Democrat campaigners hit out at California Governor candidate Larry Elder

A professor campaigning on behalf of California Gov. Gavin Newsom slammed gubernatorial candidate Larry Elder as ‘a black face on white supremacy’ during a rally Monday.

Professor Melina Abdullah’s comments came in response to Elder’s recent interview on The Candace Owens Show, where he argued in favor of reparations for slave owners who had their ‘legal property’ taken away following the Civil War.

Newsom, Elder and candidate Caitlyn Jenner all appeared at respective campaign events on Monday in Southern California. 

Elder, 69, is considered to be the front-runner in the recall election. Throughout his campaign, he has vocalized criticisms of California’s schools, criminal justice system and how Newsom has addressed the coronavirus pandemic.

The black conservative radio host is also known for his decades of comments undermining racism and sexism in America, often saying African-Americans and women ‘complain too much.’ 

Multiple Democrats, including Abdullah, have criticized Elder’s commentary throughout the campaign process.

During Newsom’s campaign event in Los Angeles Monday night, state Sen. Sydney Kamlager, who did not call out Elder by name, alleged that the politician exemplifies racist beliefs, according to Fox News.

She reportedly said: ‘[There’s a recall challenger who] thinks he might have an edge because of his color. But racism … comes in all shapes and sizes, and we’re not stupid.’

Abdullah, a professor at California State University, Los Angeles, echoed Kamlager’s claims.

‘She didn’t say his name, but I will: Larry Elder is a black face on white supremacy,’ she told reporters. 

Newsom, whose event was hosted by African American Voter Registration and Education Project, used the rally as an opportunity to ‘paint a dire picture’ of what California would look like under Elder’s leadership.

‘This is an attack on our values, the things we hold dear as a state,’ the governor said.

‘Just consider the prospect if we don’t vote ‘no’ on this election,’ citing concerns over Elder’s policies on climate change, labor and social justice.

Meanwhile, at campaign stops in Castaic and Thousand Oaks, Elder, has recently been under fire for defending compensation for former slavers, argued that California needs new leadership.

He blamed Newsom for the state’s failing education system, worsening homelessness and increased living costs, the Los Angeles Times reported. 

‘This is not a Republican takeover; this is a takeover from Californians who are absolutely fed up,’ Elder told his supporters Monday.

‘I can’t think of a single front where we have been doing well. Great state — beautiful people, great natural resources. The only thing it needs is great leadership.’ 

He also accused Newsom of ‘ignoring science’ when making decisions about restrictions and COVID safety measures.

‘This man, Gavin Newsom, shut down this state while ignoring science,’ Elder said.

‘At the French Laundry restaurant, with the very people that drafted the mandates that he was not following.’  

Throughout the campaign process, Elder has received repeated criticism for his beliefs about racism and sexism in America. 

The black conservative appeared on The Candace Owens Show, alongside the show’s namesake host, in July to offer his insight on race relations in America.

During the interview, he discussed the logic behind supporting reparations for former slave owners.

‘When people talk about reparations, do they really want to have that conversation? Like it or not, slavery was legal,’ Elder told Owens.

‘Their legal property was taken away from them after the Civil War, so you could make an argument that the people that are owed reparations are not only just Black people but also the people whose ‘property’ was taken away after the end of the Civil War.’   

Reparations are often discussed through the lens of providing funds and other resources to black communities – not slave owners – and have been supported by several lawmakers and advocacy groups.  

Elder argued that slave owners lost a significant amount of money and resources after the Civil War and the passage of the 13th amendment in 1865 – which partially abolished slavery.

‘You look at the amount of money adjusted for today’s dollars, it’s a great deal of money,’ he said.

He noted that other countries, such as the United Kingdom, ‘compensated slave owners’ with ‘substantial amounts of money’ after they lost their ‘legal property’.

‘That’s why there was no war in the U.K. – the slave owners got substantial amounts of money,’ he said.

U.K. leaders provided former slavers £20million in compensation from the British Slave Compensation Commission after slavery was abolished in the country in 1833, Yahoo News reported.  

The radio show host also asserted that racism is not the number one problem the black community is facing, but instead argued that not having a father in the home is far more damaging.

‘A kid today is less likely to be born under a roof with a biological mother and biological father than a kid during slavery,’ he said.

‘In 1965, 25 percent of black kids were born outside of wedlock. Now that number is nearly 70 percent. You cannot blame that on slavery.’ 

He continued: ‘Forget about Larry Elder. Obama said a kid who does not have a father in the house is five times more likely to be poor, nine times more likely to drop out of school, 20 times more likely to end up in jail. It is far and away the number problem.’ 

Elder is known for repeatedly denouncing the existence of systemic racism, as outlined in a letter he wrote to Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) earlier this year.

It reads in part: ‘Black leaders refuse to acknowledge the good news: Racism no longer remains a potent threat in American life. Most blacks remain solidly middle class, with blacks forming businesses at a faster rate than whites. The black domestic product, were it a separate country, makes it one of the fifteen wealthiest nations in the world.

‘In America, we see two black Americas. The majority black world reflects increased prosperity, growing homeownership, and steady asset accumulation. The other, the so-called black underclass, remains disturbing. Quite simply, we see too many children having children. It stands, far and away, as America’s No. 1 problem. Whatever role racism played, the complete abolition of white racism would leave these problems unresolved.’ 

He again denounced systemic racism in a 2019 tweet to Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey:

‘Dear @jack, There’s no evidence, let alone ‘widespread’ evidence, of police ‘systemic racism.’ Decades of research find cops MORE HESITANT to use deadly force against blacks than whites. Yet @Blklivesmatter routinely posts the ‘systemic racism’ lie. When will you ban BLM?’ 

The Republican is also facing scrutiny after accusations of verbal and emotional abuse were made public by his ex-fiancée Alexandra Datig, 51, of Los Angeles.

In August, Datig told Politico that Elder threatened her with a .45 pistol during an argument in 2015. 

Datig said she worked on Elder’s show and they lived together during their 18-month romantic relationship from 2013 to 2015. 

A letter and other records provided by Datig to The Associated Press – including an April 6, 2015, email in which she wrote about the collapse of their engagement – allegedly sketch a portrait of an emotionally abusive relationship in which Elder routinely was using medicinal marijuana to excess.

Elder has denied the claims, referring to them as ‘salacious allegations’.

‘I have never brandished a gun at anyone,’ he wrote in a statement released on Twitter.

‘I grew up in South Central; I know exactly how destructive this type of behavior is. It’s not me, and everyone who knows me knows it’s not me. These are salacious allegations.’

Datig said she waited until recently to come forward because she initially didn’t think he would be competitive.

‘I didn’t take it seriously but when Larry started to trend and become the frontrunner, I became extremely concerned,’ she said.

According to a FiveThirtyEight poll released last week, Elder continues to lead among the gubernatorial hopefuls, with about 22.6 per cent of voters choosing him to replace Newsom. 

Newsom faces a close battle as 51.1 percent of voters think he should stay as governor, with 45.3 percent wanting to recall him. 

If Newsom is recalled on Sept. 14, the rival candidate with the most votes would become the new governor. 

This is the second recall election in California’s history. The first instance happened in 2003, when Gray Davis was sent packing just months into his second term with 55 percent of Californians voting to oust the Democrat. Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger won 48 percent of those who voted to recall to ascend to the office.