Column: Sacramento scandal a wild card for Xavier Becerra and the governor's race

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SACRAMENTO — So far, gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra has escaped the bright spotlight focused on Gov.Gavin Newsom in the money pilfering scandal involving their former top aides.

But that could change.It seems only a matter of time before one of Becerra’s campaign rivals seizes the federal fraud case for attack fodder.I can hear it already: “If the man who wants to be governor can’t protect his own political funds, he shouldn’t be trusted to safeguard your tax money.”That might not be fair, but this is big-time politics.

And the word “fair” isn’t in the political dictionary.Neither Becerra nor Newsom is implicated in any wrongdoing.Newsom has drawn heavy media attention because his former chief of staff, Dana Williamson, is the central figure in the criminal case.

Newsom also has made himself into a national political celebrity and the leader in early polling for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination.That makes him prime news copy.Becerra is low-profile by comparison, although he has achieved a very successful and respectable career: U.S.

Health and Human Services secretary under President Biden, California attorney general and 12-term congressman.It was Becerra’s dormant state political account that allegedly got pilfered of $225,000 while he was health secretary.Federal prosecutors allege that Williamson, former Becerra chief of staff Sean McCluskie and Sacramento lobbyist Greg Campbell illegally diverted money to McCluskie’s wife, funneling the loot through shell companies for bogus consulting services.McCluskie and Campbell both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud and have been cooperating with the federal government.Williamson, who allegedly fleeced Becerra’s political kitty when she owned a government relations firm before joining Newsom’s staff, pleaded not guilty to bank and tax fraud charges.Besides raiding Becerra’...