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.