Outside Influencers: Destroying Democracy in Shasta County

Douglas Frank

Meet Douglas Frank…

Frank is just one in an army of conspiracy theorists, inspired by Donald Trump’s election lies, who are dedicated to trying to convince others the 2020 election was corrupt. Douglas Frank is known nationally as an election skeptic who has toured the nation giving hundreds of presentations to push false and unfounded conspiracy theories surrounding election machines and urge audiences to “wake up” and investigate “fraud” in their communities. Frank’s theories, rooted in the baseless denial of Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential election victory, have been debunked as meaningless.

Frank claims to have data that proves non-governmental organizations, such as The Center for Tech and Civic Life, which received $350 million in donations from Mark Zuckerberg, sparking the “Zuckerbucks” conspiracy, are involved in stuffing ballot boxes. He said he doesn’t want machines running before polls are closed because “the machines tell the bad guys what the tallies are before the election.” Part of Frank’s theory is claiming that the state controls voter rolls and argues they should be controlled locally. “You need to control your own rolls, get the state out,” he said. When Douglas Frank and MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell met with Republican Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill on two occasions in 2021, Merrill said it also didn’t take much effort for him to discredit their wild election claims. “Every time they gave us an example, we were able to refute what they showed us without even knowing what they were going to do when they arrived,” said Merrill.

Frank had his phone seized by the FBI alongside frequent collaborator MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell as part of an investigation into Colorado Clerk and Recorder Tina Peters, whom Frank referred to during the presentation as “the first clerk I ever red pilled.” Peters was later indicted on federal charges for tampering with election equipment and sentenced on a separate obstruction charge. At one of his events in Montana in August of 2023, Frank told the crowd they needed to grab their rifles and “meet Antifa in the street.”

Across the country, Frank has connected with women he has dubbed “super moms.” They are women who have embraced unfounded election conspiracy theories and are engaged in efforts to expose the nonexistent widespread fraud. What elevates Frank above the everyday conspiracy theorist is his financial backing: he has the backing of Mike Lindell, the CEO of MyPillow.

Frank spoke at the Shasta County Board of Supervisors meeting on January 22, 2025. During his speech, he gave a presentation that included significant allegations of fraud without providing evidence for his claims. During his presentation, he encouraged commissioners to fulfill their civic duty to protect constitutional election rights, which, he said, may include “nullifying” or refusing to comply with state election law. In addition, Frank compared election violations with sexual assault and claimed that he’s aware of about 400 ballots in Shasta County that were cast either illegally or fraudulently. He offered no verifiable evidence to support that claim. Clint Curtis held an event in Redding with Douglas Frank on May 24, 2025, to continue to spread election conspiracy rhetoric to the people of Shasta County.

Read more from the sources:

Daily Montanan CNN Shasta Scout Washington Post LA Times

Chriss Street

Chriss Street is well known in Shasta County as a prominent figure affiliated with the New California State, a far-right extremist and secessionist group that aims to split rural and urban California in half to create a 51st state. Street joined the California New State in 2018. Read more about the New State of California here.

CHRISS STREET IS NOT ONLY A MEMBER... HE IS ALSO THEIR CFO.

What is happening now in 2025: The Shasta County Board of Supervisors has offered Criss Street the position of healthcare consultant. The contract pays $150/hour up to $40,000. The proposal shows that Street plans to address the County’s long-standing physician shortage by developing a rural medical school and an associated substance use facility using federal funds. In the document submitted to the County, Street refers to himself as a subject matter expert and states that he’ll need to travel to meet with both state and federal officials as part of his role. Street's resume (available for review here) states that his only medically related professional experience includes five years of running a healthcare management company, which was more than a quarter-century ago.

Criss Street's problematic past: Street served as Orange County treasurer from 2006 to 2011. Street declined to run for reelection in 2010 after a federal bankruptcy judge ordered him to pay $7 million for mismanaging the bankruptcy trust of a trucking firm he operated before he was elected treasurer. According to the LA Times, Street appealed the decision twice and lost. Street then successfully sued his original attorney on the trucking case for malpractice and was awarded $10 million in 2017. His new attorney said the award vindicated his client, although the original bankruptcy decision has not been reversed.

