Republican Assembly candidate Siaka Massaquoi was a featured speaker at the Valley Community Activation Day in San Fernando Valley past this weekend.
The Oct. 22 event was organized to prove people wrong about the GOP, according to Massaquoi.
“I don't have that Republican National Committee money so we’re organizing family community events to dispel the stigma voters have about conservatism or Republicans,” he said.
Massaquoi is campaigning against Democrat incumbent Luz Maria Rivas to represent the 43rd Assembly District encompassing the San Fernando Valley, North Hollywood, Mission Hills, and Panorama City in Los Angeles County.
The Saturday morning event combined voter education with child-friendly activities and ended at 1 pm with a free lunch served from a Mexican food truck.
“My biggest gripe with the GOP, in general, is that their presence isn’t seen or felt locally,” Massaquoi told the Southern California Record. “The Republican party just needs to be present. We are in extraordinary times. The economy is terrible. We must show up and demonstrate what our values are by the events we put on.”
The activities took place on the grounds of the Osbourne Community Church in Arleta.
"As we can see, we're missing some morality within our politics," he said.
The actor and former football player formed an alliance with the Osbourne Community Church pastor, Ryan Donnelly after the church helped him advance out of the June primary to compete in the Nov. 8 mid-term election.
“A lot of times churches aren’t even being approached to be part of the conversation,” Massaquoi said. “Pastor Ryan at Osborne is just super gracious. He let me speak to his congregation to explain the write-in situation. He's always been there along with a few other churches like Calvary Chapel Mid Valley Church, and Victory Outreach. They've been open to help put something together that's good for the community.”
Massaquoi remains a Jan. 6 suspect accused of participating in the 2021 U.S. Capitol "insurrection," although he was never arrested and charged.
"We're still in the appeals process waiting for the justices to issue a statement one way or the other," he said.
As previously reported in the Southern California Record, after Massaquoi attended the infamous D.C. rally, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents raided his North Hollywood apartment on June 10, 2021, at 5:45 a.m where he was allegedly handcuffed, interrogated, and intimidated by FBI agents.
The Chicago native sued in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California to have his laptop, personal computer, cellphone, and other devices returned but U.S. District Judge Stephen V. Wilson dismissed Massaquoi's federal claim.
Larry Klayman, formerly of Judicial Watch, in Boca Raton, is Massaquoi’s attorney on appeal. The FBI filed a motion for summary affirmance with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on Oct. 7.
"We are living in scary times, which is one of the reasons I'm running," Massaquoi added. "What else are you going to do? We can't keep turning away from our responsibility to be a part of the solution."
The original Central District of California case number for Siaka Massaquoi v Federal Bureau of Investigation is 2:21-cv-08569.