Allegations fly as recall vote looms for Californias Newsom | national

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LOS ANGELES (AP) In a TV commercial blitz and last-minute rally, California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom on Sunday urged voters to overturn an impending recall vote that could impeach him, while Senior Republican Larry Elder has widely criticized in the media for what he described as double standards that isolated Newsom from criticism and scrutiny throughout the contest.

The sunny late-summer weekend was a flurry of political activity, as candidates staged rallies, continued bus tours, and crowded the television airwaves with commercials offering their closing arguments before the election which ends Tuesday.

Newsom, who is awaiting President Joe Biden on Monday for a voting closing rally in Long Beach, was in a largely Hispanic area on the northern outskirts of Los Angeles, where he has sought to increase turnout with the voting bloc key.

Elder was also in Los Angeles, where he was joined by activist and former actress Rose McGowan, who has repeated his claims in recent days that Newsom’s wife Jennifer Siebel Newsom tried to persuade her in 2017 not to not publicize his allegations of sexual misconduct. against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein.

The Siebel Newsoms office described the allegations as complete fabrication. In a brief interview with The Associated Press, Newsom called McGowans’ claims a classic last-minute hit from one of the Elders supporters.

The governor called Elder desperate and understanding, saying McGowan’s claims about his wife only show you how bad things are in the countryside these days.

He echoed his previous criticism of Elder, saying the talk show host and conservative lawyer doesn’t believe women are entitled to their own reproductive freedoms he is fiercely opposed to Roe v. Wade, doesn’t believe there is a glass ceiling, doesn’t believe in pay equity laws.

During her appearance, McGowan spoke warmly about Elder and lambasted Hollywood Democrats who she said traumatized her life. She now lives in Mexico.

Do I agree with him on all points? No, said McGowan. So what. He is the best candidate. He is the better man.

The last-minute exchange highlighted growing tensions during the election, which largely contributed to the frustration over Newsoms’ pandemic orders that shut down schools and businesses during the pandemic. Voting ends Tuesday. A recent poll shows Newsom will likely keep his job.

As Newsom’s first partner, Siebel Newsom, an actress turned documentary filmmaker, championed gender equality and the treatment of women and families by society.

McGowan, 48, known for her role in the Scream film franchise, was one of the first of dozens of women to accuse Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein of sexual misconduct, making her a major figure in the #MeToo movement. .

Elder, who could become the state’s first black governor, targeted some of his harshest remarks on what he described as biased media coverage.

Earlier this week, her walking tour of homeless settlements in Los Angeles’ Venice Beach neighborhood was cut short after a cyclist wearing a gorilla mask threw an egg at Elder and then hit a member of her. entourage. The confrontation sparked strong reactions on Twitter, with conservatives accusing the incident of being immediately labeled a racist attack because Elder is a conservative.

If he had been a Democrat, that would have been a major story, Elder said. He also said McGowan’s accusations were largely ignored by the media, but argued that if similar charges had been brought against him, that’s all you’d be talking about.

It’s a double standard, he said. I’ve had it up to here.

Emails posted to Twitter by McGowan showed that she had contact with Newsom’s wife, which her office confirmed, but said their communication was as survivors of sexual assault and as as Jennifer’s former ability to lead the Representation Project, an organization that fights against the limitation of stereotypes and gender norms.

One of McGowan’s main claims is that in a 2017 phone conversation, Newsom’s wife referred to a law firm that worked with Weinstein and asked what the firm could do to make you return. happy.

McGowan said on Sunday that she did not recognize the name of the company at the time. I had no idea who it was. So I said nothing and hung up on me. It was my last contact with her, she said.

The election will determine whether Newsom can complete his first term or whether he will be removed from office more than a year earlier. Voters are asking themselves two questions: should Newsom be recalled and, if so, who should replace him? If it obtains a majority vote on the first question, the second question with the names of 46 replacement candidates is irrelevant. Otherwise, the largest voter among the replacement candidates would become governor.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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