**Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Prop. 50 Raises Transparency Concerns Amid Wine Business Links**
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Proposition 50 was overwhelmingly approved by California voters as an anti-Trump redistricting plan aimed at reshaping the state’s congressional maps. However, new details reveal that Newsom’s own wine company benefited financially from the campaign.
Last year, Newsom raised $120 million to support the Election Rigging Response Act (Prop. 50), intended to help Democrats gain seats in the U.S. House of Representatives by redrawing California districts to potentially eliminate up to five Republican-held seats. According to campaign filings uncovered by the Post, nearly $26,883 of donor cash was spent at Plumpjack Wines, Newsom’s upscale San Francisco-based wine shop, during a fundraising event.
This was not the first time Newsom’s political campaigns reimbursed expenses at his expensive wine business. His Campaign for Democracy Committee — a national political operation raising millions to build his profile and oppose then-President Donald Trump — spent over $23,792 at Plumpjack Wines across two events in September and October 2023.
“This is certainly not good optics for him and raises transparency issues,” said James Christopher, a New York-based political strategist. “As the old saying goes, those in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.”
Attorney Mark Meuser, who is leading a federal legal challenge against Prop. 50, called Newsom’s purchases “deeply troubling.” He stated, “Routing campaign dollars to a business long tied to his name reinforces perceptions of self-dealing. Americans across the political spectrum are fed up with politicians who use their power for personal gain.”
Plumpjack is the crown jewel of the multimillion-dollar wine and hospitality empire Newsom co-founded in 1991 with oil billionaire Gordon Getty, who also played a key role in supporting Newsom’s political career. Newsom’s assets include the prestigious San Francisco bar Balboa Cafe, Mastros Steakhouse, the Plumpjack Group, and several other wine and hospitality ventures held under the Gavin C. Newsom Blind Trust, according to disclosures filed last year.
Headquartered in San Francisco’s exclusive Marina District, Plumpjack Wines offers premium bottles ranging from $62 to $884 or more for a two-pack of Vineyard Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, as detailed on its website.
Newsom’s expansive wine empire includes Plumpjack Winery in Oakville, California, Napa Valley’s Odette Estate Winery, and about a dozen affiliated entities, per his economic disclosure. His wineries frequently host exclusive charity events like “Vineyard Vibes,” a fundraiser for the Plumpjack Foundation, where Newsom was seen enjoying a glass amid anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles last summer.
When reached for comment, Newsom advisor Lindsey Cobia deflected criticism, blaming former President Trump. She said, “This is not a conflict. The only one enriching themselves in office is Donald Trump, who has already accumulated nearly $12 billion of crypto holdings and $800 million of income from foreign nationals and state-linked entities seeking to curry favor with his administration.”
Meuser responded by urging Newsom to “lead by example and recognize that true leadership means avoiding even the appearance of using public position for private benefit.” He added, “This isn’t just about one event; it’s about restoring trust in a system where connected politicians play by different rules.”
Newsom positioned himself as the face of the Prop. 50 campaign, investing tens of millions in ads portraying the measure as essential for safeguarding democracy from corruption and authoritarianism in the White House. His federal Campaign for Democracy fund has also spent heavily to raise his national profile ahead of a potential presidential run, selling items such as $100 anti-Trump “kneepads” and offering donors free copies of his memoir *Young Man in a Hurry* in exchange for contributions.
https://nypost.com/2026/02/03/us-news/gavin-newsom-spent-donor-money-at-his-own-wine-business-filings/