A peculiar discovery about California Governor Gavin Newsom's involvement in a City Hall monument has sparked intense debate in San Francisco's political circles.
According to Breitbart, a newly released book titled Fool's Gold: The Radicals, Con Artists, and Traitors Who Killed the California Dream and Now Threaten Us All reveals that Newsom secretly funded his own bronze bust inside San Francisco City Hall using companies he controlled.
The revelation comes from authors Susan Crabtree and Jedd McFatter, who uncovered financial records showing that two companies owned by Newsom - Balboa Cafe Partners and PlumpJack Management Group - each contributed $5,000 toward the creation of his mayoral bust in 2016. The H B and Lucille Horn Foundation added another $10,000 to the project, which ultimately cost $97,000.
The funding mechanism involved "behested payments," a controversial practice in California politics where elected officials can request donors to make contributions to specific causes. These payments were channeled through a nonprofit organization called Community Initiatives, specifically earmarked for the mayoral bust project.
The timing of the bust's unveiling coincided with Newsom's campaign for lieutenant governor, though it was notably kept low-key. The event took place without media presence or public announcement, attended only by a small group of friends.
At the time of the unveiling, Newsom maintained a public stance of uncertainty about the project's details. He portrayed himself as reluctant about the honor and claimed ignorance about both the funding sources and the final design.
The book's findings contradict Newsom's earlier public statements about his knowledge of the bust's funding sources. Co-author McFatter's investigation revealed direct financial connections between Newsom's business interests and the monument's funding.
The use of behested payments has drawn criticism from political watchdogs who view the practice as potentially corrupt, especially when the donations benefit the requesting politician directly. This case has raised particular concerns due to the personal nature of the monument.
These revelations add to ongoing discussions about the use of behested payments in California politics, including previous instances where Newsom requested donations for projects connected to his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom.
When contacted about these findings, Governor Newsom's office did not provide any response to questions regarding the bust or its funding sources. This silence has led to increased scrutiny from political observers and ethics watchdogs.
The bronze bust remains on display in San Francisco City Hall, alongside those of other former mayors. Its presence now serves as a focal point for debates about political transparency and the appropriate use of private donations in public spaces.
The controversy surrounding Gavin Newsom's City Hall bust centers on the revelation that he secretly funded his own monument through his business entities while serving as San Francisco's mayor. The $97,000 bronze bust, funded through a complex network of behested payments and private donations, was installed with minimal publicity despite its significant cost.
The project's funding sources, which Newsom previously claimed ignorance about, have now been traced back to his own companies, Balboa Cafe Partners and PlumpJack Management Group, along with the H B and Lucille Horn Foundation. This discovery has raised questions about political transparency and the appropriate use of behested payments in California's political landscape.
