LA mayoral candidate bans Gascon recall supporters from mall properties despite endorsing effort
Rick Caruso had endorsed the campaign and has donated $50,000 to the group
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Los Angeles mayoral candidate and real estate developer Rick Caruso has banned supporters of a recall attempt to oust Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon from seeking petition signatures on some of his mall properties, despite endorsing the effort.
A top organizer for the Recall George Gascon Campaign informed the group's volunteers in an April 8 email that they were forbidden from seeking signatures at Caruso-owned shopping centers: The Grove, Palisades Village and The Americana.
"While shopping centers have been a great source of signature collecting for many of you we were notified today that we do NOT have permission to gather at the locations below. We have been asked not to send anyone again," the message obtained by FOX Business said.
A Recall George Gascon sign and Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascon. The group leading the recall effort said Wednesday it was getting more signatures in hopes of getting the recall question on a ballot. (Getty Images / Getty Images)
The email said volunteers were averaging 6,500 signatures per week.
Caruso has endorsed the recall and donated $50,000 to the effort. Fox News has reached out to Caruso but has not heard back.
The recall campaign declined to comment on the matter.
In a statement to FOX Business, a Gascon campaign spokeswoman said "we appreciate Mr. Caruso not letting politics get in the way of Angelenos trying to get to work or enjoying time out with their friends and family."
Recall supporters have until July 6 to gather some 567,000 signatures from registered voters to put the recall question on the ballot in November. As of mid-April, they have gathered around 300,000.
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"Our numbers are always a week or so behind because we're waiting for batches to come in from multiple sources and before they turn them in, they do their own verification," recall spokesman Tim Lineberger told Fox News on Wednesday. "Overall, I do think we're in good shape to qualify this. We just have to keep the pedal to the floor."