Candidate urges court to remove judge’s name

Lolita Harper

COSTA MESA -- A judge accused of child molestation and the Costa Mesa

woman who launched an uphill write-in campaign to unseat him make strange

bed fellows but nonetheless find themselves aligned in one area: Both

want the besieged judge’s name removed from the November ballot.

Gay Sandoval, a former Daily Pilot columnist, and Orange County

Superior Court Judge Ronald C. Kline, who faces charges of child

molestation and child pornography, both criticized Thursday any attempt

to block Kline’s request to withdraw from the race.

Kline received only 33% of the votes in the preliminary election,

despite the fact that his name was the only one to appear on the ballot.

Eleven write-in candidates combined for 67% of the vote, with Dana Point

attorney John Adams taking the majority, according to preliminary tallies

of half the handwritten votes.

If Adams retains the majority of the write-in votes, he would face

Kline in the November runoff.

Kline, however, wants his name removed from the ballot because the

controversy surrounding his criminal charges has caused “an unbearable

strain upon him,” a statement from his attorney read. If Kline’s name is

removed from the ballot, Adams would face the next highest vote-getter

among the write-in candidates.

Enter Sandoval.

With nearly half the precincts counted, Sandoval -- who was the first

to challenge Kline’s automatic reelection -- is in distant second with

17% of the handwritten votes.

Two things stand between Sandoval and a spot on the November ballot:

the court’s decision to allow Kline to withdraw his name and an official

tally of the votes, securing her second-place finish.

An Orange County Superior Court judge deferred Kline’s request to Los

Angeles County Thursday morning to prevent any conflict of interest.

Adam’s formal objection to Kline’s petition could bar Sandoval from

the runoff because a court would be less likely to grant the judge’s

request if there is opposition, political pundits said.

Sandoval said Adams’ decision to object upset her not only because it

hurts her personal chances but because it demonstrates selfishness.

“It is disappointing to think that any judicial candidate would put

personal interest above the community,” Sandoval said. “As a judge, you

have a lot of opportunity to act selfishly. This is a bad sign.”

Kline’s attorney agreed.

“The act of withdrawing from the election is the honorable thing to do

in light of the circumstances. Any objection to his request would arise

from a motive of personal gain and would not be in the best interest of

the voters,” Meyer’s statement read.

The statement also affirmed Kline’s innocence.

Adams could not be reached for comment Thursday.

The Dana Point attorney has reportedly said he objected to Kline’s

request because he believes it would invalidate the will of some voters.

Mark Petracca, a political science professor at UC Irvine, said

Kline’s request was highly unusual.

“I don’t think Kline needs to go out of his way to tell people not to

vote for him,” Petracca said. “The reason to [ask for removal from the

ballot] would be to give voters a real choice.”

* Lolita Harper covers Costa Mesa. She may be reached at (949)

574-4275 or by e-mail at o7 lolita.harper@latimes.comf7 .