As California Republicans attempt to end their decade-long absence from statewide office, Laguna Beach’s GOP members appear intent on helping to extend the shut-out.
As the Independent has reported, FBI agents last month raided the Laguna Beach home of Garrett Gauvain, a board member of the Greater Laguna Beach GOP (GLBGOP), which is officially recognized by the Orange County Republican party. The raid reportedly was related to the nationwide federal investigation into the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. The raid resulted in Gauvain’s arrest by Laguna Beach police on state weapons charges. Gauvain, who has a prior criminal conviction for misdemeanor battery with serious bodily injury, has acknowledged that FBI agents told him they have evidence he was at or near the Capitol during the Jan. 6 attack. Gauvain admits to protesting outside the Capitol building but has denied entering the building or any involvement in the attack.
If Gauvain’s version of events is accurate, he may not be guilty of the serious violent felonies with which fellow demonstrators have been charged. However, Gauvain’s own admissions establish that he joined the mob that overwhelmed U.S. Capitol police before and during the Capitol attack, thus wittingly or unwittingly aiding the attack and possibly committing trespass and other crimes in the process.
In light of these facts, one would think that the GLBGOP might have misgivings that Gauvain remains on its board and would at least make clear that the organization condemns the Capitol attack unequivocally. (The GLBOP says Gauvain has been on temporary leave from the board since March 1 “to decompress after the election” but remains a board member.) Yet, GLBGOP President Jennifer Welsh Zeiter lauded Gauvain as a veritable hero following his arrest, calling him “a good guy and fellow dedicated Republican.” She claimed that Gauvain is being penalized for simply exercising his First Amendment rights, ignoring the fact that to obtain the search warrant for Gauvain’s home, the FBI was required by law to convince a court that it had probable cause to believe that the home harbored evidence of criminal conduct, illegal items (which it apparently did) and/or a suspected criminal.
The GLBGOP website touts that its core principles include a commitment to being “Tough on Crime,” assails Black Lives Matter (BLM) as “intent on overthrowing American society” (although most BLM protesters have been peaceful) and lectures: “What makes a community safe? Shared morals and values: don’t commit crimes…, respect lives and property.” Yet the GLBGOP president’s full-throated defense of Gauvain and his continued membership on the organization’s board suggest that its anti-crime stance only extends to actions by political opponents, not to the organization’s very own officers, even if the offense is connected to insurrection against our own democracy.
James Grossberg, Laguna Beach
Editor’s Note: This letter appeared in the April 2 edition of the Independent.
