Carl DeMaio Served with Cease and Desist By California Republican Party for Fake Voter Guides & Impersonating Republican Party Central Committee

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 15, 2026

Carl DeMaio Served with Cease and Desist By California Republican Party for Fake Voter Guides & Impersonating Republican Party Central Committee

San Diego— The California Republican Party hit Carl DeMaio and the Reform California Voter Guide with a cease and desist letter for distributing fake voter guides that attempt to impersonate the Republican Party:

“Dear Assemblymember DeMaio: This letter constitutes a demand that you…immediately cease and desist from a coordinated, brazen, and unlawful campaign to deceive California voters into believing your privately controlled slate mailer is an official publication of the Republican Party. It is not…Make no mistake about the gravity of this matter. You are not an unsophisticated political novice. You are a sitting California State Assemblymember, the Chairman of Reform California, a former San Diego City Councilman, and a candidate the CRP itself has endorsed. You know full well that the CRP and its county central committees are the only bodies authorized under California law to issue official Republican Party endorsements, and you know exactly what you are doing when you brand a paid slate mailer with the words “OFFICIAL,” “Republican Central Committee Slate,” and the Republican Party’s elephant emblem. Your conduct is not a mistake. It is a calculated deception of California’s Republican voters, and it will not be tolerated.”

Today, Congressman Darrell Issa and former Republican Party of San Diego County Chairman Corey Gustafson – issued a statement of support for the Party for taking action against DeMaio’s brazen attempt to deliberately mislead voters by impersonating the Republican Party.

“We applaud the CRP for calling out Carl DeMaio’s ‘calculated deception of California’s Republican voters.’ He’s smeared and lied about Republicans his whole career and continues to lie about good Republicans today. Carl’s  attempted to confuse voters that he speaks for the Republican Party. This action by the CRP makes it absolutely clear– he does not.”

Congressman Issa added, “It is sad to see that Carl has been lost to the Sacramento swamp. I’ve unfortunately seen it happen to many career politicians who value power over principle.”

Chairman Gustafson also said, “Carl DeMaio’s war against the Republican Party continues. He spent $4 million attacking Republicans in 2024, including more than $500,000 directed to the Progressive California Voter Guide. He is spending hundreds of thousands of dollars in the 2026 June Primary attacking Republicans with money that he readied for the Voter ID fight in November. The action by the CRP today makes it clear–Carl DeMaio’s grift must stop.”

DeMaio has built a deceitful operation built on misleading voters, exploiting donors, and attacking fellow Republicans instead of defeating Democrats and passing Voter ID.

DeMaio has already been investigated four times by the FPPC, resulting in two violations. With multiple complaints now filed and an ongoing FPPC investigation, pressure is mounting for regulators to act.

For questions or comments, please contact corey@coreyforsandiego.com

Congressman Darrell Issa