Candidate Sues Over Alleged False Statement : Politics: Darrell Opp alleges his opponent, schools Supt. John F. Dean, misrepresented himself in voter information pamphlet, a charge Dean denies.

A candidate for the post of county superintendent of schools alleges in a suit filed Wednesday that the incumbent misrepresented himself in a voters informational booklet that will be distributed countywide before the June election.

The suit was brought by Darrell Opp, a regional occupational director who works under schools Supt. John F. Dean and is one of the candidates trying to unseat him.

Opp, in the lawsuit, contends that Dean falsely stated in his candidacy statement that he had reduced the Department of Education budget and cut staff and administration. Instead, Opp alleges, the budget had grown and staff and administration had increased.

Also Opp complained that Dean’s statement implied that the County Board of Supervisors and boards of education had endorsed him, which Opp said would be illegal for them to do in their official capacities.

Lastly, the lawsuit complained that Dean violated election rules that he not mention partisan affiliation in the race for a nonpartisan office by telling voters he had been named to the CRA Hall of Fame, which Opp said suggests the California Republican Assembly.

To all this, Dean said Wednesday that he believes Opp is misinformed.

“All of his information is incorrect,” he said. “I wish he had his facts correct. If he had the facts . . . he wouldn’t have filed the suit.”

Dean said he has documents to prove his record in budget cutting and staff reduction. Moreover, he said, Opp was mistaken that none of the county supervisors had endorsed him.

“I have five written endorsements from all five supervisors,” he said.

Also, he said he had a written statement of support for his candidacy from a school superintendent in Orange, who said he had talked to the other superintendents and that they supported Dean.

As for his mention of the CRA, Dean said he was referring not to the California Republican Assembly, but to the California Reading Assn., where he was executive secretary for 14 years.

“I am sorry if somebody misunderstood that,” Dean said, explaining that he decided to abbreviate the organization to keep within the 200-word limit he was allowed for the $11,000 fee he paid to be included in the voter pamphlet.

The lawsuit, filed against the Orange County registrar of voters, seeks corrections in Dean’s statement.