Scandal by Association: What Dana Williamson's Guilty Plea Says About California Politics The recent guilty plea of Dana Williamson, a top California political strategist with ties to Governor Gavin Newsom and gubernatorial hopeful Xavier Becerra, has sparked a firestorm of controversy.
The charges against Williamson involve embezzling $225,000 from a dormant campaign account belonging to Becerra and diverting the funds to his chief of staff, Sean McCluskie.
The scandal's brazen nature is matched only by the web of connections between those involved. Williamson's plea deal has already led opponents of Becerra in the governor's race to launch attacks on him.