Clint Curtis, the top election official in Shasta County, California, has publicly accused his staff of sabotage and is now turning to Tina Peters, a convicted election interference superstar. Curtis’s hiring plans have drawn criticism from both within and outside the county.

Peters was previously involved in allowing unauthorized access to election equipment in Mesa County, Colorado, as part of efforts to prove that the 2020 presidential election had been stolen from Donald Trump. Her lawyer claims she is considering the position but has not yet agreed to it.

Senator Alex Padilla, a Democrat, denounced Curtis’s move, saying it should be stopped immediately. Curtis himself, with a history of promoting election-related conspiracy theories, faces accusations from his own staff about inappropriate behavior and retaliation. A recent censure by the Board of Supervisors did not dissuade him.

Shasta County has already faced significant controversy over elections, and Curtis’s hiring plans could further inflame tensions, according to Matt Plummer, a member of the Shasta Board of Supervisors. However, the legal process for Peters joining the team remains murky as there are no formal job applications in place.

Curtis claims he will hire Peters as a consultant to circumvent county efforts to block her appointment, but this move is likely to be met with skepticism and increased scrutiny from voters and officials alike.