2026年5月15日 美国东部时间下午2:23 / 福克斯新闻
两名前助手认罪，令贝塞拉在加州6月2日选举前的激烈初选中的竞选之路变得更加复杂
作者：利奥·布里塞尼奥，福克斯新闻
加州对手借助手竞选盗窃丑闻猛烈抨击贝塞拉
史蒂夫·希尔顿和凯蒂·波特在加州最后一场州长辩论中猛烈抨击哈维尔·贝塞拉，提及前助手达纳·威廉姆森承认从其竞选活动中窃取22.5万美元，并质问贝塞拉是否牵涉其中。（图片来源：KPIX）
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哈维尔·贝塞拉被迫在加州州长竞选的一系列对手攻击中为自己辩护，就在辩论当天，他的两名前雇员承认在一项竞选财务丑闻中认罪。
贝塞拉的两名工作人员周四承认，从一个闲置的竞选账户中挪用资金以补贴自己的薪水，这引发了人们的质疑：这位前卫生与公众服务部长是否知晓此事，或协助实施了这一行为——这明显违反了联邦禁止将竞选资金用于个人用途的规定。
认罪行为让贝塞拉本就紧张的政治局势更加复杂，他是接替即将卸任的加州州长加文·纽瑟姆的民主党热门候选人。
在竞争激烈的共和党候选人阵营中处于领先地位的史蒂夫·希尔顿在周四的辩论中表示，知晓这一阴谋应该会取消贝塞拉继续竞选该职位的资格。
拜登前高级官员在激烈辩论中因饱受诟病的过往遭抨击：’更多欺诈行为’
“今天我们得知，他知晓从其竞选账户向前幕僚长非法且不当支付款项一事，”希尔顿说。
“说实话，我说这些话时感到痛心，因为我个人很欣赏你，哈维尔，但你不该站在这个辩论台上。你不该参与这场竞选。你应该准备你的刑事辩护，”他补充道。
贝塞拉否认有任何不当行为，在周四晚间辩论前的一份声明中表示：”我没有做错任何事。事情已经了结。”
该候选人的前幕僚长肖恩·麦卡斯基和加州政治策略师达纳·威廉姆森承认，从贝塞拉此前用于竞选州级公职的闲置竞选账户中窃取了22.5万美元。
根据检察官的说法，2022年至2024年间，麦卡斯基和威廉姆森从贝塞拉的竞选资金中分批提取款项，每笔金额为7500美元至1万美元。
前纽瑟姆幕僚长因22.5万美元欺诈和腐败阴谋被控罪，司法部称
民主党候选人安东尼奥·维拉莱戈萨、凯蒂·波特、汤姆·施泰尔和哈维尔·贝塞拉以及共和党候选人史蒂夫·希尔顿和查德·比安科于2026年5月5日在加州蒙特雷帕克的东洛杉矶学院礼堂参加加州州长辩论，为6月2日的初选做准备。（图片来源：弗雷德里克·J·布朗 / 法新社/盖蒂图片社）
根据联邦选举委员会的规定，政府雇员不得将竞选资金用于与选举或公务无关的开支。
贝塞拉在周四的辩论中回击了这些攻击，指出自己并未在该案中被点名。
同为民主党候选人的前国会议员凯蒂·波特表示，他的辩护并不能证明他无罪。
“你刚才的原话是，你未在起诉文件中被提及，”波特说道。
“但你也知道，这并不排除，因为你也是一名受过训练的律师，你知道这并不排除对您提起公诉的可能性，”她继续说道。”我们不知道达纳·威廉姆森就您的涉案情况说了什么，而政府之后有权披露相关信息。”
前拜登官员的竞选活动因失踪儿童丑闻再次发酵而面临压力：’选民应得到更好的对待’
2022年7月8日，总统乔·拜登在白宫罗斯福厅就生殖健康保健服务可及性签署行政令期间，副总统卡玛拉·哈里斯和卫生与公众服务部长哈维尔·贝塞拉在旁聆听。（图片来源：亚历克斯·王/盖蒂图片社）
在担任卫生与公众服务部长期间，贝塞拉在2021年至2025年的新冠疫情期间为总统乔·拜登提供咨询。
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他的政治生涯始于加州副检察长，并于1990年至1992年在加州州议会任职。随后，贝塞拉于1993年至2017年担任美国众议院议员，2017年至2021年出任加州检察长，之后被任命领导卫生与公众服务部。
加州初选将于6月2日举行。排名前两位的候选人将晋级11月3日的大选。
利奥·布里塞尼奥是福克斯新闻数字频道国会团队的政治记者。他此前曾在《世界杂志》担任记者。
Becerra’s debate-stage beating: Rivals confront Dem California candidate over campaign scandal
May 15, 2026 2:23pm EDT / Fox News
Two former aides’ guilty pleas complicate Becerra’s bid in a tight primary race ahead of California’s June 2 election
By Leo Briceno, Fox News
California rivals pummel Becerra over aide’s campaign theft scandal
Steve Hilton and Katie Porter hammered Xavier Becerra in California’s final gubernatorial debate, citing former aide Dana Williamson’s guilty plea for stealing $225K from his campaign and asking if Becerra was involved. (Credit: KPIX)
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Xavier Becerra was forced to fend off a barrage of attacks from rivals in the race for California governor after a pair of his former employees pleaded guilty in a campaign finance scandal the same day as the debate.
