LAGUNA NIGUEL : Activist Who Led Recall Files Lawsuit

A local activist who led a recall movement against four elected officials last year has filed a $1-million lawsuit against city leaders for allegedly making “false and defamatory statements” about him.

In legal papers delivered to the city this week, Eddie Rose says council members and their supporters spread lies about him that caused him “public shame and humiliation” and “permanently affected his credibility and stature in the community.”

Named in the suit are the city of Laguna Niguel, Mayor Thomas W. Wilson, council members Patricia C. Bates, Larry A. Porter, James F. Krembas and several other residents.

The lawsuit refers to flyers distributed during the failed recall attempt. The flyers questioned Rose’s motives for trying to unseat the council members, and, Rose said, wrongly linked him to Las Vegas unions and other outside interests.

One of the handbills asked, “Who is Eddie Rose?” and said the former City Council candidate was “looking to ‘get even’ for self-serving purposes.” Names and political identification numbers of four council members were printed at the bottom of the sheet.

Rose said this week the information circulated in the flyers was “totally false.” The lawsuit, which was filed last week in Orange County Superior Court, says the attack on Rose “virtually crippled his free speech and political activities.”

Mayor Wilson said Friday that it is standard procedure to include a council member’s name and identification number on printed material involving the city. The lawsuit “is just going to have to run its course,” he said.

“I don’t even recall the document that much,” Wilson said. “It’s just unfortunate we have to contend with another negative issue in the city.”

The recall attempt sprang from the council’s handling of a controversial ridgeline protection ordinance.