Steel’s civil case to begin today

Deepa Bharath

SANTA ANA -- A Superior Court judge today will hear a civil lawsuit

accusing Costa Mesa Councilman Chris Steel of five felonies against the

elective franchise.

Michael Szkaradek, a Costa Mesa resident and attorney who filed the

complaint May 29, will represent himself in today’s hearing.

The hearing, which was scheduled for Monday, was postponed until today

because of delays in getting a judge assigned to the case.

Szkaradek’s charges stem from allegations that Steel allowed longtime

Costa Mesa resident Richard Noack to sign nomination papers for his wife,

Marilyn, during last year’s City Council election. Another charge states

Steel himself signed for a legally blind woman during the 1998 election.

Steel lost in 1998, but won last year by a wide margin and has served

on the City Council for the last seven months. If found liable on even

one count alleged by Szkaradek, Steel could lose his seat and could, if

the judge rules as much, be replaced by runner-up Heather Somers.

The councilman is also facing felony perjury charges in a criminal

case brought about by the Orange County district attorney, which states

he signed a declaration that all signatures on the documents were genuine

when he knew Noack had signed for his wife. An arraignment on the felony

charges is scheduled for July 31.

Steel had said he is more concerned about the civil trial than the

criminal trial because the civil trial will not involve a jury.

Szkaradek said he is determined to make Steel step down from office.

He pointed out that Steel had himself admitted that “he had made a

mistake” in taped interviews with the district attorney’s investigator

and various voicemail messages -- all of which are considered key

evidence in the criminal trial.

The hearing, to be heard by Judge Thierry Patrick Colaw, will begin at

9:30 a.m. today in courtroom C24 at the Superior Court in Santa Ana.

* Deepa Bharath covers cops and courts. She may be reached at (949)

574-4226 or by e-mail at deepa.bharath@latimes.com.