After two of Becerra’s staffers pleaded guilty on Thursday to siphoning money from an inactive campaign account to supplement their salaries, questions emerged over whether the former Health and Human Services secretary knew about, or assisted in, the act — a clear breach of federal restrictions on using campaign funds for personal ends.
The guilty pleas complicate a tense political picture for Becerra, a Democratic frontrunner to replace outgoing California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Steve Hilton, a Republican frontrunner in the crowded field, said at Thursday’s debate that knowledge of the scheme should disqualify Becerra from pursuing the office any further.
FORMER TOP BIDEN OFFICIAL RIPPED OVER SCANDAL-PLAGUED PAST DURING FIERY DEBATE: ‘MORE FRAUD’
Former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, a Democratic gubernatorial candidate, speaks during a roundtable discussion with representatives from Child Guidance Center in Santa Ana on Tuesday, March 31, 2026.(Leonard Ortiz/MediaNews Group/Orange County Register via Getty Images)
“Today we learned that he knew about illegal and improper payments from his campaign account to his former chief of staff,” Hilton said.
“Honestly, it pains me to say because I like you personally, Xavier, but you shouldn’t be on this stage. You shouldn’t be in this race. You should be preparing your criminal defense,” Hilton added.
Becerra has denied any wrongdoing, saying in a statement ahead of Thursday night’s debate: “I did nothing wrong. Case closed.”
The candidate’s former chief of staff, Sean McCluskie, and California political strategist Dana Williamson pleaded guilty to stealing $225,000 from an out-of-use campaign account that Becerra used to previously pursue a state-level office.
According to prosecutors, McCluskie and Williamson withdrew payments in increments of $7,500 to $10,000 from Becerra’s war chest between 2022 and 2024.
FORMER GAVIN NEWSOM CHIEF OF STAFF CHARGED IN $225K FRAUD AND CORRUPTION SCHEME, DOJ SAYS
Democratic candidates Antonio Villaraigosa, Katie Porter, Tom Steyer and Xavier Becerra and Republican candidates Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco participate in a California gubernatorial debate at East Los Angeles College Auditorium in Monterey Park, Calif., on May 5, 2026, ahead of the June 2 primary elections.(Frederic J. Brown / AFP via Getty Images)
Under Federal Election Commission regulations, government employees are prohibited from using campaign funds for expenses unrelated to the election or official duties.
Becerra countered the attacks at Thursday’s debate by pointing out he hadn’t been named in the case.
Fellow Democratic candidate Katie Porter, a former congresswoman, said that his defense isn’t proof of innocence.
“What the quote was, was that you had not been mentioned in the charging documents,” Porter remarked.
“But as you know, that does not preclude, because you are also a trained attorney, you know that does not preclude an indictment from being issued against you,” she went on. “We do not know what Dana Williamson said about your involvement, and the government will have the ability to reveal that later.”
EX-BIDEN OFFICIAL’S CAMPAIGN FACES HEAT AS MISSING CHILDREN SCANDAL RESURFACES: ‘VOTERS DESERVE BETTER’
President Joe Biden delivers remarks on reproductive rights as Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra listen during an event at the Roosevelt Room of the White House on July 8, 2022. Biden signed an executive order on access to reproductive health care services.(Alex Wong/Getty Images)
In his role as HHS secretary, Becerra advised President Joe Biden during the COVID-19 pandemic from 2021 to 2025.
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He began his political career as deputy attorney general of California and served in the California State Assembly from 1990 to 1992. Becerra then held a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1993 to 2017 before becaming California attorney general from 2017 to 2021 before being tapped to lead HHS.
The California primary will be held on June 2. The top two candidates will advance to a general election on Nov. 3.
Leo Briceno is a politics reporter for the congressional team at Fox News Digital. He was previously a reporter with World Magazine.
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