California Controller's Campaign Threatens Rival Over Attack Website
Controller Malia Cohen's campaign sent a cease-and-desist letter to opponent Herb Morgan over a website criticizing her record.
California Controller Malia Cohen's campaign is threatening legal action against her Republican challenger, Herb Morgan, over a website he created that criticizes her record. An attorney for Cohen's campaign sent Morgan a cease-and-desist letter, demanding that he remove the content from the website, maliacohen.org, and surrender the domain name.
The election is scheduled to conclude on Tuesday. Morgan, an investment expert and entrepreneur, acquired the domain name, stating it was available. He expressed that he welcomes the confrontation and sees the legal threat as an attempt to intimidate him.
The website, which bears a resemblance to a polished campaign production, features biographical information and sections detailing criticism of Cohen's tenure as controller. It highlights accusations of her office's alleged failure to conduct homelessness audits despite campaign promises, and a lawsuit alleging improper seizure and sale of foreign investors' stock.
The site also points to a state auditor's report indicating that Cohen's office delayed the recovery of over $33,000 in employee salary overpayments and allowed multiple staff members to work remotely from out of state. Additionally, it references an undercover video released in April by James O'Keefe's media company, in which Cohen's spokesman reportedly stated that fraud was "everywhere" and that staffing shortages limited proactive audits.
Morgan maintains that the website constitutes protected political speech, asserting that it compiles publicly available information and news stories critical of Cohen. He dismissed the cease-and-desist letter, which cited the California Political Cyberfraud Abatement Act, as a "flimsy" attempt and expressed confidence in his First Amendment rights.