California gubernatorial hopeful Steve Hilton has officially petitioned the FBI to conduct a fresh interview with his opponent, Xavier Becerra, concerning a federal corruption inquiry. The core of this request involves the alleged misappropriation of $225,000 from Becerra’s campaign treasury.
In a letter dated August 30 addressed to Attorney General Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel, Hilton insists that Becerra must face direct questioning now that three principal individuals have entered guilty pleas. This development follows a series of indictments issued in November 2025. Hilton contends that Becerra should be sworn in and interrogated thoroughly regarding every detail of the matter.
🚨 BREAKING: Becerra/Newsom chiefs of staff federal criminal probe must be re-opened:
– Witness statement contradicts Becerra claim he didn’t know about the criminal scheme
– Becerra must be re-interviewed by the FBI
– Voters must know if he’s a criminal BEFORE the election… pic.twitter.com/Pr9oN3tOUJ— Steve Hilton (@SteveHiltonx) August 30, 2026
The alleged conspiracy entailed funds routed via a consulting business managed by Dana Williamson, who previously served as chief of staff to Governor Gavin Newsom. These monies eventually arrived at the residence of Sean McCluskie’s spouse. McCluskie, a long-time aide to Becerra and former chief of staff, is central to the case.
As reported by the New York Post — Politics, McCluskie, Williamson, and lobbyist Greg Campbell have all admitted guilt. Hilton maintains that fresh evidence undermines Becerra’s prior statements to investigators. The ex-HHS Secretary asserted he was unaware of the transactions, but Hilton argues this assertion conflicts with the established reality.
Speaking to the California Post, Hilton emphasized that Becerra must be questioned rigorously about his awareness of the payments. He noted that Becerra was not the primary subject during the initial inquiry, as the investigation focused on other individuals at the time. However, circumstances have since evolved. Hilton informed reporters that Becerra is now seeking the governorship. Since becoming a candidate, his public statements appear entirely at odds with the available evidence.
Our letter to Todd Blanche requesting Becerra be reinterviewed by the FBI: pic.twitter.com/rubusTBlM9
— Steve Hilton (@SteveHiltonx) August 30, 2026
According to RedState, Hilton finds it implausible that Becerra remained ignorant of the operation. During a Sunday appearance on the Fox Business Channel, Hilton described Becerra as a 36-year career politician who would prove more detrimental than Newsom if elected.
The crux of the issue is the corruption scandal involving his former chief of staff, who diverted funds from a California campaign account to supplement another individual’s salary. Hilton claims to possess receipts verifying these transactions and urges the FBI to immediately reopen its investigation into Becerra.
