California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s mask slipped Tuesday, and it’s uglier than ever. “Fool’s Gold: The Radicals, Con Artists, and Traitors Who Killed the California Dream and Now Threaten Us All” by Susan Crabtree and Jedd McFatter revealed he secretly bankrolled a bronze bust of himself in San Francisco City Hall—a tribute to his mayoral stint from 2004 to 2011.
The cash trail’s a disgrace. Newsom funneled money through “behested payments”—donations he nudged cronies to make—straight from his own companies, Balboa Cafe Partners and PlumpJack Management Group. Each coughed up $5,000 in 2016 for the “Mayoral Bust at San Francisco City Hall,” per the California Fair Political Practices Commission.
He played dumb to dodge the stench. Newsom claimed ignorance about the private donors and mused about the bust’s design, saying it’s “been in the works for a few years, but no one’s worked on it.” Conservatives aren’t buying it—this is a guy who’s mastered the art of fake humility while stroking his own ego.
The scheme’s pure corruption. Behested payments are a politician’s dirty trick—legal bribery where donors fund pet projects. Newsom’s even steered cash to his wife Jennifer Siebel Newsom’s gigs, but this bust takes the cake. Three outfits, including his own, funneled dough to Community Initiatives, a nonprofit, for his $97,000 vanity project.
Sculptor Bruce Wolfe’s all-in on the bronze dream. He’s sure it’ll happen, while Newsom shrugged, “If no one’s interested, we can mold it back into a big ball.” Republicans scoff—this isn’t an “idea floating around”; it’s a calculated grab for glory from a man who thrives on self-worship.
Newsom’s office clammed up—no comment when Breitbart asked. That silence screams guilt to conservatives, who see a governor more obsessed with his image than California’s crumbling streets. San Francisco’s a mess—crime, homelessness, filth—yet Newsom’s priority was a mirror in bronze.
This fits his playbook. He’s dodged blame for wildfires, pushed woke flops, and now flaunts this bust while eyeing 2028. Posts on X blast him as “ridiculous” and “narcissistic”—a prince of privilege who’d rather polish his legacy than fix his state’s woes.
Trump’s shadow looms large here. Newsom’s spent years sniping at him, yet Trump’s 89 executive orders in 50 days dwarf Newsom’s bust stunt in impact. Conservatives say it’s night and day—Trump delivers, Newsom preens. This monument’s a slap to taxpayers footing California’s bills.
Republicans smell blood. Newsom’s ego trip—caught via his own companies’ paper trail—is ammo for the fight. While he postures as a leader, this bust proves he’s a self-serving fraud. Conservatives demand he face the music—vanity’s no substitute for governing.
America’s fed up with posers. Newsom’s bust isn’t just a statue—it’s a shrine to a man who’d rather admire himself than serve. Republicans say Trump’s winning streak shames this clown; California deserves better than a governor caught sculpting his own legend.
