California Scrubs Political Conflicts of Interest From Its Donation Portal
The donations funded nonprofits and state programs, while regulators fined Newsom $31,500 for late reporting and disclosed a federal criminal probe.
- Since taking office in 2019, California Governor Gavin Newsom has reported more than $343 million in behested payments, a system allowing officials to solicit unlimited donations from special interest groups to third-party causes.
- State law permits officials to solicit unlimited funds for nonprofits, bypassing campaign contribution caps that limit direct donations to $39,200 per election. This loophole allows donors to give millions more to causes favored by politicians.
- Newsom has used the behested payment system more aggressively than any predecessor, incurring a $31,500 fine for failing to timely file 36 reports worth more than $5.5 million. His filings ranged from 64 to 229 days late.
- Senate Bill 760, effective January 1, 2026, now exempts donations from 'public appeals' from disclosure requirements. Critics like California Common Cause manager Sean McMorris warn this further reduces transparency regarding potential conflicts of interest.
- Experts like Columbia University professor Richard Briffault warn the system functions as a 'favor bank' where donors buy goodwill, though Newsom's office defends the practice as "a lawful, bipartisan tool" for public service.
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California scrubs political conflicts of interest from its donation portal
(The Center Square) - California's ethics agency oversees an unlimited, blank-check system of payments solicited by elected officials — including the $347 million Gov. Gavin Newsom has steered through California politics. An investigation by The Center Square has found the…
Tahoe Daily Tribune
The San Joaquin Valley SunNewsom asked. Donors gave $347 million. What did they get in return?
Some of the biggest checks in California politics never touch a campaign account. Most of them were written because Gov. Gavin Newsom asked for the money, totaling more than $340 million. Elected officials are increasingly taking advantage of state laws that allow them to solicit unlimited sums of money from large corporations, unions, tribes or other special interest groups — even when those donors are seeking government contracts or involved i…
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