In a move that has raised eyebrows, Democratic California Governor Gavin Newsom has discreetly enlisted the services of a renowned photographer, Charles Ommanney, to bolster his national image.
This revelation was confirmed by Newsom's office to the Daily Caller News Foundation.
According to the Daily Caller, Ommanney, whose portfolio boasts high-profile clients such as Mark Zuckerberg and Barack Obama, was appointed as the director of photography for the California Governor's Office in January. His role, which carries a hefty annual salary of $200,000 funded by taxpayers, was reported by Politico last Friday. This development has fueled speculation among political insiders about Newsom's potential national ambitions, given his readiness to confront Republicans on contentious issues beyond his state's borders.
Newsom's spokeswoman, Izzy Gardon, defended the appointment, stating, Charles plays an instrumental role in communicating the work of state government across visual platforms including social media, helping us meet Californians where they are at. It's noteworthy that Newsom's photographer's salary is nearly on par with the governor's own, which stood at $234,101 last year, as per Politico's report.
Gardon further highlighted that Newsom had operated without a dedicated photographer for over five years, unlike most of his predecessors and current gubernatorial counterparts. She said, Were thrilled that changed when Charles joined our team. The Governor's Office also pointed out that the governors of Ohio, Massachusetts, and New York all employ photographers.
Ommanney has already begun his work of enhancing Newsom's image. He recently filmed Newsom, clad in work clothes and sunglasses, cleaning up waste from a cleared-out homeless encampment in Los Angeles. He also accompanied the governor to China last year as a freelancer and documented Newsom's inspection of the damage caused by the state's wildfires in July.
However, Newsom's lavish expenditure on a photographer has drawn criticism, especially as California grapples with a projected $73 billion deficit for the 2024 fiscal year. This alarming figure was revealed in a report by the state's nonpartisan Legislative Analysts Office, which attributed the significant budgetary shortfall to declining state revenue and high spending. The decision to hire a high-priced photographer, therefore, raises questions about the governor's fiscal responsibility in a time of economic strain.
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