Since leaving his post as Orange County treasurer, Street, in addition to continuing as a financial consultant, has also served as an economic commentator in print and on radio, appearing on FOX News. Street joined the California New State in 2018. Street’s work has appeared frequently on Paul Preston’s Agenda 21 Radio, the secessionist movement’s de facto house organ with the motto, “stopping Totalitarianism one person at a time.” Preston is the founder of New California (read more about Paul Preston here).

Street is an economic forecaster in the doomsday mode. As a bond trader and a financial consultant for Newport Beach in the 1990s, he was among the first prognosticators to forecast that Orange County was headed for bankruptcy. This prediction later led to his stint as Orange County treasurer. At a New California town hall meeting in San Andreas in July 2021, Street told the Calaveras Enterprise that the movement is perfectly positioned to capitalize on the current economic crisis facing the state. “I joined this movement in 2018,” Street said. “I wouldn’t join it before, because I told Paul [Preston], ‘You need to have an existential crisis. You literally need to have a meteor hit.’ That meteor has arrived.” Street was presumably referring to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent economic carnage. Street offered a hint on how he might manage Shasta County in the article, explaining that when he took over as treasurer, “Orange County, just like the state of California, had 11 different levels of management, and we took that down to three. We did a classic corporate reorganization where you get the top-heavy people out.” In the long run, after California goes bankrupt, its constitution is rewritten (Street claims the state’s present constitution is unconstitutional), and the 51st state becomes a reality

In April of 2023, the county nominated Chriss Street to become Shasta’s next County Executive Officer. But after receiving a background report on Street in late March, the five-person board unanimously decided to rescind their offer. In the aftermath, Street, possibly acting out of revenge, publicly leveled unfounded accusations of illegal financial activity against Shasta County.

One more tidbit: In March 2023, the Redding Police Department confirmed that it was investigating complaints filed against Street regarding allegations of at least one incident at the Shasta Family YMCA in Redding that involved a teenage girl. The outcome of that investigation remains unknown.

DO YOU WANT STREET INVOLVED IN SHASTA COUNTY POLITICS AFTER READING ALL OF THIS?

Please read more from the sources:

ANewsCafe 1 ANewsCafe 2 ANewsCafe 3 Shasta Scout KRCRTV Jefferson Public Radio

Mike Lindell

Many of us recognize Mike Lindell from the commercials promoting his popular product, “MyPillow.” Since the launch of MyPillow, Lindell’s life has been filled with a series of tumultuous events and controversies. His journey from a successful entrepreneur to a public figure has been marked by his outspoken political views, alignment with Donald Trump, and involvement in conspiracy theories about election fraud, particularly regarding efforts to overturn the 2020 election in favor of Trump. As a result, Lindell has consistently found himself in the public eye. But not in a positive light.

But let’s start from the VERY beginning...

Lindell's journey began in Minnesota, where his teenage years were overshadowed by a growing gambling addiction that consumed him. After graduating from high school, he eagerly enrolled at the University of Minnesota, but the weight of his struggles soon forced him to abandon his academic aspirations just months later. As he entered his 20s, Lindell found himself increasingly drawn into the turbulent world of drug use, becoming addicted to cocaine, which spiraled into a more severe dependence on crack cocaine during the chaotic decade of the 1990s. This addiction, intertwined with his already mounting gambling debts, created a perfect storm of hardship. The relentless grip of his vices ultimately cost him dearly, leading to the foreclosure of his home and the dissolution of his marriage when his wife filed for divorce. According to Lindell, in 2009, he got sober by “the power of prayer.”

Before founding MyPillow, Mike Lindell was involved in a variety of small businesses throughout Minnesota. His ventures included carpet sales, a cleaning service, lunch wagons, and several bars and restaurants. However, it was in 2004 that he introduced MyPillow, transforming it into a prominent manufacturing company based in Minnesota.

