SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Diya TV) — California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s reelection campaign has clarified why it spent nearly $500,000 on legal services during a federal bribery investigation tied to two major political donors. The campaign says the spending was proper and used only to help Bonta respond to federal authorities seeking information.

Bonta’s 2026 reelection campaign reported paying $468,000 to the law firm Wilson, Sonsini, Goodrich & Rosati. Campaign finance records show this is the largest amount ever spent on legal services by a candidate running for statewide office in California.

When the expense first surfaced, the campaign said the funds were used to “help” federal investigators. After follow-up questions, campaign adviser Dan Newman confirmed the money paid for Bonta’s own attorneys. He said Bonta needed legal counsel as investigators gathered information connected to a bribery case involving former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and the Duong family.

Newman said Bonta was never a target in the federal probe. He also stated that Bonta’s involvement has ended. According to Newman, the legal spending was necessary because of the “nature of the charges against the people implicated.”

Newman insisted the use of campaign funds was “absolutely proper.” He said the money was not used for any other legal matter, any other person’s defense, or any settlement. He also said none of the funds supported legal services for Bonta’s wife, Assemblymember Mia Bonta.

The California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) declined to say whether the expense meets state rules. The agency does not make immediate determinations on specific cases. FPPC spokesperson Shery Yang pointed to state guidelines showing when campaigns may pay for legal services, including defamation claims, election law matters, or recount litigation.

Loyola Law School professor Jessica Levinson said the FPPC usually waits for a complaint before reviewing the legality of such spending. She noted the issue may come down to whether the investigation stemmed from donations the Duong family made to Bonta’s campaign.

Brothers Andy and David Duong were indicted earlier this year. The Duong family donated $155,000 to Bonta over time, including more than $24,000 to his 2026 attorney general campaign. Bonta’s campaign said it returned the money once the federal investigation became public.

The probe focused on alleged bribery schemes in Oakland. Federal officials have arrested several individuals, including former Mayor Thao. The investigation also linked the Duong family to political contributions across California.

The amount Bonta spent on legal services stands out in campaign finance records. It surpasses past totals reported by other statewide officials.

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s campaign spent $296,000 on legal bills during his 2021 recall effort. Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis has spent $240,000 since 2017. U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla spent $244,000 over seven years. Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara has spent $321,500 since 2015, and State Treasurer Fiona Ma has spent $260,000 during that same timeframe. Bonta’s campaign also paid about $50,000 to the Nossaman LLP firm for routine campaign legal services over the past year, separate from the federal investigation.

The case has renewed debate about how candidates use campaign funds for legal defense. State rules allow such spending in certain circumstances, but gray areas remain. Experts say only an FPPC complaint and review would settle questions about Bonta’s situation.

For now, Bonta’s campaign maintains that the spending was proper, necessary, and unrelated to any wrongdoing by the attorney general.