FBI infiltrated Gavin Newsom’s inner circle by convincing governor’s ally to wear a wire: lawyer

The FBI had a mole inside Gov. Gavin Newsom’s political orbit before the agency’s corruption probe expanded into the governor and his wife, The Post has learned.

Democrat insider Alexis Podesta, 45, secretly recorded conversations during the criminal probe into Newsom’s then-chief of staff, Dana Williamson, 53, who pleaded guilty to federal fraud and tax charges in May, according to Williamson’s attorney.

The revelation she was wearing a wire as far back as June 2024 explains why a swath of Sacramento political insiders and lobbyists were stunned to receive FBI letters last fall informing them that their phone calls had been intercepted during the investigation — despite many having little or no connection to Williamson.

“Alexis wore a wire, and Dana did not,” said McGregor Scott, Williamson’s lawyer and a former US attorney for the Eastern District of California, which is now investigating the Newsoms. ---More...

???? WOW! The FBI had a mic'd up MOLE inside Gavin Newsom's political orbit before the DOJ launched a CORRUPTION investigation into Newsom and his wife, Jennifer — NYP

This is HUGE!

No wonder Gavin is livid.

"Democrat insider Alexis Podesta, 45, secretly recorded conversations… pic.twitter.com/Z9lTMzmY35

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh)July 3, 2026

This is HUGE!

No wonder Gavin is livid.

"Democrat insider Alexis Podesta, 45, secretly recorded conversations during the criminal probe into Newsom’s then-chief of staff, Dana Williamson, 53, who pleaded guilty to federal fraud and tax charges in May, according to Williamson’s attorney," per New York Post