Steve Hilton tells Becerra to prepare ‘criminal defense’ at CA governor debate
Steve Hilton, a Trump-endorsed Republican candidate for California governor, caused a stir at a debate by telling democrat Xavier Becerra to stop campaigning and instead prepare for his “criminal defense.” Hilton referenced allegations that Becerra was implicated in a corruption matter involving improper or illegal payments from a campaign account during Becerra’s time in the Biden administration.
Becerra responded jokingly at first, then denied the corruption allegations and highlighted his record expanding healthcare coverage. The moderator pushed him to address the claims further, and Becerra reiterated that he was not involved in any wrongdoing, noting that federal prosecutors had not implicated any gubernatorial candidate in the specific matter Hilton cited. A former adviser to becerra, Dana Williamson, pleaded guilty to federal corruption-related charges tied to prosecutors’ claims about money taken from a dormant campaign account, though Becerra himself has not been charged.
Republican California gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton drew gasps from the California governor debate crowd after telling former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra to prepare his criminal defense in a corruption case.
Trump-endorsed Hilton targeted one of the highest-polling candidates in the race over allegations of corruption during his time in the Biden administration and new allegations about improper payments taken from his campaign account.
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“There’s another point I think we have to acknowledge: We learned today that Xavier was implicated in this corruption scandal today. We learned that he knew about illegal and improper payments from his campaign account to his former chief of staff,” Hilton said.
“Honestly, and it pains me to say it because I like you personally, Xavier, but you shouldn’t be on the debate stage. You shouldn’t be in this race. You should be preparing your criminal defense,” he said, drawing an audible response from the audience.
Becerra appeared noticeably taken aback, first responding with a joke.
“With friends like that, who needs enemies, right?” he said.
Becerra responded by disputing accusations of corruption and mishandling during his time as HHS secretary, then boasted of his expansion of healthcare coverage, saying it was “far beyond what Donald Trump [did], your daddy, and we are going to continue to move forward in California.”
The moderator had to press him to respond to the corruption allegations that emerged on Thursday.
FORMER NEWSOM CHIEF OF STAFF PLEADS GUILTY ON CORRUPTION CHARGES
“As I’ve said from day one, I was not involved in the wrongdoing. I had nothing to do with that. I did nothing wrong, and don’t take my words for it. Take the words of the U.S. attorney, who said no candidate running for governor has been implicated in this particular matter. So, Steve, you may not want to accept it, but the truth is what it is. You don’t get to make up the facts,” Becerra said, beginning a further exchange.
Dana Williamson, a former adviser to Becerra, pleaded guilty on Thursday to federal corruption-related charges tied to a scheme prosecutors say siphoned money from a dormant campaign account. Becerra hasn’t been charged or officially accused of wrongdoing.
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