{"id":64439,"date":"2026-05-10T02:09:09","date_gmt":"2026-05-10T02:09:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/people\/64439\/"},"modified":"2026-05-10T02:09:09","modified_gmt":"2026-05-10T02:09:09","slug":"gavin-newsom-under-fire-over-20m-diaper-deal-tied-to-wife-linked-nonprofit-network","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/people\/64439\/","title":{"rendered":"Gavin Newsom under fire over $20M diaper deal tied to wife-linked nonprofit network"},"content":{"rendered":"

California Gov. Gavin Newsom is facing accusations of corruption<\/a> for paying $20 million in taxpayer money to a nonprofit led by an executive who also sits on the board of his wife\u2019s organization that promotes gender equity<\/a>.<\/p>\n

It all comes down to diapers \u2014 as the initiative, \u201cGolden State Start,\u201d was rolled out ahead of Mother\u2019s Day, billed as a partnership between the state and Los Angeles-based Baby2Baby.<\/p>\n

The program aims to provide free diapers to newborns through hospitals statewide, but the deal has triggered a wave of scrutiny over how the nonprofit was chosen, and its proximity to Newsom\u2019s political and personal network.<\/p>\n

California Gov. Gavin Newsom is facing accusations of corruption for paying $20 million in taxpayer money to a nonprofit led by an executive who also sits on the board of his wife\u2019s organization that promotes gender equity.<\/p>\n

It all comes down to diapers \u2014 as the initiative, \u201cGolden State Start,\u201d was rolled out ahead of Mother\u2019s Day, billed as a partnership between the state and Los Angeles-based Baby2Baby. Getty Images for Baby2Baby<\/p>\n

The program aims to provide free diapers to newborns through hospitals statewide, but the deal has triggered a wave of scrutiny over how the nonprofit was chosen, and its proximity to Newsom\u2019s political and personal network. gov.ca.gov<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you take the number of diapers they\u2019re planning to send out and the amount of money that he\u2019s spending on it, it\u2019s 50 cents for each one, which is like 100 times more expensive if you just bought them in Costco,\u201d Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton said Saturday. <\/p>\n

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\u201cBut where\u2019s the money coming from? Us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Siebel Newsom co-founded the California Partners Project, which helped facilitate the partnership. <\/p>\n

Jennifer Siebel Newsom, First Partner of California.<\/p>\n

Her non-profit works to increase women\u2019s representation in leadership, and Norah Weinstein sits on the board.<\/p>\n

Weinstein is also the co-CEO of Baby2Baby. She has run the organization since 2011<\/a> alongside co-CEO Kelly Sawyer Patricof.<\/p>\n

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That detail is what critics point to as evidence of overlapping influence between state-funded programs and affiliated nonprofit networks.<\/p>\n

\u201cInstead of taking our money, putting into some scheme that benefits their friends and cronies,\u201d Hilton said, \u201cwhy don\u2019t they let us just keep more of our money in the first place so we can decide how to spend our money?\u201d<\/p>\n

(L-R) Kelly Sawyer Patricof, Gavin Newsom and Norah Weinstein. Getty Images for Baby2Baby<\/p>\n

\u00a0(L-R) Elizabeth Landsberg, Kim Johnson, Gavin Newsom, Kelly Sawyer Patricof and Norah Weinstein Getty Images for Baby2Baby<\/p>\n

Patricof\u2019s family ties have also drawn attention from critics, including her marriage to film producer Jamie Patricof, whose father, Alan Patricof, is a longtime Democratic donor with deep ties to the Clinton-era political network.<\/p>\n

The state has committed roughly $20 million to the program<\/a>, including $7.4 million already approved and another $12.5 million proposed in the 2026\u20132027 budget cycle, positioning it as a major expansion of statewide diaper access for newborns.<\/p>\n

Backlash has been swift and highly critical, with many questioning both the structure and cost of the initiative.<\/p>\n

California Governor Gavin Newsom gestures on the day he holds a press conference in San Francisco. REUTERS<\/p>\n

Many questioned the program<\/a>\u2018s scale, arguing that comparable bulk retail prices are significantly lower.<\/p>\n

Another person pointed to Baby2Baby\u2019s reported financial position and political relationships<\/a>, alleging the organization operates more like a politically connected network than a traditional charity. Those claims were not independently verified.<\/p>\n

The California Post reached out to Newsom\u2019s office and Baby2Baby<\/a> for comment.<\/p>\n

Despite the criticism, Newsom has promoted \u201cGolden State Start\u201d as a flagship child welfare initiative, calling it \u201ca first-in-the-nation program to provide free diapers to all new babies born in California.\u201d<\/p>\n

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