Campbell Sued Over Ballot Reprint

WESTMINSTER —  Orange County has filed a lawsuit against one-time Democratic candidate Laurie Campbell for $41,840 in an effort to recoup the costs of reprinting ballots for last fall’s special election.

The suit, filed last week in Westminster Municipal Court, contends that Campbell and other as-yet-unnamed defendants damaged the county through “misrepresentation, concealment and fraud” by filing petitions to place Campbell improperly on the ballot for the November 1995 special election to replace Assemblywoman Doris Allen in the 67th District. Allen was recalled in the same election.

Relying on those representations, county officials printed sample ballots and other election material that had to be reprinted when Campbell was removed from the election by court order in October, the suit said.

Campbell, who was not charged in the case, and two of her attorneys did not return phone calls for comment.

Deputy County Counsel Edward Duran said the county had been ready to file suit earlier this month, but delayed the filing at the request of Campbell attorney Gregory Rizio, who said he was making arrangements to repay the county the costs of reprinting the election material.

“I never received any money, however, and time passed and I filed the suit,” Duran said.

The county’s lawsuit also seeks court costs and reimbursement for attorney’s fees.

The suit says the county later will amend the complaint and seek restitution from other defendants, who “conspired with Campbell . . . in the fraud alleged herein.”

Campbell was removed from the ballot in late October when a Sacramento Superior Court judge found she had not circulated her nominating petitions, though she had signed under penalty of perjury that she had gathered the signatures herself.

Three GOP campaign workers pleaded guilty to misdemeanor election fraud in the case for having circulated petitions that Campbell signed.

Rhonda Carmony, campaign manager to Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Huntington Beach), has been charged with three felonies, including conspiracy, for her alleged role in placing Campbell on the ballot.