FBI intercepts communications of Newsom administration officials, California political players

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Current and former members of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration were among the dozens of Sacramento insiders who received FBI letters in recent days notifying them that their phone calls, texts or other electronic communications had been intercepted as part of the federal corruption case tied to Dana Williamson and two additional longtime Democratic operatives.

The notifications are routine in wiretap investigations once surveillance ends, but the letters set off a wave of panic across California’s political power structure. The letters are signed by Sacramento Field Office Special Agent in Charge Siddhartha Patel and began arriving in mailboxes from Sacramento to Washington, D.C., last week, according to copies of the communications shared with The Times.

The legal notifications, under the terms of the 1968 Federal Wiretap Act, are sent out routinely to people whose private communications have been captured on federal wiretaps.

A Newsom spokesperson said the governor’s office is aware that a limited number of the letters were sent to current and former members of the administration. The spokesperson said that the letters were expected given federal law requires parties to be notified. Newsom’s office said the governor did not receive a letter.

—Los Angeles Times

Pennsylvania lawmakers outraged at federal attempt to prevent states from regulating AI

HARRISBURG, Pa. — A bipartisan pair of Pennsylvania lawmakers reacted with outrage Wednesday morning to word of a new federal attempt to rapidly enact a prohibition to keep states from regulating artificial intelligence.

The fast-developing industry that already has changed portions of society has relatively few legal guardrails on it. Earlier this year, a provision was inserted into the so-called “Big Beautiful Bill” to block states from regulating artificial intelligence, but it was stripped out after a public uproar.

“It is really frustrating that Congress is again attacking state sovereignty,” said Allegheny County Rep. Natalie Mihalek, a Republican and a mother of three. She cited the growing widespread, concern about harmful AI chatbots as an example of an AI sub-category where state regulation might improve things for everyday people.

The latest attempt to push states to the sidelines in AI lawmaking is being carried out as lawmakers consider the National Defense Authorization Act, according to Chris Mackenzie, a spokesperson for the Washington-based nonprofit Americans for Responsible Innovation.

—Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

SC Congresswoman Nancy Mace has no friends, gets invited to no parties

South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace admits she has no friends other than her Havanese pooch. The conservative firebrand’s confession happened Tuesday night after Congress voted to compel the Justice Department to release all available information about alleged sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, who had ties to some of the world’s most powerful men. According to Mace, she’s not part of that — or any — social circle.

“I’m not part of the powerful, I’m not part of the elite, I’m an island of one,” she told right-wing media outlet Newsmax.

Mace was elected to the House of Representatives in 2020 and is running for governor of South Carolina in November. According to the 47-year-old Citadel graduate, she won’t be counting on her personal and political ties to advance her political standing.

“I don’t get invited to parties, I don’t have any friends, I have a dog,” she said Tuesday night. Mace said it wouldn’t surprise her to learn Epstein was being protected by rich and influential people before he died by suicide in a Manhattan jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial.

—New York Daily News

Xi is making China’s premier his top messenger on world stage

Three years ago, Chinese Premier Li Qiang took on a role largely stripped of its former glory. Now, in a surprise twist, he’s becoming President Xi Jinping’s top emissary on the world stage.

When China’s No. 2 official steps out in Johannesburg at the first Group of 20 leaders’ meeting ever held in Africa this weekend, it’ll mark his third stint representing Xi at a major conference. It’s a role Li debuted at the G20 leaders’ summit in India two years ago, and then reprised this summer at a BRICS top-level gathering in Brazil.

Li’s growing international profile stands out in Chinese politics. While previous premiers were given greater control over steering the world’s second biggest economy, and had memorable moments with foreign dignitaries at home, none represented their president at overseas summits such as the G20.

The shift comes as Xi dials back his own travel. The 72-year-old has remained in Asia this year, with the exception of traveling to Russia — his most geographically curtailed schedule outside COVID. Li’s larger global footprint shows that, despite Xi’s sweeping purge of ministers and top military generals, reliance on his inner circle of loyalists appears to be only growing.

—Bloomberg News