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Newsom Exposed in Secret Payments Controversy: Report

March 13, 2025
by The Times Of America

Newsom Accused of Secretly Funding His Own Tribute in City Hall: Report

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) allegedly orchestrated the funding of a bronze bust of himself inside San Francisco City Hall while serving as mayor, using money from companies he controlled, according to a newly released book.

The book claims that while Newsom played a key role in securing funds, he later distanced himself from the process, portraying himself as unaware of who had financed the monument.

In “Fool’s Gold: The Radicals, Con Artists, and Traitors Who Killed the California Dream and Now Threaten Us All,” authors Susan Crabtree and Jedd McFatter detail how Newsom allegedly used a system of “behested payments” to channel money toward the project. In California politics, behested payments allow elected officials to request private donations for causes, but they have drawn criticism when the contributions appear to benefit the official making the request, according to Breitbart.

A review of Newsom’s behested payments shows that between late 2015 and early 2016, three private entities donated money to the nonprofit Community Initiatives, designating the funds for the “Mayoral Bust at San Francisco City Hall.” Two of these entities—Balboa Cafe Partners and PlumpJack Management Group—were owned by Newsom, with each contributing $5,000 to the project.

Additionally, the H B and Lucille Horn Foundation donated $10,000 at Newsom’s request. In total, the bust cost $97,000, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

Newsom’s use of behested payments has faced scrutiny before. He has previously solicited donations for projects associated with his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, raising concerns about how these funds are directed. 

The controversy surrounding his financial involvement in the City Hall bust further fuels questions about the ethical implications of behested payments, Breitbart reports.

Newsom served as mayor of San Francisco from 2004 to 2011 before being elected lieutenant governor, according to the Daily Mail. His tenure as mayor was marked by both praise and controversy, including his high-profile push to legalize same-sex marriage, an affair with his secretary and his ambitious economic initiatives. 

At the time, he was married to Kimberly Guilfoyle, who later became a media personality and now serves as President Donald Trump’s Ambassador to Greece.

Despite evidence that his own companies helped fund the project, Newsom publicly distanced himself from it. When asked about the monument at the time, he told SFGate.com that he was unaware of who was financing it and downplayed his role.

“The bust is the brainchild of Newsom supporters, and it will be paid for with private funds they will raise,” Newsom said. “It has been in the works for a few years, but no one’s worked on it…”

“It’s been an idea that’s been floating around.”

He also expressed discomfort with the idea of his own bust being made, calling it “a strange thing.” 

“I don’t want to call it embarrassing, but it’s a strange thing,” he said. “I’m just awkward about it. … But now the word is out.”

Unlike the busts of other San Francisco mayors, Newsom’s statue was unveiled quietly, with little attention. The San Francisco Chronicle reported that the event had “no fanfare, no press, and only a few friends in attendance.”

Sculptor Bruce Wolfe, who created the bust, appeared confident that the project would be completed. Newsom, however, joked about the uncertainty of the sculpture’s future.

“If no one’s interested, we can mold it back into a big ball,” he said at the time.

Newsom’s office did not respond to requests for comment regarding the allegations in “Fool’s Gold.”

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