(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Former Health Secretary Xavier Becerra, now a frontrunner for California governor, is facing mounting scrutiny over a criminal fraud case involving his top aide and other California operatives.
Becerra ignored Headline USA’s request for comment or clarification via text message, as questions intensify over what he knew about an alleged scheme involving his former chief of staff, Sean McCluskie, and two others to siphon money from Becerra’s dormant attorney general campaign.
Becerra served as California’s attorney general from 2017 to 2021 before being tapped to lead the Department of Health and Human Services under the Biden administration. His campaign reportedly had $225,000 in leftover funds when he departed for Washington, D.C.
According to federal prosecutors, McCluskie and California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s former chief of staff, Dana Williamson, worked with lobbyist Greg Campbell to divert campaign funds for personal use between 2022 and 2024.
Williamson is fighting the charges, while McCluskie and Campbell pleaded guilty to taking $10,000 each from the campaign for what prosecutors described as a “no-show” job.
Becerra has claimed he was unaware of the scheme despite his close ties to those involved. Williamson previously worked on Becerra’s 2018 attorney general campaign.
Among those raising questions is Becerra’s opponent, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who released a video highlighting what appear to be conflicting statements from Becerra on the payments.
“Same politician. Same illegal payments. But five months later Xavier Becerra tells a different story,” Villaraigosa wrote via X.
“I was aware of the payments being made,” Becerra said in a Nov. 15, 2025, interview, adding that he had authorized them. In a separate interview, however, he said he “didn’t oversee that part” when referring to the same payments.
Same politician. Same illegal payments. But five months later @XavierBecerra tells a different story to @Elex_Michaelson than he told to @NikkiLaurenzo pic.twitter.com/kmH4XfstjL
— Antonio Villaraigosa (@AVillaraigosa) April 22, 2026
Becerra’s silence to Headline USA stands in contrast to his willingness to appear for interviews on left-leaning outlets.
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