Earlier this month, we told you about the latest scandal and waste of taxpayer dollars to come out of California. It turns out Gavin Newsom spent almost $190 million on tablets for California inmates, and they're using them for inappropriate things like watching adult content and for illegal things, like grooming children. Newsom responded to the controversy by saying the allegations are 'flat out false,' and discrediting the sources.
If Newsom hoped that would sweep the issue under the rug, he was sorely mistaken. Instead, the House Oversight Committee is demanding more information from Newsom about the scandal.
EXCLUSIVE: Earlier this month, we reported that California prison inmates were using state-issued iPads to watch porn, have explicit video chats, and groom minors on the outside. Now, the House Oversight Committee is demanding documents from Gavin Newsom.
— Christopher F. Rufo ⚔️ (@christopherrufo) May 26, 2026
This is a scandal. pic.twitter.com/0k49uBAvJz
The letter, signed by Congressmen James Comer, Brandon Gill, and Tim Burchett, reads in part:
The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is conducting oversight of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) prisoner digital tablet program and the administration of federal grant funds by the California Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC). According to reports, this program distributed tablet computers to nearly all California prisoners by mid-2023. Recent reporting indicates that California's prison inmates are exploiting these state-issued tablets to access and distribute pornographic content. Even worse, reports indicate that some inmates have used these tablets to sexually exploit women and minors from their prison cells. These shocking revelations about prisoner tablet use call into question the federal funds and grants given to California for the specific purpose of reducing crime and rehabilitating criminals, just as California's prisoner program reportedly achieves the exact opposite purpose. The Committee requests documents and communications to inform its oversight of federal funds given to California through the U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Affairs.
...
The Committee is concerned that California's programs may be using taxpayer funds to perpetuate sexual violence. The most apparent example of that is Nathaniel Diaz, convicted in 2023 of sexual crimes against a 12-year-old girl, who, with his state-issued prison tablet, began sexually messaging and exploiting the same underage girl. Diaz's indictment also reveals the exceptionally weak safeguards on California's prisoner tablet program, as in addition to having two accomplices receive and send sexually explicit images of the victim to him, Diaz was somehow able to call the victim thousands of times.
Yet, on May 13, 2026, on your X account, you dismissed claims of inmate abuse of the prison tablet program, claiming that inmate use is "monitored, recorded, searchable, and investigated." You went even further to claim that "these tables [are] used for education, rehabilitation, family communication, and reentry support proven to reduce crime." CDCR officials claimed that the tables were provided to give inmates "access to the Bible, education, and reentry resources that actually reduce crime." Data from the California legislature projects a total California state prison population of 90,000 adults this year. This prison population stands in contrast to the 60,000 employees of CDCR, who, in addition to monitoring the daily lives of prisoners as part of their jobs, are responsible for monitoring prisoners' tablet use. Put simply by former Deputy Director of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Division of Adult Parole Operations Douglas Eckenrod, it is not viable for the prison to monitor 90,000 inmates and their tablet usage. Former Director Eckenrod added that "I would bet my pension that there's a vast amount of childhood pornography on the tablets."
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The Oversight Committee is requesting several things, including "all documents and communications among or between the CDCR, BSCC, and any inmate tablet vendors," documentation of federal funds that were spent on the tablet program, documentation demonstrating that tablet activity is monitored as Newsom claimed, and documents between the Office of the Governor of California and the CDCR or BSCC regarding tablet misuse or criminal activity, and any documentation regarding restriction on inmate usage of the tablet program.
The same Newsom who openly said he would rig the California election if two Republicans won their jungle primary?
— WhiskeySilverball (@WhiskeySlvrBall) May 26, 2026
One and the same.
It’s some serious BS that prisoners are given IPads. Not only because it’s paid for by us but they shouldn’t have them period! It’s prison! This is part of the soft on crime garbage that gives criminals nothing to fear! Make prisons PRISON again!!!!
— Milfmoney (@ShannonG747) May 26, 2026
None of this does anything to rehab prisoners or reduce crime.
California inmates are reportedly using state-issued tablets to sexually exploit women and even minors from behind bars.
— Rep. James Comer (@RepJamesComer) May 26, 2026
Governor Gavin Newsom needs to provide @GOPoversight ALL information related to this tablet program.
Taxpayers should NEVER support a program like this.👇 https://t.co/SjsGl7JtxW
Many wonder if anything will happen to Newsom.
Newton has a scandal every month. Yet nothing ever happens https://t.co/6D9uSijnKj
— !~ (@KN0W_) May 26, 2026
At a minimum, this should torpedo Newsom's White House aspirations.
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