California Governor Gavin Newsom faced criticism this week after releasing four years of his tax returns in a manner that some lawmakers and news organizations deemed lacking in transparency. The governor's office provided access to 718 pages of documents to a small group of handpicked news outlets, with strict limitations that prohibited reporters from making copies and required them to take notes only by hand.
The restricted release, which occurred Thursday in Sacramento, has drawn accusations of a "sham release" and an "insult to transparency." Critics argue that this approach undermines the principle of open government and leaves lingering questions about the governor's finances.
US Rep. Kevin Kiley, a former state legislator, stated, "If the governor is truly committed to transparency, it makes little sense to pick and choose who that transparency extends to." He added that "this appears to be another Newsom story where the factual details are very different from the self-proclaimed headline."
US Rep. James Gallagher echoed these sentiments, remarking, "Newsom’s transparency is a lot like his homelessness policy — it leaves a lot to be desired." He continued, "He talks big about things abut never actually delivers. This is another instance of that — only allowing select people and only pen and paper. This isn’t real transparency. There are still a lot of questions where Gavin’s money comes from."
Scott Meyers, a GOP candidate for Congress in California’s 30th Congressional District, commented, "If you want voters to trust you as a steward of their tax dollars, you should welcome that level of scrutiny."
According to notes taken by the select media outlets, the tax returns reveal that Newsom and his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, paid household staff nearly $200,000 and wrote off approximately $45,000 in Armani clothing between 2022 and 2024. During the same period, the couple reported annual incomes of $1.7 million and $2 million, respectively.
Newsom earned $70,000 in author income in 2023 and an additional $75,000 in 2024, according to the filings. In 2021, their taxable income was $3.5 million, boosted by $1 million from the sale of their home. Newsom's gubernatorial salary, which has increased from about $200,000 annually to $246,000, constituted a small portion of their overall earnings. The majority of their income reportedly originated from businesses in the winery, restaurant, and hospitality sectors, which Newsom placed in a blind trust upon taking office. The returns reportedly do not specify which individual businesses generated profits or losses.
The documents also indicate that Siebel Newsom’s film production company, Girls Club Entertainment, experienced financial losses, reporting about $37,000 in deficits in 2022 while Siebel Newsom earned approximately $11,700 from the business. Concurrently, Siebel Newsom collected $150,000 or more annually from her nonprofit, The Representation Project.
In 2022, the Newsoms donated Armani business attire valued at around $45,000 to an Oakland-based restorative justice nonprofit. The reported thrift-store value for these items on their tax filings was $4,900.
Over the four-year period examined, the couple contributed between $40,000 and $67,000 to charities annually. They paid an estimated $2.8 million in federal income taxes and $500,000 in California income taxes.
Newsom has historically advocated for financial disclosure among elected officials. He released multiple years of tax returns prior to his 2018 gubernatorial campaign and signed a 2019 law requiring gubernatorial candidates to disclose five years of federal tax returns before the primary election. He had also pledged to release his own returns annually while in office. Until this recent release, however, his returns for years after 2020 had not been publicly disclosed.
The tax returns gained heightened attention following Newsom's disclosure last month that he and Siebel Newsom were subjects of a federal investigation, which the governor has characterized as politically motivated. Reports indicate one federal inquiry is examining Siebel Newsom's taxes. Separately, federal investigators had previously investigated Newsom's former chief of staff, Dana Williamson, who pleaded guilty in May to charges including filing a false tax return. Williamson is scheduled for sentencing in September.
Newsom's office stated that returns for tax year 2025 were not included because the couple filed for an extension and expect to complete them in October. A spokesperson for the governor's office repeatedly asserted that the filings contained no unusual information and were consistent with prior financial disclosures.