Newsom files a civil rights complaint against Dr. Oz in latest feud with the Trump administration
Source: ABC News/AP
January 30, 2026, 9:21 AM
NEW YORK -- A new front in the battle between California Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Trump administration has opened over a video in which Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz visits Los Angeles and alleges members of its Armenian community orchestrated large-scale health care fraud.
The dayslong public scuffle on social media escalated on Thursday evening, when Newsom announced his office was filing a civil rights complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services accusing Oz of discrimination.
Newsom's office argued in the complaint that Oz “spewed baseless and racially charged allegations" that risked chilling participation in hospice and home care programs among the community targeted. The governor's office noted the claims had “already caused real-world harm” by dampening business at an Armenian bakery that is shown in the video.
Oz and CMS didn't immediately respond to a request for comment on the complaint or the content of the video, and they haven't publicly shared details that confirm the fraud being alleged.
Read more: https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/newsom-files-civil-rights-complaint-dr-oz-latest-129703755
Link to tweet
@GovPressOffice
Our office is reviewing reports that Dr. Mehmet Oz targeted the Armenian American community in Southern California recently — making racially charged claims of fraud outside Armenian-owned businesses, including a popular bakery.
Given the historic sensitivities involved, we are taking these allegations seriously.
Any and all acts of hate have no place in California.
12:35 PM · Jan 28, 2026
Link to tweet
@CAgovernor
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My office is filing a civil rights complaint seeking an investigation into Dr. Oz's baseless and racist allegations against Armenian Americans in California.
Dear Sir or Madam: On January 27, 2026, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz posted a video to an official social media account in which he spewed baseless and racially charged allegations targeting the Armenian community in Los Angeles, including that a popular bakery's use of "Russian Armenian" "lettering" and "language" in public signage was an indicator of affiliation with the Mafia. Such racially charged and false public statements by anyone involved in administering these critical federal healthcare programs seriously risks chilling participation in those programs by individuals targeted by the statements. They also reflect discriminatory animus, and reveal a discriminatory motive that could infect how investigations of alleged fraud are conducted.
Accordingly, on behalf of the Armenian community in California, our office is filing this civil rights complaint and seeking an investigation and corrective action to address potential violations of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. See 42 U.S.C. 2000d. Sincerely, Office of Governor Gavin Newsom
9:19 PM · Jan 29, 2026
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