The mayor of Quartzsite, Ariz., the town seething in vitriol since police forcibly removed a woman from speaking at a public meeting despite the mayor's objections lost in a recall election last night, but claims the "corrupt" town council fixed the results to force him out.
![]() Mayor Ed Foster of Quartzsite, Ariz., says his town is filled with massive corruption among government officials. |
"They found a whole bunch of early ballots they could stuff the box with," said Mayor Ed Foster, telling WND the election was "absolutely" stolen.
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Foster says at the polling place, he was winning by a 2-to-1 margin over former Town Councilman and Quartzsite Fire Department Capt. Jose Lizarraga.
But there had been 328 early ballots cast, and 208 of those went to Lizarraga, giving the win to Lizarraga by a final tally of 289 votes to 230.
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"There's no doubt about it [being a fixed election]," said Foster. "The early voting was so obscenely different. ... Whether people voted early or late should not have affected the weight of the vote."
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But the outcome is not deterring Foster from continuing his fight against alleged corruption in his rural town. In fact, he plans on running again for mayor, as primaries are slated for March, and a general election in May.
"They stole it from me. I'm gonna take it back," he said.
On Saturday, hundreds of Americans – some from as far away as Alaska and Connecticut – descended on Quartzsite for what was called a Liberty Fest to take a stand against government corruption. Some videos have been posted on YouTube with highlights of the event.
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Mayor Foster, who's been at war with his own council and Police Chief Jeff Gilbert, whom he has called corrupt and "a Nazi," believes potentially millions of dollars of taxpayer money is being illegally funneled through secret checks to unnamed council members.
Gilbert has never responded to numerous requests by WND for comment, but he was quoted in the Desert Freedom Press as being concerned that citizens who opposed the town council were domestic terrorists.
"I have talked to the FBI and the attorney general and anyone that will listen," Gilbert said. "What has happened over the past several weeks, I certainly consider this to be domestic terrorism."
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Quartzsite became a national sensation after WND highlighted one of its town-hall meetings in June, where local pet groomer Jennifer Jones, who publishes the Desert Freedom Press, was frog-marched by Chief Gilbert out of the meeting despite pleas from Mayor Foster.
Meanwhile, at least one family has experienced firearms confiscation by the local government in recent days because of the brouhaha.
As WND reported, Town Councilman Joe Winslow prompted the seizure of guns from local gem dealer and online entrepreneur Michael Roth because Roth allegedly glared at the councilman, blocked his entrance to Town Hall and called him a "turd."
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Ten police officers on the local force have had their livelihoods put in jeopardy because of complaints they filed against Chief Gilbert. Foster says two have been fired, two are back on the force and six still remain on house arrest.
A Facebook support page for Mayor Foster has been inundated with viewers and messages of solidarity.
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