Newsom’s Diaper Plan Sparks Oversight Questions
California Gov. Gavin Newsom is facing new questions after his administration rolled out a free diaper program and asked to sidestep the usual state contracting process. The program, called “Golden State Start,” is budgeted at $12.5 million and would provide 400 free diapers to California parents, regardless of income.
The part that is drawing the most attention is not the diapers themselves. It is the way the money is supposed to move. Newsom’s office has reportedly asked lawmakers for an exemption from competitive bidding rules, which are normally meant to protect taxpayer dollars and keep state contracts from becoming insider deals. That kind of waiver tends to raise eyebrows fast, especially when the program is being handed to one specific nonprofit.
The nonprofit in question is Baby2Baby, a Los Angeles-based group that already has close ties to California political circles. According to the reporting, Baby2Baby co-CEO Norah Weinstein sits on the board of California Partners Project, which collects “behested payments” tied to efforts that boost Siebel Newsom’s profile as a gender justice activist. That connection does not prove wrongdoing on its own, but it does create the kind of overlap that makes people ask hard questions.
State Sen. Roger Niello, vice chair of the Budget and Fiscal Review Committee, did not sound convinced the plan passes the smell test. He told The Post the diaper plan just “doesn’t make sense.” He added, “The whole thing just kind of stinks,” and later said, “It would appear it’s been planned all along to go through this particular nonprofit. One has to suspect that,” after learning about the program following a May 8 press event.
Critics also wonder why a state program for diapers would not be means-tested. If the goal is to help struggling families, that is one thing. But if the state is giving the same benefit to everyone, including wealthy households, then taxpayers may be left wondering why California is using public money to subsidize people who do not need the help. In a state that routinely complains about budget pressure, that question matters.
There is also a basic common-sense issue here. If California truly wants to hand out diapers, why not buy them directly and distribute them through the state? Why place a nonprofit in the middle unless there is some other reason for doing it that officials do not want to spell out? That is the kind of setup that naturally invites suspicion, even before a formal investigation ever begins.
Newsom has spent years trying to build a national profile as a progressive leader. But programs like this can backfire when they look more like political theater than responsible governance. If California wants to help families, voters are likely to expect clean rules, clear oversight, and a plan that puts taxpayers first.