FULLERTON : Recalls Leader Cited in Campaign Sign Thefts

Police on Wednesday served W. Snow Hume, a Fullerton Recalls Committee leader, with an order to appear in court later this month on charges of vandalism in the disappearance of campaign signs belonging to three City Council candidates.

Councilman Don Bankhead, who is running in the November general election, Peter Godfrey, who is running in the October special election, and Jan Flory, who is running in both, told police Monday that their campaign signs had been repeatedly stolen, police said.

Godfrey said about 600 of his signs have vanished, and Flory and Bankhead said they have lost more than 100 signs each.

Hume, reached at his home Wednesday, admitted removing some signs, saying he had permission from property owners where the signs were posted. He said police are trying to discredit the recalls committee, which has endorsed Jacob Spaargaron, Jack Dean and Conrad DeWitte.

The recalls committee championed a successful campaign to oust three council members from office, including Bankhead.

Hume said he tried to file a police report against Bankhead, Flory and Godfrey for allegedly placing signs illegally in such places as freeway on-ramps but was not allowed to.

“This is a politically motivated prosecution. Police are being political over who they choose to prosecute,” Hume said.

Police Chief Patrick McKinley said of the charge: “That’s silliness. . . . We proceed according to law and facts and that’s what we’ve done in this case.”

The punishment for vandalism, a misdemeanor, is up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine, police said.