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(Sacramento, CA) – There’s a well known old screen in the world of business: it’s not “what” you know, but rather “who” you know. And in the case of California’s “First Partner” Jennifer Siebel Newsom — it’s more like who you’re married to — at least, according to reports.
Public records indicate Siebel Newsom is raking in hundreds of thousands of dollars every year from the state of California, as well as lobbyists. The New York Post reports that her total take is near $300,000 annually. This includes a salary of $150,000 — for a 40-hour work week — paid by Siebel Newsom’s Sacramento-based nonprofit, The Representation Project. It describes itself as a “gender watchdog organization.”
The lobbyists providing Siebel Newsom with funds make their contributions in the form of “donations” — but that of course raises questions surrounding potential conflict of interest. There’s also training programs funded by California — such as California’s Department of General Services — which provided Siebel Newsom’s for-profit Girls Club Entertainment with $300,000. The funds were ostensibly for making mandatory anti-harassment training videos. Also, Siebel Newsom’s companies employ several former Newsom aides — and top level Democratic operatives.
Meanwhile, 77 WABC was contacted by a representative from the California Department of General Services. They challenged the previous paragraph’s assertion — as based on The Post’s reporting. The agency says: “Upon an internal review, DGS has not found any evidence that supports that claim.”
Republicans have criticized Siebel Newsom for engaging in cronyism and favoritism — the governor’s office says it highlights her work defending women’s rights. But there’s no question — the overlap between Siebel Newsom’s business interests, state contracts, and her husband’s political network — has sparked questions about transparency, and the overarching nature of California’s government.
