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California Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis addresses students and union members during a protest at the California State University chancellor’s office in Long Beach, CA on Tuesday, September 12, 2023. The CSU Board of Trustees is considering a 6% tuition increase beginning in fall of 2024. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis made another big push for political relevance on Wednesday by calling on Secretary of State Shirley Weber to “explore every legal option” to remove former President Donald Trump from the 2024 ballot.
Kounalakis made it through most of the letter before completely botching her big line: “The constitution is clear: you must be 40 years old and not be an insurrectionist.”
While the constitution is indeed clear about the latter point, it’s also clear that the minimum age threshold to be president is 35.
Oops.
Kounalakis’ team did a bit of stealth editing, but not before the original was saved for posterity.
Southern California News Group editorial board member Susan Shelley noted on Twitter: “Entirely embarrassing letter from CA Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis (announced candidate for governor in 2026) even gets the age wrong in the assertion that ‘The Constitution is clear,’ on qualifications to be president, ‘you must be 40 years old and not be an insurrectionist.’”
Kounalakis appears to have a knack for botching what should be easy political opportunities. Earlier this year, Kounalakis made headlines for calling Taylor Swift to cancel planned shows in southern California just days after going to a Taylor Swift event herself. Instead of endearing herself to Big Labor, as she hoped, she merely came away less credible than before.
Kounalakis might still be a less bad candidate for governor than some of her fellow Democratic officeholders (like Tony Thurmond). But she’s so far proving to be a gaffe machine.
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