Alexis Podesta, the ultimate Dem insider, rose through California politics – then wore an FBI wire

Alexis Podesta has been one of Sacramento’s most influential behind-the-scenes power brokers for years — the kind of political insider whose name rarely makes headlines despite her fingerprints being all over California politics.

Now, she’s become one of the FBI’s most valuable witnesses — after wearing a wire as part of a probe that took down Gov. Gavin Newsom’s former chief of staff, Dana Williamson, according to Williamson’s attorney. 

Podesta, 45, spent years climbing the Democratic political ladder before cashing in as a lobbyist.

She currently owns the Podesta Company, a Sacramento lobbying and government affairs firm launched in 2020 after leaving state government.

She previously served as secretary of the California Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency under then-Gov. Jerry Brown from 2017 to 2020.

Before that, she worked in Brown’s office as director of external affairs, director of international affairs and chief of protocol.

Her resume also includes stints at power company PG&E, the Walt Disney Co. and as director of scheduling for the late US Sen. Dianne Feinstein.

When Gov. Gavin Newsom — who is now the subject of a federal investigation — took office, he rewarded Podesta in 2020 with an appointment to the board of the State Compensation Insurance Fund, where she remains today — collecting nearly $61,000 a year from taxpayers despite emerging as a central figure in the federal corruption probe swirling around the governor’s political orbit.

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Newsom’s office declined to comment on keeping Podesta on the board despite her being an FBI’s mole, calling it a personnel matter.

Podesta has been identified as “Co-Conspirator 2” in the Williamson indictment. She was accused of taking over management of former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra’s dormant campaign account after Williamson joined Newsom’s administration.

Prosecutors allege the account was used to funnel roughly $225,000 through a series of sham consulting payments that ultimately benefited Becerra’s former chief of staff, Sean McCluskie. Podesta has not been charged with a crime.

Her attorney, Bill Portanova, has acknowledged to other media outlets that she is the unnamed co-conspirator described in court filings, saying she began cooperating with federal investigators after uncovering what he has characterized as wrongdoing by others.

Outside of government, Podesta has also served on the board of cannabis company Body and Mind Inc., advised luxury vacation-home startup Pacaso and belonged to Chief, an executive networking organization, according to her LinkedIn.

Now, according to Williamson’s attorney, she could add FBI wiretaps to her list of skills.