LOS ANGELES (AP) — Larry Elder, a talk radio host and Republican candidate in the California recall election that could remove Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom from office, reported income of more than $100,000 in the last year from business interests that included media and film companies and a string of political speeches, according to documents released Tuesday.
Records prepared for state regulators also showed Elder received income from advertising for a health supplement and work for the right-wing Epoch Times newspaper.
Elder, 69, who also is known for his appearances on Fox News, has eclipsed his GOP rivals in fundraising since entering the recall contest on July 12. Elder’s swift rise to prominence in the campaign has drawn the attention of Newsom, who has been centering his attacks on him, calling Elder out of step with California families and progressive values.
Under state law, candidates are required to disclose financial interests to avoid potential conflicts of interest if they assume office. The state does not require specific figures for income in the disclosures, only general ranges, so its impossible to tell how much Elder earned from each source.
After an initial filing with the state did not list sources of income, the California Democratic Party filed a complaint with state regulators arguing that Elder failed to properly disclose his income in his company, Laurence A. Elder and Associates. The campaign responded that an “innocent mistake” had occurred, leading to the release of the four-page revised document for income from July 2020 through July 2021.
Only income above $10,000 must be listed Elder’s filing showed 11 such sources. Among them: Salem Media Group, which carries his nationally syndicated radio show; a film company in which he is involved; and advertising from a supplement company, Promedev Relief Factor.
Other reported payments came from Epoch Times, which was launched in 2000 by members of the Falun Gong spiritual movement that is banned in China, and speeches to Republican organizations, the conservative group Turning Point USA, Calvary Chapel in Chino Hills and Heartbeat at 22, a nonprofit that advocates against abortions.
