Rosenberg Helper Found Among Badham’s Staff

A man identifying himself as a volunteer worker in the Republican congressional campaign of Nathan Rosenberg was discovered Friday night in the campaign headquarters of Rep. Robert E. Badham (R-Newport Beach), working under a false identity, Badham campaign workers said.

Rosenberg is challenging Badham in the 40th District Republican primary. The election is June 3.

The man, who first signed a volunteer identification form with the name Brian Mendoza, later gave his name as Joseph Trgo when confronted by suspicious campaign workers. The man told Badham campaign officials that he was a Rosenberg volunteer, but that he was “acting independently” of the Rosenberg effort.

Newport Beach police were called to the headquarters, but Badham campaign officials said the man left before they arrived.

According to Badham campaign director David Vaporean, no documents were found missing. Vaporean characterized the incident as “a little bit of mischief, nothing more.”

Rosenberg’s brother, Harry, who heads the campaign, said that a man named Joseph Trgo “has run errands and worked around the headquarters.” He said he had no knowledge of the incident, but said that if the charges were true, Trgo would be fired.

“He will have to explain himself to me,” Harry Rosenberg said. “We won’t tolerate that kind of activity.”