reached out to the Newsom team over email asking for proof of Newsom’s dyslexia.
“Hey Susan — thanks for reaching out,” Gardon wrote back. “Respectfully, [expletive] off.”
Gardon later addressed the situation on X, quipping that they wanted the New York Post to issue a correction over a story detailing the exchange.
“I was very generous to the MAGA blogger and told her to ‘respectfully [expletive] off’ in her request to inspect the Governor’s childhood medical records,” Gardon wrote. “That’s not a meltdown. That’s good customer service!”
🚨 JUST IN: Gavin Newsom’s right-hand man tells reporter to ‘f*** off’ over questions about claims he’s faking dyslexia disability! 🚨
California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s communications director Izzy Gardon blasted RealClearPolitics reporter Susan Crabtree with a profane email: “Hey… pic.twitter.com/8eNvp5BSyq
— The scoop stateside (@ScoopStateside) February 24, 2026
Gardon also referred to Crabtree as a “MAGA blogger taking a break from Bigfoot and UFO conspiracies.”
Crabtree, who said that she lives in California, published the entire email she wrote to Gardon and Newsom’s communications team. She acknowledged that learning disabilities are “very sensitive” but noted that Newsom previously claimed he found the paperwork about his childhood dyslexia following his father’s death in 2018. Additionally, Crabtree pointed out that Newsom has said he was diagnosed with dyslexia in 1972. Newsom was born in 1967, meaning that he would have likely been in kindergarten or pre-K when he was first diagnosed.
“Is there anything the governor can point to as proof of this?” Crabtree asked. “If the early paperwork is not available, is there any evidence of a more recent dyslexia diagnosis he can provide?”
Bob Salladay, who serves as Newsom’s Senior Advisor for Communications, defended Gardon on X and called the New York Post story “false.”
“He said ‘respectfully,’” Salladay wrote. “And she’s not a reporter. She’s a propagandist trying to dig up childhood medical records.”
Gavin Newsom staffer has meltdown over reporter’s question: ‘F-k off’ https://t.co/ldmcOuCTL4 pic.twitter.com/3gmoAPzXUL
— New York Post (@nypost) February 24, 2026
Newsom had not publicly addressed Gardon’s social media posts as of publication.
It is worth noting that Crabtree co-wrote a book, “Fool’s Gold,” that focused on the “untold story of the dark side of the Democratic Party’s Californian elites and the toll they’ve taken on the entire country.” Crabtree and co-author Jedd McFatter investigated several politicians, including Newsom, former Vice President Kamala Harris, and former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.
The discussions regarding Newsom’s dyslexia picked up steam following his controversial comments at a speaking engagement in Georgia last weekend. Newsom told Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and the crowd, “I’m just like you,” when discussing his struggles with reading and his low test scores. However, because Dickens is Black and the event had a sizable Black crowd, many — including rapper Nicki Minaj and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz — have interpreted Newsom’s remarks as racially charged.
Newsom and Fox News host Sean Hannity sparred on social media over the comments on Monday. Gardon and Newsom claimed that right-wing figures were mocking his dyslexia as a means of insulting Black Americans.
As of publication, the Newsom team still had not provided any health documents regarding Newsom’s dyslexia.
