Alexis Podesta, a California Democratic power broker appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, is identified as an FBI cooperator in a state corruption probe

A New York Post report on July 2, 2026, described Alexis Podesta as a longtime Democratic power broker who, after years in California state government and politics, became a key cooperating witness in a major federal corruption investigation involving California officials and associates of Gov. Gavin Newsom.

According to the report, Podesta’s involvement includes serving as an FBI cooperator who wore a wire, a step the article says was used as part of a probe that targeted what it characterizes as Newsom-related figures. The report also says Podesta was identified in court filings as “Co-Conspirator 2,” though it does not provide the underlying indictment or docket details in the available material.

The New York Post said Podesta spent years building influence through California Democratic networks before moving into lobbying and government affairs work. The report states she owns the Podesta Company, a Sacramento lobbying and government affairs firm launched in 2020 after she left state government.

The article further describes Podesta’s earlier public service record. It says she served as secretary of the California Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency under then-Gov. Jerry Brown from 2017 to 2020, and previously held roles in Brown’s office including director of external affairs, director of international affairs, and chief of protocol. It also says her résumé includes work with PG&E, the Walt Disney Co., and as director of scheduling for the late U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein.

Central to the report’s timeline is Podesta’s appointment after Newsom took office. The New York Post says Newsom, in 2020, appointed Podesta to the board of the State Compensation Insurance Fund. The report says Podesta remains on the board and that she earns nearly $61,000 per year, characterizing the compensation as paid by taxpayers.

The report says Newsom’s office declined to comment on keeping Podesta on the board, calling it a personnel matter. It also frames Podesta’s federal cooperation as part of a broader corruption investigation involving Newsom’s political orbit, while acknowledging the matter through attribution to allegations and assertions presented in the course of legal proceedings.

Because the available record here is limited to a news description and does not include the federal charging documents or a court order in full, the specific scope of Podesta’s cooperation, the precise counts involved, and the investigation’s factual findings are not independently confirmed in the materials provided. Further review of the relevant indictment, plea documents, and any court records cited for “Co-Conspirator 2” would be needed to verify the details of the allegations and the cooperation role described in the report.