A bitter feud has erupted between the two leading Democrats in California’s governor’s race just days before voters head to the polls, with both campaigns threatening legal action over a controversial television advertisement that has quickly become one of the campaign’s defining flashpoints.
The dispute centers on a new ad released by billionaire environmentalist Tom Steyer’s campaign titled “Risky.” The commercial seeks to tie Democratic frontrunner Xavier Becerra to a federal corruption case involving two former senior aides and suggests the former Biden administration official could face criminal exposure himself.
The ad focuses on the convictions of Becerra’s former campaign manager, Dana Williamson, and former chief of staff, Sean McCluskie. Prosecutors alleged that Williamson, McCluskie, and lobbyist Greg Campbell diverted $225,000 from a dormant Becerra campaign account. All three ultimately pleaded guilty to various fraud-related offenses connected to the scheme.
After detailing those convictions, the commercial claims Becerra “knew and did nothing” and warns viewers that he “could be indicted next.”
The accusation triggered an immediate response from the Becerra campaign, which moved quickly to challenge the ad’s claims.
In a cease-and-desist letter sent Saturday, attorney Nicholas Sanders argued that the commercial falsely attempts to link Becerra to crimes committed by others. The letter demanded that Steyer’s campaign remove the advertisement and accused it of spreading defamatory information.
According to Sanders, federal prosecutors have previously indicated that Becerra was not implicated in the criminal charging documents associated with the case. The attorney described the ad as “textbook defamation” and warned that legal action could follow if it remains on the air.
“Someone should tell Tom that voters have a word for what he’s doing: it’s lying,” Becerra campaign spokesman Jonathan Underland said. “And it’s not a quality Californians are looking for in their next governor.”
Steyer’s campaign showed little interest in backing down.
In a sharply worded response, campaign attorney Ryan Hughes dismissed the allegations and challenged Becerra’s team to pursue its legal threats.
“By all means, proceed with legal action. It would make our day,” Hughes wrote. “We’ll make sure to do depositions of Mr. McCluskie, Ms. Williamson and Mr. Becerra on video. As you say, voters deserve to know the truth.”
Despite the legal saber-rattling, the advertisement remains on the air as Steyer attempts a late push to secure one of the top two spots in California’s unique open-primary system.
The stakes are enormous. Steyer has already invested more than $200 million of his personal fortune into the race, making it one of the most expensive self-funded gubernatorial campaigns in state history.
Recent polling suggests the battle remains highly competitive. An Emerson College Polling/Inside California Politics survey released Saturday showed Becerra leading with 28 percent support, while Steyer followed at 22 percent. Republican Steve Hilton, who has been endorsed by President Donald Trump, was close behind at 21 percent.
Further back were Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco at 12 percent, while Democrats Katie Porter, Matt Mahan, and Antonio Villaraigosa remained in single digits.
