California Governor Gavin Newsom has been accused of cherry-picking which media outlets were allowed to view his tax returns as he and his wife face a federal investigation. 

Newsom, 58, and his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, 52, released their joint tax return on Friday to select outlets, including The New York Times and Politico. 

They disclosed the records after they became subjects of a federal investigation into the governor's finances. His office said the release was to counteract what right-wing critics were saying about the couple enriching themselves while in public office. 

Their 2024 tax return showed the Democrat and his wife made $1.39 million, with more than $1 million from investment. 

Journalists invited to view the couple's records were only allowed to take notes using paper and pen and were forbidden from taking copies, according to those who attended.

Some outlets, such as the California Post, said they were prohibited from accessing the records and accused Newsom of being 'shady.'  Newsom's office denied the characterization, saying it allowed access to members of the 'independent press corps.'

However, Republican lawmakers were also critical of the decision to exclude certain outlets. 

'If the governor is truly committed to transparency, it makes little sense to pick and choose who that transparency extends to,' Representative Kevin Kiley told The Post. 

'He talks big about things but never actually delivers. This is another instance of that,' Representative James Gallagher also told the outlet. 

In a statement to the Daily Mail, Newsom's spokesman Izzy Gardon said: 'The California Post’s claim is as idiotic as the struggling tabloid itself. 

'We released the Governor’s tax returns exactly the same way we have since day one of the administration - providing access to members of the independent press corps who asked for copies, including the Associated Press and the New York Times and eight others.

'You’d have to be a moron to call that "sneaky" and "cherry picked," so I guess that makes sense why the California Post would claim both.' 

The tax records included Newsom's $192,000 governor's salary and his wife's $148,000 salary, The New York Times reported. 

Newsom released returns from 2021 to 2024, which showed their income levels had remained around the same since his 2022 reelection. 

Their income went up in 2021 after they sold a multimillion-dollar home, with their income peaking at $3.5 million, Politico reported. 

Newsom's investment in the wine and hospitality industries makes up the bulk of the couple's income. The money is in a blind trust. 

A source previously told The Post that the federal investigation involving the Newsoms mainly focuses on Siebel Newsom's taxes. 

The couple's tax returns also revealed that Siebel received $150,000 in wages from the Representation Project, which she started in 2011, The Times reported. 

Her Girls Club Entertainment, a production company, has also lost money in recent years. She received, however, an $11,700 salary for it. 

Over the past four years, they have also paid nearly $3 million in federal taxes and around $500,000 to California, The Times reported. 

They also paid their household staff $200,000 in 2024 alone. 

Newsom also earned $70,000 in 2023, and $75,000 in 2024 for being an author. It is unclear if it was related to his memoir Young Man in a Hurry or his children's book. 

Newsom has previously slammed President Donald Trump for withholding his tax return, despite not releasing any tax returns since 2022, when he was required to after winning reelection. 

His office said he lagged behind because no one requested to see his returns until CalMatters did so in 2024. However, the reporter left the publication before they could view the documents. 

Governor Newsom is the first governor in California history to publicly release tax returns covering every year of his tenure in office. 

He also signed a day-one executive order that barred state agencies from doing business with his businesses. 

Newsom has previously accused Trump of going after potential 2028 Democratic presidential candidates. Newsom has not officially announced he plans on running, but it is widely speculated that he will.