Arrest of Gorell Staffer Raises Questions

Davis (R) and community members at Gorell's 2026 District 2 Leadership Awards in May. That belt buckle is something!

We’re again detouring this week from our summer long Ventura County Supervisor Jeff Gorell reporting to further discuss the arrest of Blake Davis. The 2026 District 2 Ventura County supervisor race took an expected turn last week when Blake Davis, campaign manager and former field representative for Supervisor Jeff Gorell, was arrested on suspicion of felony vandalism related to campaign signs of Gorell's opponent, Mark Perryman. This is not a move we would have expected from someone who many have reported as a "quiet and nice young man." Whereas this behavior seems like that of someone who reportedly verbally accosted a property owner who dared to place a Perryman sign on their property.

Let's Get Into It

The arrest is generating discussion throughout Ventura County, particularly because Davis served both as Gorell's campaign manager and as a staff member in Gorell's office. It's our understanding that the position Davis held with Gorell's office was eliminated a few weeks prior to his arrest. We were not able to confirm this for our reporting. If however the claim is true and we suspect it is, it follows a pattern that we've heard in our reporting on Gorell. Gorell is rumored in Republican circles for using people and then discarding them and not honoring promises he made in exchange for their loyalty or actions.

Authorities will ultimately determine the facts surrounding the alleged vandalism. We note that Davis is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. However, Davis’ arrest has prompted questions from observers about what may have motivated his alleged conduct and whether anyone else had knowledge of, encouraged, or directed the actions. At this time, no public evidence has been presented establishing that any other individual was involved. We, however, have our own speculations.

The Motive

Let's begin with the recent removal of social media posts by Gorell’s office that referenced Davis and his relationship with Gorell's campaign and employment inside Gorell’s official office. Gorell was praising Davis several weeks ago. We question the timing of those changes, while supporters may view them as an effort to distance the campaign from an employee facing criminal allegations. Based on what learned the morning Davis was arrested, Gorell seemed to know rather quickly of the arrest.

Destruction of campaign signs occurred against the backdrop of an already contentious relationship between Gorell and Perryman. Gorell is a named party in ongoing litigation filed by Perryman. In such, Perryman alleges he was wrongfully terminated after requesting paternity leave from Gorell and the County of Ventura. According to court filings that we could find, Perryman claims discussions regarding his leave request led to a dispute that ultimately resulted in his dismissal. Gorell will have his opportunity to respond through the legal process, and the claims remain subject to ongoing litigation expected to be heard in front of a jury in 2027.

After leaving county employment several years ago, Perryman launched his own campaign for district 2 county supervisor in 2026. During the race, we observed that Perryman frequently focused on election integrity issues and campaign finance concerns, including public criticism of Gorell’s financials very early on. As an aside, campaign finance reporting has remained a recurring issue in Ventura County following the fines levied against Republican Tony Strickland, a former resident of Ventura County, who was cited by FPPC for laundering money through the Ventura County Republicans more than a decade ago.

Documents from the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) in 2025 show Gorell responding to allegations concerning his failure to report behest payments and financial disclosures. Within, Gorell attempted to blame Perryman for Gorell’s failure to meet reporting obligations. A point we take umbrage with because elected public officials should maintain direct responsibility for their personal financial disclosures. There is nothing we could find in a Ventura County chief of staff's job description that obligates a chief of staff to report their boss’ financial matters to FPPC. Further, Gorell’s accusations of Perryman are interesting because some of the payments were received long AFTER Perryman’s employment with the county ended.

Multiple sources have claimed that Jeff Gorell continues to speak critically of Mark Perryman in various settings. What makes this especially amusing is that one source recalled Gorell once declaring, "Mark Perryman is the smartest guy I know." Apparently, admiration and criticism are not always mutually exclusive.

Gorell has also been described by some county employees as someone with a short fuse. Several individuals from different county departments have recounted being on the receiving end of a sharp reprimand, only to later receive an apology. If those accounts are accurate, Gorell's leadership style may be best summarized as, storm clouds first, sunshine later.

Taken together, the stories paint a picture of a public official who can be both complimentary and combative, sometimes in seemingly equal measure. Whether that's complexity, contradiction, or simply a case of speaking before thinking may be left to the judgment of observers.

As an aside, if you are reading this Jeff, instead of blaming Perryman for your failures have you considered how we were the first to know about, and report on, you being cited by FPPC? You could consider giving us the credit instead of falsely accusing others with whom you have a negative history. There are in fact a lot of us that closely watch your day-to-day activities on our tax dollars. We also have sources that aren't really your friends.

Payments to Campaign Workers

Recent 460 campaign filings have also drawn attention to payments made to Davis and another individual. According to our sources, Davis and the other individual are friends. While campaign expenditures vary widely from race to race, the payments become part of the broader public discussion following Davis' arrest. We certainly have questions on Gorell's campaign spending on consultants and political services including the ultra MAGA Pluvious Group and former Strickland treasurer Lysa Ray. Accordingly, these payments continue to attract scrutiny not just from us, but other community members.

What Happens Next?

The criminal case against Davis will now proceed through the legal system, where evidence will be examined and facts determined. Meanwhile, the political ramifications remain uncertain. The arrest adds another chapter to a bitter rivalry between Gorell and Perryman, one that has already involved lawsuits, campaign finance disputes, and public accusations from multiple sides. Whether this signals an addition of players remains to be seen.

For Ventura County residents, the central questions remain unanswered if Davis is found guilty, was this an isolated act by an individual campaign staffer. Or will additional facts emerge that link Gorell, and possibly others, as the investigation continues? These answers will ultimately come from law enforcement, prosecutors, and the courts rather than political speculation. Until then, we'll continue to report on this story as it unfolds.

Please reach out to 805Speakeasy@proton.me if you have information on this matter or other tips. All tips will be kept confidential.