Xavier Becerra Praised Scientology on Video—Then

After California gubernatorial candidate and former Democrat Congressman Eric Swalwell (CA-14) imploded, former Biden Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary and current CA gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra’s star has been on the rise. A latest Emerson/Inside California Politics Poll reveals Democrat Becerra is main the governor’s race at 19 proportion factors, just barely forward of Republican Steve Hilton and Democrat billionaire Tom Steyer, who both preserve at 17 proportion factors.

Lord only is aware of why. Becerra’s report is troubling, to say the least. Becerra is linked to the federal corruption probe involving Gov. Gavin Newsom’s and Becerra’s former chief of workers and marketing campaign supervisor, Dana Williamson, and Becerra’s tenure as Joe Biden’s HHS Secretary was disastrous, giving fodder for assaults by his fellow candidates, both Democrat and Republican.

Now a video is raising contemporary considerations about Becerra’s close connections to corruption. In 1997, then-Congressman Becerra passionately defended the Church of Scientology. 

In 1997, Becerra, while serving in the House of Representatives, urged colleagues to vote for a decision defending Scientologists in Germany, stating, “Many of my constituents,” he famous, “are members of religious minority groups like the Church of Scientology,” and they “deserve this protection.”

In 2000, he spoke at the grand opening of the headquarters for ABLE, a Scientology-affiliated group, praising the group by saying, “You revive Hollywood… you kindle the spirit and determination of those of us who… have an opportunity to work with ABLE to make life better.”

Becerra also attended a star-studded gala at the Scientology Hollywood Celebrity Centre in 2003 in his official capability as a U.S. consultant.

This renewed scrutiny comes as Becerra continues to surge in the polls.

The Church of Scientology is taken into account a “religion,” but many of its detractors, including former member and actress Leah Remini, contemplate it a felony enterprise. Founded in the Fifties by science fiction author L. Ron Hubbard, it has been a haven for sure Hollywood elite like Tom Cruise and John Travolta. 

However, the religion has fallen out of favor of late thanks to exposés, documentaries, stories, and allegations of financial mismanagement, extortion, and abuse of members. The fact that sure outstanding members, just like the spouse of Church of Scientology chief David Miscavige, have disappeared without rationalization has also not helped their fame, significantly in California.

Xavier Becerra is condemning the Church of Scientology after previous stories and videos surfaced of him talking favorably of the group during his tenure in Congress.

📝: Jennifer Wadsworth https://t.co/1BCI9fOOVt

— The San Francisco Standard (@sfstandard) May 18, 2026

But Becerra is biting back, which indicators he sees this as one thing that might doubtlessly damage him.

The Becerra camp defended his actions and described what they called a troubling sample of the Church of Scientology’s deceiving and abusive nature in the direction of its own members, including the manipulation of an elected official.

“The Church of Scientology is facing the reckoning it deserves for decades of deception, abuse, and coercion,” Becerra marketing campaign spokesperson Jonathan Underland told the San Francisco Standard. “It is dishonest to apply what we know today to decisions made in the 1990s and early 2000s, before the truth was public record. In the years since, public figures and elected officials like Becerra have rightly chosen to disengage. And when it comes to this particular organization, Becerra will do what he has always done: go after powerful institutions that prey on Californians.”

Read More: Gavin Newsom’s Former Chief of Staff Pleads Guilty in Federal Corruption Case Linked to Xavier Becerra

Hilton Accuses Taxpayer-Funded CHIRLA of Paying illegal Immigrants to Canvass for Xavier Becerra

What is being neglected in this scrutiny is that while Becerra used his affect to passionately advocate for questionable organizations just like the Church of Scientology, when it got here to Christianity and organizations that espouse it, he used that same affect to assault and make efforts to destroy their work. 

While Becerra was California’s Attorney General, he tried to power the Little Sisters of the Poor to adhere to the Affordable Care Act contraceptive mandate, even though the group ought to have been exempted. As head of HHS, Becerra threatened St. Francis Health Systems’ accreditation for Medicaid and Medicare because the Oklahoma-based hospital maintained an everlasting flame in its chapel. 

#BREAKING: The federal authorities told an Oklahoma Catholic hospital to either blow out a sanctuary candle or stop serving aged, disabled, and low-income sufferers. @BECKETlaw despatched a letter to @HHSGov and @CMSGov, reminding them of Saint Francis’ proper to non secular freedom.… pic.twitter.com/nfNf4UJyUx

— LoriWindham (@LoriWindham1) May 3, 2023

It is attention-grabbing that he feels the need to defend his judgment about supporting the abusive report of the Church of Scientology, but provides no apologies for repeatedly trampling on the First Amendment rights of other non secular organizations, particularly if they bear the title of Christ. 

Editor’s Note: The 2026 Midterms will decide the destiny of President Trump’s America First agenda. Republicans must preserve control of both chambers of Congress.

Help PinkState continue to report on the Democrats’ radicalism and inform voters as our nation faces a crossroads. Join PinkState VIP and use promo code FIGHT to obtain 60% off your membership.