Authorities arrested a man in Torrance, California who was found in his car with a loaded handgun, illegal drugs, and multiple driver’s licenses.
The previously convicted felon was also reportedly in possession of over 300 stolen recall ballots, KTLA5 reported.
The arrest was made the same day absentee ballots were officially mailed out to California voters for the upcoming recall election of Gov. Gavin Newsom.
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Local police said their Special Investigations Division would work with both the U.S. Postal Service and the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Offices Public Integrity Unit to investigate the ballot theft.
Authorities released the following photo and explanation on social media —
“Investigators are trying to figure out how the election ballots ended up in the suspect’s vehicle and what their intent was in having them,” authorities said in a statement.
“In the meantime, those who were identified through this investigation will be receiving a new election ballot.”
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It’s the first major scandal in the race to recall California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
The contest to replace the embattled first-term Democrat has attracted a nationally syndicated conservative radio show host, an ex-Olympic champion turned reality TV star, and the former mayor of one of the nation’s 10 most populous cities who has deep ties to the Republican Party establishment.
And then there is dark horse Assemblyman Kevin Kiley, a 36-year-old lawyer who represents the Sacramento suburbs in the state Legislature. While little known outside his district, the former teacher and state prosecutor has gained a devoted but relatively small following by staking a claim as one of Newsom’s chief critics during the pandemic.
Kiley says climate change is real, but opposes Newsom’s orders to ban all oil-drilling by 2045 and the sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035. He supports a minimum wage, but says it should vary by region and not be as high as Democrats want.
He is vaccinated against COVID-19 and says the virus is not a hoax, but if elected governor has pledged to overturn Newsom’s emergency declaration and all of the rules mandating vaccines and masks that come with it.
Last year, at the start of the pandemic, Kiley and the Legislature voted to let Newsom — with little oversight — spend $1 billion responding to to the pandemic, urging everyone “to trust in Governor Newsom’s leadership and listen to his guidance.” But later he turned hard against Newsom, saying he “made a mockery of that trust.”
Kiley’s most serious opposition comes from radio star and Fox News contributor Larry Elder.
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Voters have two choices in the Sept. 14 election: Should Newsom be removed from office and who among 46 candidates should replace him? If a majority votes to oust Newsom, whoever gets the most votes on the second question will be governor. With so many candidates dividing the votes it’s likely a winner could emerge with 25% or less.
No Republicans hold statewide office in California and the party is desperate to find new political leaders to rally around.
The state is home to 5.3 million registered Republicans — more than the total populations of over half the states. Jon Fleischman, publisher of the “Flash Report,” a conservative news website, said many people forget that reality because Democrats have such a stranglehold on power in the state.
“I think Kevin, whether he is the governor or not … will emerge from this as a very significant leader” of California Republicans, predicted Fleischman, who voted early and went with Elder, the GOP front-runner.
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The Associated Press contributed to this article