Bishop Backers Halt Bid to Bar Recall Election : Politics: Lawsuit seeking to block Oct. 29 balloting is withdrawn.

Supporters of beleaguered Oceanside Vice Mayor Melba Bishop announced Thursday that they have dropped their lawsuit that sought to block Bishop’s Oct. 29 recall election.

Bob Glaser, attorney for Oceanside Taxpayers for Orderly Growth, which is backing the slow-growth politician, concluded that “a civil remedy of throwing out the election was unlikely.”

The group had filed suit in July to derail the election, arguing that voter signatures on petitions to qualify the recall for the ballot were gathered illegally.

At first, Vista Superior Court Judge Ronald Johnson denied the group’s request for a temporary restraining order to keep the election off the ballot, but Bishop’s backers planned to return to court and seek an injunction.

However, the announcement Thursday means the election will go ahead as Bishop fights to continue serving her second council term.

Opponents accuse her of abusing her power by leading a council majority that voted to cut police and fire budgets, fire pro-growth city planning commissioners, and limit the authority of directly elected Mayor Larry Bagley.

Bishop, who maintains the allegations were trumped up by political forces defeated in last November’s council elections, said Thursday she decided to ask all parties to halt legal action over the recall election.

Besides the Oceanside Taxpayers for Orderly Growth’s lawsuit, a similar action brought by Citizens For Honest Government, another supporter of Bishop, is also expected to be dropped.

“I asked everyone to dismiss (the suits) and let’s get on with it,” Bishop said. “The election should be based on things I’ve done or not done.”

Recall leader Ed Wicburg had a more jaundiced attitude, commenting Thursday, “They had no proof of any wrongdoing, so they couldn’t go forward with the lawsuit.”

Despite the decision to halt the suit, Glaser’s written announcement included a blast against recall leaders, whom he accused of paying out-of-town residents to circulate recall petitions in Oceanside and failing to submit financial disclosure reports with the state.

“They are just slimy characters with no regard for the law,” Glaser’s statement said.