Carl DeMaio Decried for Backing ‘Rogue’ GOP Candidates Amid FPPC Complaint

Perennial candidate Carl DeMaio is being accused of attempted bribery, bullying, threats and lies as his Reform California group endorses “rogue” Republicans amid his own race for Assembly.

DeMaio, the former San Diego City Council member and radio talker, was denounced Friday by local GOP chairman Corey Gustafson and Central Committee member Amy Reichert.

Writing to “Fellow (and Future) Central Committee Members,” Gustafson said DeMaio placed his own self-interest and political ambition above the good of the party.

“Mr. DeMaio failed to live up to his commitments,” says the letter obtained by Times of San Diego. “He endorsed candidates opposed to our officially endorsed Republican candidates, helping Democrats win seats that should be Republican.”

Gustafson, who ran for Congress in 2022 against Democratic incumbent Scott Peters, said of DeMaio, another former Peters rival: “He has bullied, threatened and lied about current and future Republican Central Committee members. Enough is enough.”

In the 75th Assembly District race, the county GOP has endorsed Andrew Hayes of the Lakeside school board over DeMaio.

In a Poway City Council race, the county GOP endorsed Jared Wilson for the District 2 seat. DeMaio’s Reform California is backing Republican rival Tony Blain.

On top of the GOP rift, DeMaio is among several entities targeted in a complaint to the Fair Political Practices Commission, the state’s election watchdog.

San Diego’s Brian Marvel, president of the Peace Officers Research Association of California, filed the complaint Sept. 3.

He says DeMaio, Reform California and others violated rules on campaign contributions and didn’t report spending properly.

“Based on publicly available information, it appears that Mr. DeMaio has misused Reform California funds to benefit his Assembly campaign in direct violation of state law,” says the complaint.

“It appears the DeMaio for Assembly campaign simply inherited the massive infrastructure of Reform California, which is an illegal nonmonetary (or in-kind) contribution from Reform California to the DeMaio for Assembly committee.”

The intraparty war broke out publicly Wednesday when the local Republican Party’s San Diego News Desk site posted an opinion piece by Gustafson.

“Only one local conservative organization (Reform California) has declined to endorse Jared Wilson, instead favoring a rogue Republican in the race,” Gustafson wrote. “I say ‘rogue’ because that candidate made a pledge to bow out of the race if the Republican Central Committee endorsed another candidate and now has failed to do so.”

He continued: “We expect Republicans to be true to their word; he is not.”

Reichert, the co-founder of ReOpen San Diego, posted an open letter on X, formerly Twitter.

She said that when Gustafson “rightfully called out Carl’s actions, Carl called me on the phone, pressuring me to renounce my support for Corey as chair of the San Diego Republican Party in order to overthrow him.”

Reichert says DeMaio then asked her to withdraw her name from the slate as Central Committee vice chair “in a clear attempt to apply pressure on Corey through me.”

The two-time candidate for county supervisor said that when she refused to betray Gustafson, DeMaio threatened her.

“His words were chilling: ‘If you do not renounce Corey as chair, I will never support you in any leadership role in the San Diego Republican Party,” Reichert wrote. “Furthermore, when you want to run for something two years from now, I will not support or endorse you, and I will make sure you never hold political office.”

Not long after that call, she added, she received a text from someone else that DeMaio had contacted demanding that she publicly renounce Gustafson as chair.

“This individual also offered support to overthrow Corey and install me as chair if I complied,” she said.

Gustafson became county GOP chair as part of a deal that led to the ouster of Paula Whitsell, who sought to change the party’s endorsement in the Assembly race from Hayes to DeMaio. 

Reichert wrote: “It has become evident that Carl DeMaio is willing to weaponize his Reform California guide against good Republicans out of personal gain and spite. This is not the type of leadership we need or deserve.”

DeMaio didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. Assembly rival Hayes said his campaign is preparing a response.

But Blain, the physician and military veteran seeking Poway office, told me: “Carl DeMaio is an incredible San Diegan and American. He is simply the best candidate for 75th district. We should all support him instead of being bullied by Corey Gustafson and his supporters.”

Over several days, Blain also replied to my queries via Facebook.

He disputed Gustafson’s allegation that Blain promised to bow out of his race if the GOP endorsed his opponent.

“Corey Gustafson is not telling the truth,” Blain said. “The entire Republican Committee room of 20-30 asked me to drop out and I declined — ask anyone present and they will confirm I said ‘No.'”

In fact, the endorsement application that Blain filled out says: “I pledge that if the Party endorses another Republican candidate over me, I will honor the decision, suspend my campaign, and support the endorsed candidate. I understand that politics is a team effort.”

On Thursday, Blain said: “I emailed Corey Gustafson that he will NOT be deciding Poway Council or Mayor — good people of Poway will decide on best candidate.”

Besides the endorsement issue, DeMaio is suspected of circulating a door hanger labeled “San Diego Democrat Voter Alert” and calling Hayes a “MAGA extremist.”

“Democrats urge vote no on MAGA extremist Andrew Hayes,” says the reverse side.

County Democratic leaders haven’t responded to a request for comment on the door hanger — which also lacks the common “Paid for by” line.

But longtime local politics observer Carl Luna, the political science professor, said Friday:

“As the ancient Roman jurist said: Show me the benefits and I’ll show you the guilty party. Period. Doesn’t take much of a stretch to believe this traces back either directly to the DeMaio campaign or to supporters and independent contributors.”

Luna supposes that the strategy is to get moderate Republicans and Democrats who might vote for Hayes to decide the races between two MAGA people, “even though Carl DeMaio is the clear MAGA candidate, and just not vote for either.”

“This might have influence with low information voters, particularly given this is not a race that’s generating a lot of headlines currently in the press.”

According to an FPPC info sheet, door hangers don’t require the “paid for by” citation — although it is recommended.

Luna agrees with the notion that the door hanger qualifies as a legal dirty trick but says: “This is a loophole that should be fixed.”

Updated at 2:50 p.m. Sept. 13, 2024