Steve Hilton wants the FBI to grill his rival again. The California gubernatorial candidate sent a formal letter on Aug. 30. He asked federal officials to put Xavier Becerra under oath. The request centers on a scheme involving $225,000 from a campaign account. Three people close to Becerra have already pleaded guilty to charges. Now Hilton says new facts demand a second look at the former official.
🚨 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
According to the New York Post — Politics, Hilton addressed Attorney General Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel. The letter also named U.S. Attorney Eric Grant. It demands direct questions about every aspect of the case. Hilton argues that Becerra cannot get away with vague answers anymore. The investigation started with other people, but the focus has shifted since then.
The cash allegedly moved from a dormant campaign account through a consulting firm. Dana Williamson, who was once Gov. Gavin Newsom’s chief of staff, ran that firm. The money eventually went to the wife of Sean McCluskie. McCluskie served as Becerra’s longtime aide and former chief of staff. He, Williamson, and lobbyist Greg Campbell have all pleaded guilty. Their admissions set the stage for Hilton’s latest demand.
Our letter to Todd Blanche requesting Becerra be reinterviewed by the FBI: pic.twitter.com/rubusTBlM9
— Steve Hilton (@SteveHiltonx) August 30, 2026
Hilton told the California Post that Becerra needs to be pressed. He believes the initial interview missed the central questions. “He needs to be put under oath and asked very direct questions about every aspect of this,” Hilton said. The former HHS Secretary did not face the full scope of the scheme before. Now the evidence has grown with the guilty pleas of his own staff.
Hilton appeared on the Fox Business Channel on Sunday to discuss the scandal. He called the situation impossible to ignore for voters. “This guy Becerra, he was, he’s a 36-year career politician. He’ll be worse even than Newsom if he’s elected. But the really terrible thing is that he’s up to his neck in a corruption scandal,” Hilton stated. He detailed how the funds were used to top up a salary.
My opponents have spent millions spreading lies to purposefully mislead voters.
Today confirms what I have said from day one: I did nothing wrong. Case closed.
Now let’s continue the fight for the working people of California who deserve a Governor that leads with the truth. https://t.co/cHmivcVxTa
— Xavier Becerra (@XavierBecerra) May 14, 2026
Per RedState, a witness statement now contradicts Becerra’s claim that he knew nothing. Hilton argues that the timing of the events makes denial unlikely. “But since that, he is now a candidate for governor, and when you look at the things that he’s been saying, it’s completely inconsistent with the evidence,” Hilton said. He insists the public deserves to know the truth about what happened.
