California State Auditor Urged to Probe Newsom-Linked No-Bid Diaper Deal
What began as a virtue-signalling diaper giveaway now looks like another grifting transaction in the growing Newsom-Nonprofit complex.
Back in May, my Legal Insurrection colleague Matt Lamb reported that California Governor Gavin Newsom was facing criticism for funneling $20 million in taxpayer dollars to a family friend under the guise of giving out diapers to low-income families.
The $20 million also reportedly does not cover the full costs, but the state does not have a firm plan for how to cover the gap.
On May 8, the Democratic governor and 2028 presidential hopeful announced the state had partnered with Baby2Baby to distribute 400 diapers to newborns in specific hospitals.
Now it is being reported that California has delayed the release of its Baby2Baby program.
Two months after Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a controversial multimillion-dollar state diaper contract with Baby2Baby, a nonprofit with existing ties to the Newsom administration and the First Partner, Californians still have not been allowed to see the contract or competitive bid records behind the deal to manufacture and deliver millions of California co-branded free diapers to new parents.
The delay comes despite repeated requests by CBS California Investigates and despite California law requiring the state to release these records.
The Newsom administration waited 24 days to decide whether it would even allow the public to see the records, but continues to delay releasing the Baby2Baby contract and competitive bid records that the governor announced more than two months ago.
At the same time, California lawmakers are advancing legislation that would give state agencies additional time to respond to California Public Records Act requests, further extending how long the public must wait for records like these.
Gavin Newsom is trying to hide his diaper contract from the public
CBS California Investigates has been trying to get a copy of the contract to supply 400 diapers to mothers of newborns that was allegedly competitively bid and won by close allies of his wife. But the governor's… pic.twitter.com/LBjhVZTHZx
— Matthew Hoy (@hoystory) July 13, 2026
Furthermore, a government ethics watchdog is requesting that a state auditor investigate the deal for potential violations of the competitive bid process.
Washington D.C.-based Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT) asked State Auditor Grant Parks to probe California’s $6.2M no-bid contract with Baby2Baby, a nonprofit with ties to Newsom’s wife Jennifer Siebel Newsom, alleging the state may have skirted a typical competitive bidding process and concealed records about the free diaper deal.
“Immediately after the contract was announced, there were public concerns over whether the contract was awarded in a fair and impartial manner and whether the state was overpaying for the diapers and the program was operated at an unreasonable cost,” Kendra Arnold, executive director of FACT, wrote in a letter to Parks.
“The facts relating to both of these issues should have been publicly available, but the Newsom administration has been misleading about whether the contract was awarded in a competitive process and and has mired the entire situation with a complete lack of transparency,” Arnold added.
Questions mount over Gavin Newsom’s $12M diaper deal as ethics watchdog demands state audit. State Auditor Grant Parks to probe California’s $6.2M no-bid contract with Baby2Baby, a nonprofit with ties to Newsom’s wife Jennifer Siebel Newsom. https://t.co/k7coRCkITQ
— Frank Stephens ~ Constitutionalist (@FrankStephens5) July 13, 2026
What began as a virtue-signaling diaper giveaway now looks like another grifting transaction in the growing Newsom-Nonprofit complex, where political allies benefit while taxpayers are left in the dark.
Until the administration produces the contract and bidding records it is legally required to release, Californians have every reason to suspect this “gift” program is more about insider dealing than public service.
Here’s hoping FACT can find all the facts, especially before the 2028 campaign season starts in earnest.
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Comments
Wake me when something happens.
I live in California. Graft here would make the Daley machine blush.
I’m beginning to think the d/prog view themselves as a sort of neo East India Company. In one party blue States, especially CA, they have adopted some of the traits of the ‘Company’. They seem to view the public as peasants to be ruled rather than voting Citizens to be persuaded. They commit the Federal govt (the Crown) to massive amounts of spending by their foolish policies and malfeasance. The seek to maximize personal gain from the treasury. They’re generally indifferent to the plight of the average person facing the impact of foolish policies while they wall themselves off into secure cantonments (gated community) with private security backed by armed State Agents. It would also fit their view of blending and blurring public/private actions, especially socializing risk/loss while privatizing any gains/profits.
400 diapers doesn’t even last a single month, and it would literally have been cheaper to send them straight cash and let them buy off Amazon.
Another perfect example of ludicrous government waste and corruption doing something that they shouldn’t be doing in the first place.
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