California recall candidate Larry Elder denies ex-fiancee’s claim that he brandished a gun at her

California recall candidate Larry Elder denied Thursday his ex-fiancee’s accusation that he brandished a firearm at her, calling the claims “salacious” and accusing his political foes of “coming at me with every dirty trick.”

Mr. Elder’s response on Twitter came after Alexandra Datig, his former radio producer, told Politico in an interview posted Thursday that she broke off their 18-month engagement after he waved a firearm at her while high on marijuana in 2015.

“I have never brandished a gun at anyone,” tweeted Mr. Elder. “I grew up in South Central; I know exactly how destructive this type of behavior is. It’s not me, and everyone who knows me knows it’s not me. These are salacious allegations.”

During a heated argument in their bedroom, Ms. Datig said he “walked over to the nightstand, opened the door, took out the gun,’’ which she described as a .45 pistol.

“And he checked if it was loaded — while I was talking,’’ she said. “He wanted to make sure I saw that he had it.”

I have never brandished a gun at anyone. I grew up in South Central; I know exactly how destructive this type of behavior is. It’s not me, and everyone who knows me knows it’s not me. These are salacious allegations. (1/3)

— Larry Elder (@larryelder) August 19, 2021

Her accusations come with Mr. Elder, 69, a longtime Los Angeles radio host, positioned as the Republican frontrunner in the Sept. 14 special election to recall Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom.

“People do not get into public life precisely because of this type of politics of personal destruction. I am not going to dignify this with a response — it’s beneath me,” Mr. Elder tweeted. “While my opponents and the Newsom campaign would love to keep voters distracted, I am going to stay focused on the issues that inspired 1.7 million Californians to petition for this recall.”

Ms. Datig, 51, said she signed a Non-Disclosure Agreement about her relationship with Mr. Elder, but chose to break it by talking to Politico because there is “too much at stake” in the California recall.

Calling Mr. Elder “unfit to serve,” she has endorsed former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, one of the Republicans vying to replace Mr. Newsom.

Now a conservative blogger for the Front Page Index, she gained prominence in the 1990s as a witness and informant against Hollywood madam Heidi Fleiss after working as one of her high-end call girls.

In 2013, she told KCAL-TV in Los Angeles that she was 20 when she joined the prostitution network, earning $10,000 a day, but later provided information to police that led to Ms. Feliss’s arrest in a 1993 sting operation in Beverly Hills.

During her altercation with Mr. Elder, Ms. Datig said he “was threatening to throw me out on the street,” after which she said she locked herself in the downstairs bedroom.

She agreed to sign the NDA because she was “terrified” and was told by Mr. Elder’s assistant that “all Larry’s girlfriends did,” but has since urged the candidate on Twitter to release her from the agreement.

Two years ago, she led an unsuccessful recall effort aimed at Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. She also worked as an executive assistant to former state Sen. Nate Holden, a Democrat who also served on the Los Angeles city council.

Mr. Elder chalked up the accusations to political gamesmanship.

“They’re coming at me with every dirty trick because they know what’s coming on September 14. But don’t worry!” he tweeted. “I’m more energized than ever to fix this state. It starts with recalling the worst governor in California history.”