Despite its initial success, MyPillow faced significant challenges over the years. In 2017, the Better Business Bureau revoked its accreditation, subsequently lowering the company's rating to an F. This decision was based on a noticeable pattern of consumer complaints. By 2021, major retailers like Kohl's and Bed Bath & Beyond ceased carrying MyPillow products. Lindell attributed his loss to the controversial claims he made about the outcome of the 2020 U.S. presidential election and his efforts to overturn the results. However, the retailers cited market research and a decline in consumer demand as reasons for their decisions.

In July 2023, MyPillow began auctioning off equipment and subleasing parts of their manufacturing space. This came after further loss of retail partnerships, including those with Walmart and Slumberland Furniture, which stopped selling the products altogether by September 2024. The situation escalated into controversy when Lindell and MyPillow announced a promotional price of $14.88. These numbers (14-88) are associated with a well-known Nazi dog whistle known as the "14 words." In the wake of this revelation, several white supremacist groups expressed their endorsement of both MyPillow and Lindell. Lindell denied the allegations.

For Referrence: The number combination 14-88 is infamously known as "The Fourteen Words," referencing two notorious slogans that originated from David Eden Lane, a founding member of the now-defunct white supremacist terrorist organization, The Order. The "14" symbolizes the total number of words in the primary slogan: "We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children." This phrase encapsulates a chilling ideology that underpins militant white nationalism. Meanwhile, "88" carries an equally grim connotation, as it represents "Heil Hitler," with "H" being the 8th letter of the alphabet. Together, these numbers have become a rallying cry for white nationalists around the globe, echoing a dangerous commitment to extremist beliefs and promoting a vision rooted in hate.

Lindell is deep into the MAGA Kool-Aid, associating Trump with God:

Lindell met Donald Trump in August 2016 and quickly became a strong supporter. After Trump’s election victory, he referred to him as "the most amazing president this country has ever seen." In a speech at Liberty University in August 2019, Lindell described his meeting with Trump as a "divine appointment," stating that he subsequently decided to fully commit to supporting Trump. During the 2019 Conservative Political Action Conference, he declared Trump to be "the greatest president in history" and claimed he had been "chosen by God." Lindell also appeared with Trump at a White House press conference on the coronavirus, where he praised Trump, saying, "God gave us grace on November 8, 2016, to change our course. God had been taken out of our schools and lives, and the nation had turned its back on Him. I encourage you to use this time at home to reconnect with your faith. Read the Bible and spend time with your families."

Lindell’s Nefarious Financial Schemes:

In November 2020, Lindell was among those who contributed toward paying the bail of the Kenosha shooter Kyle Rittenhouse.

In April 2022, Lindell announced he was donating up to $800,000 to a legal defense fund for Tina Peters. For context, Tina Peters was the first election official convicted of criminal charges related to efforts aimed at overturning the 2020 presidential election, based on conspiracy theories about the legitimacy of Trump's defeat. In August 2024, she was convicted in Colorado state court on seven charges—four of which were felonies—related to unauthorized access to election machines. Subsequently, she was sentenced to nine years in prison. However, Trump granted her a full presidential pardon upon his return to the Oval Office.

In 2020, Lindell promoted the use of Oleandrin, a cardiotoxic substance, as a treatment for COVID-19. Lindell even organized a meeting to pitch this idea to then-President Trump, along with Andrew Whitney, a fellow board member of the biopharmaceutical company Phoenix Biotechnology, in which Lindell has a financial interest. Lindell claimed that oleandrin had been shown to be safe in a study; however, there is no scientific evidence to support the safety or effectiveness of Oleandrin as a treatment for coronavirus.

Lindell’s Work to Overturn the 2020 Election and Election Conspiracies:

After Trump's defeat in the 2020 presidential election, Lindell played a significant role in supporting and financing Trump's attempts to overturn the election result.

