California Gov. Gavin Newsom's (D) wife reportedly steered state funding toward mental health initiatives for schools, a field in which her nonprofit organization also works.

Jennifer Siebel Newsom directed the $4.7 billion in funding, which was announced in August 2022, to be pushed toward mental health topics, with the funds looking to help her nonprofit organization The Representation Project, which provides films and curriculum for students regarding "intersectional gender justice."

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Adam Andrzejewski from the watchdog organization Open the Books details connections between Siebel Newsom's nonprofit organization and initiatives pushed by the first partner's office. Andrzejewski details her office's $1.2 million annual budget to push initiatives and how the $4.7 billion in funds could be used by educators on her organization's materials. He does note the governor and first partner have not been accused of any wrongdoing but that "the pattern that we’ve identified is troubling."

It has been previously reported how The Representation Project has raked in $1,483,001 from licensing fees for a series of documentary films produced by Newsom and the nonprofit organization since 2012, with a large portion of those fees being paid by public schools.

Loretta Whitson, director of the California Association of School Counselors, has previously said that the $4.7 billion in funds could be used on materials such as those from The Representation Project.

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"While the governor’s recent investment will add additional school counselors to the workforce, there will be an even greater need to access films and curriculum support material such as Siebel Newsom’s documentary series,” Whitson told EdSource in November 2022. “[We] would love to work with her and support her efforts.”

The Washington Examiner reached out to The Representation Project for comment.

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Tags: Gavin Newsom, California, Nonprofits, government spending, News

Original Author: Jack Birle

Original Location: Gavin Newsom's wife steered state funding that helps her nonprofit organization: Report