SANTA ANA : Ex-Mayor Accused of Removing Signs

City Council candidate Robert L. Richardson has accused a former mayor of yanking more than 50 of Richardson’s political signs from lawns in the last two weeks.

In a complaint filed with police, two of Richardson’s campaign volunteers, Brad Turner and Lisa Evans, said they saw former Mayor James E. Ward removing “Richardson for City Council” signs from several lawns in a prestigious part of the city early Saturday morning.

Ward, an architect who served on the council from 1973 to 1981, denied any involvement.

“I did not remove any signs,” Ward said. “I know it’s frustrating to lose signs, but I have never made an issue of it.”

Richardson, a school board member and an aide to County Supervisor Roger R. Stanton, is challenging incumbent Ron May in next week’s election. Ward has endorsed May. May has refused to comment on the alleged incident.

Richardson said that dozens of his political signs have been stolen from the neighborhood--which is nicknamed North of 17th Street--since Oct. 20. Last Saturday morning, Turner and Evans decided to patrol the neighborhood, Richardson said. That is when they allegedly saw Ward pulling out the green and orange signs and placing them in his 1989 Chrysler Lebaron.

Turner and Evans then filed a police report on Monday, Richardson said.

“I expected a greater display of maturity from a former mayor and school board member,” Richardson said. “Anybody who removes a person’s political sign is acting in a childish fashion.”

Police spokesman Lt. Robert Helton said the incident is being investigated.

Ward served as mayor from 1979 to 1980. He was also a member of the Santa Ana school board from 1983 to 1987.