Newsom’s Wife Pocketed Millions From ‘Gender Stereotypes’ Charity: Report

Jennifer Siebel Newsom, the wife of Gavin Newsom and California’s so-called “first partner,” is facing growing scrutiny after financial records revealed significant payments from a nonprofit she oversees to both herself and her private company.

The controversy follows remarks Siebel Newsom made last month during a Planned Parenthood press conference held by the governor, where she criticized reporters for not asking more questions about what she described as a “war on women.” Now, critics say her own financial arrangements deserve closer examination.

According to IRS filings reviewed by Daily Mail, Siebel Newsom has paid herself and her production company, Girls Club LLC, a notable share of the annual revenue generated by her nonprofit organization, The Representation Project. In certain years, those payments reportedly approached one-third of the charity’s total income, amounting to more than $3.7 million over the past decade.

Siebel Newsom, 51, leads the nonprofit, which promotes campaigns aimed at combating what it describes as “intersectional gender stereotypes” and “harmful gender norms.”

Financial disclosures show the organization typically brings in between $1 million and $1.7 million per year in grants and donations. Of that amount, roughly $300,000 annually in recent years has gone directly to Siebel Newsom and her company.

The most recent filings, covering the period through March 2024, list a $150,000 salary for Siebel Newsom and another $150,000 paid to Girls Club LLC.

Documents categorize the payments to the LLC as a “writer/director/producer fee.” The records also state that Girls Club LLC holds the copyright to Siebel Newsom’s documentary, Miss Representation, which the nonprofit has licensed for at least seven years for distribution and public screenings.

Transparency advocates say the compensation level is unusual for a nonprofit operating within that revenue range and argue it raises ethical questions, particularly as the governor continues building his national political profile.

Caitlin Sutherland, executive director of the watchdog group Americans for Public Trust, sharply criticized the arrangement.

“As Governor Newsom continues his national rebrand tour, the fact that he and his wife put one third of their ‘charity’ revenues into their own pockets will undoubtedly raise red flags in the eyes of middle-class Americans,” Sutherland told the Daily Mail.

The Daily Mail analysis found that among roughly 23,000 nonprofits in the IRS database reporting revenues between $1 million and $2 million, fewer than 5 percent pay their executives more than The Representation Project does when Siebel Newsom’s salary and the payments to her LLC are combined.

Additional compensation listed in the organization’s filings includes $150,000 for Executive Director Caroline Heldman and $131,942 for CFO Debra Garber. Overall personnel costs for the year ending March 2024 totaled just under $1 million, with $153,691 allocated to fundraising efforts.

As governor, Newsom must disclose spousal income on annual ethics filings. However, the Daily Mail report noted that he lists earnings from both The Representation Project and Girls Club LLC only within broad income ranges, rather than specific figures.

Izzy Gardon, the governor’s communications director, told the Daily Mail that the disclosures comply with California regulations.

“The governor is required to report only his 50% portion of spousal income,” Gardon said, adding that the filings are “accurate and consistent with California law.”

The report also revived longstanding criticism involving corporate donations to the nonprofit from companies that later received major state contracts in California, a concern that watchdog groups have raised about the Newsoms for years.

The scrutiny arrives as Governor Newsom continues weighing in on national political issues. Last week, he joined fellow Democrats in criticizing the proposed SAVE Act, legislation that would require proof of citizenship and voter identification in federal elections.

Supporters argue the measure would strengthen election integrity by ensuring that only American citizens participate in federal voting. Newsom framed the legislation differently when discussing it publicly.

“What’s the SAVE Act? That’s not about ID, it’s about registration,” Newsom said. “It’s about who gets to vote, who doesn’t get to vote. They are not screwing around. We will lose this country.”