GOP recall election candidate Larry Elder’s controversies, explained

Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. It’s Tuesday, Aug. 24. I’m Justin Ray.

Radio talk show host Larry Elder has emerged as the leading GOP candidate seeking to replace Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom if he is recalled. Elder, who calls himself “the Sage from South Central,” is also a lawyer, documentary maker and writer who is well known in GOP circles and frequently appears on Fox News. But as his profile has risen, so has scrutiny of his life.

As the recall race heats up, here is a summary of moments from Elder’s past that have received attention recently.

• The candidate’s former fiancee accused him of brandishing a gun at her. In an article published by Politico, Alexandra Datig claimed that at one point during their stormy, 18-month relationship, Elder checked to see whether his .45 pistol was loaded during a heated argument. “I, for one brief moment, believed that he intended to shoot me. I was in fear for my life,” Datig told The Times, calling it “my Phil Spector, Lana Clarkson moment,” referring to the Hollywood music producer who fatally shot his companion.

  “I have never brandished a gun at anyone,” Elder said in response to the claims. “These are salacious allegations.”

• Elder’s derogatory remarks about women have been targeted by his opponents in the race. In a 2000 column for Capitalism magazine, Elder said Democrats had an advantage over Republicans because they were supported by women, and “women know less than men about political issues, economics and current events.”

  Elder didn’t discuss the statement directly, but on Twitter he claimed that “Calif. Dems are desperate & slandering me, distorting what I wrote in a column 21 yrs ago.” He added a link to the column, saying: “Here’s what I wrote, decide for yourself.”

• Elder has been criticized for a decades-old clip recorded at a comedy club, in which he repeatedly uses the N-word, in an apparent impression of O.J. Simpson defense attorney F. Lee Bailey. KBLA morning host Dominique DiPrima, who first re-aired the KABC clip, said it’s “like a Black man doing blackface.”

  In a statement emailed to The Times, Elder’s campaign said, “In knee-jerk rhetoric that is far too common today, [DiPrima] resorts to accusing Elder of promoting hate simply because his views have long been contrary to her own.”
  

• During an interview with McClatchy’s California-based editorial boards, Elder said that “the ideal minimum wage is $0.” The remark drew criticism during a recent recall election debate.

Those are the main issues drawing attention, but Elder has expressed views about abortion, climate change and COVID-19 that are worth reviewing. Additionally, California regulators have launched an investigation into whether he properly disclosed his income sources, which you can read about here.

The recall election is set for Sept. 14, and voters are starting to receive their ballots in the mail. I found this voter guide to be helpful. It explains what your vote will mean and what various political parties are saying.

And now, here’s what’s happening across California.

Note: Some of the sites we link to may limit the number of stories you can access without subscribing.

Buy a luxury building, then lower the rent: A housing fix for California’s middle class? In hopes of plugging the state’s shortage of affordable housing, some government agencies are purchasing buildings, usually luxury ones, and doing the opposite of most real estate buyers: lowering the rent. The programs are geared toward middle-income workers — including police officers, teachers and nurses — who make too much to qualify for most traditional subsidized housing but struggle to afford a place close to where they work. Los Angeles Times

A resident at the Oceanaire, a luxury apartment complex in Long Beach.

(Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

L.A. STORIES

13 L.A. parking hacks that everyone who drives here should know. Parking in Los Angeles is about luck and skill. So save time and money by learning these hacks with yellow curbs, green curbs, holiday rules, valet and more. Los Angeles Times

Breakthrough infections rise in L.A. County; young adults most infected with coronavirus. As the highly contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus continues to spread, breakthrough infections of fully vaccinated people are ticking up in Los Angeles County, but inoculated people remain generally well-protected against hospitalizations and death. Cumulatively, among 5.1 million L.A. County residents who are fully vaccinated, 0.53% have tested positive, 0.014% have been hospitalized, and 0.0013% — 68 people — have died. Los Angeles Times

POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida eloped to Southern California, marrying Ginger Luckey in a small ceremony on Catalina Island. Gaetz, 39, announced the Saturday wedding on his personal Twitter page. He exclaimed, “I love my wife!” alongside a photo of the couple. Vanity Fair reports that a former staffer for Sen. Rand Paul performed the ceremony, which was attended by about 40 people. Gaetz is under investigation in a sex trafficking probe that led to a guilty plea by Joel Greenberg, a close friend and former Florida county tax collector. Gaetz denies wrongdoing. WFLA

CRIME AND COURTS

At least 10 people have died in Sacramento County jails since the pandemic began, but the sheriff notified the public about only one. The omissions bypass a longstanding practice around the country of informing the public when someone dies in law enforcement custody. “There’s too great a likelihood that something can be termed a ‘natural death,’ but it is actually preventable,” said Michele Deitch, an expert on jails and prisons who teaches at the University of Texas at Austin’s School of Law. “Any death in a jail should be a matter that raises concerns.” Sacramento Bee

HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT

Diners are bailing on Bay Area restaurant reservations amid Delta variant concerns. Concerns over Delta seem to be changing diner behavior, Bay Area restaurant owners told the San Francisco Chronicle. Restaurants have seen a significant drop in business and a rise in canceled reservations. OpenTable data show that restaurant dining in San Francisco is down 16% from July, with business as low as 66% below 2019 levels. That makes San Francisco one of the hardest-hit dining cities in the country, according to the platform. San Francisco Chronicle

A death at SeaWorld. A 6-year-old female killer whale, Amaya, died unexpectedly at SeaWorld San Diego, the park announced. The orca began showing signs of illness, prompting specialists to administer treatment. But her condition quickly worsened, and she died last week. SeaWorld says it won’t know the cause of death until it conducts a medical examination, which could take weeks. San Diego Union-Tribune

CALIFORNIA CULTURE

California’s job market was surging before the Delta variant took hold. Now employers are scared for their businesses — and for their workers. While the state has added a remarkable 100,000 jobs every month for six months, it has recovered just 58% of the 2.7 million lost due to COVID-19. “People came out of hibernation,” said one economist. “But the Delta virus remains a wildcard. If another wave of the pandemic continues, economic growth will suffer.” Los Angeles Times

CALIFORNIA ALMANAC

Los Angeles: 82. San Diego: 78. San Francisco: 64. San Jose: 77. Fresno: 95. Sacramento: 85.

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AND FINALLY

Today’s California memory is from Elaine Masters:

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