In-laws come out as fans of California Governor’s rival
Embarrassing disclosure reveals trust run by parents of Gavin Newsom’s wife donated over $7000 to one of their son-in-law’s biggest political rivals.
In a disclosure that may make the next family reunion an awkward affair, it has emerged that the in-laws of Gavin Newsom, the California governor, donated money to one of his fiercest political rivals.
Records show that a trust run by Kenneth Siebel Jr and Judith Siebel contributed $7,300 to a political action committee supporting Ron DeSantis, the governor of Florida. Newsom, a Democrat, and DeSantis, a Republican, are viewed as potential opponents for the White House in 2024 and have traded barbs in recent months as their rivalry has intensified.
News of the donation emerged a week after Newsom announced that he was making a $147,000 contribution to Charlie Crist, the Democrat attempting to oust DeSantis as governor in an election in November.
“Time to make Ron DeSantis a one-term governor,” Newsom tweeted. “Who will join me in helping Charlie become the next governor of Florida?”
Time to make Ron DeSantis a one-term governor.
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) August 25, 2022
I'm pledging $100k right now to @CharlieCrist.
Who will join me in helping Charlie become the next Governor of Florida? https://t.co/YvpkkGKkOb
Conservative commentators reacted with glee to the reports that the Siebels, parents of Newsom’s wife, Jennifer, had donated to DeSantis in April. “[With] this contribution revelation from his in-laws, I think it’s safe to say Thanksgiving is going to be very awkward this year,” the Fox News contributor Tomi Lahren said. “Gavin’s in-laws have good taste. Their daughter, not so much.”
In another potentially embarrassing move for Newsom, 54, Fox News reported that his parents-in-law fled California for Florida during the pandemic. They are said to have upped sticks in 2020 after buying a $4.9 million home in Naples, a city in the southwest of the state. Kenneth Siebel, an investment banker, is said to be a registered Republican. Newsom attracted criticism for his harsh lockdowns in California, which conservatives contrasted with the more laid back approach taken by DeSantis.
Newsom has been keen to draw a distinction between his running of California and DeSantis’s management of Florida. To coincide with July 4, Newsom issued an advert against DeSantis, 43, claiming that “freedom is under attack” in Florida. He criticised DeSantis’s stance on abortion and the banning of teaching critical race theory in schools. Newsom urged Floridians to move to California, “where we still believe in freedom”.
We’re about to celebrate Independence Day -- but Freedom is under attack by Republican leaders in states like Florida.
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) July 3, 2022
Banning books.
Restricting speech.
Making it harder to vote.
Criminalizing women and doctors.
Â
It’s time to stand up. Don’t let them take your freedom. pic.twitter.com/cFI5UzgZzX
DeSantis hit back by accusing Newsom of treating residents like “peasants”. “In Florida, we weren’t locking them down,” DeSantis said. “We lifted our people up. We made sure to protect individuals’ freedom.”
The Times
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