Campaign for Democracy, a super PAC founded by Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA), received $100,000 from a government affairs firm that specializes in securing state-level contracts for its clients, a Washington Examiner review of public records has found.
LSN Partners and Alexander Heckler, the firm’s managing partner, each donated $50,000 to Newsom’s Campaign for Democracy in September 2025, according to newly released campaign finance filings.
“Our bipartisan team is singularly focused on positioning our clients to secure government contracts, fortify important relationships, and advance their business goals at local, state, and national levels,” LSN Partner’s website reads. Heckler, for his part, specializes in obtaining “government procurement and contracts” through his interactions with “governors and mayors,” per his company bio.
Shortly after making its donations, LSN Partners snagged seats at a private dinner hosted by California Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis (D) and attended by the chairwoman of the California Air Resources Board, the chairman of the California Energy Commission, and California Transportation Secretary Toks Omishakin, according to a LinkedIn post.
The dinner was part of the 2025 Bay Area Electrification Tour, which also included a tour of a factory owned by Viridi, a battery manufacturer. LSN Partners lobbied for Viridi in 2023, and the battery manufacturer thanked the government affairs firm for its “support” and “collaboration” in a 2025 social media post.
Critics have accused Newsom of using his position as governor to reward his friends and donors. Infamously, a February 2024 story published by Bloomberg suggested that Panera Bread restaurants, owned by Newsom donor and former high school classmate Greg Flynn, would be exempt from a fast-food minimum-wage increase due to provisions pushed by the governor.
Subsequent reporting from the Washington Examiner found that California had awarded over $53.2 million in contracts to firms owned or otherwise led by major Newsom donors and that individuals who donated to the governor, in some cases, were appointed to prestigious government posts.
The California Governor’s Office, in both cases, denied any impropriety.
While LSN Partners does not make public all of its clients, social media posts suggest it has a formidable presence in California and that strengthening its relationship with Newsom via campaign contributions may aid it in selling influence.
“Governor Newsom has a pattern of cashing in on his position and influence for personal benefit,” Americans for Public Trust executive director Caitlin Sutherland previously told the Washington Examiner. “It’s hardly surprising that this pattern extends to his wealthy megadonors as well. Californians, and all Americans, deserve a leader who will engage in good public policy instead of one who benefits their donors.”
CALIFORNIA IS A GREAT PLACE TO DO BUSINESS — FOR NEWSOM’S DONORS
Some have speculated that Newsom may use the Campaign for Democracy PAC as a vehicle for a 2028 presidential campaign, allowing him to raise money for national elections without entering the race. The PAC raised considerably more than it spent in 2025, beginning the year with $6.1 million in cash and ending with roughly $7.7 million, signaling that it could be conserving resources for future elections.
LSN Partners and Campaign for Democracy did not respond to requests for comment.
