SouthernWorldwide.com – Xavier Becerra faced a significant challenge during a debate for California governor, as rivals confronted him with a campaign finance scandal that broke the same day.
Two former employees of Becerra pleaded guilty to siphoning funds from an inactive campaign account to supplement their salaries. This development immediately raised questions about Becerra’s knowledge of and potential involvement in the scheme, which constitutes a clear violation of federal regulations prohibiting the use of campaign funds for personal gain.
These guilty pleas cast a shadow over Becerra’s standing as a leading Democratic candidate vying to succeed outgoing California Governor Gavin Newsom.
Steve Hilton, a prominent Republican contender, asserted during the debate that Becerra’s alleged knowledge of the scheme should disqualify him from the gubernatorial race entirely.
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“Today, we learned that he was aware of illegal and improper payments being made from his campaign account to his former chief of staff,” Hilton stated during the debate.
“To be frank, it’s difficult for me to say this, Xavier, as I like you personally, but you should not be on this stage. You should not be in this race. Your focus should be on preparing your criminal defense,” Hilton added, directly addressing Becerra.
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Becerra, however, has vehemently denied any wrongdoing. In a statement released prior to the Thursday evening debate, he declared, “I did nothing wrong. Case closed.”
The individuals who pleaded guilty were Sean McCluskie, Becerra’s former chief of staff, and Dana Williamson, a California political strategist. They admitted to stealing $225,000 from a dormant campaign account that Becerra had previously utilized for a state-level office bid.
According to the prosecution’s findings, McCluskie and Williamson systematically withdrew funds ranging from $7,500 to $10,000 from Becerra’s campaign coffers between 2022 and 2024.
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Federal Election Commission regulations strictly prohibit government employees from utilizing campaign funds for expenditures that are not related to election activities or official duties.
During the debate, Becerra attempted to counter the accusations by highlighting that he had not been named as a defendant in the legal proceedings.
Democratic candidate Katie Porter, a former congresswoman, expressed skepticism regarding Becerra’s defense, suggesting that his absence from the charging documents does not equate to exoneration.
“What you stated was that you had not been mentioned in the charging documents,” Porter remarked during the exchange.
“However, as you are aware, and given your background as a trained attorney, that does not prevent an indictment from being issued against you,” she continued. “We do not know what Dana Williamson has disclosed regarding your involvement, and the government reserves the right to reveal that information at a later time.”
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In his capacity as Secretary of Health and Human Services, Becerra provided counsel to President Joe Biden throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, serving in this role from 2021 to 2025.
Becerra’s political journey began as the deputy attorney general of California. He subsequently served in the California State Assembly from 1990 to 1992. Following this, he represented California in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1993 to 2017. He then transitioned to become California’s Attorney General from 2017 to 2021, before his appointment to lead HHS.
The primary election in California is scheduled for June 2. The two candidates who receive the most votes will advance to the general election, which will take place on November 3.
