CAL DOGE Launched to Root Out at least $250 Billion in Corruption, Fraud and Waste and Drive Structural Government Reform in California
LOS ANGELES, CA — Today, CAL DOGE was launched to expose corruption, fraud, waste, and abuse in California government and to implement long-overdue reforms to cut bureaucracy, eliminate duplication, and reduce the cost and burden of government.
CAL DOGE is a central pillar of “California’s Golden Ticket” team and its plans to reduce costs for Californians and transform a broken state government. It operates as part of a coordinated reform effort led by Steve Hilton alongside Herb Morgan, Gloria Romero, and Michael Gates, all of whom joined the launch to signal a unified push for accountability across state offices.
The launch took place at the Los Angeles Office of the State Controller, where speakers outlined how California’s unchecked bureaucracy, overlapping agencies, and failed oversight systems have produced the highest taxes, the highest poverty rate, and some of the worst outcomes in the nation.
“Californians pay the highest taxes in America and get the worst results,” Hilton said. “We have the highest poverty, the highest housing costs, the highest energy costs, and a government that cannot account for where the money goes. That is not an accident. That is the result of sixteen years of one-party rule and a corrupt system designed to avoid accountability.”
Based on a preliminary review by Hilton and Morgan titled Califraudia, California’s exposure to fraud, waste, and abuse across major state programs is estimated at $250 billion. This estimate, based on independent analysis, underscores the urgent need for formal audits, investigations, and enforcement as a matter of basic fiscal responsibility.
But CAL DOGE’s mission goes beyond uncovering fraud, waste and abuse. A key focus will be government reform, including identifying every opportunity to reduce or eliminate the size and scope of state agencies, end duplication across state, regional, county, and local governments, and roll back bureaucratic and regulatory structures that drive up costs for families and businesses.
“Fraud is the obvious problem,” said Jenny Rae Le Roux, Director of CAL DOGE. “But the root cause of all fraud is a bloated government structure that lacks accountability and creates waste by design. CAL DOGE will expose both and put forward concrete reforms to make government smaller, simpler, and accountable.”
The initiative will incorporate tips from Califraud.com, a secure whistleblower platform that allows current and former state employees to report fraud, waste, abuse, and systemic mismanagement without fear of retaliation.
Speakers emphasized that Californians now pay an estimated $35,000 more per year than residents of other states due solely to hidden taxes, fees, bureaucracy, and ideologically driven regulation imposed under Democrat one-party rule.
“This is what you get after sixteen years of one-party rule,” Hilton said. “Corruption. Fraud. Abuse. A political machine that takes money from working Californians and hands it to political insiders, consultants, and activist front groups. CAL DOGE exists to end that system and replace it with accountability and reform.”
CAL DOGE will publish findings publicly, track spending at the program level, and advance reform proposals to restore trust, lower costs, and make California government work again for the people who pay for it.
Leadership and Operations
Director
Jenny Rae Le Roux is a business owner, author, and strategic advisor with a B.A. in Economics from the University of Virginia and an MBA from Columbia Business School. She has built technology companies in the energy and financial services sectors and owns Management Consulted, where she has worked with organizations to evaluate performance, reduce inefficiencies, and improve operations. Her experience analyzing complex systems, identifying waste, and driving organizational reform informs her leadership of CAL DOGE’s efforts to reduce government bloat, eliminate duplication, and improve accountability.
Organizational Branches Reporting to the Director
Identifying Fraud, Waste, Abuse, and Corruption
Lead: Michael Koslow
Michael Koslow is a retired senior military leader and former federal law enforcement official with more than four decades of experience in investigations, counterintelligence, and public service. He previously served as a Senior Special Agent with the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, leading investigations into defense contracts, healthcare institutions, and government corruption.
Government Reform, Reduction, and Simplification
Lead: Paul Miner
Paul Miner is an attorney and former Director of the California Performance Review under Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. He also served as General Counsel and Director of the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research under Governor Pete Wilson, where he worked on statewide regulatory review and reform efforts.
Special Investigations
Lead: Amy Reichart
Amy Reichart is the founder of ReOpen San Diego, chairwoman of Restore San Diego, and an elected member of the Republican Central Committee. She has focused her work on parental rights, government accountability, and individual freedoms.
Advisory Board
Congressman Kevin Kiley
U.S. Representative focused on fiscal responsibility, education choice, public safety, and wildfire prevention, with prior experience as a teacher, prosecutor, Deputy Attorney General, and California State Assemblymember.
Dan Kolkey
Former California Court of Appeal Justice and senior appellate attorney who served in Governor Pete Wilson’s administration, with experience in government oversight and legal accountability.
Senator Tony Strickland
California State Senator with three decades of public service and a record focused on fiscal responsibility, taxpayer protection, and government accountability.
Houman Hemmati
Physician, biotech entrepreneur, and public policy advocate focused on government accountability and government performance.
Jeremy Jones
Co-founder of Rhetor, an AI-powered intelligence and strategy company, and creator of DOGEai, an autonomous AI-powered government watchdog focused on accountability that has drawn engagement from national political leaders.
Katy Grimes
Investigative journalist and Editor in Chief of the California Globe, known for reporting on government waste, corruption, and misconduct in California.
Jennifer Van Laar
Investigative journalist and Managing Editor of RedState, known for reporting on political misconduct and public corruption.
Additional Advisory Board and Special Investigations members to be announced.
CAL DOGE leaders concluded with a clear warning: the era of unchecked spending and zero accountability is over. California taxpayers deserve transparency, consequences, and a government that treats public money as if it was their own.