Lindell helped sponsor a bus tour aimed at challenging the election results. The two-week tour ended in Washington, D.C., on December 14, 2020.
Following the storming of the Capitol, Lindell promoted a conspiracy theory suggesting that individuals linked to antifa were behind the attack, claiming they disguised themselves as Trump supporters.
Lindell propagated a conspiracy theory accusing voting machine companies Smartmatic and Dominion of colluding with foreign entities to manipulate voting machines and steal the election from Trump.
On January 25, 2021, Twitter permanently banned Lindell for spreading false claims about Trump winning the 2020 election, violating the platform's civic integrity policy.
Lindell bought three hours of airtime on One America News Network (OAN) to air his documentary, Absolute Proof, which contains false election claims, on February 5, 2021. YouTube removed the documentary for violating its election disinformation policy.
On April 20, 2021, Lindell published a second documentary titled Absolute Interference, which also promoted debunked conspiracy theories about the election and criticized the news media and communism.
Lindell speculated that investigations into the election would lead to Trump being reinstated as president in 2021. Lindell specifically predicted that this would happen on August 13, but when that did not occur and Biden remained in office, he shifted his prediction to September 30, which also did not come to fruition.
Lindell hosted a three-day "Cyber Symposium" in August 2021, claiming to present evidence of election fraud, but failed to do so. Lindell alleged that a dataset demonstrated Chinese interference in the 2020 election and offered a $5 million reward for proof to the contrary. Software developer Robert Zeidman accepted the challenge, determined that the data was not authentic, and on April 20, 2023, an arbitration panel ordered Lindell to pay the $5 million.
In September 2021, Bonner County, Idaho, announced a recount of 2020 presidential election ballots following allegations by Lindell that all Idaho counties had their voting systems hacked. Lindell provided a list of supposed compromised IP addresses. The recount concluded that the election results' accuracy was within 0.1%, with no evidence of digital hacking found.
In January 2022, Lindell claimed he had sufficient evidence to imprison around 300 million people for their involvement in the alleged 2020 election fraud, which would represent about 91 percent of the U.S. population.
On September 13, 2022, the FBI executed a search warrant on Lindell's phone, which he discussed on his web show. He described how agents surrounded his car at a drive-through in Minnesota. Lindell reported that the FBI agents inquired about Tina Peters, the Colorado Clerk found guilty of election interference. At the same time, the FBI also executed a search warrant on Douglas Frank’s phone.
In August 2023, Lindell stated that he would prevent voting fraud by flying drones equipped with wireless sniffing devices near polling places to determine whether voting machines are connected to the Internet.
Lindell attended the 2024 Democratic National Convention, at which he falsely claimed that 257,000 votes were missing from the 2020 election.

There is so much more we could have written here. This was a condensed version. We believe you get the idea. Mike Lindell lacks morals and integrity, and his mental health is of serious concern.

Why did we provide you with all that information about Mike Lindell?

In March 2023, Kevin Crye took a trip funded by Shasta County to Minnesota to meet with Mike Lindell, the CEO of MyPillow, hardcore Trump supporter and election conspiracy theorist. Lindell was sued for defamation by Dominion Voting Systems, which he ultimately lost.

During an interview, Crye stated that he spent "four or five hours" with Lindell, during which they discussed the voting process from a legislative perspective and what other states are doing. He also mentioned that he had obtained an agreement with Lindell to provide financial support for hand-counting votes in Shasta County, although he did not provide specific details. Hand-counting votes in the state of California is not legal.

** It’s important to note that when Crye met with Lindell, Lindell was in the middle of the defamation case with Dominion Voting Systems. This raises a question: Why would Crye seek out Lindell to have a meeting about Dominion and the future of elections in Shasta County with a known election conspiracy theorist who was being sued for spreading false information? Think about it!

After meeting with Lindell, the right-wing majority on the Board of Supervisors (Crye, Kelstrom, and Harmon) voted to eliminate Dominion voting systems. Clint Curtis then entered the picture as an applicant for Registrar of Voters, followed by Douglas Frank. Crye appears to be hiring close associates of Lindell, who are all deeply involved in the right-wing election conspiracy theory community. Just speculating.... we have no proof and this is NOT an accusation... Is this a quid pro quo for Lindell's financial support? Is it reasonable to question why Crye and his far-right supervisors are so eager to have an insider at the Registrar of Voters who can quickly label any unfavorable results as "fraud"? Again, we want to emphasize that this is not an accusation; it is for you, the voter, to consider, question, and make your own conclusion.

