Sybert Admits Lying Over Sign Vandalism

Caught on videotape tearing down an opponent’s campaign signs, state Assembly candidate Rich Sybert acknowledged Thursday that he initially lied about the incidents and admitted he is “embarrassed and ashamed” by his actions.

The grainy camcorder video shows four incidents over several nights at different hours during which Sybert is scurrying around, ripping down rival candidate Tony Strickland’s campaign signs in Thousand Oaks and Camarillo earlier this week.

The Harvard-schooled lawyer and Oxnard toy company executive, who twice ran unsuccessful congressional campaigns this decade, is shown afterward getting into two vehicles, both of which are listed under his name, according to Department of Motor Vehicles records.

“I tore down the signs, it was a stupid prank on my part,” a somber Sybert said in an interview Thursday, adding that he has no plans to withdraw from the race. “It was equally silly to lie to you about it.”

In an interview with The Times the day before, Sybert, 45, had dismissed Strickland’s charges as a ridiculous “publicity stunt,” and claimed he was in bed at 3 a.m. Monday, when one of the vandalism incidents occurred.

“Oh, please!” Sybert had said when informed Wednesday that Strickland had filed a complaint with the district attorney. “I’ve got better things to do. I’m in bed at three in the morning.

“I checked with my wife,” he added, “and she’s pretty sure the guy next to her Monday night was me.”

Sybert argued Thursday that neither the vandalism nor his lying about it should be viewed as reflections of his character.

“All I can do is come clean and say I’m sorry,” Sybert said. “I made a mistake, but I don’t think it says anything more about me.”

Strickland campaign officials were busy Thursday distributing copies of the videotape, along with copies of The Times article, to various community leaders and Sybert backers, asking them to withdraw their support.

Strickland campaign volunteers had been tailing Sybert and monitoring their signs for several days following a rash of campaign sign vandalism that resulted in a loss of more than 30 signs.

The Strickland campaign had also hired a private investigator. At least part of the videotape of Sybert was filmed by a 19-year-old Pepperdine University student in the early hours Monday.

Strickland campaign officials did not release the videotape of Sybert until Thursday, a day after going public with their claims.

“I’ll let the voters answer that question,” a beaming Strickland, 28, said when asked what the tape says about Sybert. “We’re just putting out the videotape and letting people decide for themselves whether this is someone they want in the 37th District seat.”

Moorpark City Councilman Chris Evans said he was considering withdrawing his endorsement of Sybert after watching a screening of the video in Strickland’s office Thursday morning.

“I’m very disappointed,” Evans said. “That’s pretty overwhelming, to see that videotape of Rich. It shows a significant lapse in judgment. He’s going to have to answer some tough questions.”

But some of those who attended a Sybert fund-raiser Thursday at the posh Spanish Hills Country Club in Camarillo said the incident in no way damaged Sybert’s reputation. Sybert apologized for the vandalism before about 50 of his supporters during the gathering, adding that he should have come clean from the start.

“Nobody really seemed to care,” former Congressman Bob Lagomarsino said. “He said he shouldn’t have done it.”

“Of course we still like him,” Lagomarsino’s wife, Norma, added. “Everybody pulls down campaign signs. It’s part of the game. . . . He’s probably learned a lesson--he’ll never lie again.”

The 37th Assembly District, which includes Oxnard, Camarillo and Thousand Oaks, is the focus of a seven-candidate race now that Nao Takasugi (R-Oxnard) is prohibited from seeking reelection because of term limits. Takasugi, who had endorsed Sybert, could not be reached for comment Thursday.

Several of Sybert’s Republican challengers, however, expressed dismay at his actions.

“If it were me, I would be so ashamed of myself I wouldn’t be able to face the public,” said fellow Republican candidate Toni Young, a Port Hueneme councilwoman. “To be caught in a lie, it’s just awful. My heart goes out to him for being that desperate.”

“I’m really disappointed in Sybert, because he called me personally to say this would be a clean campaign,” Republican candidate Jere Robings said. “His actions show a complete lack of character, and his actions to the press make it even worse. It’s very stupid.”

Other candidates include Republican John Lane, a fraud investigator, Democrat Rosalind McGrath, a schoolteacher, and Reform Party candidate Michael Farris, a scientist.

Spokesman Gary Huckaby of the state Fair Political Practices Commission said vandalizing campaign signs does not violate state election law, though it does clearly contradict the “code of fair campaign practices” most candidates sign when running for office.

Ripping down campaign signs, however, is a violation of a city ordinance in Thousand Oaks, where it is a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine. Vandalism in general is a misdemeanor punishable by six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.

“We do have a report, we are looking into it, and the district attorney’s office is looking into it as well,” said Capt. Keith Parks of the Sheriff’s Department.

Jeff Bennett, chief deputy in charge of investigations for the district attorney’s office, said he had communicated Thursday with Sybert’s attorney, but declined to elaborate. Bennett said his office was still trying to determine whether it had jurisdiction to prosecute the misdemeanor, or whether it should be handled by the Thousand Oaks city attorney’s office.

“We’re still reviewing the facts, trying to get everything together,” Bennett said.

Although he admitted the incident had caused him great shame, and stressed it was indefensible, Sybert said many of Strickland’s signs were in clear violation of city ordinances. He added he was considering pressing harassment charges against Strickland, claiming he and his wife were being stalked.

“These are illegal signs, they violate the city ordinance, and I got caught up in the heat of the moment,” Sybert said. “I am, frankly, a little stunned. This entire campaign is being dragged down into the gutter, and I’m being dragged down with it. I’d like to resume talking about the issues.”

Assemblyman Tom McClintock (R-Northridge), who employs Strickland as a legislative aide and serves as his political mentor, dismissed Sybert’s rationale as an attempt to gloss over a fatal mistake.

“That’s not the actions of a righteous man out to right a wrong, that’s a vandal sneaking out at three in the morning,” McClintock said in an interview from Sacramento.

“The tape speaks for itself,” he added. “Everybody I’ve talked to says it’s outrageous. I’ve talked to fellow Republicans, and they say it’s disgraceful. It hurts the image of the party.”

Times staff writers Hilary E. MacGregor, Kate Folmar and Daryl Kelley, and correspondent Nick Green contributed to this story.