Campbell to Pay Cost of Ballot Reprinting

SANTA ANA —  A Democrat who was used as a GOP decoy candidate in a 1995 state Assembly race will repay about $40,000 that Orange County spent reprinting the ballots, her attorney said.

Laurie Campbell reached the agreement on the eve of her fraud lawsuit trial, which was to have begun Thursday.

Campbell’s lawyer said the settlement was a victory because the judgment was entered for negligence rather than for fraud.

“We hope it will be covered by her insurance,” attorney Shawn Nelson said.

Republicans arranged for Campbell to run in the 46th Assembly District race in November 1995 in hopes that she would split the Democratic vote and ensure victory for Scott Baugh (R-Huntington Beach).

A judge struck Campbell’s name from the ballot, though, because she had falsely stated that she circulated her own nominating petitions. GOP aides had handled them.

Last year, the county sued Campbell to recoup the estimated $40,000 it spent to reprint the ballots without her name.

“This was just another collection case for us,” acting county counsel Laurence Watson said of the settlement.

Three Republican aides pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges for their roles in the decoy scheme. Baugh, who won the election, faces 18 charges of perjury and violating the state’s Political Reform Act. Campbell is expected to be a prosecution witness.

Rhonda Carmony, campaign manager and now wife of Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Huntington Beach), faces retrial on felony counts for her alleged role in the scheme. The jury deadlocked during her first trial.