Steyer hits Becerra with last-minute Dana Williamson ad ahead of primary
Tom Steyer is making a final attempt before the Tuesday gubernatorial primary to cast rival Democrat Xavier Becerra as a risky bet for voters after Dana Williamson, Becerra’s former campaign adviser, pleaded guilty to corruption charges earlier this month.
“Xavier Becerra’s campaign manager? Guilty. His chief of staff? Guilty,” said a Steyer campaign ad shared first with The Sacramento Bee in a video voiceover. “Becerra could be indicted next.”
The ad shows footage of Williamson walking out of a downtown Sacramento courthouse earlier this month after pleading no contest to lying to federal authorities, falsifying tax records and bank fraud. The FBI arrested and charged her last fall for funneling campaign funds to pad the salary of Sean McCluskie, Becerra’s former chief of staff, who previously pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing next month.
Polls put Steyer, a billionaire climate activist self-funding the most expensive campaign in state history, just behind Becerra, a former state Attorney General, and Republican Steve Hilton, a former Fox News pundit who has won President Donald Trump’s endorsement. Becerra and Steyer are vying to advance out of Tuesday’s primary, after which only the top two vote-getters will proceed to the general election.
Federal authorities have said Becerra was a victim in the conspiracy, but Steyer has sought to portray him as an unwitting accomplice and a potential target for retribution as the U.S. Department of Justice has investigated Trump’s enemies.
“If Becerra is indicted, that would give our governor’s office to Donald Trump’s favorite candidate,” the ad said, referring to Hilton. “We can’t risk giving California to Trump and Hilton if Xavier Becerra is indicted.”
“Our campaign runs on billionaire tears,” said Becerra campaign spokesperson Jonathan Underland. “Keep ‘em coming, Tom.”