For reference, Clint Curtis is a close associate of Mike Lindell and has been featured on many of Lindell's shows, including the 2022 Moment of Truth Summit, alongside Marjorie Taylor Greene and Steve Bannon. Douglas Frank is also a close associate of Mike Lindell, whose phone was seized by the FBI alongside Lindell’s in connection with the Tina Peters election interference case.

A significant and intricate network has emerged among the new figures in Shasta County's local government, which seems to trace its roots back to Kevin Crye's county-funded meeting with Mike Lindell. This suggests potential shifts in the landscape of local governance, raising questions and concerns about the influence of outsiders, motives, and possible implications that it will have on OUR community and the fate of our democratic process.

SO NOW WHAT?!?

As the 2026 election quickly approaches, it is crucial to get involved! Conduct thorough research on the candidates running, and take the time to attend meetings where you can meet them and ask insightful questions. Make your voice heard in the community by exercising your First Amendment right to peacefully protest. Most importantly, GET OUT AND VOTE! It's time to remove individuals who do not serve the best interests of our county. Your participation matters! Let's take back our county!

Reverge Anselmo

Reverge Anselmo is the son of a billionaire, former U.S. Marine Corps combat veteran who carved a niche for himself in the film industry, gaining recognition for his work on the film Stateside, which premiered in 2004.

Anselmo has inserted himself into Shasta County's local politics, but his presence is far from beneficial for the residents. Instead of fostering progress and addressing the community's needs, his influence casts a shadow over the county, leaving many to question the true intentions behind his political maneuvers.

Anselmo believes that a decade ago, he was unfairly treated by Shasta County after his ambitious vision of establishing a restaurant, ranch, and winery near Shingletown encountered significant obstacles due to local zoning regulations enforced by the Department of Resource Management. Since then, Anselmo has been on a quest for revenge.

In 2020, Anselmo made headlines by contributing an astonishing $100,000 to the campaign of Patrick Jones, a controversial figure known for his extreme right-wing views and a troubling history of dishonesty. This significant donation was not merely a financial transaction; it marked the beginning of Anselmo's ambitious agenda to dismantle Shasta County's public institutions. With a vision to redesign the county to his liking and benefit, he set out on a mission that would irrevocably alter the community's landscape.

Anselmo, alongside his affluent companions, made substantial financial contributions to the Recall Shasta and Shasta County General Purpose Committee, aiming to oust Shasta County officials: District 1 Supervisor Joe Chimenti, District 2 Supervisor Leonard Moty, and District 3 Supervisor Mary Rickert. Notably, Anselmo joined forces with the Red, White, and Blueprint project. This alt-right political propaganda media company produced a documentary series, co-owned by Carlos Zapata, Jon Knight, and Jeremy Edwardson. Zapata, Knight, and Edwardson are affiliated with the Cottonwood Militia and are known figures within the right-wing MAGA Republican extremist circles, adding a dangerous layer to Anselmo's political maneuvering. Anselmo participated in the filming of several episodes of Red, White and Blueprint, where he mentioned that he would only return to Shasta County if the Department of Resource Management were dissolved.

Anselmo, along with Red, White, and Blueprint, has consistently declined to disclose the total amount of donations Anselmo made. That was up until just recently. On July 2, 2025, Anselmo faced a significant penalty of over $20,000 for violations related to California's campaign filing law that transpired between 2020 and 2022. According to documents from the Fair Political Practices Commission, Anselmo contributed nearly $2 million to various political campaigns in Shasta County between 2020 and 2022. Funding of these right-wing extremist politicians and organizations, Anselmo catalyzed the emergence of a new wave of the alt-right on the county board, reshaping the local political landscape. The fate of Shasta County was significantly shaped by Anselmo, whose wealth and thirst for vengeance played pivotal roles in paving the way for former supervisors Tim Garman and Patrick Jones, as well as the current leadership of Kevin Crye and Chris Kelstrom.

Is it surprising to anyone that in 2024, Wyatt Paxton was appointed as the interim director of the Shasta County Resource Department? Paxton, who has previously worked for Shasta County, openly criticized both the county and the Resource Department. Despite this, he was chosen over Adam Fieseler, the Assistant Resource Management Director. Oh, and one more thing... Paxton is a friend and former (or even current) employee of Reverge Anselmo.