Thread by @daveweigel

Larry Elder presser with Rose McGowan kicking off now

McGowan: "I finally came to a point where I am not a Democrat, because everyone who has harassed, stalked, and stolen from me in my time in Hollywood has been a Democrat."

"I used to listen to Larry Elder after I'd drive home from the set," McGowan says. "Sometimes I'd even pull over and use a fake name, usually Tracy, to call in. And from him, I learned about the corruption of the teachers union in this state."

"Do I agree with him on every issue? No. So what?" McGowan says. "He is the better candidate. He is the better man."

Seven minutes in, she is getting to the issue the Elder campaign announced this presser for: Newsom's wife "tried to bribe her" to suppress Weinstein scandal.

McGowan says she didn't even realize that Jennifer Siebel Newsom was still married to Newsom until she discussed this on Dave Rubin's show last week. She paraphrases an email from the time: "What can Boies Schiller do to make you happy?'

She says she "got on the phone" with Jennifer Siebel Newsom, who asked her "What can Boies Schiller do to make you happy?" She hung up. Refers to another email in which JSN "inferred that she was a Weinstein rape victim to get into this private group of Weinstein rape victims."

McGowan now bringing up the domestic violence arrest of Newsom's brother in law. "These are your leaders. These are who you vote for."

Entire presser is allegations against Newsom family members, not him.
sfchronicle.com/crime/article/…

"Cult leaders, which is what these people are - they massage your mind. They keep you in fear, they keep you in doubt."

She points to Elder. "I believe in this man, because I know his mind."

Elder steps to the mic. "I want to say a few things about the way I've been covered during this campaign... before I get to Mrs. Gavin Newsom."

Elder talking about school choice. "The Obama children, Malia and Sasha... they never set foot in a public school. Obama never set foot in a public school."

Elder says he keeps getting asked about his view that the 2020 election was marred by "shenaningans" and Trump could have won. "Just once, I'd like someone to ask my opponent, Gavin Newsom, does he respect the results of the 2016 election?"

Elder criticizing media for not doing more coverage of the gorilla-masked woman who threw at egg at him in Venice. "If there were a D after my name... they'd be talking about it in Bangladesh. They'd be investigating it as a hate crime."

Elder says media has revealed double standard by not covering McGowan claim. "If someone had said my significant other contacted Rose McGowan and said, what can we do to make this go away, it's all you'd be talking about until the end of this campaign."

Asked McGowan if the press could see the emails she is referring to; she said she sent them to Politico today. Asked Elder why he thought a voter should factor this in to a vote about Newsom's husband; McGowan took it, asking if we think JSN told him about what she was doing.

My question was second and last one at the presser, which I did not expect; McGowan and Elder were at mics for 43 minutes. Elder briefly dealt with allegation but spoke mostly about what he saw as unfair coverage that avoid mentions of his race and how he'd be first black CA gov.