California Gov. Gavin Newsom is once again at the center of a political storm — but this time, it’s not just his words drawing scrutiny. It’s his spokesperson’s.
The controversy erupted after Real Clear Politics reporter Susan Crabtree emailed Newsom’s office requesting documentation to substantiate the governor’s long-standing claim that he was diagnosed with dyslexia as a child.
What followed was anything but routine press correspondence. According to a screenshot shared on X, Newsom’s communications director, Izzy Gardon, responded bluntly: “Hey Susan — thanks for reaching out. Respectfully, f–k off.”
The terse and profanity-laced reply quickly ricocheted across social media, intensifying an already simmering debate about Newsom’s recent remarks and the resurfacing of his dyslexia diagnosis. Crabtree had reportedly sought evidence to address critics skeptical of Newsom’s past statements that he was diagnosed with the reading disorder in 1972, when he was about five years old.
The issue reemerged after Newsom referenced his dyslexia during a promotional event in Atlanta for his new memoir. While speaking with Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, Newsom invoked his academic struggles in an effort to appear relatable.
“I’m not trying to impress you, I’m just trying to impress upon you, ‘I’m like you. I’m not better than you.’ I’m a 960 SAT guy,” he said. “I’m not trying to offend anyone… You’ve never seen me read a speech because I cannot read a speech.”
The comments quickly drew backlash. Some critics accused Newsom of racial insensitivity for invoking his SAT score in conversation with Dickens, who is Black. As the criticism mounted, Newsom forcefully defended himself in a separate post on X, unleashing his own profanity in the process.
“You didn’t give a s–t about the President of the United States of America posting an ape video of President [Barack] Obama or calling African nations s—holes — but you’re going to call me racist for talking about my lifelong struggle with dyslexia?” Newsom wrote. “Spare me your fake f–king outrage.”
With Newsom widely viewed as a potential 2028 Democratic presidential contender, even small controversies can rapidly escalate. The clash underscores how personal narratives, when woven into political branding, often invite deeper scrutiny — and how the response to that scrutiny can sometimes overshadow the original message.
