The indictment of Dana Williamson, the former Chief of Staff to California Governor Gavin Newsom (D), did more than generate headlines. It confirmed what voters already knew: corruption reaches deep into the highest levels of the state’s government.
Williamson was not a distant figure or a low-level operative. She sat at the very center of California’s executive branch, wielding extraordinary influence over policy, access, and decision-making - and serving as Newsom's enforcer against dissidents and political opponents.
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That is why Assemblymember David Tangipa’s (R-8) AB 1560 matters.
Introduced on January 8, 2026, and pending referral to committee, AB 1560 does something that should have been settled long ago: it amends California’s Political Reform Act of 1974 to permanently bar individuals convicted of public corruption from registering or operating as lobbyists in this state.
In other words, if you have abused public trust, you should not be allowed to influence public policy. Period.
🚨Governor Newsom’s former Chief of Staff has now been charged with public corruption and exposed just how deep lobbying corruption runs in California.
— David Tangipa (@DavidTangipa) January 13, 2026
Over the last decade, more than 500 individuals have been charged or convicted of corruption… yet they are STILL allowed to… pic.twitter.com/SwvNfzr2TJ
By amending the Political Reform Act, the bill closes a gap that has long undermined public confidence. Under current law, individuals convicted of corruption offenses can still find pathways back into Sacramento’s influence ecosystem. AB 1560 draws a clear line, ensuring that a conviction for public corruption carries lasting consequences, including permanent exclusion from formal lobbying roles.
That matters because corruption does not truly end when a sentence is imposed if the system quietly allows offenders to reenter policymaking circles under different titles. AB 1560 recognizes that fact and addresses it directly.
Just as importantly, it strengthens the integrity of the Political Reform Act itself. That law was designed to promote transparency, accountability, and ethical conduct in government. Updating it to reflect today’s realities is simply good governance.
Of course, restoring trust in Sacramento will not happen through one bill alone. Real reform requires sustained commitment to transparency, oversight, and enforcement. That means:
- Enforcing conflict-of-interest rules consistently, regardless of who is involved.
- Banning practices that allow special interests to dictate policy behind closed doors.
- Shining a light on state spending and contracting so taxpayers can see where their money actually goes.
- Strengthening oversight so fraud and waste are not quietly approved by insiders who know how to work the system.
AB 1560 fits squarely within that broader effort by establishing a baseline standard that should have been in place years ago. In doing so, it reflects the seriousness Californians expect from their lawmakers when it comes to ethics and accountability.
Assemblymember Tangipa deserves credit for advancing legislation that puts the public interest ahead of insider privilege and strengthens the integrity of California’s ethics laws.
Now, he just needs more like-minded colleagues in the California State legislature to support and build on efforts like AB 1560.
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