Steel complaint may aid Somers
Deepa Bharath
COSTA MESA -- Heather Somers could return to the City Council if the
court rules in favor of a citizen who has contested Councilman Chris
Steel’s victory in the November election.
Michael Szkaradek, who has consistently questioned the validity of
Steel’s nomination papers since November, filed a document with Orange
County Superior Court in Santa Ana on May 29 that challenges Steel’s
election to the council based on the California Election Code.
Szkaradek alleges in his complaint that Steel had no more than 18
valid signatures on his nomination papers, leaving him short of the 20
valid signatures the code requires.
Steel said Monday he had not seen a copy of the complaint but added
that he believes it has no merit and that he is disappointed by
Szkaradek’s action against him.
“The man has had an obsession for 15 years,” said Steel of Szkaradek.
“People have to be objective, logical and reasonable here. All this
hurts. It really hurts.”
The goal of the action is to get Steel out of office, Szkaradek said.
“The intent is to wage an election contest that will result in Mr.
Steel leaving office,” he said.
Steel is also fighting allegations of perjury -- allegations made by
the Orange County district attorney. Steel is accused of allowing
resident Richard Noack to sign his wife’s name on nomination papers
during the 2000 election. He is also accused of signing for resident
Alice Billioux during the 1998 election. Steel is charged with perjury
for signing the Declaration of the Circulator stating the signatures were
genuine.
If found guilty of those felony charges, Steel could face up to three
years and eight months in prison and be forced to give up his council
seat.
Steel has pleaded not guilty and vows to fight the charges and clear
his name. He said Billioux was blind and struggled to write her name.
“She marked the ‘X’ and I simply wrote her name,” he said. “If that
woman were alive today, we wouldn’t have all of his happening.”
But Szkaradek, in his May 29 complaint, states that Steel “committed
five separate felony crimes against the elective franchise.” He asks
that, as relief, the court acknowledge the signatures as “not genuine,”
annulling Steel’s election to the council, removing him from office and
replace him with the runner-up, which would be Somers.
Somers said she is ready to become councilwoman again.
“I ran for office with the intent of serving,” she said. “I will be
happy to abide by whatever the court rules.”
A court date for the hearing has not been set.
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