California gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra has hired his daughter, Clarisa Reyes-Becerra, as a top aide for his campaign. According to campaign finance records, the campaign has paid Reyes-Becerra over $17,000. She is an immigration attorney and previously worked at various immigration-related organizations, including as a managing attorney at the California Immigration Project. Reyes-Becerra is a graduate of Stanford and Columbia and serves as vice chair of First 5 Monterey County, which directs tobacco tax revenue to early childhood programs.
Initially a volunteer, Reyes-Becerra became a paid deputy policy director after the primary, assisting in campaign communication and briefing the candidate on key issues such as healthcare and wildfire relief. Campaign spokesperson Jonathan Underland emphasized the value of her experience in immigration law.
While hiring family members for campaigns is legal, compliance expert Joshua Wurtzel noted that the key issues are whether the family member is performing the work they are paid for and if the compensation is at market rate. Records indicate that Reyes-Becerra has also been reimbursed for approximately $4,300 in travel expenses. Wurtzel cautioned that the optics of such hiring can be risky, as it may lead to accusations of nepotism.
Becerra, who previously served as President Biden's Health and Human Services secretary and as California's attorney general, has faced criticism for limited public appearances following his primary win. He currently leads Republican candidate Steve Hilton by a significant margin, benefiting from a strong Democratic voter registration in California. Becerra's other two children are not involved in the campaign.