California Gov. Gavin Newsom is under fire after a new book revealed he quietly bankrolled a monument to himself at San Francisco City Hall during his 2004-2011 mayoral stint.
Fool’s Gold by Jedd McFatter and Susan Crabtree alleges Newsom used “behested payments”—donor funds solicited on his behalf—to finance the $97,000 bust, with $10,000 coming from his own companies, Balboa Cafe Partners and PlumpJack Management Group.
The expose, spotlighting Newsom’s self-tribute, has sparked outrage.
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Critics on social media branded him a “narcissist” and accused him of “peak leftist arrogance,” with one writing, “If only he cared half as much about fixing his state as he does about immortalizing his own ego.”
Newsom, then married to Kimberly Guilfoyle—now Trump’s Ambassador to Greece—called the bust “strange” and “awkward” when it was built, claiming ignorance of its funding despite reports of “Newsom supporters” footing the bill with private cash.
The timing stings as Newsom, a potential 2028 presidential contender, pitches a centrist image via a new podcast featuring conservatives like Charlie Kirk.
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With California reeling from wildfires that killed 29 and razed over 18,000 structures, the revelation threatens to torch his image rehab.
Newsom’s office responded to the ‘bust’ criticism.
“To imply the Governor personally funded or proposed this effort is categorically false,” a spokesperson for Newsom said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “As is customary in the city, the effort was independently proposed by a nonprofit and funded by private donors — not taxpayers… This was reported at the time and isn’t news now.”
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