To put it mildly, the latest twist is a jaw-dropper. Alexandra Datig, Elder’s ex-fiancee and the former producer of his radio show, came forward with stunning accusations against him. She said she broke off her 18-month engagement to the libertarian media personality in 2015 after an argument when she said Elder took out a .45 pistol from his nightstand.

“And he checked if it was loaded — while I was talking,” Datig told Politico, accusing Elder of being high on marijuana at the time. “He wanted to make sure I saw that he had it.”

“It was an act of silent scorn — and anger,” she added.

There were several other disturbing elements in the story. Datig, 51, a conservative blogger and political commentator who is supporting Elder’s rival, former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, became publicly known in the 1990s when she was an informant in the prosecution of Hollywood madam Heidi Fleiss. She described being paid $10,000 a day while working as a prostitute in Fleiss’ network and has since spoken out about human trafficking. But she said her past didn’t stop Elder from pressuring her to get a “Larry’s Girl” tattoo on her lower back, a large portrait of which she said he then hung in their home for visitors to see.