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.
“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.